Weddings Archives | Page 24 of 190

In Advice

Easy wedding centrepieces you can DIY

January 4, 2021 No Comments

Your wedding decor can make or break your overall theme. However, you don’t need to go bankrupt to make a statement.

There are so many household items that just need some dressing up, and they will look spectacular on your wedding table. Think bottles, mirrors and candles. They key is to add variety with different heights and shapes.

Spraypaint your items to match your colour scheme, and add fairy lights for a romantic touch. The possibilities are endless.

Here are some ideas to inspire you:

Picture: Pexels

In Engagements

Man proposes while receiving COVID-19 vaccine from partner

January 4, 2021 No Comments

What began as a simple COVID-19 vaccination ended as a sweet marriage proposal for this healthcare couple.

Robbie Vargas-Cortes (31) who works as a paramedic and EMS supervisor, was one of the first healthcare workers in Canton, South Dakota to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. His partner Eric Vanderlee, a registered nurse, was one of the vaccine administrators at Sanford Health.

Vargas-Cortes then decided to use this opportunity to plan the perfect surprise proposal. During the appointment, Vargas-Cortes rolled up his sleeve to reveal his arm and receive the vaccine, but to Vanderlee’s surprise there was already tape on his arm.

Initially, Vanderlee thought it was his partner’s way of jokingly showing him where the vaccine needle should go. Upon closer inspection, however, he realised that there was a ring taped to his partner’s arm.

“It just kind of dawned on me and I was like, ‘absolutely, of course, yes.’ It was just an amazing moment after I figured it out,” Vanderlee told CNN.

“Robby got his vaccine – and an enthusiastic yes from his now fiancé. Congratulations, Eric and Robby!” wrote Sanford Health in a Facebook post.

Picture: screenshot from video

In Celebs

Ina Garten shares adorable throwback to celebrate anniversary with Jeffrey

December 23, 2020 No Comments

Food Network star Ina Garten, also known as the Barefoot Contessa, and husband Jeffrey are celebrating a momentous 52 years of marriage.

Taking to social media, Garten shared a sweet throwback of the couple on their wedding day to honour the occasion.

“Fifty-two years and still having so much fun! You gave me a life I could never have dreamed of. Happy Anniversary my love. (What’s up with that cake??)”

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Ina Garten (@inagarten)

The pair met in 1964, when Ina was visiting her brother at Dartmouth University, which they all attended. Jeffrey marvelled at her beauty from the library window, telling a friend “Look at that girl, isn’t she beautiful?”

Funnily enough, the friend knew Ina as she was the younger sister of a friend who actually had a date with her that very night. Luckily, that date did not lead to anything more and Jeffery jumped at his chance to start something. He began writing Ina letters in the hopes they would meet one day.

Months later, the pair finally met up for their first date. Afterwards, Jeffrey continued to write to Ina almost daily.

Ina and Jeffrey tied the knot in 1968 when she was 20 and he 22. They married at her parents’ home in Connecticut.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Ina Garten (@inagarten)

Since then, Jeffrey has been a major support as Garten’s culinary career blew up with her Food Network show. He often features in episodes, and has become a welcome addition to the show for many fans.

Picture: Instagram / Ina Garten

In Legal & Administration

Double proxy weddings boom amid COVID-19 pandemic

December 18, 2020 No Comments

“I do”, said the bride to her laptop. No, this isn’t a dystopian telling of our future in which robots are our new partners, it’s a reality for many separated by thousands of kilometres amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Amid the pandemic, some couples forced apart are still going ahead with their wedding day, albeit in a much less traditional format. If you thought Zoom weddings were novel, wait till you hear about double proxy weddings, the hot new trend in 2020.

A proxy wedding or proxy marriage is a wedding in which one or both of the individuals getting married are not physically present for the nuptials, and are represented by other people standing in for them. A double proxy wedding is when both partners are physically absent and two other people stand in for them.

This is legally permissible under certain circumstance in some parts of the world, like if one partner is enrolled in military service, imprisoned or due to travel restrictions. Importantly, this marriage is not legally recognised by most countries as common law requires both parties to be present.

Marriage by proxy was very common among nobility centuries ago. Marie Antoinette married Louis-Auguste by proxy in 1770 and French emperor Napoleon married Archduchess Marie Louise by proxy in 1810. This service became even more popular in the early 1900s in America during the war efforts.

In 2020, it has seen a resurgence thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic. The New York Times writes of Randy Nuñez and Sasha Nuñez-Carvalho, who married via double proxy in October while he was quarantining in San Diego and she was deployed in the Navy in Europe.

Proxy marriage is legal in the state of Montana and several other American states, all the couple has to do is sign their right-of-attorney over to two stand-ins who them get married for them and sign the marriage licence on their behalf with an officiant present.

The couple who stood in for the Nuñez’s, Chris and April Coen actually specialise in double proxy marriages. For $675 (about R9910), the Coens will stand in for couples wanting to to tie knot. In fact, business has grown by 400% amid the pandemic and by the end of 2020 alone they would have performed about 2500 double proxy marriages.

Picture: Pexels

In Advice

How to choose your bridal party

December 18, 2020 No Comments

When it comes to planning your big day, you want your closest people by your side to get your through. Things will get crazy, overwhelming and exhausting which is where your A-team step in.

But how do you know who to ask? Who should be your maid of honour and should you even have one? There will most likely be many outside voices telling you what to do, feelings of moral obligation or pressure from your partner around who to include in your bridal party. Take a breath, we’re here to help.

If you have no idea who to ask, consider the following guidelines.

You have the right to choose

It’s your wedding. Not your mother’s, mother-in-law’s or sister’s wedding. You should be comfortable with the people around you, trust them and be able to rely on them. Choose people you know well, have a close relationship with and that you know carry your happiness at heart.

Your maid/man of honour needs certain qualities

Some traditions dictate that a bride should ask her closest female family member to be the maid of honour, while others firmly believe that it should be your longest-standing friend. While your man/maid of honour might tick both those boxes, the most important thing is that he or she must be your closest friend. They may be a sister, cousin or school friend, but they may also be a recently met colleague, sports mate or even an older person who is a role model and mentor in your life.

That being said, they will need to handle some arrangements, do a lot of planning and be hands-on during the process. As such, they would need to be at least a semi-organised person, live close enough to see you regularly and know you well enough to avoid planning things you would not enjoy.

Your bridal party don’t need to be best friends with each other

The maid of honour and bridesmaids are a group of people who all love you, but they don’t need to love each other. Yes, you want them to have a good time and getting along will be a bonus, but the main thing is that you have the people there that you want. If they really care about you, they will put any potential differences aside and work together as a team to make your dream come true.

You are allowed to exclude people

This part sounds harsh, but it might be necessary. As with guests, you can’t always have everybody there. Sometimes practicalities just won’t allow it and other times it could be that people expect things of you that are unfair. If it so happens that you and your partner’s sister just don’t see eye to eye, for example, you shouldn’t have to feel pressured to include her in the bridal party. It would probably be a relief to them as much as it is to you, if you don’t ask them.

Remember this is your big day and your happiness counts most.

Picture: Unsplash

In Celebs

Keeping up with Kimye: Kim Kardashian and Kanye West’s love story

December 17, 2020 No Comments

You’ll be hardpressed to find two celebrities better suited for one another than Kim Kardashian and Kanye West. Together, the pair make up one of the most famous couples on the planet.

Kardashian has famously been married three times, and her third has by far been her most successful. Here’s how their love story began.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Kim Kardashian West (@kimkardashian)

Long before Kardashian hit the big time thanks to her reality show, she met rapper Kanye West on set of a Brandy music video back in 2002/3.

“I met him, I think, in 2002 or 2003. He was recording a song with Brandy, and I was her friend. I vividly remember hanging out with him, and then they did a video together, so I’d see him a few times. He was asking his friends, ‘Who is this Kim Kardajan?’ He didn’t know what my name was,” Kardashian recounted during the 10th anniversary special of Keeping Up with the Kardashians.

It wasn’t until years later that the pair would grow close. In 2008, the pair were brought back together to work on a pilot for a TV show called Alligator Boots. From here on out, they were good friends and West even appeared on an episode of Kourtney and Kim Take New York in 2010.

Kim would go on to marry basketball player Kris Humphries in 2011, a marriage that would end after a mere 72 days. She may have been able to avoid this fate if she had listened to an anonymous caller who warned her against the marriage.

“I got a phone because somebody decided they wanted to marry Kris Humphries,” Kanye recalled on an episode of Kocktails with Khloé. “I started sending her pictures of, like, certain basketball players that used to be cool that now they wear their pants all the way up to here. Like, ‘This is your future.'”

Luckily for West, the marriage was short-lived and the pair reconnected during a trip to Paris for Fashion Week in 2011.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Kim Kardashian West (@kimkardashian)

In Celebs

The best celebrity weddings of 2020

December 17, 2020 No Comments

2020 has been anything but conventional, but one thing that endured was the power of love. Despite all the changes this year threw at us, many were determined to tie the knot with that special someone.

While they were not to the grand standard we are used to, there were many celebrity couples who tied the knot in 2020. Some were lucky enough to walk down the aisle before the pandemic broke out, while others restructured to celebrate in a more low-key and safe way.

Here are a few of our favourite celebrity weddings for 2020:

Tim Tebow and Demi-Leigh Nel Peters

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Demi-Leigh Tebow (@demitebow)

Tim Tebow and Demi-Leigh Nel Peters kicked off the year with a celebrity wedding to note. From their pre-wedding ‘Welcome to Africa’ cocktail dinner in the Cape winelands to their rehearsal dinner, no expense was spared. The couple’s weekend events are all planned by celebrity planner Zavion Khotze.

The pair married at the La Paris Estate in Franschhoek on January 20, 2020. South African celebrity wedding planner Zavion Khotze organised the day. The former Miss Universe wore an off-the-shoulder cowl-neck dress by Davids Bridal and Tim wore a tuxedo by Antar Levar.

According to PEOPLE, their ceremony lasted 30 minutes and was attended by 260 guests. The couple wrote their own vows.

The wedding blended South African and American wedding traditions, because their cultures are very important to the couple.

Brittany Snow and Tyler Stanaland

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Brittany Snow (@brittanysnow)

The Pitch Perfect actress said ‘I do’ to longtime beau Tyler Stanaland in an intimate ceremony at Cielo Farms in Malibu, California on March 14.

Snow wore a long-sleeved wedding dress with a low back for her big day. Her hair was pinned back in a low bun and adorned with white flowers. Tyler and his groomsmen donned black tuxedos and Converse shoes.

According to reports, the bride walked down the aisle with her beloved pet pooch Billie by her side. As it rained on the day, the ceremony was moved from the lawn area to a covered terrace.

Bindi Irwin and Chandler Powell

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Bindi Irwin (@bindisueirwin)

Bindi Irwin and Chandler Powell said ‘I do’ on March 25 in a small ceremony at the Australia Zoo where they all live, with no guests in attendance beside her mother and brother. Despite planning their big day for over a year, all their plans had to change amid the coronavirus pandemic.

The wedding was a meaningful moment for her family. Irwin’s mother helped her get ready, her brother walked her down the aisle and they had a special tribute to her father, Steve Irwin.

Princess Beatrice and Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by The Royal Family (@theroyalfamily)

Almost two months after their planned wedding date, Princess Beatrice and entrepreneur Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi tied the knot in a small, private ceremony at the Royal Chapel of All Saints in Windsor on Friday, July 17.

They had their closest family members in attendance, including her Majesty the Queen, the Duke of Edinburgh, and the Duke and Duchess of York.

For her big day, the Princess wore a stunning vintage dress by Norman Hartnell and accessorised with the Queen Mary diamond fringe tiara, both belonging to Her Majesty the Queen. The tiara was worn by Queen Elizabeth on her wedding day in 1947.

She carried a bouquet of trailing jasmine, pale pink and cream sweet peas, royal porcelain ivory spray roses, pink o’hara garden roses, pink wax flower and baby pink astible. Of course, she had a sprig of myrtle in it as well to continue royal tradition.

Lily Allen and David Harbour

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by David Harbour (@dkharbour)

Singer Lily Allen said ‘I do’ to Stranger Things star David Harbour in a secret Las Vegas ceremony on Monday, September 7.

They celebs exchanged vows at the Graceland Wedding Chapel. In true Vegas fashion, they even had an Elvis impersonator officiate the wedding. This wedding location proves popular with celebs, as both Jon Bon Jovi and Billy Ray Cyrus have tied the knot here previously.

The singer went casual with a boat neck double-breasted Dior dress and tulle veil for the nuptials. Harbour wore a simple black suit.

Picture: Instagram / Demi Tebow

In Hair

How to catch waves without going to the beach

December 15, 2020 No Comments

Beach waves are no longer a trend but an iconic hair style that is doable on almost all hair types. With travel in question this summer, you might not be able get to the ocean, but don’t let that stop you from getting minimal effort beach hair.

Bring the beach to your hair with Wella Professional EIMI Ocean Spritz, which creates texture and grip for sexy movement synonymous with beach waves.

Here are the best ways to get the look (at home).

Beach waves for straight hair

First tackle flat roots with a root lifting product like Wella Professional EIMI Root Shoot, target the root with this volumising mousse and then apply a texturising product to the rest of the hair. EIMI Pearl Styler creates that “tack” in the hair, this is needed for slippery straight hair that doesn’t hold onto curl easily. Apply away from the roots, and distribute evenly through hair, the gel-like formula protects hair from UV and adds shine for healthy looking locks.

Blow dry hair upside down, using a large paddle brush lifting the roots to maximise volume. When hair is dried through, use a hair tong to curl sections. You don’t want anything too uniform here, so change the direction you are curling the hair with every section. This will give texture rather than ringlets.

Another trick to keep hair looking modern is to curl from mid-shaft rather than from roots to ends and leave the ends out so they are straight. Once all hair has been curled, open up the sections of hair and shake to loosen the curls. Finish with a spritz of Wella Professional EIMI Ocean Spritz for salty texture.

Beach waves for curly hair

If you already have curly hair, but want a more beachy texture, one of the simplest ways to achieve this is by spritzing Wella Professional EIMI Ocean Spritz onto freshly washed and conditioned hair, if your hair is particularly dry, add a few drops of hair oil too.

Brush out any knots and divide the hair into two sections and loosely braid to each side. Smooth the top of the hair as much as possible, you can even apply some heat from the hair drier to smooth out the front and top sections. Sleep on the braids and when you wake up check that they are dried through, if not blast with a hair drier for a few minutes. When dried thoroughly, unravel the braids and gently pull out the curls using your fingers. Use EMI Curl Shaper to tame any flyaways and give separation.

Picture/s: Supplied

In Wedding Music

Top streamed wedding songs on Spotify

December 15, 2020 No Comments

Music can make or break an event and with a party as important as your wedding, you better make sure you play the right beats.

Some songs reign supreme in the wedding world, and have done so for decades. According to data from Spotify, these songs are still on the top of the list for couples tying the knot.

Spotify recently exclusively shared with Brides their most streamed songs of 2020 at weddings and wedding-related events.

Of course, classics like “At Last” by Etta James, “Your Song” by Elton John and “Thinking out Loud” by Ed Sheeran made the playlists.

Ed Sheeran topped the list as the most globally streamed artist for weddings and related events in 2020, followed by Bruno Mars and Dan + Shay.

Top 20 Songs From Bachelorette Party-Themed Playlists:

“Wannabe” – Spice Girls
“Jumpin’, Jumpin”– Destiny’s Child
“Truth Hurts”– Lizzo
“Girls Just Want to Have Fun” – Cyndi Lauper
“WAP (feat. Megan Thee Stallion)” – Cardi B, Megan Thee Stallion
“Crazy In Love (feat. Jay Z)” – Beyoncé, Jay-Z
“We Can’t Stop” – Miley Cyrus
“Glamorous” – Fergie, Ludacris
“Run the World (Girls)” – Beyoncé
“Any Man of Mine” – Shania Twain
“SexyBack (feat. Timbaland)” – Justin Timberlake, Timbaland
“Yeah! (feat. Lil Jon & Ludacris)” – Lil Jon, Ludacris, Usher
“No Scrubs” – TLC
“Bootylicious” – Destiny’s Child
“Buttons” – The Pussycat Dolls
“Get Low” – Lil Jon & The East Side Boyz, Ying Yang Twins
“I Wanna Dance with Somebody (Who Loves Me)” – Whitney Houston
“Fancy” – Charli XCX, Iggy Azalea
“Super Bass” – Nicki Minaj
“Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)” – Beyoncé

Top Songs From Bachelor Party-Themed Playlists:

“Post Malone (feat. RANI)” – RANI, Sam Feldt
“Shotgun (The Wild Remix)” – George Ezra, The Wild
“Higher Love” – Kygo, Whitney Houston
“Body” – Brando, Loud Luxury
“Wow.” – Post Malone
“South of the Border (feat. Camila Cabello & Cardi B) – Cheat Codes Remix” – Camila Cabello, Cardi B, Cheat Codes, Ed Sheeran
“Ride It – Jonas Blue Remix” – Jonas Blue, Regard
“Blinding Lights” – The Weeknd
“SICKO MODE – Skrillex Remix” – Skrillex, Travis Scott
“I Don’t Care (with Justin Bieber) – Loud Luxury Remix” – Ed Sheeran, Justin Bieber, Loud Luxury
“Insomnia – King Arthur Remix” – Daya, King Arthur
“High Hopes – Don Diablo Remix” – Don Diablo, Panic! At The Disco
“SOS (feat. Aloe Blacc)” – Aloe Blacc, Avicii
“The Rhythm of the Night” – Corona, Sean Finn
“Better Now” – Post Malone
“Ni**as In Paris” – JAY-Z, Kanye West
“Low (feat. T-Pain)” – Low (feat. T-Pain)
“Old Town Road – Diplo Remix” – Billy Ray Cyrus, Diplo, Lil Nas X
“Sweet but Psycho – Morgan Page Dance Remix” – Ava Max, Morgan Page
“Everytime We Touch – Radio Edit” – Cascada

Top 20 Most Streamed Songs in Father & Daughter-Themed Playlists:

“Father and Daughter” – Paul Simon
“I Loved Her First” – Heartland
“You Are My Sunshine” – Johnny Cash
“Wildflowers” – Tom Petty
“My Little Girl” – Tim McGraw
“Sweet Pea” – Amos Lee
“Daughters” – John Mayer
“First Man” – Camila Cabello
“My Wish” – Rascal Flatts
“Landslide” – Fleetwood Mac
“Butterfly Kisses” – Bob Carlisle
“Don’t Blink” – Kenny Chesney
“It Won’t Be Like This For Long” – Darius Rucker
“Fathers and Daughters” – Kristin Chenoweth
“You’ll Be In My Heart” – Phil Collins
“Daddy’s Little Girl” – Michael Bolton
“The Way You Look Tonight” – Frank Sinatra
“Daddy Dance with Me” – Krystal Keith
“Lights” – Journey
“God Gave Me You” – Blake Shelton

Top 20 Most Streamed Songs in First Dance-Themed Playlists:

“Conversations in the Dark” – John Legend
“You Are the Best Thing” – Ray LaMontagne
“Yours – Wedding Edition” – Russell Dickerson
“Beyond” – Leon Bridges
“At Last” – Etta James
“Can’t Help Falling in Love” – Haley Reinhart
“Marry Me” – Train
“How Would You Feel (Paean)” – Ed Sheeran
“Thinking out Loud” – Ed Sheeran
“Greatest Love Story” – LANCO
“How Long Will I Love You – Bonus Track” –Ellie Goulding
“From the Ground Up” –Dan + Shay
“Speechless” –Dan + Shay
“Perfect” –Ed Sheeran
“I Won’t Give Up” –Jason Mraz
“Everything” –Michael Bublé
“Say You Won’t Let Go” –James Arthur
“Then” –Brad Paisley
“I Don’t Dance” – Lee Brice
“Your Song” – Elton John

Picture: Unsplash

In Advice

How to ask someone to walk you down the aisle

December 14, 2020 No Comments

Traditionally, a woman’s father walks her down the aisle. This is an old tradition which stems from the days of arranged marriage but today can be a bonding moment between father and daughter. However, not everyone has a father they can walk down with.

If you’re someone whose father has passed away or you have a strained or uncomfortable relationship with your father, here are a few ways to ask that special person to make their way down the aisle with you.

Personalised Card

This is the best choice as it gives you the space to write out exactly how you feel and express to the person how much they mean to you. It is also simple and easy to do, so you don’t have to splash out on anything too expensive.

Tie in a box

This works if the person you’re asking is a man but this doesn’t have to be the case. Whoever you’re asking, you could surprise them with a little gift they could wear on the day as a gesture of their role in your wedding. A tie is great for a man as it could match your decor ideas but think of something that’s special to your relationship with that person.

Flower arrangement

Not to make flowers gendered but it is likely this would be for a woman you pick to join you down the aisle. Although, if there is a man in your life who you know likes flowers then this works too. Most flower companies can deliver your bouquet with a note. This makes it a great option if you’re asking someone who lives far away.

A one-on-one chat

This is actually the simplest option. You can express everything with no limitations and it’s a great way to have some alone time with this person, who must fill a significant role in your life. Take them out for lunch or an activity you both enjoy and bring up the idea with them while you’re at it.

How to tell your father it’s not him

This is a very tricky situation. If your father is still alive but you would rather he didn’t walk you down the aisle, this is a conversation you will need to have. This is because the expectation is set as a result of tradition.

While there is no perfect way to let him down, if you have to go through the motion try to make it as unantagonistic as possible. Do it in a space he will feel safe, like his home, so he doesn’t become embarrassed and lash out. Clearly structure what you’re going to say so you don’t end up becoming emotionally overwhelmed and ultimately go into the experience understanding he may be hurt and there is nothing you can do about that and it is something he will have to deal with.

Picture: Unsplash