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    2020. The year we spent indoors. Now, summer is here, and with restrictions having eased somewhat we’re finding ourselves more inclined to spend time outdoors in the sunshine.

    “While it’s important to remember that COVID-19 is by no means behind us, and all safety precautions such as mask-wearing, sanitising and social distancing should be adhered to when out and about, bidding farewell to this year while enjoying the great outdoors our country has to offer is something to celebrate,” acknowledges Themba Ndlovu, Clere For Men and Clere For Men Active brand manager.

    He adds that when spending time outside it’s important to take your skin into account. “Summer can be harsh on your skin if you don’t prep it or look after it properly. The heat, air pollution, perspiration and excess oil build up are the not so nice side effects of the season. This is where skincare comes in. It’s important to switch up your skincare routine as and when your skin requirements change.”

    Ndlovu advises on what you should focus on when it comes to your skin this summer:

    Eat healthy: You must have heard that you are what you eat. This may sound clichéd but it’s true your skin is directly impacted by your diet and the lifestyle choices you make. Avoid oily, fried food. Get your glow with proteins, Vitamins A and C. A yoghurt smoothie with fruits such as strawberries and apple is a great way to start your day.

    Wash your face: Maintaining a clean face is key year-round, but because the heat makes you sweat more, keeping pores unclogged is more challenging during summer. A deep-cleaning face wash formulated for daily use will help free your skin of dirt build up without drying it out. Once daily is enough but add a second wash on extra active afternoons.

    Moisturise: Although our skin tends to become oiler in summer and perspiration increases this doesn’t mean you should skimp on moisturiser. In fact, the drier you leave your skin, the more oil it will generate naturally to compensate. The speediest route to summer skin? Internal hydration by drinking water and external by applying moisturiser. Apply a moisturiser daily, preferably one that offer long-lasting moisturisation. Both Clere For Men and Clere For Men Active lotions and crèmes will help moisturise your skin for up to 48 hours keeping your skin healthy and looking its best.

    Picture: supplied

    Itumeleng Khune and Siphelele Makhunga have reached an exciting milestone. The Kaizer Chiefs goalkeeper and his beautiful wife have officially been married for one year.

    The sports star ‘put a ring on it’ in 2019, but they have been a couple for three years.

    “3 years of loving each other down, Forever to go. Happy Anniversary my love?” Makhunga wrote on Instagram to mark their two special anniversaries.

    While he didn’t make a post of his own, Khune commented of his partner’s post: “Here’s to more years wifey.”

     

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    The pair have a nine-month-old baby together.

     

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    Pictures: Instagram

    Your wedding day is the one day that you get to live out your fantasies. All the things you dreamt of when you were young can come true on this special day.

    A unity ceremony is not necessary if it is not what you want, but it might be an option that’s the perfect fit for you and your partner, whether you’re looking for something religious, historical, or sentimental.

    What is a ‘unity ceremony’?

    A unity ceremony is a symbolic ritual intertwined with the wedding ceremony.  They are meaningful rituals performed during your wedding to represent becoming a union.

    Normally, a unity ceremony allows for other family members to participate as well, furthering its meaning and representation of two families joining together.

    Light A Candle

    This one is the most traditional and common option, so it’s perfect for couples who want something a bit more classic. Before the ceremony, three candles are placed on the altar: two taper candles and one large candle—the “unity candle”—in the middle. At the beginning of the ceremony, a member from each family – traditionally the mothers – lights one of the taper candles before you exchange vows.

    Take A Shot

    If you and your partner like taking the time to appreciate your drinks or want an excuse to calm the nerves in the middle of your ceremony, you could go straight for taking a shot of your favorite alcohol. This will have a deeper meaning for both of you.

    Unity sand

    This is a ceremony that is best when the whole family does it. The idea behind the sand ceremony is that, when poured together, the grains of sand will blend, and they are not easily separated from one another. You can use coloured sand, or sand from meaningful locations.

    Love letters

    The most sentimental ceremony hands down, is the love letters. The couple would have written love letters to each other, they take these and lock them in a box with a bottle of wine and some wine glasses.

    They are only allowed to open the box on their first anniversary, share the wine, and read the letters you wrote for each other.

    Jumping the broom

    In this old wedding ceremony tradition, the couple hast heir hands bound together before they jump over the broom, which signifies leaving their single lives behind and jumping into their new married future together.

    Pictures: Unsplash, Pixabay, Pintrest.

    We all know the tragic story of Princess Charles and the late Princess Diana. The young Diana, plucked from her normal life, became the world’s obsession when it was announced she would marry the future king, Prince Charles.

    What many people don’t know, however, is that she very nearly did not become princess. Before they met, Prince Charles was pressured into proposing to someone else.

    Prince Charles famously dated future second wife Camilla Parker-Bowles when they were younger, but was forced to break things off because his family had determined she was not a suitable partner for the future King.

    In the years after, the prince was pushed toward his cousin (not a first cousin) Amanda Knatchbull. Charles’ great-uncle, Lord Mountbatten had encouraged him to strike up a relationship with Knatchbull, who was his granddaughter, reports royal historian and biographer Robert Lacey.

    “Over the years the two cousins did grow close, developing a mutual respect and friendship that has lasted to the present day. But when the prince finally made his proposal in the summer of 1979—shortly before Lord Mountbatten’s assassination by the IRA—the independent-minded Amanda politely turned him down,” wrote Lacey in Battle of Brothers: William and Harry – The Inside Story of a Family in Tumult.

    “The surrender of self to a system, she explained, was so absolute when joining the royal family, it involved a loss of independence ‘far greater than matrimony usually invites,'” Lacey writes in the book.

    Her reasoning for not accepting the proposal reportedly greatly impacted the future king, and served to confirm his “own belief that to marry into the House of Windsor was a sacrifice that no-one should be expected to make,” wrote Charles’ biographer, Jonathan Dimbleby.

    The prince went on to date Diana in 1980, after meeting her through her older sister Lady Sarah, whom he also used to date. The pair announced their engagement on February 24 and married later that year on July 29.

    Picture: Pinterest

    There is no rule that says you can’t look sexy on your big day. Bold brides are encouraged to show some skin with a daring dress that oozes sex appeal.

    Show off your favourite assets in a sexy wedding gown. From a plunging neckline to an open back or thigh-high slit, you can achieve this look in multiple ways.

    Here are a few slinky numbers we are loving:

     

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    Picture: Pexels

    Grooms want to go bold on their big day should opt for a white suit. Crisp, classic, and cool, this look is enduringly stylish.

    A white suit works for almost all seasons. It complements a winter wedding and adds a lighter feel to go along with a summer soiree. What’s great about a white suit is that it looks great in any style, from a classic tuxedo to an edgy double-breast.

    You can opt for white from head to toe, or bring in some dimension with a coloured shirt or suit lapel. The beauty of this look is that it is easily customisable.

    Here are some dapper grooms doing it big:

     

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    A wedding dress retailer in Johannesburg allegedly shut down its shop without warning, leaving many brides without the gowns they paid for in full or most of the money upfront.

    According to W24, the shop owners left a handwritten poster outside the shop saying “Due to the current economic state in our country and the rest of the world, Eurobride has not been able to recover financially to open our doors again. Regretfully we are not able to fulfill our obligations to all our clients.”

    Nerissa was one of the unfortunate brides that lost money due to the closing of the shop. She saw a special on Facebook saying that there is a 50% special that was going on at Eurobide for bridal gowns. Her wedding was supposed to be in December and in August she went for a fitting and she says that it went well.

    Speaking to W24, she explained that she paid R10 000 upfront for the dress and the full amount was R20 000. The lady at the shop asked her if she wanted to keep the dress and Nerissa thought it was easier to leave the dress at the shop so that she can come in for alterations without problems, little did she know that she was going to lose the money. She was supposed to go on her final fitting on November 16, 2020 but received an email on October 13 informing her of the closure.

    She was not the only customer who suffered this loss, many brides went on social media and spoke about this.

    The shop’s attorney Johan du Toit told Timeslive that “If our client has to meet every bride, they will honestly not get to all of them. As this is an incredibly time-consuming and expensive exercise for our client’s small team.”

    A total of 29 brides are reportedly owed R473 950 by Eurobride, and took to protesting outside the store.

     

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    Attorney Du Toit sent letters to several Eurobride clients who had shared their experiences on social media, she responded to the accusations and said that Eurobride has had no new income for six months, yet still the same overheads. The postponement of all weddings came at a huge expense for the comapny, and the client was forced to make difficult decisions, due to the fact that they do not satisfy the solvency and liquidity test, and it would be negligent if they continued trading.

    Pictures: Instagram/ Unsplash

    Not one for the club scene? That’s perfectly acceptable. With all the stress of wedding planning, a nice relaxing weekend with your best girls is a great way to calm your nerves.

    Low-key brides wanting to do something a little different to the traditional bachelorette rager can opt for more serene experiences designed to soothe those frazzled nerves and get you ready for your big day. Here are a few fun activities to consider.

    Spa Day:

    Who doesn’t love a spa day? A fresh set of nails, a massage and a facial can do wonders, especially when you’re feeling tense from wedding planning.

    You can arrange for a group spa day at a local beauty salon or wellness centre, or you could even have them come to you. Allow your guests to pick from an assortment of treatments, and throw in some delicious light snacks and infused water to complete the vibe.

     

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    Yoga:

    Feeling tense? Maybe you need to work out those muscles! Yoga is a great way to ease stress and get your body moving in a low impact workout that will leave you feeling calm.

    You can have a yoga instructor come to you to host a yoga class, complete with breathing exercises, and guided meditation. If you want to add a unique element, you could even try goat yoga!

     

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    Staycation:

    Live the life of luxury without even leaving your city. There are so many incredibly Airbnb listings across South Africa, allowing people to book out entire villas overlooking mesmerising views.

    All your guests can pool together to book a place with enough space for everyone in a central area. You can spend the weekend chilling poolside, cooking up meals with your besties, and bonding.

    Wine tasting:

    Wine tasting is a national sport in the Western Cape. With so many wineries to choose from, locals are truly spoilt for choice.

    For a safe experience, we suggest taking a trip on the Franschhoek wine tram, a hop-on-hop-off service connecting you to six wine estates in the Franschhoek Valley.

     

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    Yacht life:

    What’s more luxurious than lounging on a luxury yacht? Spend the day cruising away with 360° views and sunshine warming you up.

    You don’t need a specific destination, a local cruise is perfect. Most boats are equipped with sound systems so you can DJ the day while you work on your tan, and menu and bar options are typically available as well.

     

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    Across the world, countries are enforcing social distancing rules and regulations to protect citizens amid the COVID-19 pandemic. In Queensland, one of their rules for social distancing is currently specifying that you can have a public or private gathering of up to 40 people.

    According to a Snapchat story that is now circulating online, two friends came up with an idea to abide by the rules and still party, and it appears that they legally tied the knot so that they could party with 100 of their friends.

    Two pictures from the big day were posted on Brown Cardigan’s Facebook page, showing one attendee of the wedding who couldn’t believe they were actually witnessing a legal wedding.

    The two men held hands during the ceremony as a the officiant conducted the ceremony. What happened before and after this image remains a mystery.

    Pictures: Unsplash / Facebook

    Both Moët & Chandon champagne and the tradition of weddings have stood the test of time. Moët & Chandon has created magical moments for more than 270 years, toasting the most glamorous of royal weddings in history and delighting couples and their guests worldwide with grand gestures in the celebration of love.

    When it comes to life’s most precious memories a wedding day is one to cherish forever but as we all well know by now, 2020 has been far from a normal year. The pandemic and the resultant social-distancing policies have effectively ruled out all large-scale wedding celebrations which has been heartbreaking for many marrying couples.

    With large ceremonies unlikely to take place for the foreseeable future, couples are now seeking alternative ways to tie the proverbial knot. Indeed, many couples are already embracing the concept of ‘minimonies’ in an attempt to still experience the magic of their wedding day but in keeping with the new reality we find ourselves in.

    Which is exactly why the world’s most loved champagne brand, Moët & Chandon, is thrilled to inspire couples with their Moët Minimony experience, in conjunction with, and more importantly in support of Appointed Events, some of South Africa’s most sought-after wedding suppliers.

    “With a Moët Minimony experience our wish is to offer couples the opportunity to celebrate in style, with those they love, without having to compromise on luxury or the glamour they were hoping for. Indeed, despite the times we find ourselves living through, elevating life’s meaningful moments with elegance, glamour and generosity remains at the heart of Moët & Chandon’s promise to brides and grooms worldwide,” says Pascal Asin, Moët & Chandon Managing Director Africa and Middle East.

    Indeed, the Moët Minimony is curated to both surprise and delight guests and add Moët & Chandon’s unique touch of sparkle and glamour for every couples’ special day. Moët minis, complete with a stylish customisable neck tag, will allow the couple to add their initials and the date of their wedding, ensuring the day’s celebrations begin in personalised champagne style.

    A Moët Minimony allows couples to celebrate the magic of their wedding day but in keeping with the new reality we find ourselves in. In the spirit of generosity, couples can also custom design mini-wedding cakes and mini-bouquets – a glamorous new take on traditional wedding elements and perfect keepsakes for each guest too. The days of uneaten multi-tiered wedding cakes and carpets of flowers left on tables are well and truly over! And what better way to mark this milestone for the bride & groom than with a personalised Moët & Chandon Jeroboam for guests to sign as a glamorous guest book.

    Whether couples are tying the knot at home or at an intimate gathering, they can now celebrate knowing each and every detail has been considered.  The Moët Minimony is a dazzling way to toast to your future and the perfect backdrop for an unforgettable wedding experience.

     “I do” … but only if it’s with Moët & Chandon!

    Contact: [email protected] for further information about the customisable Moët Minimony and further information about local suppliers.

    Picture/s: supplied