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In Advice

Tips for planning a DIY wine tasting for your bridal shower

October 26, 2020 No Comments

Wine tasting is basically a national sport in South Africa. With award-winning wineries found across the country, wine not take advantage and spend the day sipping away?

Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, people are advised to stay home as much as possible. However, if you still really want to host a bridal shower then you can bring it to the safety of your home. Create a DIY wine tasting experience for your closest friends with these easy steps.

Create (and stick to) a Guest List

This may seem like an obvious first step when planning an event, but there is always someone who doesn’t RSVP and shows up anyway. Gently remind everyone you invite that you need a definite yes or no answer. The last thing you want is thirsty friends and not enough wine and glassware to go around.

“Extra” is Just Enough

Wine is an inherently fun theme for a bachelorette party or bridal shower, but why not make your event as Insta-worthy as possible? Create a fun bar or bar cart, deck your tables out with florals or tossed confetti, or incorporate fun signage to make your venue really pop! You can also have fun with your food. Cheese and crackers always pair well with wine but offer your guests something sweet as well as a macaron tower or petit fours.

Pick Your Poison

It may be best to stick to a specific type of drink on the day. Mixing alcohol can be dangerous, so avoid sipping on gins to wine to beer in one sitting. Once you decide the type of alcohol you want to serve, it’s time to choose the different brands. Choosing four to six different brands is just the right amount to have enough variety and keep your guests sipping pretty.

Since you don’t have to fill up the glasses completely, an average 750ML or 25.4oz wine bottle is enough for about eight people. We recommend having an extra bottle of each wine for every eight attendants, so if someone wants a refill of their favourites after the tasting is over, it is readily available. Plus, once a favourite is chosen, you’ll want to have enough of that wine for a toast!

Winner, winner

Help identify the winning bottle by setting up a wine scorecard. This allows your guests to track their notes and assign numerical values to each wine. Lastly, don’t forget enough pens (to write with, duh) and water (to cleanse the palette) for each attendee.

Execution

Remember the four “s’s” (see, swirl, sniff, sip). Have your gals take the time to really enjoy and savour each sip. Invite them to judge the appearance, aroma, body, taste, and finish of each wine in front of them. Although the responses are based on an individual’s taste, it is a great way for your friends and family who don’t know each other to bond over likes and dislikes.

Whether you wine a little or a lot, the most important thing is to have fun and enjoy the moment with your closest family and friends.

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In Advice

How to cover up acne on your big day

October 26, 2020 No Comments

On your big day, the last thing you want to wake up to is a bright red zit on your face. Acne happens to the best of us, and, like taxes, are unavoidable.

From stress to environmental factors and not removing your makeup, there are many things that can lead to a breakout. Even getting a facial could cause your skin to react negatively as it purges all the bad toxins, which is why experts recommend getting one day before your big day.

If you do have a breakout on your big day, fear not. There are tried and tested methods to cover up these uninvited guests so that the focus is all on you.

Spot treatment

Before covering your breakout up, make sure you’ve treated it to kill off the bacteria. Going in with some tea tree oil on a Q-tip is great to clean the area.

Less is more

It may seem like the best thing to do is cover your skin up with a full coverage foundation, but this will just end up looking cakey and highlighting the texture in your skin. Instead, go in with a luminous, light to medium weight foundation. Remember to pounce the product into your skin using a beauty sponge to remove some excess product. This will create a light and even base layer to build on when you go in with your next products.

Concealer saves the day

Concealer will be your best friend. Spot conceal your breakouts using a small face brush, making sure to lightly tap over the concealer and then blend the edges to feather it out. Tapping motions around the edges is best here. You can also go in with your foundation brush afterward and use the excess product on the brush to help blend the concealer in even further.

If the breakout is quite red and inflamed, go in with a thin layer of a green-toned concealer first then layer the skin-coloured concealer over it. The green will cancel out the red tones.

Remember to set your concealer by going over spots with a setting powder.

Take out texture

If you have a particularly bumpy breakout that stands out on your face, another step is to go in with a full coverage powder foundation, like the MAC Studio Fix Powder Plus Foundation, and push the product onto the skin surrounding the breakout. This will build a more even layer that will make the breakout bump appear less severe.

Here are some amazing tutorials to help guide your way:

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In Emotional

Minister breaks out into song mid wedding ceremony

October 26, 2020 No Comments

Wedding ceremonies have always kind of followed the same script, where the couple exchanges vow, put rings on each other’s finger, say ‘I do’ and then seal it with a kiss. It is seen as unconventional to do anything else.

That seemingly did not apply to the minister who was officiating Olivia and Fred Mancuso’s wedding ceremony. He did something that took them by surprise.

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In a video uploaded a video on TikTok celebrating their one year anniversary, the pair showed what happened when they said their wedding vows. Just before being announced as husband and wife, the minister veered off script and broke out into song.

The song was a short verse that had hallelujah five times before anyone could make sense of it, she announced that they may kiss. It was a shocking but most memorable moment from their day.

@_olivia_mancuso_In honor of it almost being our one year wedding anniversary, I give you my most popular video ##Boo ##BBMAs ##FootlongShuffle ##hellofall ##yikes ♬ original sound – _olivia_mancuso_

Speaking to Today, Olivia said: “It was pure shock. We didn’t put any sort of singing in our meticulously planned script so it caught us off guard.

“We did not talk to her about it afterward. We really just wanted to start celebrating with our friends and family.

She added: “Though we were a little upset, it was a small snafu in an otherwise perfect day.”

Pictures: Unsplash

In Legal

State marriage officers are now prohibited from refusing same-sex civil unions

October 26, 2020 No Comments

In a win for LGBT couples in South Africa, President Cyril Ramaphosa has signed the Civil Amendment Act of 2020, making it illegal for state marriage officers and magistrates to refuse to solemnise a civil union between same-sex couples.

The act, which was signed and passed on October 22, repeals Section 6 of the Civil Union Act, 2006 which previously allowed marriage officers to object to marrying same-sex couples.

The act also requires that the Minister must ensure that there is a marriage officer, other than a marriage officer referred to in section 5 of the principal Act, available to solemnise a civil union at every Department of Home Affairs office.

The new act states that any marriage officer who has been granted an exemption by the Minister in terms of section 6 of the principal Act, prior to the commencement of this Act, lapses 24 months from the date of commencement of this Act.

This move follows after many controversial cases of marriage officers refusing to solemnise same-sex civil unions because it was contrary to their beliefs.

Non-profit Christian organisation Freedom of Religion South Africa (FOR SA) has opposed the President’s decision, calling it ‘unconstitutional’.

“The Amendment Act removes the right of State-employed marriage officers and magistrates to object – on grounds of their sincerely held conscience, religion, and belief (which are protected by section 15 of the Constitution) – to being personally forced to solemnise same-sex marriages. The Amendment Act fails to replace it with another remedy that meets constitutional standards,” said Daniela Ellerbeck, Legal Advisor of FOR SA.

Read the Act here:Act_8_of_2020_Civil_Union_Amendment_Act

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In Advice

How to get a marriage certificate in South Africa

October 26, 2020 No Comments

When you tie the knot, you enter into a legally binding agreement. With all the paperwork required, it’s important to do things right the first time to avoid any further legal issues.

All marriages in South Africa must be registered at the Department of Home Affairs. There are three types of marriages that are recognised under South African law: civil marriages, customary marriages and civil unions. Each one has different paperwork requirements, so couples need to know which one they plan to enter into.

If you are planning on having a civil marriage, you must:

– ensure that you are legally allowed to marry

– understand the legal consequences of a marriage, particularly that marriages in South Africa are automatically in community of property, unless a valid ante-nuptial contract has been entered into before the marriage, and

– make sure that your marriage will comply with all the legal requirements for a valid marriage

Should you be unsure of any of these, legal counsel should be sought before the marriage is entered into.

On the day of the marriage, a couple must present the following documents to the person officiating at the wedding:

– Identity documents(for each person getting married)

– If a foreign national is marrying a South African citizen, they should both present their valid passports as well as well as a completed BI-31 Form (Declaration for the Purpose of Marriage, Letter of no impediment)

– If the wedding is for a minor (a person under the age of 18 years), the written consent of both parents/ legal guardian or the Commissioner of Child Welfare or a judge should be submitted on Form DHA-32 as well. If the minors getting married are under the ages of 18 for boys or 15 for girls, the written consent from the Minister of Home Affairs will also be required

– If any of the persons getting married are divorced, then the final decree of divorce should be furnished

– If any of the persons getting married are widowed, the deceased spouse’s death certificate must be submitted.

Marriage certificates

Two witnesses and the marriage officer must sign the marriage register after the solemnisation of a marriage. Then the marriage officer must issue the parties with a handwritten marriage certificate (BI-27) free of charge.

The marriage officer must then submit the marriage register to the nearest office of the Department of Home Affairs, where the marriage details will be recorded in the National Population Register (NPR).

Picture: Unsplash

In Advice

Everyday items you can repurpose for a unique wedding seating chart

October 23, 2020 No Comments

Weddings are special days, and it’s natural one would want it to be absolutely perfect. Unfortunately, perfect can be quite expensive.

With all the moving parts of a wedding, it’s easy to go over budget. It’s important to get creative and think of ways to limit your spending while still delivering an epic day.

One way to do that is to use the things around you. Items like chopping boards, leaves, wine bottles and mismatched photo frames are easily accessible as we’re likely to already have them in our homes. You could even ask close friends and family to donate a few items to increase your supply.

Here are a few ordinary items that can be given new life and act as a truly unique wedding seating chart:

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In Decor

A rocking time: All you need to know about boat weddings

October 23, 2020 No Comments

There are many different venues and locations to host your wedding. Some prefer destination weddings, or indoor weddings, while others wish to say ‘I do’ while at sea.

A boat wedding can be anything from a yacht, a small boat, or a cruise ship. Boats come in different sizes, and it depends on which one you think is best for your special day.

If you’re leaning towards exchanging vows on board, you may want to consider the pros and cons below in order to understand what you’re getting yourself into and whether it’s the right choice for you personally.

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The pros:

Affordability

Cruise weddings are generally affordable for yourself and your guests. Many cruise lines offer a range of packages per guest. Most things like the decor and catering is included in the package, so you won’t have to fork out extra for decorations.

You can request to adjust the packages to fit in with your wedding budget and the budget of your guests.

Accommodation and Food

The getaway wedding on cruise ships already comes with space to do everything. There are bars, restaurants and sleeping cabins.

Yacht weddings often have a whole team of vendors they work with which might make you feel more at ease.

Beautiful views

If you have a wedding onboard, no matter what kind of boat you take, you are guaranteed views.

The Cons:

Small spaces

Depending on the type of boat you are using, space could be limited. The floors usually carry no more than 50 people maximum.

Sickness

Some people suffer from sea sickness, so you might have a case of illness on your hands and that could derail the proceedings. You will also probably need to pay for the first response services.

Picture: Unsplash

In Advice

How couples really feel about marrying during the pandemic

October 23, 2020 No Comments

Shopping, meetings, and social events have all moved online since the peak of the coronavirus pandemic. Even weddings have changed. Couples that had planned to have big ceremonies to celebrate their big day were forced to downsize or put the ceremony on hold until the pandemic subsides.

Upon seeing different reactions and frustration from social media, a study was conducted to understand how couples really feel about marrying during the lockdown.

One poll on behalf of custom menswear brand INDOCHINO found that 48% of people planning a wedding would rather shrink their guest list than postpone it. A survey was sent out to 2000 people and based on responses, and it revelaed that 22% considered holding a virtual wedding instead of postponing.

The World Economic Forum (WEF) also did research on how couples around the world dealing with the sudden changes in the world and how that will affect their plans.

Most weddings have been canceled or postponed in the UK, with the country under lockdown restrictions limiting gatherings.

For some couples in India, the usual throng of wedding guests has been replaced by an audience of mobile phones and tablets streaming live wedding ceremonies to distant family and relatives.

In South Africa, couples were posting their small ceremonies on social media, for a country that is known for big celebrations, this was interestingly welcomed in a positive light.

Drive through nuptials, virtual ceremonies, and only having few people attend the ceremony might be the new normal for the longest time.

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In Wedding Gowns

Life-saving wedding dress made from parachute now on display in museum

October 23, 2020 No Comments

A 75-year-old wedding gown is now standing proud as part of the Cradle Of Aviation Museum’s collection on Long Island. This dress is made of the silk of a parachute that once saved a man’s life.

The gown was made in 1945 for a woman named Evelyn, the mother of Kate and Mike Braet. It was fashioned out of a World War II parachute that saved their father’s life.

The siblings’ father, George, was a young army pilot. He was on a mission to defeat Hitler in Europe when his plane took on enemy fire. His parachute saved his life, although it was punctured by flying debris from the enemy attack.

Speaking to CBS2, Kate explains: “My father came home with this parachute filled with holes. If the parachute were not there, it would have killed him.”

He survived and he tied the knot with his love, Evelyn. During the war, silk was in short supply so Evelyn had the idea to transform the silk parachute into a wedding dress. She removed the Army/Navy lettering and salvaged the tattered pieces to create a stunning gown to walk down the aisle in.

“Something that was meant to save somebody from a crashing plane, then became the parachute that carried them throughout their marriage,” said Kate.

Decades later, the dress has now been donated to the Cradle of Aviation Museum to educate people on the reality of the war and how it impacted people.

“It’s just one story of millions, I’m sure, of what people went through during the war… and how difficult it was,” said Mike. “My parents are now going to live forever.”

“The story goes beyond us, because it’s a story of love. It’s a story of bravery. It’s a story of hope. It’s a story of future,” said Kate.

Picture: Instagram / Cradle of Aviation Museum

In Advice

Carnival-themed wedding decor ideas for a fun-filled evening

October 22, 2020 No Comments

A night at the carnival is guaranteed to be a memorable experience, filled with tons of colours, delicious food and exciting rides. Capture the spirit with a carnival-themed wedding. From your decor to your outfit and food, there are so many ways to bring the fun.

A canival theme is all about being over the top. Go big with a variety of colours and textures, they don’t even have to complement each other.

Of course, you need to have food stands offering sweet treats. From popcorn and donuts to lemonade and hot dogs, you could incorporate any of your favourite foods.

Here are some festive ways to fill up your space:

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