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    John Cena is a married man! The former wrestler turned actor recently said ‘I do’ to project manager Shay Shariatzadeh in a secret ceremony.

    The couple tied the knot on Tuesday, October 13 in Tampa, Florida, according to court documents.

    Cena and Shariatzadeh have been linked since March 2019 when they were spotted on a date. It is unknown when the pair got engaged, but reports show they applied for a marriage licence in October.

    Speaking about love, Cena said the key to a succesful relationship is in appreciating one another.

    “If I have a connection with someone, I believe we’re defined by our actions, and how you treat them is a reflection on how you will treat them in the future,” he said. “I think when anyone has a connection with someone, and someone says like, ‘Hey, there’s something here, and by the way, I appreciate who you are, I appreciate who you want to be, I appreciate how you live your life.’

    This is Cena’s second marriage and third engagement. He was previously married to Elizabeth Huberdeau from 2009 to 2012, and was engaged to fellow wrestler Nikki Bella from 2017 to 2018.

    Picture: Instagram

    Popular wedding dress line David’s Bridal is taking their business into the digital realm. Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the fashion line is offering a new technology that allows brides to view dresses in 3-D and augmented reality.

    Davis’s Bridal is on a mission to modernise and streamline the shopping experience. Their online sales have been booming amid the pandemic, and their numbers may improve even further thanks to its newest innovation.

    Working with 3-D and augmented reality firm Vertebrae, David’s has expanded its online platform to allow brides to view 52 dress styles using 3-D or augmented reality.

    All a customer has to do is select a specific dress on the app while on their phone, and a 3-D rendering of a mannequin wearing the dress will appear. Customers can then angle their phone and walk around to get a full 360-degree view of the dress. Instead of zooming in, all you have to do is walk up to the dress to get a closer look at the details.

    “The goal is how can we meet the customer where they’re at right now, which is in their home,” said Lizzy Ellingson, chief digital experience officer at David’s. “It’s about getting the customer to be able to see the details of a dress and the intricacies of a dress, which she might not have been able to see if she’s not going into a store.”

    Picture: Pexels

    Wedding goers in Zambia were treated to an unexpected show when a woman stormed into a church with children in tow and interrupted the ceremony. She demanded the wedding be stopped because the groom was her husband.

    The groom, Abraham Muyunda, is married to Caroline Mubita and they share three children. Muyunda had allegedly told his wife that he was going to town for work, but in reality, he was attending his own wedding at a Catholic church in Chainda, Lusaka.

    Mubita had been told by neighbours that her husband was to marry another woman, causing her to rush to interrupt the ceremony.

    In a video, Mubita storms into the church with a child strapped to her back, and can be heard saying, “The wedding cannot go on. This man right here is my husband. I don’t know what is happening here.”

    The groom has since been handed over to the police and may face a criminal charge of bigamy, which is illegal in Zambia. The crime could carry a sentence of up to seven years, under Zambian law.

    Picture: screenshot from video

    The flower girls, if you choose to have them, are an adorable and special part of the wedding day. They bring laughter and joy, and their sheer enthusiasm at being allowed to look pretty alongside you is enough to make hearts melt.

    This is also a good opportunity for them to experiment with lovely hairdo’s. As the flower girls are usually still quite young, it can be fun for them to go wild with whatever style they like, however intricate. Braids and buns are always a good choice, and there must be accessories galore. Go for it with flower crowns, bows, ribbons and sparkly clips.

    Here are some of our favourites to get the ideas flowing.

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    Picture: Pinterest

    Model Toni Garrn and actor Alex Pettyfer are married. The Victoria’s Secret model (28) and Magic Mike star (30) said ‘I do’ in Hamburg, Germany this past weekend.

    The pair, who have been together since 2019, tied the knot at Hamburg’s Berner Schloss palace on Friday, October 9.

    The German model wore a metallic silk slip dress accessorised with a straw hat for the occasion, and the British actor looked debonair in a charcoal suit.

    They announced their nuptials with matching Instagram posts. Garrn captured hers: “Now you really get to call me wifey”, while Pettyfer wrote, “Mr & Mrs Pettyfer”.

    https://www.instagram.com/p/CF7k-f6pFMz/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

    The pair have been engaged since late 2019, when Pettyfer popped the question on Christmas Eve.

    Congratulations to the happy couple!

    https://www.instagram.com/p/CAYk5axjQxa/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

    Picture: Instagram / Toni Garrn

    It’s the most spooky season of the year. Being Halloween month, October is filled with freaks and frights, making it a horror-lover’s dream.

    For those that are big fans of the holiday, why not incorporate it into your wedding day? From decor to your dress and cake, anything can be given a creepy twist.

    Halloween-themed wedding cakes are easy to pull off, but it depends on how far you want to go with it. You could go subtle and use classic Halloween colours like black and red, or edge it up even further with skulls, bats, webs or other weird and wonderful decor pieces.

    Here are a few ideas to inspire you:

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    Picture: Pexels

    Music is one of the important parts of your wedding reception, because people come together on the dance floor. It’s the music that truly has the power to make or break the wedding reception so choosing what should be played at your wedding is a big decision to make.

    At the end of the day, it comes down to personal preference and costs, so here’s a look at the pros and cons of a live wedding band or DJ.

    A live band 

    In South Africa, a live band at a private function like a wedding costs roughly R 12 000 to R30 000. Prices vary based on your location and other factors, like the size of the band.

    Pros

    – Live song requests – people and the couple can ask the band to play their favourite songs

    – It is more personal than a DJ

    – It appeals to younger and older guests

    – You and your guests will experience the pleasure of a live performance

    Cons

    – The big disadvantage of hiring a band is that they tend to be a tad expensive

    – Bands also take up more space than a DJ

    – The travelling cost and accommodation might be your responsibility if the band is not local

    – A band might have one genre of music throughout

    A DJ 

    Private function DJs can cost anywhere between R6500 to R12 000, while celebrity DJ prices range from R20 000 to R45 000. Plenty of couples hire a wedding DJ and prefer the diversity of music over a live band.

    Pros

    – A DJ can play different genres of music to appeal to a larger crowd

    – They don’t require much space to set up

    – They are usually local unless you want a celeb DJ

    Cons

    – Your wedding reception lives and dies depending on the DJ

    – Since DJ equipment is usually a bit more “techy” it comes with a lot of wires – and sometimes it can look a little messy

    – The equipment could crash and that would be the end of music and the vibe it brings

    Some people prefer to have both, a DJ and a live band, to cater to everyone. The band is usually reserved for the romantic first dance. If this is the kind of vibe you want, then you should look into the cost of it all.

    Pictures: Unsplash

    While big anniversaries like the first, five, and tenth year tend to be celebrated the most, every year of marriage is special in itself and deserves to be honoured.

    Every year of your marriage holds new significance, with a particular symbol to represent it. The traditional wedding gift for the second year of marriage is cotton, meant to symbolise the strength and flexibility of your union. The modern-day wedding gift is often centred on fragile china. Fragile and easily broke, fine china symbolises the delicate nature of marriage and the importance of caring for it carefully.

    While there is no need to go big on your wedding anniversary, there are many ways to incorporate the symbols into a wedding gift. Regardless of your budget, these cotton-related ideas are perfect to match the symbolism of the second year.

    – Matching bathrobes

    – Luxurious bed sheets

    – A printed canvas of your written wedding vows

    – Cotton pajamas

    – Cotton chef’s apron

    – Monogrammed throw blanket

    – A hammock for two

    Picture: Pexels

    I scream, you scream, we all scream for ice cream. On a hot summer’s day, nothing is better than the refreshing coolness of an icy lolly.

    With the hot season approaching, it’s best to plan ahead and think of creative ways to keep your guests cool during a summer wedding. Ice cream may seem casual, but it is also fun and nostalgic. A major trend for modern weddings is personalisation, so why not incorporate a childhood favourite into your big day?

    Here are some ways to include ice cream into your wedding:

    Escort cards:

    Use the stick of the ice cream to display your guest’s name, and arrange them in groupings that match with your seating chart. Your guests can simply grab a lolly and head to their table!

    Match the colour of the ice cream to your wedding day, and incorporate fruits that are popular in the season like strawberries and watermelon.

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    Wedding favours:

    Give your guests something to nibble on when they leave your wedding. Simply arrange ice cream lollies on a table, and your guests can help themselves.

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    Ice cream carts:

    Food trucks are super popular for weddings, so why not have a dessert truck? Load it up with a variety of ice cream flavours and toppings, like fruit, chocolates, nuts and sauces. Your guests can mix and match to create their own unique concoctions.

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    Picture: Pexels

    While weddings are known as traditional and sometimes sacred passages of life, in the 2020s many couples are looking for a more modern approach to declaring their love.

    Here are some ways to modernise your wedding and bring it into the 21st Century without losing the magic.

    Reconsider your outfits

    The white wedding dress may be your dream but it does scream traditional. If you’re wanting to update your wedding, try a colourful dress or a more modern silhouette, either a sleeker dress or even a jumpsuit or pantsuit.

    You can also consider the outfits for your wedding party if you decide to have one. Rather than the classic flowy bridesmaid’s dress, consider something more streamlined and less ethereal.

    Choose a new age venue 

    A grand old building might be the fairytale for some, but a more modern wedding needs cleaner lines and less stained glass. Museums, art galleries and even libraries are unique venue choices many modern couples are opting for.

    Outside weddings can be an easy option or those held in recently built wine farm venues. Think big windows, clean lines and a neutral palette (although an accent wall and some modern art wouldn’t hurt either).

    Be sure to keep your decor and furnishing in line with this look, unless you specifically enjoy an exciting clash of styles.

    Ditch the wedding party

    Big weddings with groomsmen, bridesmaids, flower girls and ring bearers might be great for some but, as with most things modern, simpler is often better.

    Rather than having everyone up there with you, have your friends pull through with all the assistance you need without the special procession at the altar. They can still plan your bachelorette or kitchen tea and say speeches if you want but there isn’t much of a need for them to be front and centre.

    Leave-out the silly extras 

    Since you’re wanting to keep this sleek and stylish, leave out all the ridiculous traditions that, while fun, if you’re not a believer, can sometimes become absurd.

    Take out the bouquet toss and spare your single friends the cringe, ditch the garter and avoid the cringe yourself, make your entrance your way and try something more exciting than rice. If you don’t want to dance in front of everyone first then you don’t have to.

    This part is really about you and what you want from the day. You can even decide to incorporate newer traditions or ones that are entirely your own.

    Stray from the standard format

    If you’re not keeping it classic, why not do it your way? Have the ceremony in the middle of the event or incorporate something you love into the entertainment. If you’re going to take pictures, why not leave your guests getting the party started with a silent disco? The list of options are endless but the point is you don’t need to feel hamstrung by the regimen of ceremony, drinks, dinner and dancing.

    Picture: Pexels