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    Planning your wedding day is a mammoth task, and all the little things can add up to eventually leave you feeling stressed and overwhelmed.

    Luckily, choosing the bouquet does not have to be. We say keep it simple. Yes, it’s important and yes, you need to put some thought into it. However, you can save yourself a lot of time and tears by avoiding these fatal errors.

    1. Choosing flowers from a region far away

    Credit: Pinterest

    Don’t make things harder than they need to be. Ordering flowers from Cape Town when you’re getting married in Joburg will just turn into yet another headache. Sourcing local flowers from your region will ensure your flowers are fresher, cheaper and more environmentally friendly as you cut out the transport costs.  Talk to your florist about what’s in season in your area.

    2. Choosing flowers that other people like 

    Remember, just as with everything else on your big day, it’s still your day. Everyone who is helping you plan, be it your mother, best friend or mother-in-law, will have their own opinions. It might be well-meant, but ultimately, the flowers need to make you happy. Plants are a gift of nature that add beauty and inspire joy, and this is your chance to choose what makes you happy.

    3. Having unrealistic expectations 

    When looking for inspiration online, you’ll get a tsunami of perfect bouquets, not a petal out of place. Most of them are styled to make you want to buy from a certain vendor. We suggest rather being open to embracing nature, which by its very essence is unique, like humans. No two lilies will look exactly the same, and some roses might bloom later than others. While choosing the plants you adore, allow for the fact that having it natural is more beautiful.

    Images: Unsplash

    Another South African celebrity couple is celebrating a special anniversary. It has been one year since rapper Priddy Ugly (real name Ricardo Moloi) and musician and host Bontle Modiselle tied the knot, and the pair seem happier than ever.

    Taking to social media, Priddy Ugly gushed about his wife on their special day.

    “This picture genuinely represents what the last 11 years have felt like, complete bliss,” he wrote on his Instagram page. “MaAfrika Moloi, I am honored to be the man that you chose to travel along this life’s journey with. Witnessing your growth, from when we were teens, to students in tertiary, to being independents, to marriage & parenthood, I couldn’t be more proud of the people we’ve become. Our 1st year of marriage flew by so fast, I’m hoping the next 70 are a lot more prolonged, I’m enjoying the ride.

    Happy 1year Anniversary Beautiful @bontle.modiselle – I Love You ❤️??

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

    Bontle also had some sweet words for her longterm love.

    “Ntate Moloi, you’re a very special man to me. A Purposeful life-long friendship and union. You fill my cup. You make me happy. Thank you for the life we continue to share together. Ke ho rata ka pelo le moya. A year in marriage down, a lifetime to go! I love you @priddy_ugly ❤️✨ Happy Anniversary!” she wrote.

    https://www.instagram.com/p/CFru8e4nwTb/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

    The pair have been together for over a decade, and tied the knot in a traditional ceremony on September 28 in Kempton Park. At the time, Bontle was pregnant with their first child, Afrika who was born a few months later.

    https://www.instagram.com/p/B6iPFSwppWC/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

    Picture: Instagram / Bontle Modiselle

    Do you sometimes wish to have a different ring on your ring finger? Look no further. Here are FAQs and all you need to know when thinking of resetting your ring

    A ring makeover does not have to cost you an arm and a leg, and you don’t have to buy a completely new ring either. You can rearrange your stones and make them brand new.

    1. Why reset your ring
    There are many reasons to reset your ring and those may include a divorce, feeling your ring is worn out, or just wanting a new look. However, when you reset your ring, its value changes and it will no longer be the original price.

    2. Cost to reset
    Resetting your ring may cost from R5000 to R20 000, depending on the design and the type of stone it is. The cost is less expensive than buying a new ring. However, adding new diamonds might cost more so you need to do your maths before taking your ring for a new look.

    3. How long will it take
    The waiting period depends on what you want to be done on your ring and it also depends on where you take it. Adding more diamonds might take longer. If you take your ring to a local jeweler it might take up to six weeks to finish it but private jewelers may have it done faster.

    4 Know your stone
    Do your research about your stone. It will make it easy for you to decide what to do with it if you know a little more about it. This way, you know what to expect from reconstruction and the risks.

    5. Insurance
    Mistakes happen all the time and you want to avoid them happening to your stone but you can never be a 100% sure, the best thing to do is make sure your ring is insured and ask your jeweler what is their policy if they mess or break the stone, have that written down to protect yourself. Normally, jewelers have a free repair policy but asking won’t hurt.

    6. Ask
    Jewelry is an important piece in anyone’s life because there is always a story behind it. When you take your ring for resetting, ask as many questions as you possibly can. Do your research prior and go prepared. This will save you.

    Picture: Pexels

    When the officiant says ‘Speak now or forever hold your piece’, the only appropriate response is silence. Unfortunately for this couple, the groom’s father had quite a bit to say and used this opportunity to express himself.

    The father ruined his son’s wedding in Detroit, USA when he let his future daughter-in-law know exactly how he felt. In a video shared to Youtube, the father can be heard saying “I know you’re not serious, man. I know you’re not serious,” as the congregation looks on in shock.

    The officiant attempts to ignore him and move on with the vow exchange, but the father persists. The bride, clearly agitated, gets into an argument with the father who refuses to back down.

    The bride even asks someone to escort the father out. “If you did not want to come, you can leave. You shouldn’t have come if you did not want us to get married,” she says through tears.

    The situation continues to escalate and even becomes physical. Some congregants step in to break the brawl up and the bride walks away in tears. The father eventually exits as well, leaving a pretty awkward wedding ceremony and what we can only imagine was a tense reception.

    Picture: screenshot from video

    Bachelorettes don’t have to be the tacky events you see in movies. They are meant to be a time to celebrate the bride, which today can include more classy events.

    One great option for a bachelorette is a weekend away instead of one big night out. This means more bonding time and a great excuse to hang out with your closest friends.

    Here are some great weekend away options on offer in South Africa.

    Glamping 

    Credit: Southern Vines SA

    You can really rough it if you’re that kind of bride but for those who want a bit more luxury to their alternate accommodation, glamping is for you. With a bed, all set-up, a proper bathroom and most likely some great extras like a wood-fired hot tub, sitting around swapping stories and sipping champagne is the perfect getaway break.

    Classic Spa 

    Credit: Shambalala Game Reserve

    What’s better than a spa day? A spa weekend! Stretch your sessions over a few days, sit by the pool and really take it all in before your big day. While it can get a bit pricey, many spas have group discounts and could even customise what they offer depending on the group.

    Adorable BnB 

    Credit: Makarios River BnB

    A bed and breakfast somewhere in the countryside is always a winner. Often a much more low-key option, you can explore the local town (likely to have cute antique stores and coffee shops), go for long walks or just chill out and read. This is also a great option on many of the country’s wine farms, which offer small cottages so you can indulge in a wine tasting without having to worry about rushing home.

    Seaside Villa 

    Credit: African Explora

    A cute AirBnb might be your choice for a romantic weekend away but a villa by the sea is the way to go for a bachelorette. Break out the bubbles and you could be in an episode of Sex and the City. With a view over the ocean and a pool to take a dip in, spend the days taking in the sun and the evenings out on the town.

    Chic City Break 

    Credit: bomalume

    If you’re not really into nature and isolation, why not go big in a big city? Pick your favourite AirBnb from the thousands of loft apartments or gorgeous city centre houses. You can cook your own meals or go out to eat, have a movie night in or get dressed up and hit the newest bars, the choice is yours.

    Secluded Safari 

    Credit: Jabulani Safari

    If the tourists do it why shouldn’t we? A bachelorette weekend is a great excuse to book a safari with you and your girls. Get your best camo together and spend a few days in the bush, watching the animals, sitting around the fire and taking in the best South Africa’s nature has to offer. You can opt to go to a lodge or hire private accommodation. There are also great extras at certain places like hot air ballooning and river cruises.

    Image: Unsplash

    It’s been one whole year since iconic South African couple Somizi Mhlongo and Mohale Motaung first tied the knot in a lavish traditional ceremony.

    The couple, dubbed #SomHale on social media, wed in a lavish traditional African ceremony at Kibler Park, Johannesburg on Saturday, September 28. They had numerous – often matching – outfit changes throughout the day.

    Taking to Instagram, Somizi wrote a sweet message to his husband on the anniversary of their special day.
    “Happy one year wedding anniversary to us……please help me convince my husband that we go on live this evening to share what the first year of marriage feels like and us like…….I feel like theres a lot if things that we are not told about by newly weds that cud be helpful to anyone who is about to get married……but whatever it is that we have experienced got us to where we are today…….I love u MOTAUNG MHLONGO,” he wrote.

     

    View this post on Instagram

     

    A post shared by Somizi (@somizi) on

    “Last year on this day I got married to the Love Of My Life. ?❤️❤️ #SomhaleTraditionalWedding #28/09/2019,” Mohale wrote on his Instagram.

     

    View this post on Instagram

     

    A post shared by Mohale Tebogo Motaung (@mohale_77) on

    Not one to be outdone, the pair followed their traditional wedding up with an extravagent white wedding on Thursday, January 30 and had planned a third wedding in Italy for June 2020 but had to cancel due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

    Feature image: Instagram/Mohale 77

    Gibraltar became the wedding hot spot of Europe during the pandemic because of its lack of restrictions and its open border.

    The British Overseas Territory shares a border with Spain and is famous for being home to the Rock of Gibraltar, a monolithic limestone promontory, which towers over the peninsula.

    When the world shut up shop to stop the spread of COVID-19 by imposing travel restrictions and limiting the number of people allowed to gather publicly, many couples that hoped to get married had their plans delayed indefinitely.

    Enter Gibraltar, which was exempted from the list of countries the UK advised against non-essential travel to and, and whose government lifted many of the restrictions on personal movement and recreation that were implemented at the start of the pandemic.

    Following the easing of these restrictions, the Gibraltar Tourist Board began to actively encourage wedding tourism. Their website, Visit Gibraltar, reads: “Follow in the footsteps of John Lennon, Yoko Ono, and Sir Sean Connery – get married on the Rock. Marriages and civil partnerships in Gibraltar are easy and visitors can choose from a variety of locations for the ceremony.”

    It also boasts that hundreds of couples travel to Gibraltar to exchange vows and that local legislation does not require any form of residence from prospective newlyweds, the ‘simple’ procedure merely requires valid identification and one night’s stay in the territory.

    One of the facilitators of Gibraltarian weddings, Chairmaine Cruz, the owner of Sweet Gibraltar Weddings, told The New York Times: “We were just expecting people to cancel or postpone, but as soon as the travel restrictions were lifted in July the phones wouldn’t stop ringing.

    “It makes sense as it’s easy to get married here. It’s cheap, there are many direct flights and the marriage certificate provided is recognized worldwide.”

    Featured image: Pixabay

    Who knew the wrong song could make or break you? According to a new survey, the wedding song you choose for your first dance may heavily impact on your marriage.

    A recent survey by online marketplace OnBuy.com asked 5500 married couples in Britain what their first dance song was and how they would describe their relationship now.

    Elton John’s ‘Can You Feel The Love Tonight’ came out tops as the song with the happiest couples post-wedding. A reported 506 couples chose this song to sway to, and 77% of them are still in a happy marriage.

    Other songs happy couples danced to on their wedding night include:

    – ‘Isn’t She Lovely’ by Stevie Wonder (75%)

    – ‘The Way You Look Tonight’ by Frank Sinatra (74%)

    – ‘A Whole New World’ from Aladdin by Lea Salonga & Brad Kane (71%)

    – ‘At Last’ by Etta James (71%)

    – ‘You Are So Beautiful’ by Westlife (70%)

    – ‘You’ll Be In My Heart’ by Phil Collins (70%)

    – ‘ I Don’t Want to Miss a Thing’ by Aerosmith (69%)

    – ‘Your Song’ by Elton John (64%)

    – ‘Better Together’ by Jack Johnson (64%)

    Of those who danced the night away to One Direction’s ‘Little Things’, 75% were the most likely to be unhappy, separated or divorced. Other songs that future unhappy couples danced to include:

    – ‘I’m Yours’ by Jason Mraz (61%)

    – ‘Chasing Cars’ by Snow Patrol (56%)

    – ‘Skinny Love’ by Birdy (54%)

    – ‘You’ve Got a Friend In Me’ by Andy Newman (52%)

    – ‘Stay With You’ by John Legend (49%)

    – ‘Everything’ by Michael Bublé (49)

    – ‘Can’t Help Falling in Love’ by Elvis Presley (48%)

    – ‘Perfect’ by Ed Sheeran (42%)

    Feature image: Pexels

    One of the most popular millennial couples in Hollywood has a love story that is incredibly fitting. What started off as a Direct Message on Instagram grew into love, marriage and a baby for Joe Jonas and Game of Thrones star Sophie Turner.

    Here is how this much-loved couple came to be:

    https://www.instagram.com/p/B8J8vEyBLVy/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

    Turner (24) and Jonas (30) connected in 2016 in a way that seems the new norm: via Instagram.

    “We had a lot of mutual friends and they’d been trying to introduce us for a long time,” Turner told Harper’s Bazaar UK during a March 2019 interview. “We were following each other on Instagram and he direct messaged me one fine day, out of the blue.”

    They spoke for a few weeks before meeting up in real life at a local bar in London. Turner even brought some friends with in case Jonas was a catfish.

    “I brought all my guy friends to come with me to meet him, because in the back of my mind I still worried that he could be a catfish — or I don’t know what,” she told Elle Magazine. “I just wanted my guy friends with me. I had my rugby boys. I was safe.”

    Luckily, he was everything she wanted and more. They spent hours talking about everything under the sun and were inseparable from that point onwards. Turner even joined him on tour.

    They went social media official in January 2017 after months of secretly dating when Turner posted an image of Jonas to her Instagram, simply captioning it ‘Miami daze’. They made their first public appearance together at the 2017 Met Gala, although they did not walk the carpet together.

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

    The relationship continued to grow, and by September of 2017 they adopted a puppy together, who they named Porky Basquiat. They also have another dog named Waldo Picasso, who is Porky’s biological brother.

    Turner credits Jonas for helping her find self-love and work through her depression, which she has struggled with for years.

    “I don’t think I love myself at all, but I’m now with someone that makes me realize that I do have some redeeming qualities, I suppose,” she said during an interview with Dr. Phil. “And when someone tells you they love you every day, it makes you really think about why that is and I think it makes you love yourself a bit more. So yeah, I love myself.”

    In October 2017, they surprised the world by announcing their engagement.

    https://www.instagram.com/p/BaRwF_1gGJd/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

    In May 2019, the couple shocked fans once again by getting hitched at a Las Vegas chapel after the Billboard Music Awards. The event was officiated by an Elvis Presley impersonator, and DJ Diplo livestreamed it to all his Instagram followers.

    They said ‘I do’ yet again a month later, although on a much grander scale. Their official wedding in June was held at a chateau in the France, and Turner stunned in a custom Louis Vuitton gown.

    https://www.instagram.com/p/BzetyV7BVll/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

    The pair welcomed their first child in July 2020, a daughter named Willow. We can’t wait to see what they do next.

    https://www.instagram.com/p/CFpy97bh93h/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

    Feature image: Instagram/Joe Jonas

    You might want to add a handbag to your wedding attire. However, a large sling bag is not exactly ideal for an elegant and formal look.

    We recommend getting a small clutch to keep your make-up and tissues handy. Either go with the colour of your dress or a matching shade, or go with the colour of your decor to fit in with the theme.

    You could also just abandon all tradition, and a pick any colour simply because you love it! There are endless styles, textures and design variations to choose from. Take a look at these stylish clutch bags to take inspiration from.

    https://www.instagram.com/p/CA5y13khMJ_/

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    https://www.instagram.com/p/Bx-Qdkslddy/

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    https://www.instagram.com/p/CFRBn03p8Db/

    https://www.instagram.com/p/CFQ_2svpHXH/

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    https://www.instagram.com/p/CFizdhSjuG8/

    https://www.instagram.com/p/BwHV3eDnm8Z/

    Image: Pixabay