Wedding gowns come in endless variations. We especially love open-back designs for its classy, sultry look. If you like this style, try on a few different ones to see how it looks on you, what portion of your back you want to be exposed, and how much skin you want to show.
Remember that different dress styles fit different body shapes in different ways, so talk to your designer or stylist about what flatters you most.
Is breakfast your favourite meal of the day? Bring in your love for the important morning meal into your wedding!
There are a number of ways you can honour breakfast on your big day. Here are some ideas to try.
Have a breakfast wedding:
We’re all familiar with dreamy afternoon weddings that celebrate late into the evening. While this can be a beautiful and more traditional approach, there’s something simply magical about a breakfast wedding. They’re more budget-friendly, offer more flexible timing, and provide a wide variety of foods to serve.
If you’re having a breakfast wedding, it makes sense to offer bars tailored to specific foods. From a coffee or juice bar to a hot breakfast buffet, the options are endless (and delicious!).
Fruits work as amazing breakfast sides and decor. Use aromatic delights like oranges, lemons and grapefruit to add a pop of colour to your big day and get the room smelling like a tropical vacation.
For your wedding cake, you have two options. You could go literal by using popular breakfast foods like pancakes and waffles as alternative cakes, or infuse flavours you commonly associate with breakfast into the cake. You could do a coffee cake or a cinnamon cake or even incorporate your favourite fruits like oranges, blueberries and banana into the decor.
Childhood sweethearts Lionel Messi and Antonela Roccuzzo have officially been married for three years.
The Argentinian sports star and the model tied the knot in 2017 in a star-studded ceremony. The event took place in Messi’s home town Rosario outside of Beunos Aires, and has been called Argentina’s ‘wedding of the century’. Just a few names on the guest list include football stars Neymar, Luis Suárez and Gerard Piqué, as well as international superstar Shakira.
Taking to Instagram, Roccuzzo shared a romantic video flashback to their big day to honour their wedding anniversary. Her caption, written in Spanish, translates to: “I will love you and you will love me, I love you and it’s my only truth And it is our great love, What will never die … ” Happy 3rd anniversary my love. I love you.”
The pair have known each other since they were children. They met when Messi was five-years-old and Rccuzzo four. They were introduced to one another by Messi’s best friend and fellow footballer Lucas Scaglia, who is Roccuzzo’s cousin.
The pair remained friends and stayed in touch when Messi left Argentina for Spain to play soccer at the age of 13. They began dating in the late 2000s. The pair now live in Barcelona and have two sons.
When we think of 80s fashion, cheesy is one word that comes to mind. The popular style of the decade involved tons of primary colour, oversized shapes and lots of lace.
While some may not look fondly on the fashion of the time, fusing retro style elements into modern style is very on trend right now. Popular style icons are influenced by iconic trends from the 80s, 90s and early 2000s, and these can be seen from the catwalk to the streets, as well as bridal styles.
Typical 80s trends like puffed sleeves, full skirts, lace detailing and sparkling applique dominated the day. Here are a few ways to incorporate the 80s into your wedding dress in a modern way.
Pop sensation Joe Jonas and Game of Thrones actress Sophie Turner are celebrating the first anniversary of their church wedding in France. The pair have been quiet about their celebrations, but brother Nick Jonas and his wife Priyanka Chopra have sent them sweet congratulations.
On his Instagram story, Nick Jonas posted a photo of Joe and Sophie walking hand-in-hand down the aisle in France from their 2019 wedding. “Happy Anniversary Jophie. Love you guys!” wrote the younger Jonas brother.
The pair, by the time they had their church wedding, had already said their “I dos” in May 2019 at their impromptu Vegas wedding.
Chopra posted the same photo, with some added editing for decoration, and said “Happy 1 year anniversary. Love you both”.
Jonas and Turner met in 2016, but kept their courtship quiet for a long time. According to Insider, they began talking after Jonas sent Turner a message on 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.” After a few weeks of back and forth texting, they met up in London, and by then they knew it was meant to be.
In 2019, they surprised everyone by making it official in a Las Vegas ceremony at the Little White Wedding Chapel after the Billboard Music Awards.
Within Kenya, there are a variety of different tribes (more than 40), and each tribe has its own traditions. Of course, this includes practices for weddings.
According to a blog called African Wedding Traditions, some of these practices have been let go of in modern times, and others are re-enacted to pay tribute to tradition. Each one has been passed down through Kenyan history.
Love Matters Africa reports that, in most cases, there will be two to three meetings between the families before the wedding – no matter which tribe they are from. The bride’s parents are visited by the groom and his father and uncles to show his interest in marriage with their daughter, then there are dowry negotiations, and finally, the dowry is paid and the wedding plans are finalized.
Often, the groom is not allowed to speak in any of these meetings, with most of the talking being done by his father and uncles. The bride-to-be is commonly not present until all of these meetings are complete.
Of course, there are variations among tribes with these meetings, however, most include it in some form or other.
Here are some other wedding traditions from various tribes:
Rendille Tribe
For men who are part of the Rendille tribe, a marriage proposal is more than just a simple question. He has to send beads to the woman he is interested in marrying, and if she accepts them they they will become engaged.
The woman’s parents must then show that they approve of the marriage. To do so, her mother places an ornament made of wood on top of the beads.
Just before the pair are set to marry, the woman must have her ears pierced, and must get various symbolic tattoos applied to her body. The man, on the other hand, must provide his wife-to-be’s family with camels.
Kikyuyu Tribe
A traditional Kikyuyu wedding is called the “ngarario”. On this day, the groom visits the bride’s family home with his parents and other members of his family. They are not allowed to enter the house at first.
The “kuhura hoti” takes place, in which women within the groom’s family sing outside the house and carry gifts. Women who are part of the bride’s family also sing inside the house.
Eventually, the front door is opened and they are let inside. Following this, another practice called “gucagura muka wake” is performed. The groom must find his bride in a group of women who are all dressed exactly the same. If he picks the wrong woman, he must pay a fine.
Samburu Tribe
At a wedding ceremony of a couple who form part of the Samburu Tribe, members of the tribe cross wooden sticks while the couple is being married. This is symbolic of the fact that the new marriage will have lasting roots, and will maintain the strength and natural life force of trees.
Masai Tribe
Brides who are part of the Masai tribe shave their heads in preparation for their nuptials. Thereafter, they apply lamb fat and oil to their scalps, according to Voltaire Diamonds.
After the marriage ceremony, the bride leaves with her spouse and it is said that she should not, under any circumstances, look back or she will turn to stone. Voltaire Diamonds also reports that members of the groom’s family insult the couple as they leave, in order to ward off evil spirits and misfortune.
Pokot Tribe
Grooms in the Pokot Tribe must pay a bride price. They must also provide their brides with a leather wedding band, which they place on her wrist at the wedding ceremony.
Another celebrity couple has reached an exciting milestone in their relationship. Actors Zoë Kravitz and Karl Glusman celebrated their one-year wedding anniversary yesterday, June 29.
Kravitz took to Instagram to honour their big day, simply captioning the image ‘one year.’
Glusman had a bit more to say, writing “One year. Not the year we expected… but I feel like if we can make it through this, we can take on anything. I love you. More than anything. You’re my best friend… you crack me up and you melt my heart… you call me out on my bullshit and you challenge me to grow… I love you for that. And I’ll do anything and everything for you until the day I die. Now let’s go save the world @zoeisabellakravitz”
Kravitz and Glusman said ‘I do’ in Parison June 29, 2019. Zoe’s father, Lenny Kravitz’s 18th-century mansion acted as their wedding venue.
For their big day, Kravitz opted for an ankle-length scoop neck dress with a drop waist and full skirt. Instead of heels, she wore ballet flats. Her hair was elegantly pulled back into a low bun and she accessorised with a headband. Glusman went classic with a simple black and white tux.
The wedding was attended by Kravitz’s Big Little Lies co-stars Reece Witherspoon, Laura Dern, Shailene Woodley, and Nicole Kidman, as well as mom and dad Lisa Bonet and Lenny Kravitz, and step-father Jason Mamoa.
It would be easy to imagine that wedding dresses have been glamorous and varying shades of white since their inception. However, they have actually changed a lot over the years. From fabric and style to length and colour, not much about wedding dresses has stayed the same.
Not much is known, due to a lack of documentation, about weddings in ancient times. However, Love To Know reports that the ancient dress tradition differed according to culture. Brides in ancient Rome are said to have worn yellow veils to represent a torch and symbolise warmth. In ancient Athens, brides were likely to have worn long robes in shades of red or violet.
Brides of Ancient Roman. Source: Pinterest
From the 5th to the 15th centuries (or in the Medieval times), because weddings were more about politics than love, brides were required to dress in a manner that cast her family in a good light. Brides of high social standing would wear rich colours and expensive materials including fur, velvet, and silk. Often, they had gems sewn into their garments too.
During the Renaissance (from about the 14th to the 17th century), which overlaps with the Medieval times, layering was important. In addition, dresses were long, hanging from the neck to the feet, and may have included a train. Burgundy was a popular colour at the time, and dresses were often corseted or had skirts done in a bell shape.
Elle, however, reports that around the 17th century it was common for a bride to simply wear her best dress, no matter its colour.
Much later, in 1840, the white wedding dress became popular. This is credited to Queen Victoria, who wore an ivory silk gown to marry Prince Albert in that year. Soon after, the white wedding dress became majorly popular, with dressmakers also incorporating embroidered silk, lace, and floral detailing into wedding dresses. High necks, full skirts, and white gloves were popular for brides at the time.
Queen Victoria popularised the white wedding dress trend. Source: Pinterest
In the early 1900s, white remained the most popular colour, but some brides opted for azure, mauve, or pale think. According to Bridal Guide, a wedding dress at this time incorporated an S-shaped corset, to pull in the belly and push out the bosom. Dresses also came with frills on the bodice, and gigot sleeves.
Gigot sleeves and corset detail rose in popularity in the early 1900s. Source: Pinterest
Through the 1900s wedding dresses went through many transformations. In the 20s sleek, drop waist gowns were popular, and dresses became slightly shorter, according to Good Housekeeping. The 30s and 40s brought simpler outfits, as the wars led to financial struggles, many brides wore items they already owned.
Drop-waist wedding gowns were popular in the 20s. Suource: Pinterest
Elizabeth Taylor’s dress in her film Father of the Bride, which had a fitted bodice and a full skirt influenced trends of the 50s. Sweetheart necklines were also popular at the time. About 20 years later, in the 70s, the popular neckline moved to high collars. The 70s saw a lot of experimentation, as it to be expected of the time.
High collars were very trendy and still are. Source: Pinterest
In the 80’s there was no such thing as “less is more”, in fact, at the time brides believed “the bigger the better”. Puffy sleeves, long trains, and over the top headdresses were all the rage.
80s brides were all about over-the-top detail. Source: Pinterest
Vera Wang opened her bridal boutique in 1990, and 10 years later she was considered to be one of the top dress designers. Her speciality at the time was strapless and spaghetti straps.
Nowadays, brides can do whatever they like. Most still opt for white wedding dresses, but styles vary broadly.
A wedding cake topper is the final element of your wedding cake, giving that last touch to your perfect dessert. These toppers work wonders in personalising your cake.
Wedding cake toppers have decreased in popularity over the decades, with many couples preferring the cake’s detail to be the focus. However, those opting for simpler cake designs will benefit from a unique and quirky cake topping that speaks to the couple’s personality.
From adorable animals to Lego creations, here are some creative toppers to act as the cherry on top of your cake:
The coronavirus and the resulting worldwide lockdowns it has caused has resulted in many a social media challenge gain traction. It seems brides, old and new, are not being left out of this trend, and a new challenge, called the Wedding Dress challenge, on TikTok has gone viral.
Some challenges involve some sort of prank, and others show users doing something silly, but the wedding dress challenge is nothing but pure, wholesome fun.
Former brides, be it a bride from last year or a bride from 20 years ago, are surprising their spouses by putting on their wedding dresses and capturing their reactions in a TikTok. The reactions are sweet and heartwarming, and just what we need to make the continuing lockdown seem not that bad.
Have a look at some of the renditions of the challenge here:
