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    It’s nearly spring time and that means flowers! If you love the soft and feminine look, floral headpieces are the way to go. Wear a flower crown, clip-in piece or simply fasten some loose flowers in your hairdo.

    Remember to use seasonal flowers, and ask your stylist about which flowers will stay fresh and perky for longer. They will add a romantic touch to any look, depending on your style.

    Here are some different looks to try:

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    Image: Unsplash

    Congratulations are in order for Julianne Moore and Bart Freundlich. The Oscar winning actress and her writer-director husband recently celebrated their 17th wedding anniversary.

    Taking to Instagram, Moore wrote a sweet, tongue-in-cheek message to honour the occasion.

    “I said he should take a shower. He said my hair smelled bad, like mildew, or an old box. Happy 17th Wedding anniversary @freundlich96 – there is no one I’d rather be with everyday. I love you.”

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    The pair met back in 1996 on the set of The Myth of Fingerprints, which Freundlich directed. They married on August 23, 2003. Instead of white, Moore donned a lilac Prada dress featuring a deep v-neckline to marry Freundlich, who matched with a purple tie and striped shirt.

    They have two children together: Caleb, 22 and daughter Liv, 18.

    Speaking to People, Moore said that a marriage takes work and isn’t always how it appears in the movies.

    “We have this narrative in our culture that if you want a career, you have to work hard, go to school, look for a job, you have to apply yourself but love is supposed to just happen to you,” she said.

    “One day you’re going to meet someone and get hit over the head and boom! That happens in romantic comedies but in real life you have to make time. When you find a person, you have to invest in them and that relationship. And that’s what love is.”

    Feature image: Instagram / Julianne Moore

    Wedding bells are ringing for Mafikizolo singer Theo Kgosinkwe and Vourné Williams, who recently said ‘I do’! The coronavirus pandemic put a halt to their original wedding plans, but could not stop them from tying the knot.

    The pair were meant to marry earlier this year but postponed their big day to 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, they decided to have a small ceremony so they could still become husband and wife this year. They married on August 22, but their bigger wedding to include their family and friends will only be in 2021.

    “Due to covid-19 Vourne and I had to postpone our wedding celebrations for next year 2021
    But we couldn’t wait to be husband and wife ?. Yesterday I married my bestie ?,Proverbs 18:22
    We can’t wait to celebrate with family and friends next year ,we just have to wait a little longer,” Theo explains on Instagram.

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    Theo and Vourné began dating in 2017, and got engaged in 2019 on Vourné’s 26th birthday in front of all their family and friends. Before his proposal, Theo serenaded Vourné with a song.

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    Congratulations to the newlyweds!

    Feature image: Instagram / Theo Kgosinkwe

    What do you get when you cross a Miss Universe stunner and a former pro-footballer? A match made in heaven.

    South African stunner Demi-Leigh Nel-Peters (now Tebow) and husband Tim Tebow have had a whilwind romance. Here is where it all began.

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    The pair met through an event Tebow was hosting for his non-profit, the Tim Tebow Foundation.

    “Her sister has special needs, so we invited them to Night to Shine in South Africa,” Tebow said during an interview with Kathie Lee Gifford and Hoda Kotb. “We kind of met and started talking through that and haven’t stopped.”

    Their relationship moved pretty quickly, and they confirmed their relationship in July 2018.

    “She is a really special girl and I am very lucky and blessed for her coming into my life,” Tebow said in an ESPN interview. “I am usually very private with these things but I am very thankful.”

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    In January 2019 after less than a year of dating, Tim popped the question with an elaborate and sentimental proposal. Tebow had flown family members from across America and South Africa to Jacksonville, Florida to be a part of the proposal. Demi-Leigh was told they were attending a late Tebow family Christmas dinner at their family farm and was surprised when it ended in a proposal.

    “Ever since I first saw you, you gave me so much hope. When I first heard your voice, you gave me so much belief. When I first met you, I knew you were the person I wanted to spend the rest of my life with. And I will spend the rest of my life fighting for you and fighting for us,” said Tebow before going down on one knee to propose.

    Tebow also flew Demi-Leigh’s favourite South African performer Matthew Mole to Florida to serenade them post-proposal. Watch their proposal here:

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    They came to Demi-Leigh’s home country, South Africa, to tie the knot. Their pre-wedding festivities kicked off with a ‘Welcome to Africa’ cocktail dinner in the Cape winelands to introduce Tebow to South African culture. The bride wore a stunning white dress by Gert Johan-Coetzee featuring a criss-cross neckline and cut-out detail, while Tebow wore a blush-toned suit.

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    The following day, the couple held a stunning rehearsal dinner. They went for a sophisticated colour scheme, opting for rich purples, reds and black. Demi-Leigh stunned in a strapless wine-coloured dress with beading by Anel Botha. The couple’s weekend events are all planned by celebrity planner Zavion Khotze.

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    The pair got married at the La Paris Estate in Franschhoek on January 20, 2020. South African celebrity wedding planner Zavion Khotze organised the day. The former Miss Universe wore an off-the-shoulder cowl-neck dress by Davids Bridal and Tim wore a tuxedo by Antar Levar.

    According to PEOPLE, their ceremony lasted 30 minutes and was attended by 260 guests. The couple wrote their own vows.

    The wedding blended South African and American wedding traditions, because their cultures are very important to the couple.

    “We’re both very traditional,” Nel-Peters told PEOPLE. “We wanted to look back at the wedding and see that it was intimate, elegant, and traditional. We definitely wanted it to be something that we could look back on and know that nothing was dated. We want to remember this day for the rest of our lives.”

    Demi-Leigh’s favourite performer, Matthew Mole, performed his original song ‘Pennsylvania’ for their first dance.

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    Feature image: Instagram / Demi Tebow

    As the pandemic continues, long-distance couples are kept apart even longer. For many, it has been at least five months since they’ve physically seen their partner. A new movement is growing across the world to reunite these lovers.

    Called the ‘Love is Not Tourism‘ movement, they are speaking out against rules in various countries preventing international travel and keeping them apart.

    “The closure of international borders in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic was – and still is – sensible and even necessary. It is obvious that we must halt tourism to protect us and others,” the movement explains on their website. “But love is not tourism. This is not just about a summer holiday, it is about mental health and the future of people all around the world.

    “We as international lovers and families, urge governments of all states to amend their travel restrictions. Allow the un-bureaucratic and safe reunion of partners in long distance relationships as well as family members.”

    They also say they are willing to submit to appropriate safety regulations, self-pay for a test upon arrival and quarantine until a negative result is received or a 14-day strict quarantine, as long as unmarried couples and families can visit their most important people.

    Countries like Denmark, Iceland, Germany, France and Spain have already introduced measures to allow couples and families to meet up. The movement is calling for other countries in the world to follow suit.

    Most regulations protect married couples, but engaged or unmarried couples are not included. Kana Ishii from Toyo and Jarran Muse from New Jersey were meant to marry this year, but COVID-19 halted their plans. In an interview with NBC New York, they explain their separation has left them drained. They are heartbroken that government will not recognise their love just because they are not married yet.

    In South Africa, the Facebook page ‘Love is Not Tourism SA’ is quickly gaining traction. Couples separated by borders come to share their stories, as well as any resources they have in their fight to be reunited with their loved one.

    Feature image: Pexels

    Dessert stands are growing in popularity among modern couples. These stands offer a variety of sweet treats for your guests to pick and choose from.

    A unique way to display your desserts is in tower form. It adds a unique and dramatic finish, and also provides height and variety to your dessert table from a visual standpoint.

    These towers are also easily accessible for your guests, as it is made up of individual treats. They can simply reach out and grab whichever dessert takes their fancy. This also helps move lines along, as people won’t be taking forever to cut a piece of cake or dish out some mousse.

    Your options are endless with dessert towers. You can layer donuts, cupcakes and even cheese to create stunning stacks of treats.

    Here are some ideas to feast your eyes on:

    Donuts:

     

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    Macarons:

     

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    Fruit:

     

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    Cupcakes:

     

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    Crocombouche:

     

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    Cheese:

     

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    Feature image: Unsplash

    Cake is a wedding tradition, but that doesn’t make it a requirement. For those lacking a sweet tooth, a cake won’t make sense. An excellent alternative is a cheese tower!

    Alternatives like cookies, pancake stacks and fruit cakes have grown in popularity over the years as couples desire something more unique and memorable than a traditional cake. These options are great, but a cheese tower is perfect for those not wanting another sweet dessert.

    If you’re already offering a dessert table with a variety of sweet treats on your big day and don’t want a massive wedding cake, then a cheese tower is a great replacement.

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    Stack your favourite cheese rounds on top of each other to create a unique and delicious tiered cake. From brie to blue, camembert to stilton, there are so many tasty cheeses to choose from.

    Of course, you can still go wild with decorations. Place fruits like figs and grapes on the sides of the tower, and don’t forget about the delicious freshly-baked bread and crackers to accompany. Have jams, honey and more fresh fruit on hand to pair with your cheeses.

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    When stacking the cake, think logically. The heaviest, firmer cheeses should go at the bottom to hold everything else up. Softer cheeses like brie or goats cheese should be saved for the top tier.

    To make things easier when serving the ‘cake’, you could simply cut the tiers into smaller cheese blocks. Or you could incorporate it into your harvest table and let your guests go crazy!

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    Feature image: Unsplash

    Wedding drone photographers in Mauritius are mobilising to help do their part to reduce the massive oil spill off the coast of the island country.

    On July 25, a Japanese ship crashed into a coral reef and began leaking oil into Mauritian waters from its cracked hull after it ran aground. The ship was carrying nearly 4000 tonnes of fuel, which is now threatening the island’s marine habitat and coastal ecosystem, according to Al Jazeera. It is the country’s worst ecological disaster in history.

    Many residents quickly sprung to action to help, creating makeshift oil spill barriers out of fabric sacks filled with sugar cane leaves.

    Wedding drone photographers have also been a massive help. Being a popular wedding and honeymoon destination, Mauritius has a big wedding industry. Many amateur drone pilots form part of the commercial drone market, and are now using their talents to assist in cleanup operations.

    Mauritus does not have a Navy or Air Force, which means they could not get effective hyper-local aerial footage of the scene, reports Forbes.

    Drone pilots are now filling the gap by flying their drones over the area to identify where the oil spill may be heading, thus helping co-ordinate where the team of volunteers on the ground need to focus on.

    With less international business coming in due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Mauritian wedding drone photographers have found a way to still use their skills and make a difference.

    Feature image: Unsplash

    Rapper 2 Chainz and wife Kesha Ward are celebrating their two-year wedding anniversary.

    In a sweet Instagram post, the hip-hop veteran shared throwback images of the pair on their wedding day.

    “2 years ago I married the most beautiful, pure, caring, spiritual, loving person on earth … Kesha you my rock , you my best friend , YOU DA 1 baby HAPPY ANNIVERSARY KEE,” he captioned the slideshow.

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    2 Chains, real name Tauheed Epps, proposed to Ward on the red carpet at the 2018 Met Gala. This was not his first proposal, however. The rapper first went down on one knee back in 2013 while at the Bet Awards.

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    The pair tied the knot on August 19, 2018 in a star-studded Miami wedding. Their wedding venue was the Villa Casa Casuarina, also known as the Versace mansion as it is the former home of late designer Gianna Versace.

    Some notable names attending the wedding include Kim Kardashian, Kanye West and Lil Wayne.

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    They have three children together: daughters Heaven and Harmony, and son Halo, all of whom were present for their parents big day.

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    Feature image: Instagram / 2 Chainz

    In the United States, recent uproar over former plantations hosting weddings has resulted in their removal from major wedding sites. South Africa has an equally dark past when it comes to slavery, so should you also consider your wedding venues history before booking?

    Plantation weddings have been huge in the US for years. Despite being the site of slavery for hundreds of years, many love the old grand houses and large open gardens for their wedding. Ignoring the brutal history of the slavery in favour of a grand staircase in an Antebellum estate is quite a difficult pill to swallow, especially when it is likely there will be persons of colour, whose ancestors were slaves, attending or working at your wedding.

    Even big wedding planning sites like Pinterest are removing the references to a plantation aesthetic from their site. According to CNN,  Pinterest will limit the distribution of plantation wedding content across its platform.

    In South Africa, wine farms and old historical sites are equally beloved as wedding venues for their antique and classic feel. Big open lawns, old Dutch colonial buildings and vineyards do make for pretty pictures, but it is a bit uncomfortable when you realise that “quaint” bell in the corner of your group shot was built to regulate the slaves who worked on the farms every day.

    In addition, many wine farms are further tainted by the history of oppression of workers under apartheid. Unfair labour practices and cruel payment systems like the “dop” system have resulted in years of trauma, addiction and degradation of communities as a result of your wedding venue’s previous choices.

    So does this mean you should strictly search for wedding venues that have not been tainted by slavery? Well that’s a bit difficult as much of South Africa, especially in the Western Cape, was built by slaves and so the history is everywhere.

    Rather when choosing a location which does have a clear connection to slavery, it should be important to consider how the venue is run now, ask questions regarding their treatment of staff, consider finding out if they are contributing to initiatives to uplift the community that supports them and how they reconcile their slave and apartheid past with their current ethos.

    In addition you can also consider how you can contribute to the community where you are holding your wedding, either through donations or volunteering your time. While not a solution to the thousands of years of oppression, it at least would go a way to acknowledging the past and recognising how your lovely wedding venue came to be.

    Image: Unsplash