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    Leona Lewis and Dennis Jauch celebrate first year of marriage

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    Singers Leona Lewis and Dennis Jauch are celebrating a special occasion. The couple have officially been married a year, and both took to Instagram to write sweet messages of devotion to one another.

    “Having you by my side has been the greatest gift. Our first trip around the sun together as husband and wife and what a year it’s been ? We don’t do things by halves, all or nothing baby ? here’s to many more adventures together,” wrote the songstress on Instagram.

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    “1 year of being married to this caramel goddess sent straight from heaven. The last 12 months has been the most insane period of my life so far but waking up as a married man to my stunning wife every morning has been the greatest gift I could’ve ever asked for. Happy Anniversary mein schatz,” said Jauch.

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    Lewis and Jauch married on July 27, 2019 at the  stunning 16th century Il Palagio estate in Tuscany, Italy. The bride wore a beautiful lace and tulle gown by Israeli designer Mira Zwillinger for the ceremony, and changed into a pink embellished tulle gown by Inbal Dror for the reception.

    Their plans had to change when a massive electrical storm hit. The ceremony was moved from outdoors in the vineywards to the chapel at the last minute.

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    Feature image: Instagram / Dennis Jauch

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    Couple who refused small wedding contracts COVID-19
    In News

    Couple who refused small wedding contracts COVID-19

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    Despite rules and regulations on public gatherings due to COVID-19, many are still going about their lives as usual. While many couples have significantly scaled down their weddings and others have cancelled their celebrations altogether, others refuse to do so. Now, a San Francisco couple is realizing the error of their ways.

    A couple celebrated their wedding in early July with approximately 100 guests at the SS Peter and Paul’s Church in San Francisco, California. Guests came from across the US, including Texas and Arizona. The large gathering has led to the newlyweds, along with eight of their friends, contracting coronavirus.

    The San Francisco Chronicle reported that the couple also held a rehearsal dinner on the evening before their wedding, which was attended by over 40 people.

    Despite being aware of the restrictions implemented, including a governmental order on the closure of indoor operations including religious services, the couple still held their wedding as planned. They were reportedly ware that they were breaking rules according to the Daily Mail, who claim that the father of the bride instructed guests to enter the venue from the back door so as to ensure that the event was not obviously visible.

    According to the Independent, a city official arrived at the event as guests made their way inside and instructed those participating that the wedding should not continue due to the high number of guests.

    Thereafter, the couple had a smaller ceremony with most guests watching online and some still in the church.

    However, within five days of the ceremony the couple and eight of their guests started showing symptoms and tested positive for the virus.

    According to a Pastor involved with the church,  the church had agreed to the wedding but had not agreed to the number of guests.

    “I had said to them they had to comply with the minimum number for the service and when they showed up with more people, they agreed with sending them away,” he said.

    Image: Unsplash

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    Adorable sweetheart tables to share with your special person
    In Advice

    Adorable sweetheart tables to share with your special person

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    Weddings are exciting days for family and friends to come together to celebrate love. All this attention can become a bit overwhelming for couples, however.

    Couples wanting a little bit of privacy will benefit from a sweetheart table. A sweetheart table is a small table designed to only seat the newly married couple.  This setup allows newlyweds to have a special moment away from guests. It offers intimacy and alone time, which is so valuable especially as guests will be swarming with their well wishes.

    Extend the decor of the overall wedding day with your sweetheart table, and go big with unique chairs, awnings and floral detail. Remember, the day is all about you so have some fun! Here are a few ideas to inspire you:

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    Feature image: Pexels

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    Couple marry on border of Sweden and Norway to have family attend wedding
    In News

    Couple marry on border of Sweden and Norway to have family attend wedding

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    The COVID-19 pandemic has placed many restrictions on various industries, including weddings. This creative couple found an ingenious way to go ahead with their wedding safely while still having their family physically present, despite travel restrictions.

    Norwegian bride Camilla Øyjord and Swedish groom Alexander Clern wanted their families there for their big day. However, travel restrictions due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic made this difficult.

    As Sweden does not have a formal lockdown in place, its neighbouring countries have placed restrictions to prevent their citizens travelling to the country. This couple found a loophole by hosting their wedding ceremony across the border of Sweden and Norway.

    A Norwegian bride married her Swedish groom at a ceremony conducted at the border between their countries – with both…

    Posted by Katherine Rohan on Tuesday, 21 July 2020

    The wedding was held in the woods of the south-eastern Holebekk region, and family and friends remained in their respective countries, separated by a white ribbon to mark the border. Police were present to make sure guests did not cross the line. The couple even organised separate catering for their guests on either side of the border.

    “We did not want to change the date… all we wanted was to get married!” Oyjord told the BBC. She says the idea came to them as a joke, but as they neared their wedding date they saw it as a viable solution.

    Feature image: Unsplash

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    Metro FMs Lerato Kganyago gets proposal on her birthday
    In Celebs

    Metro FM’s Lerato Kganyago gets proposal on her birthday

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    Birthdays are a special day for many people. We get to feel our best, be spoiled, and we’re celebrated just for being born. Adding a proposal to a day as special as this makes it all the more amazing. Metro FM show host Lerato Kganyago had this fairytale experience last week.

    Following social distancing rules, Kganyago is currently hosting her Metro FM show from her bedroom. On Wednesday, July 22 she stuck to her routine and got on with her work. But little did she know, a surprise awaited her after.

    Once she left her room, she found her home covered in balloons and flowers. As she made her way down the staircase, words describing her covered them. “Hard worker, self-motivated, kind, joyful, strong, lovable, content, generous, intelligent, nurturer, blessed, compassionate, loving, Lerato”, were written on the steps.

    With music playing in the background, she eventually found “Will you marry me again?” written in gold on the floor.

    Kganyago was completely taken by surprise. “While I was in my bedroom doing my radio show!!! This was happening downstairs and I had NO CLUE!” she wrote on Instagram.

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    In May, Kganyago announced that she had split from her partner Thami Ndala, after they had been married for two months. In a statement, she wrote, “It is with sadness that we announce that Thami and I have decided to go our separate ways. We have come to realise that our different priorities and workloads have not afforded us the time to invest in our relationship. We will continue to care deeply for each other, and look forward to growing our friendship. We have nothing more to say on this subject and hope that our privacy will be respected during this difficult time.”

    Shortly thereafter, there was speculation that they had gotten back together.

    Now, it seems clear that the pair have reunited and are planning another trip down the aisle since the words read “will you marry me again” appeared in the video, indicating they had been married before.

    Kganyago prefers to keep her private life to herself and out of the spotlight, and she made it clear in May that she was frustrated with all the speculation about her private life. She has not tagged or mentioned her groom to be in her Instagram posts recently either.

    Image: Lerato Kganyago

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    How to save money on your wedding cake
    In Advice

    How to save money on your wedding cake

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    Wedding cakes are a key tradition in most cultures and they can easily rack up quite a heavy cost. This doesn’t have to be the case if you’re clear about what you want and follow these simple tips to help you save on this part of your big day.

    Consider a display cake 

    A big expense when it comes to cake is getting the amount you need out of a beautifully designed, intricate cake. If you want a cake that can feed all your guests, rather have a smaller, beautiful display cake for cutting and have a simple sheet cake in the kitchen which can be cut up and brought out.

    Keep it simple 

    This might be the most obvious suggestion, but the more complicated the cake the more expensive it is likely to be. Choosing a cake that will take less time to make means you will be charged less by your baker. Consider what you want in terms of colour, icing and tiers and then make this combination as simple as possible.

    Reconsider flowers

    Sugar flowers should definitely be reconsidered and replaced by fresh flowers or painted flowers on the cake itself. Sugar flowers are intricate and require a lot of work which adds to the cost.

    Consider the cake a party favour 

    Instead of having the cake and party favours combine these two parts of the event. Cut the cake right at the end, before everyone begins to leave and offer them slices in takeaway boxes as they go.

    Serve smaller slices 

    Let’s be honest, most people don’t even eat their entire piece of wedding cake. So save by having a smaller cake with smaller slices. If you’re worried this won’t be enough for guests, combine the smaller piece of cake with cheaper confectionaries like strawberries or chocolates.

    User your caterer

    Often couples choose a separate baker for their cake but this can add to the cost. If you find out if your caterer would be willing to do the cake as well you can often negotiate a better price.

    Consider something other than cake

    Cake is the traditional option, but why not offer guests a something different which can also save you some money. Offering cupcakes or cake pops are great alternatives and are likely to be eaten because of their smaller size.

    Image: Unsplash

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    Venue spotlight: Shepstone Gardens
    In Advice

    Venue spotlight: Shepstone Gardens

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    South Africans are lucky to have a myriad of magnificent wedding venues across the country. From beachside venues and vineyards to countryside stunners and modern museums, there is something for every bridal couple.

    If you’re looking for a venue straight out of a fairytale, we’ve got the perfect one. Shepstone Gardens in Johannesburg mixes old world glamour with modern finishes to give you the best of both worlds.

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    Shepstone Gardens is situated in Hope Road, in the heart of Mountain View in Johannesburg. The main house was one of the original Witwatersrand Ridge houses commissioned by the Modderfontein Dynamite Company after the Anglo Boer War at the turn of the 20th Century.

    The venue has been privately owned by the Rayner family for the past 35 years, and they have worked to restore it while still maintaining its heritage and charm.

    On the grounds are an on-site chapel, a glass marquee and a grand hall. The on-site chapel has intricate stone walls, large stained-glass windows and a stunning glass roof that screams opulence and whimsy.

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    If you’d like an outdoor ceremony, you can say your I do’s at their natural arch, which is is perched right next to a functioning bell tower to add that extra fairytale-esque spin to your big day. To bring you back to earth, the Johannesburg skyline acts as a beautiful backdrop, creating an interesting juxtaposition of city and garden.

    The glass marquee is a mesmerising location. Marble floors, stone pillars and chandeliers create a striking finish against the vibrant green of the grounds. It’s opulent and glamorous yet down to earth at the same time. The glass marquee can be used as a ceremony or reception venue, the choice is up to you.

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    If the glass marquee isn’t your style, another option is the grand hall. This space offers wood flooring and tall pillars that acts as more of a blank canvas to truly allow your decor to take centre stage. It’s the more timeless, old school option of the two locations. It’s even got a library next door that can be used as a cozy lounge or a separate area to display your after dinner sweet treats.

    Shepstone Gardens offers in-house catering and decor, making the planning process even easier. What we love is that they also offer the Lorax Initiative in partnership with Food & Trees for Africa.  For every wedding guest that sponsors a tree as a wedding gift, Shepstone Gardens will match it and sponsor another tree.

    “The joy that is experienced around the beauty of Shepstone Gardens is afforded because of a deep love and care for the earth it has risen from. It is fitting, then, that we perpetuate that love and spread it far and wide to where it is needed most,” they explain on their site.

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    Shepstone Gardens is perfect for the couple wanting a little of everything from their wedding day. It’s classic and whimsical, modern and elegant yet grand all at the same time.
    For more about this amazing South African wedding venue, visit their website HERE.

    Feature image: Instagram / Shepstone Gardens

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    The story behind Princess Beatrice's wedding tiara
    In Accessories

    The story behind Princess Beatrice’s wedding tiara

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    Princess Beatrice of York shocked the world when she married beau Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi in secret this past weekend. The pair were forced to cancel their big day scheduled for May due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and instead had an intimate celebration with 20 guests.

    For her big day, Princess Beatrice honoured her grandmother, her Majesty the Queen in two ways. She customised her grandmother’s vintage Norman Hartnell dress to use as her wedding gown and she wore her grandmother’s tiara, known as the Queen Mary diamond fringe tiara.

    Princess Beatrice marries Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi in private ceremony

    This kokoshnik-style tiara is special for the Royal family as its the very one Queen Elizabeth wore on her own wedding day to Prince Philip back in 1947. It was originally made for Queen Mary in 1919 by British jewelers Garrard and Co., and was fashioned from a diamond necklace gifted to Queen Mary on her wedding day by Queen Victoria in 1893.

    A then-princess Elizabeth became the next royal to wear the tiara when she chose it as her ‘something borrowed’ for her big day in 1947. As she was getting ready for her ceremony, the diamond tiara snapped. It was rushed to the court jeweler, who was able to repair it an time for the ceremony.

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    Princess Anne was the next royal to don the tiara on her big day when she married Mark Phillips in 1973. Princess Beatrice is the latest royal to wear the tiara, honouring her grandmother in the process.

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    Feature image: Instagram / The Royal Family

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    Beauty and the Beast: Tendai Mtawarira and Kuziva Makore
    In Celebs

    Beauty and the Beast: Tendai Mtawarira and Kuziva Makore

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    South Africans love their rugby and beam with pride over the Springboks. You know a player is legendary and much-loved when he even has a nickname.

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    Tendai Matawarira, known as ‘The Beast’ has been married to Kuziva Makore for a decade this year. Their love story is one of long-distance romance and destiny. The sports star is originally from Zimbabwe, where his mother saw Kuziva singing in a church choir in 2009. She must have struck a chord, because his mother gave Kuziva her son’s number, according to iHarare.

    “My mother saw something in Ku that was perfect,” Mtawarira said to News24.

    “He’s the sort of man I dreamt about,” Makore, a Psychology student and nail technician, added.

    They began talking over the phone but didn’t meet for three months, as Mtawarira was travelling on a rugby tour. They fell in love nonetheless, constantly texting and calling.

    Their wedding was a traditionally arranged one and the two tied the knot in Durban, South Africa in 2010. It turns out mother does know best!

    The rugby player is famous for being ruthless on the field. He might be tough on the outside, but clearly has a soft spot on the inside.

    “Happy 9th Year Anniversary my Queen. Doing life with you is such a privilege and SOOOO much fun. Thank you for being the most caring, loving wife and mother I could have ever hoped for. I Love U more than life itself Booblan aka Best friend. Super excited for what God has planned for our family and our future,” he wrote on Instagram for their ninth anniversary.

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    They have two children together, a daughter and a son.

    Image: Instagram/Tendai Mtawarira

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    Ways to give back on your wedding day
    In Weddings

    Ways to give back on your wedding day

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    A wedding day is about celebrating the love between two people. It can also be an incredible opportunity to give back. Here are six ways to utilise your wedding day for the greater good.

    1. Swap presents for donations

    Rather than ringing up an expensive registry, ask guests to donate to a charity of your choice. This action is two-fold. A wedding registry may contain items that are financially unviable for some guests. Rather than unknowingly putting them under financial pressure, a donation allows them to dictate the amount they are able to spend. Whether it’s a local animal welfare organisation or charity, any bit goes a long way. Asking for donations rather than presents is a selfless way of giving back.

    2. Go as green as you can

    An eco-friendly wedding is one way to ensure you give back to Mother Nature. You can opt for a full, off-the-grid wedding or you can incorporate eco-friendly elements. Choose a venue that operates on solar power, that way you know you won’t be burning any unnecessary fossil fuels on your special day. Opt for a cruelty-free caterer, one the works in close proximity to the venue would be ideal. This ensures your wedding has a decreased carbon footprint. Serve vegan alcohol. There are a variety of vegan wines available in South Africa, along with other spirits for when the party get started. For other ways to go green, read here.

    3. Before your wedding day, take the bridal party on a charitable outing

    Yes the pre-wedding build up is always an eventful time. We aren’t suggesting cancelling your boozy bachelorette or bachelors. Rather, get both the parties involved for a day of doing good. Help out at a soup kitchen, work in a community garden or help out at an animal shelter for one day before the wedding. It’s a brilliant way for everyone to bond and spend some quality time together before the big day.

     

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    The most vulnerable communities across Cape Town are still largely dependent on us during these difficult times. With over 120 primary beneficiaries and many more secondary beneficiaries being supported, we still need your support to sustain this. You can make a difference in somebody’s life by donating R150 now. This will feed someone for a month with nutritious soup and sandwiches. We are also collecting jerseys, beanies, jackets, scarves and blankets at our various depots across Cape Town. Head to our biolink now and choose: DONATE NOW to donate R150 to feed someone every day for a month or JOIN THE SANDWICH DRIVE to donate food or winter clothing #ctloved #ladlesoflove #humanityinaction #winter #giveback #donate #inthistogether #strongertogether #salockdown #foodislove #changetheCOVID19story #wecare #donatewinterclothes #fooddrive #charity #showlove #spreadlove #createchange #dosomething #takeaction #helpothers

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    4. Swap favours for plants

    Rather than handing out thank-you favours at the end of your wedding, send everyone home with a plant. Succulents make for excellent parting gifts. They are so easy to grow and require very little maintenance. These plants are brilliant for the environment because they don’t need that much water to survive. Succulents such as the desert rose, spekboom, jade plant, jelly bean plant, zebra plant, Echeveria ‘Raindrops’ and Aeonium haworthii ‘Tricolor’­­­­­­ are all examples of hassle-free plants.

     

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    5. Ensure your vendors source locally and ethically

    You’re going to be throwing a lot of money into your wedding day, make sure it lines the pockets of those who really need it rather than a massive corporate that doesn’t really need the sale. By selecting vendors who source locally and ethically, you’ll be helping to build a small business. In South Africa there are so many creative entrepreneurs who are overlooked for the larger companies. Choose your vendors wisely and take some extra time to see what else is out there.

    Image: Unsplash

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