Weddings Archives | Page 97 of 188

In News

Wuhan citizens crash marriage application system

April 9, 2020 No Comments

Lockdown restrictions in Wuhan, China, where the coronavirus outbreak began, are being relaxed after 76 days and allowing its citizens more access to facilities and services. One of the first things people want to do now? Get married, apparently.

According to Chinese tech platform Alipay, there was a 300% increase in traffic on the local marriage application system they run, which caused a temporary logjam that has since been fixed.

Applications on the site have been suspended throughout February and March as residents observed the government-sanctioned lockdown.

With restrictions now being eased, Wuhan can expect a marriage boom in the upcoming months.

This rush stands in strict contract to the high rates of divorce Wuhan experienced during the lockdown. The lockdown has revealed cracks in relationships of many couples who were forced to spend too much time together or were separated during quarantine, leading to many opting to split up

One good thing about the lockdown is it really made people realise who they want to, or don’t want to, be with.

Feature image: Unsplash

In Planning

Beach wedding venues in South Africa

April 8, 2020 No Comments

Just because weddings have been put on pause due to the coronavirus pandemic, doesn’t mean you have to stop planning for the future. Keeping your eye out for the wedding venue of your dreams is important!

If you’re considering a seaside wedding, then you’re lucky that you live in South Africa. Our country is overflowing with magnificent beach wedding venues.

Here are some of out favourites:

Tintswalo Atlantic

Within the Greater Table Mountain National Park, at the base of Chapman’s Peak, you’ll find Tintswalo Atlantic. You’ll have unmatchable views of the bay and the mountains on your special day. The lodge includes their luxurious suites in their wedding package too. This venue is best for an intimate wedding, as it seats about 25 guests.

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The Oyster Box Hotel

This Umhlanga wedding venue is truly like no other, offering you a a stunning backdrop which includes a lighthouse for your nuptials. The hotel overlooking the ocean offers a variety of venues to accomodate almost any size wedding.

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Birkenhead House

On the cliffs of Hermanus overlooking Walker Bay, lies Birkenhead House. The coastal setting is perfect for a beach wedding. The venue caters for weddings of up to 50 guests.

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Strandkombuis

For a more laidback beach wedding, head to Strandbombuis in Yzerfontein. You’ll have your reception on the deck only a few steps from the untouched beach. With a capacity of up to 200 guests, you can fit everyone in.

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Twelve Apostles Hotel

If a luxury seaside wedding is what you’re looking for, then the Twelve Apostles Hotel is where you need to be. Situated between the Twelve Apostles Mountain range, the setting is perfect for anyone looking for a dramatic backdrop. This hotel is suitable for a wide range of wedding options.

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Blue Bay Lodge

Undisturbed beaches, quiet surroundings and Saldanha Bay in the background. What could be more perfect? Blue Bay Lodge offers wedding co-ordination, seating for 150 guests, and a wooden deck at the end of a walkway on the beach where your ceremony can be performed.

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Image: Unsplash

In Celebs

Russell Crowe gifted Bindi Irwin this sweet wedding gift

April 8, 2020 No Comments

Bindi Irwin has revealed the wedding gift A-list actor Russell Crowe gifted to her and husband Chandler Powell.

After the newlyweds tied the knot on March 25, Crowe sent the couple a stunning fig tree. Crowe, a fellow Australian, has reportedly been a longtime friend to the Irwin family.

Taking to Instagram, Irwin thanked Crowe for the gift and also wished him a happy birthday.

“Happy Birthday, @russellcrowe ?‬, ” Irwin wrote on Instagram. “You’ll always be part of our family. Even though we can’t see you right now, we’re giving the beautiful fig you gifted us a hug and thinking of you.‬
‪Hope your day is extraordinary.‬”

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Feature image: Instagram / Bindi Irwin

In Celebs

Jeannie Mai announces engagement to Jeezy

April 8, 2020 No Comments

Love conquers all, even a world wide pandemic, self-isolation, and quarantines. “The Real” presenter Jeannie Mai and rapper Jeezy (Jay Jenkins) are proving it with their engagement in the time of the coronavirus.

Mai took to instagram on April 7 to officially announce their engagement and share her good news. “I want nothing more than to spend the rest of my life loving you….YES,” she said in her caption.

“Thank you, everyone, for celebrating this journey with us. We are praying love over everyone from here,” she added.

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The couple have been together since November 2018, but only made their relationship public last year.

People reported that Jenkins proposed at their “quarantine date night” in his Los Angeles home. Mai’s rep told People that Jenkins planned to propose on their trip to Vietnam in April this year. However, due to travel restrictions and self-isolation orders on account of the coronavirus, Jenkins had to come up with a new plan.

“Instead, Jay decided to bring Vietman to Jeannie with a surprise quarantine date night in his home filled with Vietnamese food and decor,” said Mai’s rep.

Of course, people are tremendously happy for them and congratulations flooded in on her Instagram post. Co-hosts at The Real were also ecstatic for Mai. The Real congratuated Mai on their Instagram page too, posting a picture of the happy couple.

“OUR HEARTS, HUNNAY!!!” they said. “Screaming all the contratulatory wishes from the rooftops for our very own @TheJeannieMai and her new FIANCE. @Jeezy!!!! We are so thrilled and over the moon for the both of you.”

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Congrats to the happy couple!

Image: Twitter / Complex

In Planning

Post-lockdown wedding photo inspiration

April 8, 2020 No Comments

We’ve made it past halfway through the nationwide lockdown in South Africa, and fingers crossed things will slowly but surely start returning to normal.

If your wedding is coming up later this year or next, don’t forget about all the planning (and dreaming!) you can do while stuck at home. While you can’t go out cake tasting, dress shopping or venue scouting in person, cuddle up and feast your eyes on these amazing photo ideas.

Think magic and celebration meets soft romance. We’re seeing a lot of nature backdrops, playing with sunlight and wind and incorporating flowers.

When you next meet up with your photographer, discuss some of the looks you and your partner want to go for, and some poses, colour schemes and backdrops you like to give them an idea of what you want.

Here’s some inspiration to get you going:

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Image: Unsplash

In Advice

How to celebrate your anniversary while quarantining

April 7, 2020 No Comments

The national lockdown has truly forced us all to readjust to a new way of life for the time being. All plans that were made previously are on hold or cancelled and other plans are having to be rethought. While all of this happens, time still ticks on.

If your anniversary is one of the events coming up during quarantine, you should probably think of a way to celebrate it indoors! There’s no need to worry if you made plans that require leaving home, an at-home anniversary can easily be planned too.

Here are some ideas:

Recreate a special meal together

Perhaps you had a fancy meal on your first date, or you’re still dreaming of the delicious meal served at your wedding reception. You could take to the kitchen and try to recreate these meals together. We all know cooking together can be tremendously romantic… and the eating part is great too. After you cook the meal, indulge in the delicious food by candle light.

Wedding reminiscing

Pull out your wedding album and video and spend some time remembering the special day. It’ll bring back many amazing memories and will show you how far you’ve come. Tell each other stories about your individual experiences of the wedding day, about how you were feeling, who you interacted with, and anything else you can recall. You’re sure to have some funny and interesting tales to tell.

Symbolic vow renewal

Plan to have a vow renewal ceremony for just the two of you. Write new vows, decorate the room, and go all out. It’ll be quite intimate and special, definitely something you’ll never forget.

Learn to dance

Search YouTube for some couples dance tutorials and try to learn a new dance together. Salsa is a great option!

How I met your mother

If you have kids and you want them to be involved too then this one’s for you. Draw up a quiz about your relationship with questions like “how did mom and dad meet?” or “how old were we when we got married?” and have your kids participate in a competitive quiz night. It’s a great way to celebrate your anniversary and it’ll be an evening filled with laughs too.

Image: Unsplash

In Fashion

Dresses we love: Sequins

April 7, 2020 No Comments

In earlier centuries, these disc-shaped beads were made from shiny metals. Today, sequins are most often made from plastic. They look just as glamorous as ever, though!

We love the sparkle they give, and since we’re back in the 20s, why not reimagine sequins? Especially for evening weddings, sequins can create a beautiful and striking effect.

Take a look at these for some glam-spiration:

Image: Pixabay

In News

Zoom partners with Wedfuly to offer interactive virtual weddings

April 7, 2020 No Comments

As the coronavirus pandemic spreads, weddings as we know them are being forcibly put on hold. That doesn’t mean, however, that you can’t tie the knot at all. Across the globe, lovers are getting creative and turning to technology to allow their closest friends and family to still bear witness to their big day from the comfort of their own homes.

Weddings have now become online affairs, with many couples choosing video conferencing app Zoom as their online service of choice. Zoom has now partnered up with online wedding planner Wedfuly to help couples virtually tie the knot with ease. This service allows for an interactive online wedding experience.

“Wedfuly always provides creative approaches for our couples so the collaboration with Zoom was ideal for couples who wanted to keep their wedding date on schedule during these challenging times,” founder and CEO of Wedfuly, Caroline Creidenberg said to Brides.

Essentially, the service handles all the technical gruntwork. They create a timeline for the couple and virtual guests and control the entire virtual experience. Guests are muted and unmuted throughout the ceremony and given cues to applaud when needed.

Couples, however, still need to consider their own in-state laws and secure an in-person wedding officiant and physical witnesses for the marriage to be legally binding.

While having a virtual wedding may seem unconventional, it is a product of our current time. This service also allows families and friends far apart to connect again and share in a special moment. It’s fair to say that moments of happiness and positivity are necessary as we struggle with the uncertainty of life at the moment.

Feature image: Pexels

In News

Woman marries waiter from her first wedding

April 7, 2020 No Comments

Sometimes, you just have to be in the right place at the right time. This couple learned this fact in an interesting way when they met…at the woman’s wedding to her first husband.

Natalie Perry, 37, met waiter Fred Kasa, 36, during her wedding reception in Crete. Kasa was one of the waiters at the restaurant, and there are are even pictures of them dancing the traditional Zorba dance side by side!

Flash forward five years, Perry returned to the same restaurant after splitting from her husband. It was here that she and Kasa connected again.

“That night the Greek dancer was watching me – I could feel his eyes,” she told Metro UK. “I went to the toilet to wash my hands and he came up to me and we started chatting. He asked me out for a coffee the next day. We just had this connection and we clicked right away. I recognised him immediately from before, I knew it was him.”

They soon began a long-distance relationship. In 2017, Kasa moved to the UK so they could be together and they became engaged within 6 months.

The pair tied the knot in February, and plan on honeymooning in Crete when travel is allowed again.

“I cant believe still that my husband danced with me at both my weddings!” Natalie told Metro UK. “It’s funny how life can turn out – you just don’t know what’ll pan out.”

“I knew she was the one I wanted to marry,” said Kasa. “The feeling was crazy. I had never been so in love with anyone. Every day I missed her more. Now she is my wife, I am just so happy and we are so happy together. To think I danced with her at her first wedding and then we had a dance at our own wedding is crazy!”

Feature image: Unsplash

In Advice

Clash of the scents: A gentleman’s guide to fragrances

April 7, 2020 No Comments

Mixing cologne, body spray, deodorant and aftershave can become a messy affair. Here is our gentlemen’s guide to understanding these different products and how to use them:

Cologne is the strongest form of fragrance and generally lasts the longest. It’s ideal for nights out, a special date, or more formal functions. Dunhill Icon is an example of a cologne we love. This bold fragrance is perfect for a classy night out!

Body sprays are the second strongest. These nifty, portable sprays are great for daytime or after gym wear. Sprays last a few hours and can be easily re-applied to keep you smelling fresh.

Aftershave and deodorant serve dual functions. These products don’t just smell good, they also serve a purpose. We suggest using neutral-smelling aftershaves and deodorants to avoid scents clashing and becoming muddied, while still benefitting from their practical usage.

Aftershave contains soothing and anti-bacterial agents. It prevents irritations, itching, burning and rashes, all while hydrating your skin too. It usually contains a type of astringent, an ingredient that seals up pores to prevent bacteria infecting the skin after shaving.

Deodorant, the most subdued of all scents, is mostly functional. It’s important to note that not all deodorants are antiperspirants. Antiperspirants close or block the pores under your pits, working against your natural odour, while a deodorant masks the smell of sweat while still allowing skin to breathe. Antiperspirants not only reduce sweating, but also regulate your skin’s pH level, preventing stinky pits.

To strike a perfect balance, we suggest choosing one fragrance (cologne or body spray) according to the occasion and combining it with a neutral aftershave and deodorant.

Feature image: Pexels