These ain’t your grandma’s pearls. Symbolic of wisdom, pearls have a calming effect and are believed to attract wealth and luck as well as offer protection. With such loaded meaning, this sea gemstone is perfect for a wedding day. Add delicate detail with some well-placed pearls, and you’ll be feeling romantic and elegant in no time.
Take some inspiration from these sophisticated stunners.
Wedding dresses are gushed over and are often made the centre of attention on the big day. This may leave you, as the groom, feeling as though your suit is not of much importance. Well, that’s definitely not true! You surely want to look your best on your special day.
For some, a custom-made suit is the best way to achieve that. Others, however, may be on the fence about whether a bespoke suit is worth it.
Here are some pros and cons of custom-made suits to help you decide:
Pros:
– Fit
Nothing looks better than a suit that fits you perfectly. This is particularly worthy of noting for those who don’t have a “typical” body. Off the rack suits are catered almost exclusively to the “average” body type.
– Look
Material, design, patterns, and style can all be tailored to your exact needs and wants. The look of the suit will be nothing short of what you imagined. You won’t have to settle for the generic offerings of stores.
– Attention to detail
Since your suit is being made by a tailor, you’ll get a final product that has been paid careful attention to from start to finish. As a result of this attention to detail, you’ll get the best possible quality.
Cons:
– Cost
Since you’re paying for higher quality material as well as the time and labour it takes to create the suit, you’ll be paying quite a bit more than you would for a suit off the racks. You’ll have to consider whether your budget allows for this.
– Time consuming
Bespoke suits are usually made by hand, with minimal machines involved. On top of that, you’ll have to go for a few fittings in order to ensure the suit fits you perfectly. This will take much more time than simply purchasing a suit at a store.
– May not get your money’s worth
Custom-made suits are great, and it’s always good to have one in your closest for special occasions. However, if you’re a guy who doesn’t wear suits very often, splurging on an expensive suit may not be worth your while. If it’s just going to collect dust in your closet, consider a store bought suit instead.
Photo booths have been incredibly popular over the years, but why not step it up a notch? A wedding backdrop offers a cool and unique way for your guests to take photographs on your big day.
Let’s face it, your guests want to take pictures at your wedding. They’re all dolled up, in a cool new venue and love is in the air. Give them something to marvel at with a stunning wedding backdrop. This feature adds personality and creativity to your big day. It will also look amazing in your wedding album and Instagram pictures, just saying.
From romantic to whimsical, it’s easy to personalise the backdrop to fit your couple. Here are some ideas to get you started.
Accessories finish off your look, so why not go bold with a bridal hat? Bridal hats are definitely having a moment. From the runway to the royal family, we’ve seen this trend be rocked to perfection.
These hats are typically worn pre- or post reception, the best time to truly experiment and have fun with your look. Bridal hats are perfect for summer weddings to shield your face from the sun and hopefully protect your makeup from melting.
Beyond this, bridal hats can be effortlessly chic and classy. Regardless of your wedding theme, theres a style for you. A simple and clean wide-brimmed hat will give you old-school glamour, while a straw-hat adorned with flowers will scream boho luxe.
Take some inspiration from these fashion-forward brides:
Wedding photographers are a dime a dozen, but this one truly stands out. An official photographer to the British Royal Family, Tim Moolman has captured some famous moments. His love of wedding photography, however, has become career-defining.
Widely recognised as South Africa’s leading documentary wedding photographer, Moolman’s work is iconic. He is a rare breed of professional photographer, able to capture photographs in many different genres – and do it well. He’s a Fujifilm X-Photographer ambassador, a passionate documentary photographer, and is also known for his skateboarding photography.
The creator. Image: supplied
Surprisingly, this artist only began capturing these moments at the age of 30, and quickly fell in love with it. He learned most of his skills on-the-job while working at a photography shop that hired out photographers for various events.
Through his wedding documentary work, it is clear to see that Moolman is a craftsman that blends into the background to capture those images brides and grooms might have wished were taken during their big day. Instead of the big moments, Moolman favours those smaller, more intimate exchanges. Some of his favourite moments of a wedding are when guests are interacting with the couple, congratulating them with hugs and kisses. Behind-the-scene photography tells the story of the moment, capturing smiles and tears, the joys of those who were there and, sometimes, the sadness that goes along with it.
Credit: Tim MoolmanCredit: Tim MoolmanCredit: Tim MoolmanCredit: Tim Moolman
“During a wedding, hundreds of random things happen every minute. There’s joy. Tension. Anticipation. Glee. Drama. Boisterous buttons seek to escape. Little fingers trail across spotless windows. Soggy (t)issues sit in the hands of emotional aunts. I see these little moments clearly – and wedding couples miss out on them, because you can’t be everywhere. But I am.”
“This is my passion, these are my images, this is your story.”
Credit: Tim MoolmanCredit: Tim Moolman
To couples, Moolman advises that they take the time to truly enjoy the day instead of focusing on all the things that may have gone wrong.
“No event ever runs 100% according to plan and I feel it’s far more important to focus on the love and joy with friends and family instead of worrying about some minor table decoration.”
Please visit his website or his Instagram to view more of his incredible work.
As couples turn more and more to natural finishes for their big day, plants are being given more and more power. Fresh, earthy greens are springing to perfection in wedding decor, from wedding bouquets to floral centrepieces. But what about your wedding cake?
As cake decorations, flowers are expected. So why not consider using leaves? They’re stunning, easy to gather and will add a fresh finish to your cake.
Demi-Leigh Nel-Peters has been serving us looks for years, but her latest one might just be our favourite. The former Miss Universe tied the knot to American footballer Tim Tebow in spectacular style recently, and her bridal makeup has captured our hearts.
Creating her own spin on soft glam, Demi-Leigh’s makeup artist, Renee De Wit, worked with the models stunning features to enhance her natural beauty on her big day. Here’s how to achieve Demi-Leigh’s soft glam face beat.
Using a mix of Smashbox Studio Skin and Chanel Ultra le Teint foundation, De Wit created a dewy, flawless base. She completed the face with the Sensai highlighting concealer, Bobbi Brown Pot Rouge in the shade Fresh Melon to give the cheeks a gentle flush of colour and the Dior Backstage Glow face palette to perfectly highlight Demi-Leigh’s cheekbones and the high points of her face.
The focus of this look is definitely the eye makeup. De Wit opted for a soft brown smokey eye, using the Urban Decay Born To Run Palette and Dior 5 Colours 757 palette to create a blended crease shade. Remember to diffuse the shadows outwards towards your eyebrows to create a catlike effect that is ultra feminine.
The lid shade comes from the Huda Beauty Rose Gold Palette. Chanel Waterproof eyeliner in Espresso smudged and layered with Bobbi Brown Long wear Gel liner pot mixed with Inglot Duraline sealer was used to achieve a soft angled liner.
Line the lips with the Charlotte Tilbury Pillow Talk lip liner before filling in the centre with a warm mid tone nude. De Wit opted for MAC Retro Matte lipstick in Lady Be Good and the Bobbi Brown Brownie Pink lipstick. Of course, don’t forget to lock the look in with a stronghold setting spray. De Wit chose the Urban Decay All Nighter setting spray.
If you’re planning a glamorous affair, you’ll want your bridesmaids to look the part. Complete the look with bridesmaid dresses full of wow-factor.
Regardless of your colour scheme, some well placed sequins and fancy fabrics will provide the ultimate sophistication. Your best girls will be feeling fancy with full-length gowns made of luxurious fabric like silk, satin and velvet. Or go full-glitz with sequins, embellishment or tulle.
Sometimes, a girl’s gotta do what a girl’s gotta do. After a 6-year long engagement, this Canadian bride decided to take matters into her own hands and surprise her husband-to-be with a wedding.
Nicole Arnett and Daniel Knowlton from British Columbia, Canada, first became engaged in 2014. Since then, they’ve gone back and forth on what they wanted their wedding to be.
“We talked about so many different ideas and for one reason or another it never felt quite right when we got down to confirming it, or something happened and we pivoted away from the idea,” she explains. “We realised we didn’t actually want a wedding, which is why we put it off; we just wanted to be married to each other which were two very different things in our mind.”
The couple traditionally host an annual New Year’s Day beach party, and Arnett’s birthday is two days later so she figured this would be the perfect time to tie the knot since their friends and family would already be present. Within two weeks, she was able to plan the entire ceremony for less than $3 000 (about R40 000) – with the groom-to-be none the wiser.
“I never for a second worried that Daniel wouldn’t love this or be up for it,” she said. “I booked our wedding commissioner, which was necessary, booked a caterer and told Daniel, ‘I don’t want to be the one cooking today. It’s my 40th birthday the next day, so I’m just going to do this,’ and I just blamed anything out of the ordinary on that. I already had the dress from a friend’s wedding.”
“We just wanted to keep it [the wedding] really simple and unique to us so that was how I came up with: one, the surprise and two, making it a part of our favourite day of the year anyway, which felt very special and intimate.”
One New Year’s Day 2020, 35 of the couple’s closest friends and family gathered together on Bonnie Brook beach to celebrate love.
“I got up and said how happy I was that everyone was there and that I had a long to-do list this year for resolutions, and there was something that Daniel and I had been meaning to do for a long time but we’d never got around to, which was get married,” she explains. “He’d been filming me, and he just dropped his phone and he’s just staring at me with his mouth hanging open.”
Credit: Instagram / daniel_d_knowlton
After a quick outfit change, Arnett and Knowlton said ‘I do’ in front of their loved ones. Following their vow exchange, their guests serenaded them with Beatles ‘When I’m 64,’ and promptly sprang into the ocean.
Your wedding day is considered the happiest day of your life, so why not spend it in a place you love? Churches, beaches and gardens are popular wedding venues for a reason. They fit with your theme, they’re easy and accessible. But, if you want to stray away from the norm, why not consider getting married on a mountain top?
Lovers of the outdoors will especially favour this trend. It’s easy and stunning. There is literally no decor required: the scenery is your backdrop. This way, you also save on decor costs.
Mountains and cliffs are also great locations for your wedding photoshoot if you still want a church wedding. To make your images extra special, wait until sundown to capture these memorable moments. Here are some ideas to inspire you.
