All you need is love and food. Your wedding should offer both. Cocktail hour is a crucial time for guests to whet their appetites before they sit down for the wedding feast.
Typically running after the ceremony, cocktail hour is a perfect time for guest to mingle while enjoying some delicious dishes. Beyond just lining stomachs, it sets the tone for the rest of the evening. Whether you want to go big with fancy finger foods or prefer the more modest morsel, these appetisers are sure to get your mouth watering.
We all know how expensive weddings and honeymoons can be. As amazing as your big day might have been, your bank account will probably not love you for it. There’s no pressure to go away and have an expensive honeymoon. Whatever decision is right for your budget, will be the right one for your future, no matter what others say. You can always have that grand trip later.
In the meantime, there’s no reason you can’t still celebrate your new life together right where you are in a budget-friendly way. Take a day or a weekend off to spend some time together. Here are some great ideas. Choose your fave or combine them all!
Feast on love
Picnics are super fun and a great way to get creative, since you can plan exactly what you want to pack. Grab a comfy blanket and set it up anywhere you like. A pretty park, botanical garden, a riverside and the beach are all great options. It might be nice to choose a theme, for example Greek food. Alternatively, just pack your favourite snacks and drinks!
After all that wedding stress, you both deserve some relaxation. Spa’s are excellent for some spoiling and usually have couple’s activities you can do together. Couple’s massages, facials or saunas good options. If that’s a stretch on your budget, the easiest thing on earth is to have a spa day at home! Get some lovely pamper products and give each other massages, followed by a steamy bubblebath…
Now, we know what you think: This is just for kids. No, it absolutely is not! Depending on your backyard, you can have a whole weekend getaway all outdoors. Pitch that tent, roll out the sleeping bags and roast marshmallows around the campfire. If you don’t have a backyard, there’s bound to be some camping spots near you, and they’re usually quite affordable.
There’s nothing like watching the sun rise with a spectacular view. If you’re an active couple, check out some nice hiking routes and lace up to get a fresh perspective!
If your tastebuds tickle at the sound of wine tasting, this one’s for you. Most wine farms have beautiful surroundings that are perfect contributions to a romantic atmosphere. Of course, you can swop it out for beer tasting, gin tasting or anything else you prefer.
Ah, the magic of candles. For some reason, candle-lit dinners just never go out of style. For this one, you could either go to a cosy restaurant or consider cooking together and setting up a nice dinner table at home. After dinner, spread a blanket and gaze at the stars if the night is clear. Cuddle up close and dream about your future together.
Flappers, fringe and fancies, oh my. The 1920s characterised the Jazz Age, a time of lush decadence. Dubbed art-deco, this time period featured geometric shapes, mixed metallics and lots of glitz. Gatsby glamour at its finest.
As 2019 comes to a close, we are quickly approaching the new decade and will soon usher in the 2020s. Many 2020 weddings are predicted to take on a roaring 20’s theme in honour of the new decade. Here is how to do it right.
Invites:
Incorporate gold accents and geometric shapes for an invite Jay Gatsby would be proud of. Gold and royal blues are swell together and give a sleek yet decadent look perfect for the Jazz age.
A venue that features sharp angles and gold finishes will work best. A grand hall will give off the feeling of grandeur, which is exactly what you want.
Guide your guests to their seats in style with these escort cards. White and gold is effortlessly chic and the simple lettering is a more modern take on art deco.
Round tables were popular at 1920s soirée’s because they would circle the dance floor, which was the most important part of the venue. We love how this table is covered in a black glittery fabric that creates an understated opulence.
Gold was a mainstay at 1920s parties, and your wedding should be no different. Encase candles in gold vases for a modern yet romantic finish. The table numbers below make a simple statement without competing with the other decor.
The prohibition stopped nobody from drinking during 1920s America. Honour their love of alcohol by creating custom drinks featuring 1920s favourites like gin, bourbon and rum.
Black, white and gold are art-deco staples. Have your cake adorned with geometric shapes and different textures to create a dynamic finish. Gold pearls and white feathers accessorise this sweet treat perfectly.
Your bachelorette is seen as the last time you get to party with your girlfriends as a single woman. It’s often associated with wild nights out, drinking way too much and some scantily-clad well-built men. We’ll stop there.
This special event can be so much more. If you want to do things a little different, it can become a treasured memory of best friends coming together to spend some much needed girl-time, allowing you to share your hopes and dreams for the future while getting rid of the wedding stress.
Here are some fun, alternative ideas to the traditional bachelorette party:
Take a hiking-trip
If you like being active, getting outdoors with the gals is a great way to recharge, forget about your phone and get close to nature. Remember to do research beforehand and only hike on established routes. Booking a tour-guide might also be a good idea, so you don’t have to worry about anything! For a full weekend of fun, you can even consider setting up camp and sleeping over.
If you’re not that adventurous, why not keep it indoors and take a culinary class together? Learning to make something yummy to eat or drink is guaranteed to result in loads of laughter and a satisfied tummy. Plus, adding skills to your repertoire is always a plus!
If you like sunshine, beautiful flowers and fresh air, but you’re not keen to do a full on hike, get out there with a botanical garden tour. Many botanical gardens have amazing histories and it’s always interesting to have someone knowledgeable to teach you about the birds and the bees. End it off with a lovely picnic!
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Sing your heart out
If you have the talent (and even if you don’t) a sing-off is always a goodie. Karaoke is a great way to let your hair down and forget the world. Take a trip down memory lane and sing to your high school favourites, or strut your stuff with the latest pop song.
Art is known for being therapeutic, and having something to show for it will be a special memory. There are many different options, like pottery, candle making and soap making. Choose something that strikes your fancy and will look lovely in your home.
You know how it goes: Photos or it didn’t happen. Recently, it has almost become a competition, with some couples going to extreme lengths to do certain poses and photographers bending over backwards to capture it on film. Some fail hilariously, others make for incredibly beautiful photos. We’ve found the best and worst.
The best
We’ve all seen them, and we’ve all wished we were in them. Some engagement photoshoots out there are simply jaw-dropping, and here are the best ones we found.
Playful:
Include your pet:
Romantic:
Funny:
The worst
From going horribly wrong, to just plain uninspired, here are the worst. Don’t try this at home.
“I choose him over and over again, and he chooses me. – Allegiant by Veronica Roth
“I am nothing special; just a common man with common thoughts, and I’ve led a common life. There are no monuments dedicated to me and my name will soon be forgotten. But in one respect I have succeeded as gloriously as anyone who’s ever lived: I’ve loved another with all my heart and soul; and to me, this has always been enough.” – The Notebook by Nicholas Sparks
“It was love at first sight, at last sight, at ever and ever sight.” – Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov
“Love lets you find those hidden places in another person, even the ones they didn’t know were there, even the ones they wouldn’t have thought to call beautiful themselves.” – Wild Awake by Hilary T. Smith
“You don’t love because, you love despite; not for the virtues, but despite the faults.” – The Sound and The Fury by William Faulkner
“You and I, it’s as though we have been taught to kiss in heaven and sent down to earth together, to see if we know what we were taught.” – Doctor Zhivago by Boris Pasternak
“I’ve never had a moment’s doubt. I love you. I believe in you completely. You are my dearest one. My reason for life.” – Atonement by Ian McEwan
“I don’t ask you to love me always like this, but I ask you to remember. Somewhere inside me there’ll always be the person I am tonight.” – Tender Is The Night by F. Scott Fitzgerald
Nowadays, weddings are elaborate events. However, bigger isn’t always better. Home Affairs -or courthouse weddings- are a great alternative for couples that don’t want a big fuss or simply don’t have the funds.
If you are considering having a courthouse wedding, you need to be aware of the positives and the negatives that it entails.
Sometimes it can be overwhelming to have a large amount of guests. With a courthouse wedding, you go back to basics with the people that matter. Generally at courthouse weddings, it’s just you, your partner, the officiant and two witnesses. Up to six guests are usually allowed to participate in the proceedings. Invite your best friends or family members to share in your special moment.
Cheaper:
Weddings are expensive. Many South African couples spend upwards of R70 000 – R80 000 on their big day. If you don’t have the funds, a courthouse wedding is essentially free of charge (you still have to pay for the marriage licence), leaving you to spend your money in other ways.
Little planning necessary:
With a courthouse wedding, all you really need to do is make an appointment and show up. There is no dress rehearsal, no event planner, no real planning necessary. If you’re a more chilled person that doesn’t want to be bogged down by details, this might be a great option for you.
Less stressful:
Wedding planning can be overwhelming. With vendors, schedules and seating arrangements, it can quickly become a stressful time moving around multiple elements that need to fit together. Cut out the stress by having a simple courthouse wedding.
Weddings are a great time for family and friends to gather together and celebrate their loved ones. What other opportunity do you get to have everyone you love under one roof on such a special occasion? With a courthouse wedding, however, there is little space for guests, as many only allow a maximum of six. Many of the people you love will thus not be present on your big day.
Location is not always pretty:
Most Home Affairs offices are not exactly aesthetically pleasing. With dull brown furniture and bare white walls, you venue can leave you begging for some vibrancy. If you want beautiful pictures and a decorated venue, a Home Affairs wedding might not meet your standards.
At the end of the day, your wedding day is about you. If a smaller wedding feels right, then do it. Alternatively, if you’ve always dreamed of having a big wedding then live your fantasy. There is no one-size-fits-all for weddings.
Edward Scissorhands. Beetlejuice. The Nightmare Before Christmas. Corpse Bride. All of these films are classic Halloween-time viewing that come from the mind of the unique writer and director, Tim Burton.
Many laud Burton for being the king of spooky with his dark yet comical films that have gone down in history. His characters continue to inspire many a halloween costume, and now it has even inspired a wedding photoshoot.
Miami-based couple Genesis and Kelvin have been together for 10 years and married in July 2019. However, due to personal circumstances they did not have the financial means to throw the extravagant wedding they wanted. They have four children, one of whom suffers from a severe form of epilepsy called Dravet Syndrome, and her resulting medical bills have been costly.
“We didn’t really have a big wedding because our daughter has a disability,” Genesis told Business Insider US. “Our wedding day, unfortunately, was a big flop.”
The couple, who are big Tim Burton fans, were granted the opportunity to have the wedding of their dreams when their friend approached them to do a posed photoshoot.
The photoshoot, captured by photographer Angela Vallejo, recreated their wedding day in epic style. Together with Monica Reyes, event planner from ‘Events with a Promise’, the couple were spoiled with the spooky and glamorous day they had originally envisioned.
With the white piping on his lapel and the black and white colour scheme, Kelvin’s suit perfectly hinted at Jack Skellington’s attire from The Nightmare Before Christmas.
Credit: Angela Vallejo Photography
Genesis went for a gothic look, sporting a black lace gown with a lengthy train.
Credit: Angela Vallejo Photography
Elements from Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas and Beetlejuice were incorporated through decor and colour scheme. Green, purple and black are focal colours in many of Burton’s films, and were stylishly woven into this styled table without looking overly themed. Pumpkins, Jack Skellington’s favourite accessory, were also included in the decor.
The wedding invites featured curlycue script on a charred paper, giving a Halloween inspired look. The envelope, which reads “Mr. Unlucky”, referred to “Jack’s Lament” in The Nightmare Before Christmas.
There was even a replica of Beetlejuice‘s “Handbook for the Recently Deceased”, except this time it was used as a guest book.
The stunning three layer black cake was adorned with dried flowers and a cake topper with the figures of Jack Skellington and Sally cut into it. It also reads “Mr” and “Mrs”. The cake stand is in the shape of skeleton legs.
The photoshoot gave Genesis and Kelvin some much-needed time to spoil themselves. Most of their time is dedicated to looking after their children, especially their special needs daughter.
“Your whole life becomes taking care of this child,” she said of her youngest daughter. “You don’t notice how much time is fleeting, and although your life becomes taking care of this child, you need to practice self-love too.”
“We don’t really have time to go on dates or things like that, so for us, this shoot was just a time for us to take a step back and really, you know, practice self-care,” Genesis said.
Rustic weddings are a popular wedding theme choice and they are perfect for the couple who wants their wedding to have a relaxed feel. This theme makes use of a lot of raw and natural elements and it is therefore a great way to incorporate nature into your wedding.
Trendy elements to include in your rustic wedding include:
You want to look and feel your absolute best on your big day. Here are some good habits to help you get there!
Go to bed earlier
The busy-tired-exhausted cycle is one we’re all familiar with. While too many people wear their busyness and lack of sleep like a badge of honour, sleep deprivation has far-reaching harmful effects on our overall health, wellbeing and performance. One of the best things you can do for yourself is to try and get more sleep. Experts reckon adults need between seven and nine hours a night. That may sound like a lot so start small, like going to bed 15 or 30 minutes earlier than you normally do.
Get a little help
If you’re one of those burning the candle at both ends, your body and mind will thank and reward you for giving it a bit of help in the form of a supplement, such as folic acid, Vitamin B or Essentiale Extreme.
Stretch while watching TV
Surely nobody needs to be told that exercising is good for you. We know this, and what you choose to do with that information is up to you. An easy one is simply to do stretches while enjoying the latest binge-able Netflix series.
Cut down on sugar
Cutting sugar out completely is difficult, but the good news is that you only need to cut down your sugar intake. Start with something manageable, such as reducing the amount of sugar you take in your coffee, swapping soda for water (even if it’s only every second time) and opting for dark chocolate over regular milk chocolate.
Keep healthy snacks on hand
Quiz almost anybody and they’re likely to say that their biggest healthy eating challenge is when they get hungry and there’s nothing wholesome within reach. It’s easy to reach for a chocolate, a packet of chips or a sugary fizzy drink when the hunger pangs hit and cloud your judgement. Proactively curb the hangriness by keeping snacks like almonds, fruit, biltong or kale crisps in your bag or desk drawer.
Schedule time for yourself
Me-time would be great, but I don’t have time! Yes, we hear you but this is where you need to get serious about simply taking the time. Slot your me-time into your calendar as you would with any other appointment. Make it fun by calling it a play date, and use the time (even if it is just 30 minutes a week) to do something that gives you joy, be it reading, listening to music, going for a run, chatting to a friend or doing nothing at all. Regularly taking time for yourself will ultimately make you happier.
Breathe deeply
What could be easier than breathing? We’re doing all the time already, but breathing deeper– and thinking about the action as you do it – has a number of health benefits such as increasing your energy levels, improving posture, reducing inflammation and relaxing both mind and body. So just breathe. And then breathe deeper.
