If tradition is important to you, you will probably try and incorporate as much of it as you can into your wedding day. Traditions help to create imperishable memories which will make your wedding day one you can share with everyone around you.

One of the most perfect settings for a traditional wedding is a Gauteng wedding venue. Gauteng offers some of the most beautiful, professional and tradition-savvy venues which will help you make your wedding day absolutely unique and perfect.

Be sure to tell the venue staff or coordinators of the traditions you plan to implement during your wedding ceremony and reception.

Something New, Something Borrowed And Something Blue

Most of us get exposed to this tradition by watching soppy girl flicks. But wearing something blue, borrowed and new happens in real life as well. Most brides choose to add as much luck as possible to their weddings and this tradition makes the experience of being a bride a lot more personal and fun.

Preferably the things you add to your look on your wedding day should come from those close to you like your mother, best friends and siblings; the items given are usually things that were worn on their wedding days as well.

The Father Daughter Dance

This dance is a way of paying tribute to the man who reared you into the woman you are, and the beautiful woman you will be on your wedding day.

While some brides choose not to have a father-daughter dance you will greatly benefit from giving your dad a special place in your big day.

Throwing The Bouquet

This is a very old and popular tradition that needs no kind of explaining. The problem that does arise with the bouquet tossing though is that brides spend so much money and time on designing their bouquets; they find it extremely painful to simply throw it to someone else.

This problem can easily be solved by using one of your bridesmaid’s bouquets, or simply making another smaller bouquet to throw into the eager hands of the unmarried ladies.

The Garter

Having your new husband put his hand under your dress and removing an item of clothing might seem a little risky and embarrassing but it actually creates a fun and humorous atmosphere at the reception. You can expect a lot of whistles, jokes and laughter which will be another fun filled memory you can stick down into your wedding album.

Cutting The Cake

The tradition of the bride and groom cutting the cake and smearing it all over each other’s faces probably leaves you filled with horror as you picture your perfectly applied make-up and hair covered in chocolate icing.

Luckily very few couples actually choose to go down the messy route. Just cutting the cake is enough, but if you want you can feed each other a small piece without having your whole face covered.

Incorporating tradition into your wedding will help create an atmosphere of unity, understanding and history which can be shared between you and all of the guests you chose to be a part of your special day.

If you are on a mission to plan your big day, you probably have thousands of ideas regarding the type of dress you want. One of the greatest pleasures regarding wedding planning is trying on dozens of dresses while your family sits around and comments on how beautiful you look.

Another great pleasure would be to go venue shopping. You get to see dozens of beautiful places and pick the best one! A Gauteng wedding venue would be a great pick for your big day with all of the beautiful sceneries and the sunny weather.

But let’s get back to the dress. Every bride wants to look absolutely breath taking on her wedding day and of course has to be the most beautiful person at her wedding. Finding the perfect wedding dress is definitely possible, all you need to do is find a dress that flatters and accentuates your shape.

What Kind Of Dress Will Fit Your Body?

Wedding gowns come in various shapes and sizes and so does the female body. No matter what your shape or size, you can and will be able to find a dress that looks absolutely flattering and breathtaking.

Finding the perfect dress starts with your body type:

Pear Shaped Figure

If you have a pear shaped body, your hips and shoulders are bigger than the rest of your body and your legs are full or muscular. Princess gowns that are lined are perfect for pear shaped figures. Also wear a long chapel veil to emphasise and balance your curves.

Hourglass Figure

An hourglass body is accentuated by its small slender waist while the rest of the body is in line. This body type looks gorgeous in a two piece wedding dress or a ball gown as it compliments and emphasises the tiny waist.

Boyish Figure

Boyish figures are very slender and lack the curves that pear-shaped and hourglass figures have. Wearing big puffy ball gowns is a definite no for boyish figured women as this can make it look like you’re trying to hide behind your wedding dress.

Instead opt for dresses that will help create curves along your body like a sleek princess gown or look for something that is lined and beaded across the lines of your body.

Apple Figure

Apple figured women have full chests with little or no waist and this is why it is very important to dress this body in a wedding gown that will help create the illusion of a tiny waist.

Dresses with v-shaped necks and A-line skirts will help to accentuate the apple shapes chest and create a tiny slender waist. You can also opt for a corset which is a great and easy way of making your waist as tiny as possible.

Column Figure

Column width figures tend to be the same shape across the vertical length of their body which creates a column like effect. Women who have column shaped figures are usually very tall and skinny and are also referred to as a pencil shape.

A skirt with tiered layers and a sleek top would look perfect on a pencil body type. There are various different kinds of dresses for this body type and most of them try to create a fuller chest with a long sleek and neat look along the length of the body.

No matter what the shape or size of your body, there definitely is a beautiful dress out there for you, which will make you look and feel like the bride you’ve always dreamed of being.

Choosing a wedding planner versus organizing your wedding yourself is a personal decision that no one can make for you. However, we can help you decide what to do by describing some of the pro’s and con’s of each after which you will hopefully have an better idea of what to go for.

Take advantage of the best Gauteng wedding venue available at the Thaba Ya Batswana Hotel & Spa. 

Organizing your wedding yourself

When it comes to planning your wedding there is a lot to consider and take into account. While on the one hand it can become nerve wrecking organizing and chasing after very little detail, it can also be fun to partake in the planning leading up to the wedding. Weddings are such joyous occasions that most family members and close friends are more than willing to help out. If you have contacts to help you with the different aspects involved in making your wedding day, from the dress, to florists, caterers etc then you may find doing-it-yourself to be easier and an extra saving. Depending how well you know where to get what and how to get the best deals (depending on your budget) will influence how stressful the planning will be and hence whether you can manage doing-it-yourself or not. It is important to consider your wellbeing, time availability, budget and most of all your nerves so that you do not end up compromising on your feelings of bliss and contentment.  However, if wedding planning is not your forte or you are completely new to how it works then hiring a wedding planner might prove to be a better option for you.

Hiring a wedding planner

While some might assume that hiring a wedding planner to be a luxury for the wealthy that is not necessarily the case. If you have budgeted for the planning component of your wedding, then there is real added cost to hiring a wedding planner. When doing–it-yourself a lot of extra time and money is involved aside from any added stress, however while hiring a wedding planner does cost, it also saves you time as well as other savings as wedding planners have the right contacts to get you the best deals. Wedding planners are proficient in everything there is do with a wedding. Every little detail that needs attending to your wedding planner will make sure it is followed through exactly how you want it to be. There is no hassle or stress because your wedding planner will shoulder all for you. They will also know what should and should not be done. Wedding planners will have many contacts with other wedding professionals, otherwise known as wedding vendors – and these can be numerous ranging to about twenty-five at times! They will be able to advise you on to get the most out of your budget and will be able to make wonderfully savings purely due to the contacts that they have – which would be more difficult to obtain if your were doing –it-yourself.

So when it comes to deciding between doing-it-yourself and hiring a wedding planner, think about your budget, how much support you have from friends and family, how well you understand the wedding industry and how much time you have available. If you feel you would rather be involved in the planning of your wedding and make it a fun project with which to involve your friends and family then great, as long as you are realistic about the hiccups that come along when it comes to planning anything as elaborate as a wedding. If you feel your time is too limited and you would really rather not worry about all the details then hiring a wedding planner could be the best decision you ever made.

Getting married is one of the singularly most memorable time in any couples life and getting the details of the wedding right is very important. For the bride particularly, it has been a dream in the making for more than likely most of her life. One of the first considerations of a wedding that couples need to decide upon is where in fact they want to get married. Nowadays, there is a modern spin on what is or is not allowed at weddings and these days the restrictions are not as limiting as they may have been in the past. Coupes today are able to get married in any way they choose from flying to a destination to get married on the beach, or booking at a local church. The world is literally one’s oyster! However, this can make deciding even more difficult. To help figure out what you want and what you can practically afford, we have set out some factors that you should keep in mind when making your decision.

Take advantage of the best Gauteng wedding venue available at the Thaba Ya Batswana Hotel & Spa. 

How much time to you have to plan your wedding?

How much time you have to plan your wedding will largely decide whether your wedding will be at home or at a desired destination. As a guideline if you have more than nine months to plan a wedding, you can more than easily organize a wedding at your preferred destination. However, if you have six months for example, then planning a wedding at home would be the better option to help guard against unnecessary hiccups along the way. Remember, than organizing a wedding can be more complex than you first imagine it to be so give yourself as much time and the easiest route possible so that you not only have the wedding of you dreams but you enjoy the journey to your wedding day as stress-free as possible.

What is your budget for your wedding?

Financial limitations will also largely decide where your wedding will be. If you do have a limited budget then a small wedding at home would be the more sensible choice – and by no means less amazing! A wedding at home can have a lot of personal meaning and also enables most people you hold dear to be involved right up to the day.

How big or small do you want your wedding to be?

Who you want to attend your wedding will also be a factor to keep in consideration when deciding where you want your wedding to be. A destination wedding might be what you have always dreamed of, but also keep in mind who you want to be there and how many of them will be able to make the trip with you, especially if the destination wedding is abroad. If you do not want a big wedding only a select few will attend then organizing a destination wedding might be perfect for you!

Consider what you and your partner wants

Consider the wants of both yourself and your partner. Are you both of the romantic thought or would you both prefer something more formal and traditional? It is important to keep in mind what both of you want so that the wedding theme reflects the personality of both you and your partner.

Choosing where you want your wedding to be – at a destination or at home – is a personal choice and there is no right or wrong answer. While there are certainly wedding hotspots and fashion year in and year out will highlight certain ideas, it is important to keep true to what you both want and follow your hearts desire alongside practical possibilities.