A refreshing South African wedding blog dedicated to embracing and celebrating beautiful weddings with a flava of culture
Morning Precious! I hope you are all well. I’m so sorry for neglecting you on the blog. It has been so hectic here at Pure Pearls HQ but I’m back with more real weddings, inspiration and information. I’m super excited to be sharing this glamorous avianto wedding. This cute couple planned their wedding over a …
Struggling to visualise your wedding ideas? How about creating wedding moodboards. They’re are a great way to begin and will give you focus. This is the final post on this topic, if you’ve not checked them out yet click here Wedding Moodboards. I hope you enjoyed the past posts on this subject and loved the moodboards. I …
Hi everyone! Hope you had a great weekend. There has been so many exciting things happening this weekend but one stands out for me, The British Grand Prix at Silverstone. After years of watching the sport with my husband and pretending to be interested I can officially say I’m now a big fan. I have …
Hello Everyone! I have a treat for you this morning; gorgeous wedding dresses designed and made here in Britain by some of the best Bridal Designers in the industry. Here are MY top five Best British Bridal Designers
Ritva Westenius is one of those genius designers who have mastered simplicity and elegance. All her dresses are so sophisticated and incredibly beautiful. Any bride who has ever worn one of Ritva Westenius dresses would tell you, wearing the dress alone is a dream come true.
Jenny Packham :There are so many A-list stars that have walked the red carpet wearing Jenny Packham’s designs, even our future Queen Kate Middleton has been spotted wearing one of her creations on many occasions. The dresses are pricey but hey, you only get married once, right.
Emma Hunt:I love Emma Hunts dresses, they are just right for any bride who wants to look picture perfect.
Ian Stuard:If you are a theatrical kind of bride then Ian Stuard dresses are for you. His designs are classic with a modern twist, absolutely love his creations
Alan Hannah: I love Alan Hannah., all their dresses are out of this world and makes me want to get married all over again.
photo credits: All photos are from designers website
There is a perfect dress for all brides, i hope you have been inspired by my picks, I’d love to here your comments, which dress would you go for?
with a joyful heart
ika
I hear this phrase all the time, its only flowers, why do we have to pay that much? Flowers add an elegant touch to any celebration especially weddings. I advice couples all the time to have at least one arrangement that will have a big impact. I love how flowers together with clever lighting can transform even the dullest of venues into a romantic paradise. Few tips on how you can save on flowers:
1. Use seasonal flowers; they will always be cheaper than flowers out of season.
2. Be honest with your florist about what you can afford, a good florist will suggest options to suit your budget.
3 .If you have a low budget keep your centerpieces simple remember labor costs will increase with more complex arrangements
4. Incorporate ceremony flowers into the reception décor
5. Beautiful colors, interesting textures, and unique shapes can create exquisite arrangements with major impact.
6. Find a venue such as a park or garden that is already beautiful.
7. Choose a smaller bridal party. This will also save money on dresses, gifts and bouquets that you have to purchase for your bridal party.
8. Use few tall arrangements that will create an impact than too many smaller ones that tend to be overlooked
9.Flowers like orchids and peonies tend to be more costly but they have a grander effect and fill up more space.
10. There are lovely, inexpensive ribbons that can really make your flowers stand out. And containers can be a big saver if you choose wisely. Don’t dismiss plastic containers they can look gorgeous when filled with flowers.
11. Don’t just settle for the first quote you get, shop around and negotiate.
12. Buy flowers from wholesalers or grocery stores such as Marks and Spencer or Sainsbury and arrange them yourself if you are a DIY kind of bride but I would suggest leaving the bouquets to the professionals. There are so many tutorials on the internet on how to arrange flowers plus you tube videos.
13. Use silk flowers; they look real and much cheaper than real flowers.
14.Be creative and do something out of the norm, how about asking each guest to bring flowers in vases instead of a wedding present, make sure they know the color scheme
15.Get inspiration from wedding websites, magazines and blogs. Enjoy flower shopping.
photo credits: Bella Magazine and Better Homes
With a joyful heart
Ika