What do you do when you fall in love with more than one dress? Finding ‘the one’ can be difficult and an emotional time for the bride. But when a bride finds more than one dress and can’t often, the answer is to buy them all. To pull off just one wedding look requires a lot of and planning and work in terms of styling the gown, imagine how much work would go into effortlessly pulling off more than one look? This means double the budget and extra work.

Most fashion forward brides are choosing to wear more than one gown for each part of the ceremony, the vow exchanging ceremony, the wedding reception and the evening party. Sounds like a lot, but for some brides who just can’t decide on which dress to pick, this is a fun trend to try, of course if money is not an obstacle. Every bride’s wedding day is special to them so why not make it even more special and have some fun while at it, by having more than one gown?

Carol Gakuo Khisia wanted to be that exceptional bride so she went ahead and purchased four gowns for her wedding day. Carol had four dresses, two for the daytime and two for the evening. She wanted something decent for the church ceremony, so she wore a one shoulder, ruffled tulle skirt gown.

 

For the afternoon reception, she wore a strapless ball gown with an embellished bodice. For the evening reception she wore two dresses of the same design but different colours.

 

“I keep telling my friends, after a couple of years, after we are married; my husband will just be coming home to find me in the dress. Just to remind him how amazing I was on our wedding day” says Carol.

Rhoda wore three different dresses for the morning ceremony, afternoon reception and evening party. The first dress was a ball gown with ruffles, the second was a simple mermaid gown which was lighter than the first one; perfect for her to loosen up and be able to dance freely.

 

 

The after party dress was a black puffed up skirt with red body suit tucked inside, inspired by Jessica Parker from sex and the city.

Joy wore two dresses for her big day. The morning ceremony dress was a ball gown that made her feel and look like a princess, which is what she wanted

 

and for the afternoon reception, she had on a simple mermaid gown with a raffled bottom. She was able to pull off a special dance for the guests at the reception and the dress was no hindrance.

The wedding day is a one-time event that most girls dream of from a very young age and there are moments, as we grow up and begin to appreciate certain things, we personalize these moments and to have a deeper meaning. Coupled with the festivities of the big day which often include song, dance and immense joy, there are those profound and emotional moments that mark a special step in life. For our bride Ruth as seen on my dream wedding, there were particular moments that carried the day and were all profound and with deep meaning.

Morning of the wedding: This is the time when there is a beehive of activities as the bride and bridesmaids get ready for the big day. The aunties and relatives stream in and the song and dance begins. This is the time that it dawns on most brides that they are actually getting married. The mother of the bride gives a word of advice to her daughter and after a prayer; it is time to get married.
Drive to the venue: For Ruth, she wanted her dad to drive her to the church but her aunties were not for it because according to traditions the groom’s family should pick the bride and take her to the church. His words “I will drive you to church,and then I will walk you down the aisle.” This is also a very emotional and mixed feeling for the father of the bride since he has to give away his daughter to another man.
Walk down the aisle: This is an emotional moment for the bride, as everything finally comes to this moment. Many things go through the bride’s mind as she walks down the aisle. From seeing your friends all gathered waiting to witness your union to the man of your dreams standing in wait for you at the altar; “I look up and I see Nelson and that whole set up, I can’t contain it” (she breaks down while walking down the aisle) she says.
The vows: These are the promises you make to each other and to God in front of family and friends. You apply these vows day to day in your marriage and live by every word. Some couples choose to say personalized vows but realize that after saying them, they actually forget them even though they meant every word at that moment. The standard vows can be incorporated to ensure that you don’t forget the promise you made and that you are accountable.

 

The kiss: In history, this part was considered as what sealed the deal. But over the years, this has changed since some brides are embarrassed of kissing in front of parents, grandparents and children. Some will choose to hug instead, while others chose not to do it. Ruth was dreading this moment and was hoping that after the vows, the priest would tell them to sit down, but this was not the case. She could hardly look up. She thought of her parents’ presence the grandparents and the little kids.
Father daughter dance: This was the most profound moment of the day. One of the things Ruth wanted to do on her wedding day was dance with her father. “For me, it was because my father established a thin line between being a father and a friend growing up” says Ruth.
First night: The first night is supposed to be a magical time full of soft light, lace, lingerie and sex that feels different somehow now that you’re married, so how different is it for the first night? For Ruth, the first night was really special. She says, “There is a reason why sex is built for marriage and not outside and I understood that, that night.”

Culture is the combination of values and traditions that distinguish different communities. The richness in the beliefs and values is part of our diversity and individuality. It is very important in our society as it represents the traditions that were put in place by our fore fathers. This ensures we have a sense of belonging and ownership and it is important that we maintain and carry forward our culture through to the next generations to ensure the community has a sense of belonging.

Though with times having changed and many people embracing the western culture, some brides are still opting to have a little element of their culture in their white wedding to symbolize important beliefs, traditions and values.

You can include the accessories traditionally worn in wedding ceremonies and pair them with your wedding dress and have similar elements on your bridesmaid’s dresses, groomsmen and the groom’s attire. You can also add little traditional elements in the décor and incorporated traditional songs and dance that were performed during wedding ceremonies in ancient times.

 

 

 

 

 

 

When you get that wedding invitation card, the first thing you think about is what you will wear to the event. You also have the obligation to be absolutely stylish, comfortable and most importantly, not out-do the bride.

We all love to look exceptionally good and a fabulous pair of heels is essential to instantly turn a simple look into an exquisitely gorgeous one. However, it is hard to imagine ruining your pair of heels in one day because you wore them to a garden wedding. Worry not! There is a solution to keep your heels on the ground and not in the grass with this heel tip designed to prevent sinking and or slippage.

This is the perfect idea, not only for guests but also for you and your bridesmaids as it will provide comfort and prevent you from worrying about your shoes. Try these new heel protectors which come in several colours to match your shoes for a stress free strut.

Available at:Backyard shoes

Contact :0720596844

When a man in uniform decides to get married, there are certain protocols that have to be observed.
So what happens when the church comes into play and certain regulations have to be integrated? The Catholic Church has a set of requirements for the members one of which is that a couple must wed in the church for it to be considered sacred. This was the reason Sarah and Lieutenant colonel Thomas had to do a church wedding after twenty years of marriage and four children later.
Besides the Catholic regulations, the military itself has requirements to be followed during ceremonies.
“As a military officer, one has to declare to their immediate boss if you are married or not married” says Thomas.
The norm usually is the groom’s family goes to the bride’s house to beg for her. In a military wedding however, the groom’s colleagues arrive at the bride’s house chanting celebratory songs, storm in and carry the bride away to a waiting car.
After the church service, the couple has to enter the signature archway of sabers held up by honor guards. It is significant that before completing the symbolic safe passage into marriage, the last two members of the honor guards block their journey, while one of the guards gives their newlywed colleague a ceremonial swat on the rear and a warm welcome to whatever branch of service the bride has married into.

 

The rainy season is here and lately the weather has been quiet unpredictable.

 

Don’t we all love garden weddings! Natural elements come to play, providing a serene backdrop that blends in earthiness and provides a feeling of openness. Garden weddings do however have drawbacks, especially during the rainy seasons. Brides and guests who prefer to show up in stylish high heels often have a hard time walking on wet grounds. So for the sole reason of comfort and preserving those gorgeous shoes, rent some marquee flooring and stunt with no worries.

From wooden floors to carpet flooring with an underlay to plastic flooring, there is an option for every ground condition.

This flooring idea is perfect for creating an indoor feel to an outdoor venue and with a wide range of floor types to choose from; whatever the vision, it will be brought to life. From wooden floors to carpet flooring with an underlay to plastic flooring, there is an option for every ground condition.

Available at Sunflower Tents and Decor

Tel: 0722790632

E-mail: Info@sunflowertents.com

 

A father is a daughter’s first love.

From time immemorial, girls have been known to be fond of their fathers, cultivating a closeness that surpasses -if I may say- any other relationship. Fathers have been and still are the male figures of which their daughters look up to and from a young age learn from on how to relate with other men. Only reason why they say a girl marries a man who is just like her father.

Sarah and her father have always been close and this was evident on the day of her wedding. Her father had a hard time coming to terms with the fact that he was giving away his daughter. “Today you are going to be someone’s wife but you will always be my little girl” this is what Sarah’s dad told her on her wedding day as they drove to the church in which the ceremony was to take place.

As they walked down the aisle she asked him how he was feeling, he said to her “If it was not for the fact that this wedding had to happen, I would not give you away,” an emotional utterance of a father -who in his mind was giving away his daughter in all completeness. “He is happy but he is not happy because he has to give me away,” Sarah remarks.

A good father is one who raises his daughter to be strong, independent and one who makes good choices all the while being an example of how a man should treat a woman based on how he relates with her mother. Fathers set the standards on how a man should treat their daughters.

Most dads are not concerned with the flowers, centre pieces, linens or décor, their only concern is that the man they are walking their daughter down the aisle to is a good man who will treat their little girl like the queen she was raised to be.

Don’t we all have expectations?

Realistic, imaginary, necessary, basic or deep…expectations are indeed one of the pivotal parts of a marriage. Many couples go into a marriage with certain ideas of what it is and expect only what they imagine it to be. Nothing can truly prepare you for a marriage and all that comes with it. Living with your partner has a way of unraveling their habits and mannerisms which are in most cases shocking, irritating and downright annoying.
It can be from the simplest of things such as untidiness, preferences in certain product brands to complex issues such as morals on which the children will be raised and spending habits.
The risk of divorce is highest earlier on in the marriage because this is the time when two people who have grown up accustomed to certain ways now start to realize how indifferent they are to each other’s customs and values. Premarital counseling is vital for couples planning to tie the knot. This process helps to partly prepare you for marriage and teaches you on communicating and compromise. Though you cannot be fully prepared for marriage, one main thing that can help immensely is communicating and discussing in depth the most vital issues, before getting into the lifelong commitment after which, a common ground is arrived at. These issues include:

• Beliefs and values-which common values do you wish to accustom your family to?
• Roles in marriage- bills, household chores and family duties.
• Sex-intimacy and allocation of quality time.
• Children and parenting-religion, rules and disciplining.
• Family relationships-allocation of time and finances to both sides of the family and conflict resolution.
• Decision making-checking with your partner before making any big decisions.
• Conflict resolution-ways to go about disagreements and arguments and how to resolve them.
• Time management-how much time will you put aside exclusively for your wife or husband and children?
• Money-discuss investments, big purchase, savings etc

Discussing what either of you expect before and after the wedding enables you and your partner to better understand and support each other in the marriage. This process helps couples to develop realistic expectations, better communication and is important for establishing a positive attitude towards marriage.

How can we level our expectations?

1. Communication
Openly talk about your expectations to your spouse and encourage them to do the same to ensure that both of you are on the same page.
2. Be realistic
Don’t have outrageous expectations that are likely not to be met by your spouse. It is normal to expect, but don’t be vulnerable to disappointment because of unrealistic expectations.
3. Remember, you fail too
Your partner has expectations too, some of which you may not be willing or able to fulfill. So cut them some slack simply because you are only human too.

There is no manual for a marriage. You will learn as you go. Just keep an open mind and a calm spirit.

Gone are the days when it was an abomination for a pregnant woman to wed. It has over the years become a common thing to wed during pregnancy so much so that there are wedding gowns being designed everyday for the pregnant bride.
A pregnant bride deserves to enjoy her big day without worrying about anything and below are tips on how to ensure that you breeze through your day radiantly and comfortable.
What Trimester is Best to Wed During?
If possible, try to get hitched in your second trimester. By this time, the pregnancy is much easier, your morning sickness should be easing up or entirely gone by then. Another advantage is that getting married in your second trimester will be much more comfortable as your belly will not be in the way.
Choosing your Wedding Gown
• The first thing you need to do is to inform your designer or bridal shop attendant of your pregnancy if it is not already noticeable and how far along you’ll be on the day of your wedding as this will help on the particulars of alterations and when they will need to be made.
• If you are buying a ready-made gown, try and make the purchase on a date much closer to the wedding date, to be sure of a comfortable fit and minimal alterations. If it is a tailored gown, ensure that your dressmaker bears in mind your belly’s growth rate and dynamics when making the dress so as to allow room for alterations that will preserve the design of the gown.
• Every body type has a particular design that will compliment it. However, pregnancies make most body types similar. With that in mind, the best looks for pregnant brides are empire waist-line gowns, princess cut gowns or A-line gowns. Avoid tight fits, small waists, and anything figure-hugging.
• The dress’s accents work best on your shoulders and bust as they will draw the eye away from your belly.

Tips on Comfort
• Comfort comfort comfort. Make this your first priority.
• Avoid corsets, tightly laced bodices, or any other constricting gear. Flow is the go for a woman with a bun in the oven, swollen feet and aching joints.
• Choose dresses with light fabric as it will ensure ease in movement. Bulky and heavy dresses will only add strain to your body and can be restricting.
• Ensure that you have on very comfortable shoes. Flats are the best way to go for a pregnant bride.

Wedding Accessory Tips
Accessoriez such as jewellery, the veil and the bouquet remain unaffected. A pregnant bride can have the usual accessories so have no worries.

Wedding Ring
For the wedding ring however, it is important to note that your finger size will also increase along with the rest of the body. There are two choices a bride can choose from when it comes to the wedding ring.
1. Either have a mock ring made for the wedding ceremony and later put on your real wedding ring which fits your usual sized finger after the pregnancy or
2. Have your wedding ring made to fit your finger at the time of your pregnancy and have it altered afterward.
Food Menu
Plan the menu ahead of the wedding keeping in mind what you need to eat and what you cannot eat. This doesn’t mean that your guests, the groom and wedding party get affected; it just means you need to find alternatives for you as well. So ensure that you have your own little menu on the side.
Honeymoon
• You deserve double the ultimate pampering. With the wedding planning and baby growing contributing to your exhaustion ensure that you find a destination that is easily accessible and that promises much peace, quiet, relaxation and pampering.
• Be sure that your insurance covers any pregnancy complications or even giving birth.
• Make sure that you have cash with you in case there is trouble with visa’s credit cards and debit cards as approval from certain banks may take some time when in foreign countries
• Also, know where hospitals are in case of an emergency.
• Another way around this is to simply postpone the honeymoon until after the baby is born.

Remember the hat feature we did about the royal wedding? Remember the elegant, grand and overtly stylish hats worn by the nobles and the gentry? Would you believe me if I told you that hats in similar style are available here in Kenya?

Some of us have had the distasteful experience of seeing someone else with a hat just like yours especially at a wedding. Sometimes, even the mother-of-the-bride has this horrific experience when she, of all people should be exceptional.

Well, worry no more because Drop of a Hat has literally come to the rescue. Every single hat is unique and has absolutely no replica. Drop of a Hat will be showcasing their classy, tasteful hats at the highly anticipated Samantha’s Bridal Wedding Fair.

DROP OF A HAT

Drop of a Hat is a local bespoke hat business, designing exclusively elegant, stylish hats for the fashion conscious lady. Using mostly locally sourced materials, all the hats are handmade and finely hand stitched leaving no detail to chance. The name; Drop of a Hat came about when Chloé Mitchell made a list of suitable names all with the word –hat- and got friends to vote for their favourite. Drop of a Hat was the most voted hence it became the name of the brand.

Chloé Mitchell’s Bio

Taught by Rose Cory, the appointed milliner of the late Queen Elizabeth the Queen mother, Chloé Mitchell, founder and CEO of Drop of a Hat, kicked off her career after inheriting her great aunt Dora’s antique flower stamen business, a stable and solid foundation to pursue her new found passion of becoming a milliner. Mitchell founded Drop of a Hat -a couture millinery- when she relocated back to Kenya after advancing her skills with Louise of Louise Pocock Bespoke Millinery in the Cotswolds, UK.

Mitchell is involved in charity work and  is currently working with a young handicapped girl, whom she has trained to hand stitch. Mitchell is making plans to work with and to use materials made locally by handicapped persons.

About the Hats

With the use of materials such as rabbit fur felt, wool felt, straw and sinamay, the hats, which include fedoras, fascinators, fashion sun hats, turbans, buttons and headpieces are of high quality with a grand and fine finish and provide a wide variety for both men and women. With prices ranging from Ksh 3,000 to Ksh 24,000, every client is catered to and can boast a bespoke hat with no –one- hat looking like the other; complete with a name as Mitchell names every one of her hats.

Drop of a Hat caters to all styles and occasions and the elegance exuded by the one-of-a-kind hats is sure to make heads turn in every instance. below are pictures of some of Drop of a Hat’s pieces…

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

HAT ETIQUETTE

Hats have over the years gained popularity in fashion, reaching an unrivaled high after Kate Middleton strutted her hat fashion with almost every outfit she wore and while there are guidelines, proper topper protocol is by far the most complicated out there.

Women’s Hat Etiquette

• Fashion hats should only be removed in an office, if blocking anyone’s view at the theater or at a wedding, or if you so wish.
• Anything attached to the hat band, for example a flower, should be on the right-hand side.
• Women can keep their hats on throughout, indoors or outdoors, be it at a wedding, a funeral, a tea event, in church or at a polo event and can stay on even during the national anthem.
• Large-brimmed hats are inappropriate for night time as they are only to be worn out when it’s sunny.
• Small-brimmed or no-brim hats can however be worn at night time and in restaurants as well.
• Fashion hats are not worn with evening or ball gowns; fascinators, small veil hats, fancy combs or cocktail hats are.

Men’s Hat Etiquette

• Men should remove their hats in-doors i.e. offices, church, classrooms and also when the national anthem is playing.
• Anything placed on the hat band, should be on the left-hand side.
• Men should tip or remove their hats at the presence of a woman especially when being introduced for the first time. It is however unnecessary to tip your hat for women you are acquainted to.

Etiquette Exceptions

• Any religious head coverings are exempted from the etiquette rules and can be kept on wherever, whenever.
• Any hats or head coverings worn to cover results of any illness such as hair loss or albinism are also exempted from hat etiquette rules.