5 tips to the road of Wedding day Joy

I recently got married on Valentines Day in a leap year and what an experience it was. I enjoyed every minute of the build up to the wedding day, planning ,checking and feeling so many emotions that made the actual wedding so much fun, magical, wonderful and pure joy!!


Here are 5 tips I wish to share with all soon to be brides to assist in making the build up as magical and worthwhile as can be.


1. Plan well in advance and be realistic.
Duh..what do you mean??? All brides plan their special day since they received their first barbie doll or were a flowergirl in someone's wedding?? 
But let me assure you that the fairy tale wedding day can be nothing without a proper and realistic plan and budget of course. I travel quite a bit for a living so I didn't have much time to do wedding shopping so planning for me was crucial.
I cant stress enough how important this first step is. You will not believe how much this saved me and assisted me to ensure that I knew what I wanted and planned realistically for it. It resulted in perfect timing, my husband could take a 2 hour nap during the day and the kids in the bridal party were not restless at all.
 
Top tip: Attend all those wedding expo's,  in order to network and chat and get some real advice from real brides. I love making checklists as this can assist you to maintain a clear idea of what it is that you want for your special day. I subscribed to websites like www.theknot.com;  Pinterest ; Facebook (Second Hand wedding group).


2. Get enough sleep and drink lots of water and exercise.
I know you are probably weight watching and counting calories etc...but maintain a healthy diet by drinking lots of water and following a proper eating plan and ensure that you get enough sleep and exercise.
I must admit I didn't get enough sleep and the morning of my wedding my eyes were very puffy...(so sad) and this translates onto pics...so please ensure that you get enough beauty rest before your big day.
My routine involved running 3 times per week, yoga twice per week and cardio including weight training every other day. I worked out 7 days per week and followed the BANTING diet which was the perfect plan for my wedding body goal. Read more about my wedding body journey here


Top tip: Your diet and exercise will prevent you from becoming a BRIDEZILLA and will keep you sane for those stressful times. The last month and week before you get married is always stressful - even if you have enlisted the trust of a wedding planner - as a bride you are always stressing about last minute details.


3. Don't let anyone try to change your mind.
Weddings are a money making industry times a million!!! I kid you not. I had no idea that wedding vendors make so much money off the tiniest things. Invites cost a fortune, and don't get me started on décor and the cake. There is so much to choose from with a modern twist to vintage looks and celebrity style settings. It call all be done and trust me you will want it all.  
It is important to not get swept up in a fantasy but know what you have planned and how you would like your day to run. Don't let anyone influence you to make it more over the top or add more features, or in Malay cultures add more cousins to the bridal party!! Stick to the plan as discussed by making sketches or taking pictures of what you had in mind or downloading ideas and themes of what you want and how it should be translated to suit your needs. .
I chose a theme (royal elegance) and stuck with it till the very end. This helped narrow down (somewhat) how I wanted the décor and theme to be channelled throughout the day.
At the end of the day less is more and it is more appreciated and enjoyed.


Top Tip: Choosing a theme helped me tremendously as this is a great way to assist you in making decisions when it comes to cakes, décor bridesmaids etc..




4. Acknowledge your partner and the efforts
Ai foeitog!! With all the focus being solely on the bride throughout all the planning, us brides sometimes forget that the groom plays a major role in the participation and contribution of the day as it is afterall about BOTH of you. LOL:)
Make not mistake each culture and religion have their  set rules and guidelines around the way the wedding ceremony should be done, but you can agree that it involves the groom at all times. And therefore it is important to realise and acknowledge that he too has a major function and role to play. 
I checked in regularly with my fiancé to ensure that his stress levels were ok - and that he was still certain he wanted to get married!! Throughout the planning it was important to just step back and realise why we are doing this and that we were consciously making a decision together and not just doing so due to any family or peer pressure. We wanted to get married to each other and we made the informed decision to do that. Traditionally In my culture, the groom sees to the house setup and ensuring it is ready to receive his bride. So essentially his responsibility triples in comparison to mine and therefore it was important that I ensured that he always had my utmost support and appreciation. I rewarded him with a honeymoon month ..best decision ever!! 


Top tip:  Happy wife happy life, was the motto he lived by. We discussed many things and disagreed on many too, but at the end of the day it is about the being married part you need to be focus on and not just the wedding day.     So take care of the groom and he will take care of you!!




5. Enjoy the day
...and finally enjoy the actual day.
When the wedding day arrived, I sighed and smiled and couldn't be happier. I woke up really early..(actually couldn't sleep!!) prayed with my parents which was super emotional and thanked them for all the support and contributions. Looked around my room and actually laughed at all the memories that my room held, packed out my dresses and jewellery and then the excitement started rolling in.
Every minute something wonderful was happening and I was present, I was happy and I was laughing. I consciously made myself aware that it is my wedding day, biggest day of my life, and I took it all in and wanted to remember every second.
When I looked around the room while my makeup and hair was being done, while people were fussing about me, while the camera and videographer were shooting, I couldn't be happier and this translated onto pics, onto the mood and onto the vibe of the day.


Feedback such as
" what a wonderful relaxed and fun day we had at your wedding"..
"best wedding ever"...
 "best valentines day ever"".....
 "Never attended a wedding such as this where the bride made everyone feel like they made her happy"
made the experience and build up all worthwhile.

o' hello there...

ok fast forward 3 years ahead...and I almost forgot about this little hobby and site of mine.


Wow a lot has happened since the last time I posted on this site, and I certainly have a lot to share.


However I think I will only stick to sharing tips on things I like and enjoy rather than have a regular diary update insert on this site. Cos I aint got time for that!




So yep , let me give this another go and lets see if I can stay consistent this time around.

When it is pouring outside....

Where has the time gone, its mid- year already!!! Hope you made the best of the first half of 2013 and may all your dreams be realised for the second half. I personally have a few goals to accomplish. 

1 June means the start of Winter in Cape Town and naturally a time to hibernate, whip out the snuggle blankets and catch up on your book collection with a cuppa. If you know me, you know that no matter how wet and cold it gets outside, I have to be out and about looking for something exciting to do in Cape Town. So I called up my partner in crime, who enjoys discovering these exciting places with me, and also recommended this place and we braved the cape rains. 

We discovered this really magnificent Victorian house in Kloof Street that looked very interesting and decided to pop in. Kloof Street House Resturant , situated in Kloof Street offers their customers an eclectic colonial experience. We were certainly in for a treat. 
It certainly doesn't look like a resturant from the outside and when we walked up to the front door we thought we were trespassing on someone's property, until we were greeted by an inviting friendly waiter and a cosy place with a fire crackling away making it feel like a home away from home. 

We chose to sit close to the fire place,
to really appreciate the cosy atmosphere

The menu for lunch is not very fancy or extensive but its decent enough to settle your rumbling belly, which is ultimately what we want. The variety extends to blade beef which is the signature dish, lamb shanks, norwegian salmon, Kloof street house cheese burger, steak roll, free range chicken, salad and fish options. We opted for a "healthy" light option. 

lounging around in the dining area

i know i know, cocktails at the fireplace???

For starters we had a vegetarian antipasti dish to share,
humus and tzatziki was delish.
Great option and it was more than enough
for both of us.

For mains I had grilled line fish season veg, lemon and
parsley butter and romesco 

Zubeida had Kloof street Salad which was honey
mustard dressing, avo, feta,boiled egg and chicken

Now that we have the food out of the way, let me show you around this lithe quaint place, which I found to be truly an eclectic setting. 

You are greeted to this beautiful Victorian type style setting

Front door entrance

Some more seating outside.

Library area for you to unwind with a cuppa

Private dining area where you can host a private party

Cosy atmosphere inside stretches across 2 areas

cosy lounge area, that has ample seating for about
30 people with the fireplace to the left that adds that perfect
touch for these winter months

mmm..crackling fire

some more inside seating with an outside view

I could not resist taking a pic...

i could definately imagine having breakfast here

and a bar area that offers the usual

So if you need to unwind and keep warm this Winter, pop into Kloof Street House for a warm lunch or a coffee break, it definately offers an experience that will make you forget about the cape of storms rumbling outside. 

Top 3 Markets in Cape Town

Hello daarrrlllings!!! 

So this past weekend we celebrated freedom day in SA and it was a time to reflect upon the history of our country and how far we have evolved as a nation in this democratic era. 

Ja that didnt happen for me. 

I spent the weekend doing very little except on Sunday when I decided to visit some markets around the city. 

Sundays are always regarded as lazy-hazy-stress free days in Cape Town. With the weather being fairly good and no lunch preparations to be made, Zubeida and I decided to check out the markets around Cape Town and this is our top 3. 

Top 1: 
We started at Village Market at Cape Quarters Centre in Somerset Road, Greenpoint. It boasts an open air market on the 3rd floor that sells clothes, funny hats, fedoros, kids clothes, etc. But the part that got me really excited was the food section of the market, which is enclosed, and hosts food from all over the world under one roof. Zubs and i wasted no time and gathered foods from all corners. We launched into the thai food that was so amazing and so cheap. Definately check this market out soon, we had fun. 

open air market selling clothes and hats etc..

food section. We chose the Thai option served from
lady in blue and sat on the benches provide

Top 2:
Next stop was Hout Bay market. It is always a pleasure driving along the coast line with the wind in our hair, and admiring the dreamy ocean on our way to Hout Bay. We are definately blessed to live in Cape Town. Anyway,we arrived to a very bustling, crowdy and awesome vibe market situated at the edge of the harbour. When you enter the market it may not seem like much at first, there are a few things that may catch your eye, but once you turn the corner you see an open space with people buzzing everywhere from the clothes section to the food section which is situated right smack  centre and has everything you can think of to eat and snack on. Although we didn't buy anything at this market we still enjoyed visiting it and being part of the vibe. 

locals band entertaining the crowds at the entrance

Doesnt look like much as you enter

The buzz inside as you turn the corner

People everywhere

Some more entertaiment inside

Top 3:
And finally we went to Market on the Wharf situated at the V&A waterfront. Based next to the Alfred Hotel, the market has  2 levels and quite big inside which made it easy to walk around. ( if you still wondering where it is, it is where MUSICA used to be) It has mainly food, fruit and veg, coffee and various sweet treats for you to try. I stopped off at the frozen yoghurt section which I really enjoyed. This was a nice end to our market day experience and I thoroughly enjoyed every minute of it. 

Zubeida hanging out on the 2nd level

Some lovely toppings to add

Some awesome street art on the 2nd level

Which markets have you been to lately??? Let me know and I will definately check them out. 

love the coke man!!!!

In living color..street art

it is not something that you would immediately appreciate but its all around the streets of Cape Town and i am completely fascinated by it. Im talking about street art, in its purest in living colour form. 

I have always been intrigued by it and a friend and I decided to spend an afternoon roaming some of the streets to get a good view and appreciation for this art form. i have no idea what the art means or what the take away message should be - i don't even think it is legal! 

However I think you will agree that some of the work is incredible and that there is a definate market out there for it to be showcased and for the message to be heard. 

 

Zubeida trying to fit into the art!! LOL

and then we spent sometime in Bo-Kaap
appreciating the brighly coloured houses

So the next time you are in town, stop, collaborate and admire!!