The rise of the modern bride

The days of a wedding conforming to typical expectations are long gone and what has evolved instead is a new age wedding style that has provided a much needed breath of fresh air to this wonderfully important occasion that has become somewhat predictable.

 
The annual Phakalane Golf Estate wedding fair, held at the Phakalane Golf Estate in Gaborone on Saturday, was evidence of the modern bride evolution. Showcasing everything from cake designs, to trendy make up styles and décor that looked like a page from a fairy tale book, the expo attracted a decent amount of excited brides and grooms-to-be as well as those looking to plan ahead for their big day, in an intimate setting.

 
With the rise of the modern bride and groom, a wedding style is now heavily dictated by the couple in question, who choose to mold the day to express their combined style as a couple.
Asked about the difference in bridal wear design between back in the day and now, bridal wear stylist Tumisang Metlha said “there are no rules anymore. There was a time when brides had to wear certain types of dresses, but there is freedom to wear whatever one wants now. Rules are broken and that is a good thing, for the free-spirited individual.”

 
Speaking to Time Out, excited bride-to-be Bangu Mazhani who attended with fiancé said “I came here looking for cake designs that would wow my guests and make up styles that would leave me feeling beautiful and confident on my special day. And I found exactly that. Gone are the days when makeup was an afterthought, and the wedding cake was hard as a rock. Now modern brides want professional makeup and special cakes done by cake artists!”

 
Professional makeup artist at Scotswana, Tuauana Reetsang told Time Out that modern brides have a sense of direction and know exactly what they want, “our clients usually have an idea of what they want to look like on their wedding day. Most want to look natural, with subtle make up that brings out or enhances their natural beauty. Even grooms these days are open minded enough to have a bit of makeup on,” Reetsang said.

 
Those showcasing their work included makeup artists, hair stylists, event planners, cake artists, wedding gown rental stores as well as those in the catering business.