Emdoneni News

All about Weddings

Chat to us about weddings at Emdoneni! Contact us on office@emdonenilodge.com | +27 (0)35 562-7000 / 7001 8 Tips for feeling your best on your wedding Day You’ve put all your time and energy into making sure every detail is perfect and everyone involved is happy, so now it’s time to make sure you’re feeling your best for your wedding day! With the rush of decisions and coordination, self-care might have dropped down on your to-do list, so let this be the reminder you need to put it back on top. Planning ahead for things you can do in the days/weeks leading up to your wedding and scheduling time for things that make you feel good on your actual wedding day is key. These are our favorite bridal self-care tips to help keep your energy up and keep your mental and physical stress down so you can enjoy your wedding day to the fullest! 1. TRY ON YOUR FULL LOOK AHEAD OF TIME You will have enough details to think about the morning of your wedding, but wondering whether your bridal look is everything you’ve dreamed of shouldn’t be one of them! That’s why you should try on your full look — dress, hair, makeup, and accessories — well before the wedding day. Take it from women who have been there, you’ll feel so much better knowing that all the accessories you bought coordinate perfectly, the hairstyle you saw on Pinterest really is that pretty in real life, and your makeup flawlessly ties everything together. If you’re getting bridal portraits done, you have the perfect reason to try on your full look (and the added bonus of seeing it on camera). If you’re not getting bridal portraits done, schedule a girls’ dinner for that evening so you can wear the makeup and/or hairstyle out at least once! 2. GET ENOUGH SLEEP THE ENTIRE WEEK A lot of people tell brides to make sure they get enough sleep the night before their wedding, but we all know one night of good sleep isn’t enough to make you feel your absolute best. Most of us take at least two days to recover from one night of poor sleep, so make it a goal to get 8 hours of sleep every night for the entire week before your wedding. Yes, that’s much easier said than done, but it’s important for your nervous system to have adequate time to rest, especially with the added stress of wedding planning. If you’re having trouble shutting off your brain, spritz some essential oils, like lavender or chamomile, on your pillow or do some pre-sleep yoga. You’ll have plenty of time to not sleep on your honeymoon, so indulge in some quality beauty rest as much as possible before the wedding. 3. STAY HYDRATED The general rule is that you should drink at least half your body weight in ounces of water per day. It helps keep your energy up and gives your skin a gorgeous glow. Plus, it keeps your metabolism firing all day and decreases bloating, so you’ll feel as good on the inside as you look on the outside. If you’re dehydrated, your body has to fight both the physical stress of dehydration and any emotional stress you might feel on your wedding day, which will make it harder to be fully present. So, keep a water bottle handy and ask your MOH to check that it is full all day long. If you want some stylish motivation to drink up, grab one of these super cute bottles for yourself — and maybe for your bridesmaids, too! 4. GET MOVING WITH A QUICK YOGA SESSION Before you pop the bubbly with your girls, head to a local yoga studio for a quick sweat sesh! You’ll get the double benefit of relieving any last-minute stress and releasing endorphins so you’ll be feeling (and looking) happy all day long. We recommend going for a gentle flow class that to get a good stretch and get the blood moving and leaving the cardio-heavy, power-style yoga for another time. You just want to sweat, you don’t want to be exhausted or sore! If you can’t find a class time that works for you, there are tons of free yoga videos on YouTube that you can do in the privacy of your getting ready space. 5. STICK TO YOUR NORMAL BEAUTY ROUTINE The night before or the morning of your wedding is not the time to try out a new beauty routine, such as a face mask you saw on Instagram or a new shape for your eyebrows. If you want to experiment with new products, buy and try them at least two weeks before the wedding so you’ll have plenty of time to see how your skin reacts. We are all in favor of getting your skin to look its best for your wedding, but there would be nothing worse than trying something new the night before and waking up with undesirable results. So, give yourself time to find what makes your skin look best and stick to that all the way up through the wedding day. 6. EAT PROTEIN FOR BREAKFAST You’re going to need a ton of energy to make it all the way to your send-off moment, so set yourself up for success with breakfast that includes lean protein, healthy carbs, fruits, and veggies. Protein, especially, will keep you full and energized and will help keep your blood sugar from crashing if you want to indulge in champagne and sweet treats while you’re getting ready. For a super quick and simple breakfast option, blend up protein smoothies with frozen fruits, greens, milk, and protein powder for you and your girls. Or, opt for a heartier meal like an egg scramble with sauteed veggies and a side of yogurt with fruit. No matter how busy your morning gets, do not skip breakfast and do not leave your options up to chance. Your mom wasn’t joking when she said that breakfast is the

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Emdoneni News

Photography101 at Emdoneni Lodge!

Photography101 at Emdoneni Lodge! Dates: 19, 20 & 21 July 2019 2, 3 & 4 August 2019 Act now! Only a few spots still available!! Day 1 ~ Friday Check In at Emdoneni Lodge Welcoming & Introduction by Ferdie Muller, well known Photographer from Zululand Session 1 : What is Photography? Session 2 : Camera functions and Lenses Session 3 : Motion & Depth Day 2 ~ Saturday Session 4 : Practical work with your camera Session 5 : Composition Session 6 : How much Light? Session 7 : Full Manual Mode Sessions 8 & 9 start Session 8 : Practical work Session 9 : The Colour of Light Day 3 ~ Sunday Session 4 : Practical work with your camera Session 10 : The Digital Image For info/bookings, kindly email info@emdonenilodge.com

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Emdoneni News

It’s time to treat yourself at Emdoneni Spa

Spend R800 or more at the Emdoneni Spa, and get a R200 discount- what a great opportunity to unwind at the best spa in KZN! Our spa menu focuses on relaxation massage treatments, and is supported by a service style that considers the guest’s need for escape, unobtrusive delivery and attention to detail. Browse our range of quality Esse Probiotic Skincare and Exuviance products, and take some home with you. EsseProbioticSkincare products include natural organic and probiotic ingredients. Microbes permeate deep into the skin structure and work with your own cells to perform the complex chemistry that keeps your skin radiant. Exuviance offers a complete line of skin-transforming products that addresses every concern, both in the treatment room and at home. T&Cs apply!

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Emdoneni News

Everything you need to know about iSimangaliso Wetland Park

iSimangaliso Wetland Park is a vast reserve on the extreme north end of South Africa’s east coast, known also as the Elephant Coast. It protects over 220 km of pristine coastline with a range of wild and magnificent beaches to enjoy (minus the crowds and beach umbrellas). Considered the largest natural World Heritage Site on the planet, it stretches from the St Lucia Estuary in the south up to the border with Mozambique. It’s also amazingly diverse with half a dozen unique eco-systems. Filled with wild game – crocodiles, hippos, leopards, pythons and a range of sharks – it’s not somewhere you’d consider getting out of your vehicle. Yet the park offers not only walking trails but MTB trails – the Game Park section on the Eastern Shores (up to the cattle grid) adjacent to the Bhangazi Gate, and the Ingwe Trail through the sand forest near False Bay are must-dos! ISIMANGALISO WETLAND PARK – USEFUL INFORMATION It’s only fair to warn you that iSimangaliso Wetland Park is not a ‘do in one day’ drive in, see the animals, drive out again kind of park. The park is extensive with so many areas to explore that even a week isn’t enough time. That said, if you’ve only a day to spare, get there early and leave late. But don’t miss out on the opportunity. You also need to know about the different names for the various nature reserves and state forests that make up iSimangaliso – it can get confusing as the 328 000 hectare park’s various ‘parts’ are known by a bewildering collection of new and old names (if you’ve heard of uMkhuze, Kosi Bay, Sodwana and the Greater St Lucia Wetlands Park then you should be okay – even if the latter hasn’t existed for, like, 10 years). Get there: from Durban involves the N2 north for about 180 km, the R618 to Mtubatuba and St Lucia, and enter the park at the Dukuduku Gate, near St Lucia. However, there are many gates into the park, it depends on what you’re there to do and see. THE IMPORTANT BITS … Tip 1: Do one of the estuary cruises – definitely worth it for the birds, crocs and hippos plus you see areas of the park you wouldn’t in a car. Look out for the unusual like kingfishers, monitor lizards, sea eagles and cranes. Tip 2: If you like being in the trees, head to the Fig Tree Forest where there’s a system of walkways and viewpoints in amongst the branches. Tip 3: Remember the sunscreen, insect repellent and bear in mind that iSimangaliso is considered a low risk malaria area. Tip 4: Bangha Nek beach is not only great for fishing and snorkelling (at least 20 different fish on any swim), but it’s also where you head to sight turtles between October and March. Tip 5: Watch out for hippos – seriously – they’re everywhere at night, even on the main street of St Lucia town, so be careful driving. Tip 6: To discourage using iSimangaliso as a thoroughfare the park has a minimum drive time from one gate to another. You’ll have to wait if you arrive at a gate outside of your allotted time. MAIN THINGS TO DO … There’s something for everyone at iSimangaliso. Scuba diving (which is big as the park includes Sodwana) and all activities are possible throughout the year. And we mention the activities because, if you really want to experience the park, we recommend you throw yourself wholeheartedly into the physical side of the park – game drives, snorkelling, stalking turtles, diving (Five Mile reef in Sodwana Bay is awesome!), horse riding (great for game viewing), hiking, and kayaking on the St Lucia estuary. And if you have the time, picnic at Mission Rocks, because you’re right next to a beach, your table beneath the canopy of a coastal forest (it’s on the Cape Vidal road north of St Lucia). WHEN TO GO … Summer can get hot and humid and even the locals complain come February and March but if sub-tropical weather sends you into orbit, you’ll be happy with the midday temperatures around 30 degrees Celsius, and the rain showers. Winter is perfect with warm days, low rainfall and cool nights (around 15 degrees). Midday temperatures don’t exceed 20 degrees Celsius. Autumn (warm days, little wind) and spring (warm, windy and often wet) are also good times to visit. Highlights of each season: Whales – June to November Loggerhead and leatherback turtles – October to March Birdlife when it’s breeding season – June to August Source Credit: blog.sa-venues.com

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Emdoneni News

2019 Certificate of Excellence – TripAdivsor

Wow! Because we’ve earned a TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence every year for the past 5 years, we’re pleased to announce that Emdoneni Lodge has qualified for the Certificate of Excellence Hall of Fame! It means so much that you have such positive things to say about your experiences with us. Thank you, thank you! What is the Certificate of Excellence? Since 2011, the Certificate of Excellence honors hospitality businesses that deliver consistently great service across the world. This designation is presented to approximately 10% of total businesses on TripAdvisor that have consistently achieved great reviews over the past year. There is no application process for the Certificate of Excellence, and the achievement is earned over time. Who is eligible to receive a Certificate of Excellence? Accommodations (Hotels, B&B / Inns, and Specialty Lodging), restaurants, attractions, and vacation rentals worldwide are eligible to receive a Certificate of Excellence. How are Certificate of Excellence recipients determined? To qualify for a Certificate of Excellence, an accommodation (Hotels, B&Bs / Inns, and Speciality Lodging), restaurant or experience must: Maintain an overall TripAdvisor rating of at least four out of five Have a minimum number of reviews Have been listed on TripAdvisor for at least twelve months. A business must be listed for the full 12-month qualifying period between April 1 to March 31 to be considered. Recipients are announced only once a year in late May. To determine Certificate of Excellence recipients, we use a variety of user-generated content. We use an algorithm that primarily takes into account the quality, quantity, and recency of user reviews, as well as the business’ tenure on the site. The algorithm also takes into consideration any content integrity issues, animal welfare policies, and/or fraudulent activity associated with the listing. If your business received an “Official Notification from TripAdvisor” letter, we recommend that you respond with your concerns to that letter or contact contentintegrity@tripadvisor.com. Our Content Integrity Team is the only group that is able to work through issues of that nature with you. Due to the algorithm being proprietary, we can’t disclose further details about the Certificate of Excellence criteria. Source credit: www.tripsdvisor.com

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