It's been more than 20 years since the first Harry Potter book was published, but it looks like the famous fictional boy wizard is still bewitching hearts.
According to a new report released by price comparison website Money.co.uk, an increasing number of couples are thinking of tying the knot at Harry Potter-themed weddings.
The report analyses commonly saved wedding trends on Pinterest boards for 2021, up until May, as more couples have turned to the image-sharing platform to plan their dream day amid postponements caused by the pandemic.
In top place are Harry Potter-themed weddings, with 1,016 Pinterest boards publicly viewable. Some popular ideas include location-related table names (such as "Gringotts" and "Hogsmeade"), Great Hall-inspired dining set-ups, famous romantic quotes printed on the bottom of wedding shoes ("After all this time? Always"), chocolate frog wedding favours and cakes adorned with the Deathly Hallows symbol.
The second-most popular wedding board theme on Pinterest is vintage, with pins frequently saved of classic Austin Princess limousines, dresses with lace and beading, flower arrangements of white, green and peach, and traditional white-icing tiered cakes.
Other Pinterest trends highlight more bygone eras, with boards titled "1920s wedding" coming in sixth place and "Great Gatsby wedding" coming in 15th.
In third and fourth positions are “earthy weddings” and “natural weddings”. According to Pinterest, this involves "bridesmaid dresses and decorations in shades of taupe, chestnut, topaz, burnt orange and sand, cakes decorated with natural flowers and greenery, earthenware table settings, and flower arrangements of Pampas grass, dried flowers and gypsophila".
The pandemic has clearly played a role in defining wedding trends, as demand for outdoor weddings has also risen.
In the top 20 trends, according to Pinterest boards, garden party places seventh, marquee wedding is in 10th position and botanical wedding is 20th.
Here's a look at the top wedding trends, according to Pinterest boards:
- Harry Potter
- Vintage
- Earthy
- Natural
- Farm
- 1920s
- Garden Party
- Beach
- Fall/Autumn
- Marquee
- Formal
- Art Deco
- Garden
- Spring
- Great Gatsby
- Barn
- Celestial
- Fairy Tale
- Disney
- Botanical
What are brides wearing (and holding)?
Sparkling dresses are the trend du jour, according to Pinterest, as they have 2,485 dedicated boards.
This is followed by Disney-inspired gowns, vintage wedding dresses, two-piece dresses, bridal jumpsuits (a la Sophie Turner who wore such a design for her wedding to Joe Jonas) and black wedding dresses.
Modest wedding dresses take seventh position, beating sheer, satin and Boho designs, hinting at another rising trend.
The report also signals more brides are eschewing traditional rose bouquets in favour of sunflower varieties. This is followed by roses, succulents (a new trend) and then peonies.
Know your Camel lingo
The bairaq is a competition for the best herd of 50 camels, named for the banner its winner takes home
Namoos - a word of congratulations reserved for falconry competitions, camel races and camel pageants. It best translates as 'the pride of victory' - and for competitors, it is priceless
Asayel camels - sleek, short-haired hound-like racers
Majahim - chocolate-brown camels that can grow to weigh two tonnes. They were only valued for milk until camel pageantry took off in the 1990s
Millions Street - the thoroughfare where camels are led and where white 4x4s throng throughout the festival
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What is blockchain?
Blockchain is a form of distributed ledger technology, a digital system in which data is recorded across multiple places at the same time. Unlike traditional databases, DLTs have no central administrator or centralised data storage. They are transparent because the data is visible and, because they are automatically replicated and impossible to be tampered with, they are secure.
The main difference between blockchain and other forms of DLT is the way data is stored as ‘blocks’ – new transactions are added to the existing ‘chain’ of past transactions, hence the name ‘blockchain’. It is impossible to delete or modify information on the chain due to the replication of blocks across various locations.
Blockchain is mostly associated with cryptocurrency Bitcoin. Due to the inability to tamper with transactions, advocates say this makes the currency more secure and safer than traditional systems. It is maintained by a network of people referred to as ‘miners’, who receive rewards for solving complex mathematical equations that enable transactions to go through.
However, one of the major problems that has come to light has been the presence of illicit material buried in the Bitcoin blockchain, linking it to the dark web.
Other blockchain platforms can offer things like smart contracts, which are automatically implemented when specific conditions from all interested parties are reached, cutting the time involved and the risk of mistakes. Another use could be storing medical records, as patients can be confident their information cannot be changed. The technology can also be used in supply chains, voting and has the potential to used for storing property records.
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