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Buitenverwachting Wedding

By ORGANICTALESWeddingNo Comments

Buitenverwachting Wedding

– Ein Deutches Kapitel

Constantia. South Africa’s oldest Vinelands. Nestled at the foot of mountains with hectares of the finest grapes, sought after dutch architecture and beautiful sunsets.
As I first met Anna & James in a hip coffee bar in Cape Town, I simply knew that it was the start to a beautiful friendship.
James, (who unmistakably resembles a more handsome version of Prince William) is an easy-going and relaxed chap. While Anna, is a fun, outspoken dame who truly lights up any room she walk in to. Her joyful laughs are dangerously contagious.
The build-up to this 3 day wedding celebration has been one filled with excitement and very detailed planning. So grab a glass of your best wine while you read their story.

A Restaurant Visit that led to the next chapter:

Anna and James met in September 2014. Anna was in South Africa on holiday at the time, visiting her cousin in Johannesburg. While in Johannesburg, Anna and her cousin’s wife came down to Cape Town and while exploring, found this wonderful restaurant in Camps Bay. By sheer co-incidence, James was sitting at the very next table, having just returned to SA from living abroad. At some stage the two tables got talking and by the end of the night, James had Anna’s phone number. The very next day, they went on their first date. By the time Anna returned to Germany, she was in a long distance relationship with this South African boy.

“That was the beginning of a 13 month long-distance relationship in which we traveled between Germany and South Africa. After finally sorting out Anna’s visa situation and after finding a job, Anna made the move to Cape Town. And that was the beginning of our life together.”

A Proposal for movie scenes:

For Anna’s birthday present in 2016, James took Anna horseriding on Noordhoek beach. After jumping from the horses and walking up the dunes, James got on one knee and proposed. ‘I always wanted to see you like this’ was Anna’s cheeky answer – and the rest was just a screaming ‘yes’.

As is typical in the German tradition, we decided to do a small and intimate civil wedding that year. The following year, we planned to have our big wedding, with guests from overseas and family & friends from South Africa. We ended up having THREE wedding ceremonies in total!

View their engagement photos by clicking here

A Priest from Germany:

A Priest from Germany who is living in South Africa was officiating our ceremonies. As we split our wedding into two days, we had a German mass in church and an English blessing on the lawns of the day of the reception. We wanted all of our guests to have an emotional connection to the wedding. And because not everybody could speak English, we decided to have a priest who is able to speak both languages. Priest Wim Lindeque was the very first person we found for our wedding program. He is the most fantastic human being; he helped us to have very personal and memorable ceremonies. After this, some of our friends chose him as the priest on their wedding.

Two Ceremonies to Celebrate Love:

We wanted a wedding which wasn’t too far outside Cape Town as we had many guests flying in from Europe. Besides that, we really love the wine farms in Constantia with their stunning natural beauty. In the end we decided to split the ceremonies into two – The first ceremony being a mass at the Nazareth House Church (with an amazing view over Table Mountain), followed by a lunch at Silvermist, in Constantia Nek with a view over the 12 Apostles.

The Second Ceremony:

The second blessing and the big reception was to follow on Saturday at Buitenverwachting in Constantia.
Buitenverwachting is a stunningly beautiful award winning wine farm and is well known for its wine and cuisine. It is run by a German couple and has an incredible team – the service is really outstanding. We planned to have our blessing on the beautiful lawns with its really old oak trees and could already start dancing in the courtyard to our band. Further it was just the right size for the number of our guests. The wine farm has been newly renovated and the interior is also beautiful. We really liked the idea of not bringing in too much decoration and relying on the natural beauty of our venue; the wine farm really makes a statement on its own.

Silvermist views:

Anna & James decided to do their pre wedding prep at Silvermist Mountain Estate in Constantia. A beautiful mountainous estate overlooking the Apostles. The views were breathtaking and the crisp mountain air added a fresh breeze to the hot day. The estate boasts with beautiful wooden featured decor and impeccable wine for the taste buds.

A relaxed and talented Makeup Artist:

The brides makeup was done by Derdre, the owner of Derdre’s face & body care. Anna found it rather difficult to find a reliable, young make-up artist in CT. After some disappointing experiences with other suppliers, she finally (and thankfully) met Derdre. Deirdre is an awesome talent who was super relaxed to help out in a last-minute situation. She exactly understood what Anna wanted and fulfilled her every wish. Anna called her ‘a brides dream’. She also did the mothers’ make-up and some of the other girls. After the makeup was done she joined the party and socialized while everyone finished getting dressed. We were getting ready, having champagne with the girls and when it came to the photo shoot, Derdre even assisted with one of the bridesmaid’s babies. She is an extremely caring, wonderful person.

Red Carpet Wedding Couture:

When Anna started looking for her wedding dress, her initial feeling was one of unhappiness with what the market in Cape Town with regards to bridal couture offered. That was however before she found Viktor K in Claremont. He exactly understood her style and taste. Anna didn’t necessarily want a typical wedding dress, and rather wanted an atypical wedding dress style – more of a red carpet kind of look. Viktor did a brilliant job by producing the most stunning wedding dress – everything was exactly what Anna had wanted and he provided huge amounts of support and professional advice. In the end Viktor K produced two dresses, a white one for the church wedding and another one for the Saturday reception. Viktor was truly amazing and comes highly recommended – and he really lived up to it, with the final outcome far better than what Anna could have wished for.

A Moment to Cherish Forever:

James and Anna found it very special walking down the aisle on the lawns of Buitenverwachting. Anna walked in with her bridesmaids, while James was waiting at the start of the aisle. He took Anna’s hand and together they walked up to the priest. The guests were applauding once they saw Anna coming around in her dress. ‘Fields of gold’ from Sting was played by a Saxophonist and a double bass which really pushed the emotions up a notch.

“We were incredibly lucky with the weather; we were standing under massive trees on this beautiful lawn with our family & friends surrounded while we were exchanging our vows. It was just too pretty.”

Duke & Dutch Wedding Rings:

Our rings are produced by Rolf Werndle. Rolf is a jewellery designer and the owner of Duke & Dutch. It is much more personal and exclusive to get your rings done individually. You can choose your exact style and source the right stones. Rolf is the most reliable, talented and professional jewellery designer a couple could wish for. He is highly recommended and he did a brilliant job.

A Dose of Moonshine:

Our highlight of the wedding day was definitely our band Moonshine – a five piece vibe sensation led by Dan Shout. These guys are truly unbelievable and are guaranteed to get everyone in the right mood with their blend of jazz and 50’s rock’n’roll songs. The first time we saw these guys play was at Barristers in Newlands on a Sunday afternoon – and even then, mid-afternoon they had the whole place dancing. If you’re having people from different generations and different countries at your wedding, with 50’s rock and jazz, you want to make sure everybody will love the music. You will not find a more cool, talented and vibey band – guaranteed. Not only that, Dan is so helpful and professional in ensuring everything sound-related for the wedding is a success. We opened the dance floor by having our first dance to their live music. The family followed and so it happened that we were dancing outside in the courtyard, under the sky and we had the most amazing time. We got plenty of compliments for our band & hope that they got some more customers this evening.

A Photographer | Coordinator | Videographer on board:

Landi Groenewald from Organictales was far and away the best service provider we could ever have wished for. Anna saw her work for the first time in Viktor K’s studio, where she had done some of the bridal photography. Anna immediately fell in love with her images. What we saw in Landi‘s images was not just someone who is able to capture the right moments, but someone who would really understand light and landscapes and furthermore not just a wedding photographer but a super talented artist. After contacting and meeting her, we discovered what a wonderful, caring, professional & ambitious young person she was. The market in Cape Town for wedding photographers is probably a rather big one, but after seeing Landi’s images and meeting her, it was the biggest wish to have her for the job. She did a beautiful engagement shoot for us in Kalk Bay and has been with us on our whole wedding weekend. We really cannot thank Landi enough and the entire journey would have been different had we not had her.

Landi was able to help us with plenty of recommendations for other service providers and did so generously. As Anna is not from Cape Town it was a great help to find other excellent & ambitious suppliers. So it happened that we met our videographer, Johann Latsky, from Latsky Multimedia and Amo from ‘Amo Creative’, our coordinator for the day via Landi. Exactly the kind of highly professional people a wedding couple wants to work with. Johann does a lot of corporate and wedding videography and is clearly an expert in his field. Amo, an event management talent, is a young & very ambitious person who makes a wedding day run smoothly. Both take their job very serious which is very important for someone who thinks in German standards.

Anna & Jame’s Advice to planning a Destination Wedding:

“We wouldn’t change anything about the wedding!”

We knew that we were expecting plenty of guests from overseas. This is quite an intense project if you plan a wedding for so many foreign people and having more than just one day & location. Anyways, Anna didn’t want to book a wedding planner because she wanted to find & meet every supplier on her own. We do not believe in packages that are being offered to you. Every wedding should be as individual as the couple is. If you want to avoid any disappointment, it makes sense to invest some time into your own wedding research. And the guests feel it and this creates a big vibe in the end. We have been extremely happy all around, we have been blessed with our very good friends in helping in quite some tasks and we wouldn’t change anything about the wedding. We think it’s important for a couple to simply do what the both are dreaming of.

After having our three ceremonies done we can say it was the most exciting time in our lives and something we would love to repeat in 5 years’ time 😀

Service providers:
Photography: ORGANICTALES
Coordinator: Amo Creative
Videography: Latsky Multimedia
Dress: Victor Kok
Make up: Derdre’s Face & Body Care
Ceremony 1: Nazareth House Church
Ceremony 2: Buitenverwachting Wine Estate
Prep Venues: Silvermist Mountain Lodge
Music & Sound: Moonshine

December 14, 2017

Love4

Warm Karoo Wedding

By ORGANICTALESWeddingOne Comment

Warm Karoo Wedding

A Hot Summer’s Chapter

I will always enjoy weddings in the Free State. Not only do I get to visit my parents, but I also get to reminisce on my childhood. The smells, the sounds and even the skies – it all comes together in to one past dream. The warm weather on this wedding day truly emphasized all those senses which all led to a wedding I am unlikely to ever forget. Here follows the story of Ilze & Jacques’s tale.

A High School Sweetheart Promise:

Jacques and I are high school sweethearts. We met at a sweet-sixteen barefoot-and-headband-party. He fell in love first and I followed a few weeks later. Fast forward six years down the line and we’ve never been happier.

She: Since the moment I met him, he made me laugh. He was a rugby player with an obsession for all things nerdy. From the get-go he made me laugh. He’s a romantic at heart and from the first day we met, he made me feel special and valuable.

He: The moment I met her I could immediately see there was something different about this girl. I am normally indecisive about what I want and if, I in fact want anything. But I knew that I had to have her. Her beauty, her drive and her honesty are some of the many qualities that intrigued me from that first moment. She did not make it easy but I was determined to pursue her.

A Treasure Hunt to “I Do”

I’m a very intuitive person so it takes quite a lot to actually surprise me. He planned out every single detail like a Russian spy. Under false pretences, we flew down to Strand in Cape Town. I was under the impression that we were there to celebrate Jacques’ grandfathers’ birthday with the family. Everyone was in on it. My mother-in-law actually packed fake suitcases as they were supposedly driving from Bloemfontein to Cape Town just a few hours after us. I suspected something but convinced myself that it was selfish to think of my own engagement on Grandpa Kelly’s birthday.

When we got to their holiday home in the Strand, I was actually the one to suggest that we go and have a late lunch down the road. At the restaurant, Jacques got up and went to the restroom. A waiter brought me an envelope saying that I was supposed to go outside and get into a white car.

When I got outside, the whole street was full of white cars. I was confused for a moment and scared that I might get abducted if I got into a strangers car. Luckily I recognised one of our friends in a white car. I got in the car and received a second envelope. It was a treasure hunt. I had to figure out every clue on my own and every envelope had a puzzle piece with it. Eventually the clues led me back to their home. Once upstairs, I had to assemble the puzzle which turned out to say “Sal jy met my …”

The last clue asked me to go down to the beach and find him. When I got there, a small table with candles and champagne was set up. He was standing on the windy beach and first mocked me for taking so long to build the puzzle. He then asked me what the puzzle had said. I told him that the puzzle was incomplete and only said, “Sal jy met my…” He then opened up his jacket and he was wearing a black shirt that said “TROU?” With not a single doubt in my mind I said yes!

Laid back Inspiration

From the start we wanted a wedding with a relaxed and laid back atmosphere. We lived and breathed the motto: A beautiful wedding people might remember for a while, but a fun wedding they’ll remember forever. I actually had the décor and venue figured out before we even got engaged (after six years a girls’ mind cannot help but wander).

I got inspiration form everything and everyone. Lots of older people actually had some very good ideas and some parts of the wedding just popped into my mind while I was at work. Lastly, I can honestly say that I am now a professional Pinterest guru.

A Venue that captured their hearts:

When we first started talking about marriage we drove around Bloemfontein and when we drove onto the Warm Karoo property. I told Jacques that this was where I was going to get married. After the engagement we viewed every other venue in and around Bloemfontein but my heart was already set on Warm Karoo and no other venue could match it. I was especially drawn to the wooden beams in the chapel and in the main hall. I thought that it would make for great photos, and it did.

A Dress made to fit:

I never really tried on a lot of dresses. I knew what I liked and what I felt comfortable in. I’ve always said that I want a wedding dress that fits me and not a dress that I have to fit in to. I’ve never heard a bad word uttered about Julie Wedderburn and I now know why. She made me feel so comfortable and confident. She is a perfectionist and really does go the extra mile. She was honest without being offensive and if I could do everything over, I would choose her time and time again.

Friends on Hair & Make-Up:

Long-time friend and my most trusted beautician, Lucinda Lombard from Almyhart was in charge of making my bridesmaids even prettier than they already were. Amy Olden did my own airbrush makeup and made me feel so good about myself. Even without the makeup. Jana Azar is also a friend of mine and I wouldn’t have trusted anyone else to do our hair on the big day.

When hearts collide – The most memorable moment:

Her: The most memorable moment of the day was when I touched his arm at the end of the aisle. I was nervous as my Dad and I walked down the aisle. When my Dad handed me over to him and I got to put my arm through his, my whole body relaxed and my heart felt at home. I knew that what we were doing on this day was straight out of the hand of God.

His: My most memorable moment is captured in the moment right before she walked in and the moment I saw her as she walked in. I am normally not an emotional person and I was not sure if I was going to shed a tear at the moment she walked in. But before her song started playing, a bag piper named Mark played a beautiful song to celebrate her Scottish heritage and that was when the waterworks started.

An officiant with soul:

Pastor Leon Fourie officiated the ceremony. He and his wife have been married for 25 years and we wanted someone dear to our hearts to marry us. We also did our pre-marital counselling with Pastor Leon and his wife so he knows us on a personal and individual level as well. I would recommend pre-marital counselling to every newly engaged couple as it keeps your mind on what’s actually important during wedding planning and helps with what comes after it.

A Photographer who walks the journey:

Just after our engagement, Jacques and I discussed three things that we wanted from our photographer. We wanted someone with experience, someone who would be committed to us and with whom we could form a comfortable and relaxed friendship. And lastly, we wanted great results. Organictales ticked all the boxes and then included a few more. Her service before, on and after the day was impeccable.

The importance of our wedding photos came down to this: After spending months and months planning the cake and décor and dress and shoes and venue and food and wine and vows and speeches, we wanted it all captured in time in a creative and artistic way. We want to look back in 40 years’ time and still feel the same emotions that we experienced on our wedding day. We wanted photos that would last a lifetime because that’s what we want out of our marriage.

A professional and creative videographer:

A wedding video was one of the few things my new husband just wouldn’t budge on. After realizing what a wedding costs in real life we desperately tried to cut down on a few things. I immediately thought that cutting the wedding video would help. Luckily, Jacques wouldn’t hear any of it. It was one of the few things about the wedding that he wouldn’t compromise on. Today I can only thank him for that.

Raisingflags is as good as it gets. We decided to get wedding videographers as well as a photographer because we wanted every single moment, every laugh and every cry captured in time. A photo captures a moment in time, but we wanted to capture the atmosphere of the day as well. Francois and his team delivered professional and friendly service, both before on and after our wedding day. It was great to hear that our photographer and videographer actually organized to meet each other before the wedding, just to plan how, when and where they would be shooting.

The Rings:

I wanted a yellow gold ring because I wanted to do things differently. I originally chose a design that, Pinterest recommended. Jacques received two of the three diamonds from his parents and bought the third one himself. My sister designed the ring according to the three diamonds and included some of the original design as well.

We chose Jacques’ ring while walking around in jewellery shops. I wanted his ring to also have some gold tones to match mine. He wears his rubber wedding ring most days but puts on his real one every chance he gets.

A Coordinator included:

Warm Karoo includes its own wedding coordinator. She comes in a small and friendly but dynamite package that is Tammy. Tammy was there to guide and advice from the beginning to the end. I trusted her with literally EVERYTHING. It was because of her that I could rest easy the night before the wedding.

Music to bring the feet out to dance:

Starsound delivered exactly what we asked for. It was great that they knew the venue and that the venue knew them. From the entrance until the last song, the DJ’s were great. We could not have asked for better.

A Perfect day to cherish:

I wouldn’t change anything about the day. It was perfect from the beginning to the end. If I could, I would make the day a few hours longer. Just to celebrate our perfect day for as long as I could.

Ilze & Jacques’s Advice to Other Couples:

To any couples still in the whirlwind that is planning a wedding, I would advise that you make time for your better half without all the wedding mojo. It’s really important to try and switch off from wedding planning and to remind yourself why and for whom, you are doing it all. Remember that your wedding is just one day in the rest of your life. Try and soak up all the little details, capture every moment in your mind. Make time for your guests, but do spend a few moments alone with the most important person there.

Thank you to all the service providers who contributed to the day:

Venue: Warm Karoo
Videography: Raising flags
Decor hire: Grand Room Design
Dress: Julie Wedderburn
Make-up: Amy Olden

November 21, 2017

Love4

Rose Barn – Jeffreys Bay Wedding

By ORGANICTALESUncategorized, WeddingNo Comments

The Rose Barn – Jeffreys Bay Wedding.

A Windy Chapter

Growing up as a Freestate farm girl, I would always wonder about a shore-side lifestyle in Jeffreys Bay. Little did I know that a love story would be the reason for me to drive hundreds of kilometers to visit this part of our country.

Since moving to Cape Town, wind has become a big part of my daily life and experience. I am sure that all other shore-side dwellers will agree that strong stormy winds are regular visitors. The day before Karla & Martin’s wedding, we all silently hoped for a windless celebration. But as the day quietly woke, the leaves started to softly rustle in the trees – keeping up the rhythm with the guinea fowl song. After breakfast it was clear that the wind had no intention of turning down its song, and why should it?! It was a day to celebrate love and even the wind wanted to sing its greatest love song! And oh! What a song it was!

I asked Karla & Martin to express their emotions from the day. Scroll down and read their story:

Where it began – A Romantic Proposal:

My friend sent me a message asking if we wanted to go for sundowners in Bean se Bos (in Patensie) after work. Obviously, we said yes! Five o’clock I was dressed and ready for Sundowners. Martin called and said he is going to be a bit late as he is still working. I called my friend and wanted to ask her if I can join them while Martin can come when he’s done. She didn’t answer because she was on her way to Port Elizabeth to her boyfriend and Martin and Jeanie (who was my maid of honor) were lighting up Bean se Bos… literally. Eventually Martin picked me up and off we went. We walked through the woods and eventually we came to a little spot next to the river. I saw a fire, fairy lights EVERYWHERE, flowers, a carpet, champagne and two champagne glasses. Everything happened in slow motion. He was on his knees and I cried while saying YES!!

A Minimalistic Classic Atmosphere:

The style of our wedding was minimalistic… chic but classic.

I am not someone who likes “tierlantyntjies” so I always knew I wanted white and lots of candles and fairy lights. I ended up choosing white and the tones of gold/copper/rose gold with a touch of black. Pinterest was my inspiration! I don’t know how people did it before Pinterest LOL!

A Splendid Venue!

We got married at The Rose Barn, Jeffreys Bay. It was love at first sight!
We were at a friend’s wedding at The Rose Barn, when I saw the venue for the first time. I told Martin that if we get married one day I want to get married there. So that is what we did! It was the number one venue for the both of us.

The Perfect Rings to Seal the Deal:

I looked on Pinterest for ring inspiration. I found five designs that I really liked, but couldn’t choose one. Martin ended up choosing the one he liked best and sent it to Marnic Tait, who is a goldsmith and a very close friend. It was incredibly special to have a friend make my ring.
Martin’s ring is from Dear Rae. He tried a lot of rings but couldn’t find the one. A friend suggested that we look on Dear Rea’s website and there we found his gorgeous ring.

Bring the Make Up! Bring the Brushes! Let’s make those lips luscious!

Samuel Beck and one of his stylist, Mia, did our hair. Samuel Beck has his own hair salon in Jeffreys Bay but is originally from England. What an amazing, kind and creative team!

Rose Bruins from St. Francis Bay (originally from Cape Town) did our makeup. She has years of experience and worked with some of the top magazines in South Africa. She is such a sweetheart! She did everything I asked for and surely has a special touch with makeup. I am extremely satisfied with all three of them and thankful that they made sure that we look beautiful.

Lace adorned with love – a Dress to die for!

I had so many ideas for my dress! I eventually decided to go for a few fittings, just to get a better idea of what looks good on me and what doesn’t. I combined a dress and skirt that fit me like a glove. It was not what I thought would look good on me. I didn’t want to buy a dress, I wanted someone to make it. I was told to go to Carina le Roux (in Jeffreys Bay), because she is the best. And WOW!!! She truly is the best! I love my ‘classy and dreamy’ vibe dress.

The Start of Future Nostalgia:

The most memorable moment of the day was walking down the aisle with my dad and having him marry us. I will cherish that forever and a day! For Martin the most memorable moment of the day was seeing me walking down the aisle. Having a night photo session was also very special to the both of us. At the very end of the night we danced on top of the bar while our very dear friends sang “Time of my life”. We will never forget that!

A Down to Earth Photographer:

I love photos! It is such an important part of my life and on our wedding day it was no different. Our photographer is funny, loving, talented and very professional. We had a blast! We feel blessed to have had ORGANICTALES as our photographer. Landi, You captured the most important day of our lives.
Thank you, Annerie Myburgh for assisting on the day.

We wouldn’t change a thing!

At first I thought I wanted to change the weather, if I could. The wind was insane! But looking back now I wouldn’t change the weather because the photo’s are breathtaking. The wind kept it interesting. So, no I wouldn’t change the weather. If I could, though, I would probably make time stand still from time to time. The day went by too fast. I had so much fun and want to do it again! BEST.DAY.EVER!

Food Fit for Kings & Queens!

Aqua Food and Catering from St. Francis Bay oversaw the delicious food for the night and made sure that we ate like kings.

The Harvest Table:
After the ceremony, the guests were treated with flutes of sparkling wine with berries and a harvest table – from stacked cheeses with fruit, a variety of stuffed olives, freshly baked breads, relishes, pesto etc. to a tray service with tempura fish, calamari and fresh onion soup with toasted cheese sandwiches.

The Main:
The main course was plated with tender slow cooked lamb served on rosemary mash potato and ratatouille.

Something for the sweet tooth:
The dessert table and wedding cake were made by Kiosk, situated in Patensie and owned by Jeanie du Preez. Kiosk believes in a balanced approach to life… the 80/20 approach. 80% of the food is wholesome, natural and good for the body. The other 20% is good for the soul! For our wedding, Kiosk wanted indulgence in abundance. The guest feasted on macarons (not macaroons), salted caramel popcorn bedazzled with gold and rose gold edible glitter, baked cheesecakes, brownies, cranberry blondies, and chocolate pretzel cookies. The wedding cake was significant! The top tier: Almond, lemon and raspberry torte; bottom tier: good ol’red velvet cake. All slathered in Italian Meringue Buttercream. I know, right! The best of the best. And yes, we did have a bar.

Boogy on the dance floor!

Collin Nance was our DJ. He did everything, and more, that we asked for. He played a big variety of songs and read the crowd like a boss. The atmosphere was amazing. He knows how to celebrate… we couldn’t stop dancing… hence, we ended up on the bar with the last song.

Karla & Martin’s advice:

To couples who are still planning their wedding: Do not be afraid to ask people to help. Hand out tasks, do not try to do everything yourself. Take care of yourself and your fiancé. Rest and when the day comes relax, breathe and take a good look at everything and everyone every now and again.

The most difficult part was the guest list and table seating. What helped? Keep it close to your heart… You do not have to invite everyone you know. People know that. And the table seating… again, keep it close to your heart.

Budgeting advice:

The budget it always a difficult question. What is your budget for your dress? What is your budget for food? I hated those questions because we didn’t have a fixed budget. We just knew what we could afford and what we couldn’t, and so will you. If it wasn’t affordable I simply had to let it go and you know what? It’s fine! I still had my perfect wedding regardless.

We are off to BALI!!!

Excited to the max! Martin and I couldn’t leave for honeymoon straight after the wedding due to work related reasons – so we still have that to look forward to.

The day in One Sentence:

We had the time of our lives and we owe it all to You! – “I have found the one whom my soul loves.” Song of Solomon 3:4

Have your wedding documented by clicking here

November 14, 2017

Love5

Karoo Street Wedding

By ORGANICTALESWedding2 Comments

A Karoo Street Wedding that will tickle your emotions.
As a farm girl, I have grown to love the vast horizons of the Karoo. The absolute quiet of nights with a big blanket of stars stretched over the skies.
When I first met Pieter & Clarise to talk about their wedding, I knew that our paths didn’t just cross briefly. Instead I was convinced that it was the start of a journey of friendship and laughter.

I traveled through the vast Karoo landscapes, from Cape Town to the little town called Hanover. The hospitality and welcoming nature of the family and friends will forever stay engraved in my memories. I asked Clarise & Pieter to tell me a little more about the big day and how they experienced it from their point of view. Here follows their story:

A Karoo Inspired Celebration!

Our dream was to have something out of the ordinary that displays the spirit of the Karoo. The street venue also extends the symbolism of the path that we have been walking together.

Our #DarlingstraatTroue was inspired by the song “Sonneblom uit Bethlehem” by Laurika Rauch

We wanted to display the beauty and sincerity of the Karoo. Jan Sauer from Hanover Boutique Guest House proposed that we make use of his guest house across the church for the reception, it was however, too small and when we came up with the street wedding idea, our possibilities were endless. With the church and the guest house as backdrops, our street wedding was a dream! Alfred form Melikhaya Event Concepts beautifully decorated the street reception. We could only rely on each others’ imaginations and the reality was wonderful! As never seen before!

How did we meet? The moment two paths crossed.

It was a romantic day on Facebook while it was raining outside. An invite lead to a coffee date and a coffee date lead to a wedding date. We share a love for people and laughter.

The Proposal!

Extremely illegal, we climbed over the very high fence surrounding the water reservoir at Heuwelsig in Bloemfontein on my birthday. On top of the reservoir, we overlooked the city and Pieter said he wanted to pray for me. I put my ear against his chest and noticed that his heart was beating very fast. I assumed he suffered from a sudden fear of hights. But it was when he said “amen” and got down onto one knee when I also contracted a sudden fear of heights!

Check out the Engagement Photo’s Here!

Action on the Bowling Field!

Since the majority of guests had to travel from across the country, most of them arrived the day before the big celebration. To make sure the weekend went down in the books of history, guests were invited to show off their wrist flicks on the local Bowling Fields. Everyone had fun and even Pieter showed his friends who was the real man of the match!

Suddenly I understood my grandparent’s deep obsession with this sport. A sport usually associated with today’s elderly – I can openly admit that there was nothing old fashioned about the day’s activity! The tension and laughter rang high!

A Wooden Ring From Prague!

Clarise’s ring was designed by Pieter and it fit her taste and character perfectly.
Pieter’s ring was a gift bought by Clarise in Prague. He loved it so much that he decided to wear it as a wedding ring.

The Wooden Ring was a key element to the wooden theme of Pieter’s attire. With a leather tie, wooden watch and light brown leather shoes, Pieter was a fitting picture of a Karoo Groom.

Pieter got dressed and prepped at his house in Hanover. Surrounded by his brothers and other key members of the family, Clarise could rest assure that her groom would not arrive ungroomed at the ceremony.

Family And Friends as Wedding Planners

Although we did not have a wedding planner, we had great service providers and family and friends who helped make the day a great success. Our wedding planner was our dreams!
The Karoo and it’s small towns have endless possibilities when it comes to finding inspiration and beauty.

The day most certainly fit the description of events you would read about in magazines. Beautifully depicted with Karoo beauty, it felt like stepping in to a Novel from the shelf of a book lover.

A Dress from Moda

My dress was a sale piece from Moda who imports dresses. It was much too big, but I fell in love with its lace. When my mom said that the dress displays myself I knew that this was it. It was altered in size and style, we replaced a lace-up back with small buttons, a straight neckline was turned into a sweetheart neckline and a white ribbon was replaced with a sparkling belt. A few pieces of lace were removed from the bottom of the dress to create a beautiful upper piece.

Clarise’s mom and younger sister were the two chosen ladies to spend the last precious moments together during the final preparation. It was a moment adorned with emotions and excitement when the veil got dropped and mother and daughter looked at each other tenderly. Goosebumps!

The Miracle of Prayer. An Emotional Moment to Cherish.

The most memorable moment of our day was the start to the end! Our favourite moment was when I walked down the aisle towards Pieter. Pieter was overwhelmed with emotion and I knew this was the best walk of my life. My dad was in a serious accident 14 months before our wedding, he was in a wheelchair when we got engaged. Ever since he had undergone various operations and he started practicing walking so that he could walk me down the aisle. What a privilege!
The cherry on top was also that he officiated the wedding and led a beautiful service. What an amazing privilege to hear God’s word spoken through the voice of a father to his daughter and new son.

Something had to give!

If there was one thing we could change?

The weather conditions were not the best since it was extremely windy. The caterers wanted to move the wedding to the city hall, however, we are thankful that we insisted on the open air street wedding and the wind only added character.

A Fearless Photographer

Organictales was not only our photographer, she became a lifetime friend! Landi went through trouble to join our wedding party early and with her friendliness she got on with our guests in a comfortable manner. She even went the extra mile and took honeymoon pictures of us when we met up for a cocktail in Mosselbay a few days after! Photography is a priority for us and Landi professionally photographed every aspect of our wedding and beyond that, made our dreams came true when she captured heart warming moments.

A Creative Videographer!

Videography was done by Carl Viloria from The Spiffy Chap. A daring videographer who makes 200% sure he has the shot.
We Enjoyed Every Moment being part of Carl Jan’s creative Process! Being able to relive every moment in motion is such a special gift.

A Menu with flavours from the vast corners of the landscapes.

Hanover Boutique Guesthouse made sure our guests and service providers had their taste buds satisfied.

On the Menu:
Starters: Canapés served by waiters on platters among the guests: vegetables and dips, biltong & droëwors, fruit skewers, cold meat selection.
Main: Sheep spit, chicken spit, beetroot and bacon salad, greek salad, meat and apricot skewers, pumpkin pie, roosterkoek.
Pudding: Warm chocolate pudding served with custard and ice cream. (We saved money by not having a wedding cake)

Dance Dance Dance!

DJ Brakkies all the way from De Aar made sure the celebration stayed on fire! With a fantastic variety of upbeat music, guests soon forgot about the Karoo Evening Chills from the lurking wind, and instead kept their feet warm on the dance floor.

Advice to other couples still planning their dream celebration

It is great to have your soon-to-be husband involved in the process, ask his opinion and make use of his ideas – you may be surprised! Don’t conform to traditions, add your own value and meaning to the wedding. Think outside the box, it is your one special day. Don’t waste money on things that are not of importance to you.

A Honeymoon never to forget!

What an enriching experience of traveling our beautiful country and meeting amazing people! We started with a one-street town Klaarstroom where we met Koos Roets (famous afrikaans director), went on to Boggomsbaai (near Mosselbay to a beach house we received as a gift for a few days from Hanover friends) and met up for cocktails with our awesome photographer which turned into a honeymoon shoot ? We then went to Waenhuiskrans and met amazing fishermen in Cassiesbaai. Then we went to Strand (also a gift from a Hanover friend) and explored the Cape, next we went to Paternoster a lovely West Coast town. Next we explored the Namakwaland with a sleepover on a Kamieskroon farm in a kliphuisie. Before we got there we nearly ran out of petrol and we met a farmer in Nuwerus who gave us a litre of petrol to get to Bitterfontein! Next up was Augrabies falls!

What a great adventure that we got to experience together!

Watch this awesome highlight video from this unique celebration, shot and compiled by The Spiffy Chap

List of Service Providers and Vendors who contributed to the day:

Photographer: Organictales

Venue and catering: Hanover Boutique Guest House

Decor and planning: Melikhaya Event Concepts

Videography: The Spiffy Chap

Church: NG Kerk Hanover

Spit: Jacques van Zyl

Municipality (permission to have street wedding)

Make-up: Louisé Cockeran

Hair: Monique

Dress: Moda

Music: DJ Brakkies

Wedding invites: Meraci

Thank you cards: Ademarie Haasbroek

Praise & Worship: Meiring de Wet

Cellist: Lara Snyman

Hanover Hotel: Friday evening dinner

October 25, 2017

Love6

Forest44 Stellenbosch Wedding

By ORGANICTALESWeddingOne Comment

Chris & Jenni

~ A Stellenbosch Visual Chapter.

October 25, 2017

Love3

Laatson Porterville Wedding

By ORGANICTALESWedding3 Comments

Laatson Porterville Wedding

It was a perfect Spring day for Francois & Annalize’s day of unity. This beautiful venue, Laatson Onthale lies at the foot of the Olifants River Mountains. With the big fields of canola forming bright yellow blankets under the blue skies, this was definitely an announcement of Spring and Love.

Francois and Annalize traveled down from Windhoek, Namibia to celebrate their unity before God, with friends and family. The day unfolded with a relaxed atmosphere as Annalize was having her hair and make up done by Lindy from Laatson Skoonheid. Her two bridesmaids made sure everything on the day ran according to the schedule. Annalize was wearing her beautiful dress from Vanilla Confetti based in Windhoek.

This day was incredibly perfect, down to earth and yet stylish. Francois & Annalize – thank you for inviting me in to your lives and trusting me with your precious memories.

If you missed their engagement session – Click HERE to view it.

Laatson Porterville Weddiing

Thank you to all the service providers who contributed to this perfect day:

Venue: Laatson Onthale

Bridal Prep: Twin Trees Guesthouse – 17 Basson St, Porterville, 022 931 3187

Make Up & Hair: Laatson Skoonheid

Dress: Vanilla Confetti

Photography Assistant: Johann Latsky

Book Your Wedding By Clicking Here

August 27, 2017

Love2

Karoo Wedding Vows

By ORGANICTALESWeddingOne Comment

Barrydale.
This was my second time in this little Karoo town. The first time I just filled up my car and drove through, but this time I stayed to document the beautiful vows of love between Attie & Shané.
The day unfolded with perfect weather and relaxed anticipation from everyone involved.

What a big honour it was to share and experience this day. Not only were Attie & Shané easy in front of the camera, they also made sure that I enjoyed the day as much as they did.

Sit back with a cup of coffee while you wait for this post to load – So many memories to go through!

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Thank you to all the amazing service providers who contributed to this beautiful day:

Venue and decor: Môre Son, Barrydale

Groom Prep: Sorgvry Guesthouse

ORGANICTALES Recommended:

Dress Design: Magda Grové

Make-up & Hair: Jessica Truter

Jeweller: Van Nierop Juweliers

To Book Your Wedding Click Here

July 9, 2017

Love1

Galloway Forest Nuptials

By ORGANICTALESCouples, Wedding2 Comments

It was a hot February summer’s day. A Friday with not as much as a breeze in the air.
I arrived at Forrest 44 while The Flower Place were busy working there magic with the decor and flowers. Everyone of us having a water bottle close by to make sure the summer heat didn’t get the better of us. This is where I met both mothers – Lydia Boyd and Erica Galloway. Two wonderful women who have both raised two exceptional individuals.

This wedding celebration was by far one for the books. The guests and friends traveled from every corner of the world to form part of these happy festivities and unification of two strong families. It was such a big honour to form part of this beautiful day and over the months prior getting to know Donna and Graeme. It is something very special when clients turn in to friends. I wish you both all the best in the future. I know that every single person who shared this beautiful day with you, love you both dearly from the bottom of their hearts.

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Featured on:
Mooi Troues

Vendors that helped make this wedding beautiful and unique:

Venues:
Reception: Forest 44
Ceremony: Mountain Breeze Resort

Dress Design: Victor Kok

Decor and Flowers:
Flowers: The Flower Place
Lights: Lekker Trou

Hair and makeup: Leanne Muller
Wedding Cake: D’Vine Cakes

String Trio Music: Louisa Theart

July 5, 2017

Love2

Cape Town wedding photographers. cape town wedding. cape town photographers. wedding photographer. organictales. Newlands forest. Engagement Photographer. Cape Town Photographer. photo shoot.

Karoo Stories

By ORGANICTALESWeddingNo Comments

The Karoo. A place with real people, Genuine stories and vast dry landscapes. It is the canvas that Stanley and Elaine chose for their wedding vows.

As I pulled in to Rooiberg Lodge after a 4.5 hour drive from Cape Town, I could smell the rain hanging over the landscape in thick dark clouds. There were still a good 24 hours before the ceremony would take place and some rain would be very welcome in this dry, yet rich desert plain.

Stanley and Elaine’s story started 9 years ago. Both small town kids with a natural love for the big outdoors. They definitely chose a fantastic venue to express this part of their relationship with friends and family traveling wide and far to attend this one-of-a-kind celebration.

It was most certainly one for the books!

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July 2, 2017

Love1

Robertson Valley Wedding

By ORGANICTALESWeddingNo Comments

Duvon Wine Estate – 17-06-2017
A Beautiful family owned wine estate, nestled in the unique mountains of the Robertson Valley – Duvon Estate made for a lovely atmosphere where Johan & Alecia exchanged their promises in front of their closest friends and relatives.
I love intimate and small weddings the best because I love how genuine and real the relationships and laughter flow freely on the day.

This day was perfect! Thank you for making me a part of your most beautiful day.