Allesverloren Wedding.
~A Windy Chapter.
Tell us about how you met and the attributes that drew you to each other.
We met in 2012 while working at the same company. We became good friends and early on we both saw qualities in each other that we liked, however timing was always an issue as either of us were in other relationships at different times. Qualities we share includes reading, being outside, exercising, spending time with family and eating.
How did the proposal go down?
Mario used our one year anniversary as camouflage and organised a weekend away. While we were busy dining at Tokara, Mario had organised with his sister and the venue where we were staying to make up the room with rose petals and champagne. Trying to play it ultra cool Mario didn’t want to give anything away and we stayed a bit longer than anticipated. As we approached the room we heard a clatter as the ice in the champagne bowl had melted and the whole bowl fell to the ground. Between cleaning the mess he went down on one knee and popped the question. There were laughter, tears and a lot of love.
What was the style of your wedding and where did you find your inspiration?
Nadia loved the idea of getting married outside and we found Allesverloren where the ceremony could take place in the woods which was within our budget. We knew what we liked, but without Pinterest and a few Wedding magazines, we would have been a little lost. The colours, maroon and navy blue, were mainly for winter weddings, but we liked how striking they were and went with it.
Why did you choose your venue?
We had actually made an appointment at another venue close by and our parents came through for moral support. Nadia wasn’t quite convinced about the venue so Mario mentioned that he had been at a wedding at Allesverloren and that it was just down the road. As we all walked through the path toward the forest chapel, Nadia gave her mother this look and Mario knew he had to ask whether Allesverloren could accommodate us.
How did you decide on your dress and where did you find it?
Nadia was never one of those girls who dreamed about her perfect wedding dress since she was a little girl. So once the question was popped, the search was on. She didn’t know what she wanted, but knew what she didn’t like. She ended up trying on the first dress at Ever After Bridal and knew immediately that it was the one.
Is there any special story behind your rings? Where did you find them?
We both gave the other one a choice of a few wedding bands to choose from and not so secretly hinted at which each of us would prefer… with the engagement ring Mario chose a Protea design because it is Nadia’s favourite flower and the Protea was a key feature throughout the wedding appearing on the table arrangements as well as Nadia’s bouquet.
Who made sure your make-up and hair looked beautiful?
Mario‘s cousin, Simone Taljaard and Lismari Boonzaaier, helped with all the girls’ hair on the day. They truly did an amazing job and stayed right on schedule during the entire afternoon. The make-up was done by Liezl Visagie, a friend of Mario‘s sister. She is such a stunning human being and Nadia couldn’t help falling in love with her quirkiness and sense of humor right from the start. She made sure everyone looked beautiful and was also done on time. Nadia’s make-up and hair was a personal highlight.
What was the most memorable moment of the day?
For Mario seeing his bride walking down the isle and how well the first dance went considering his two left feet.
For Nadia it was most definitely the sheer excitement of walking down the isle and looking into her new, and somewhat emotional husband’s eyes. It was the happiest moment of my life and I couldn’t have asked for a better service. It was beautiful and spoke to the heart.
For Nadia it was most definitely the sheer excitement of walking down the isle and looking into her new, and somewhat emotional husband’s eyes. It was the happiest moment of my life and I couldn’t have asked for a better service. It was beautiful and spoke to the heart.
Who officiated the ceremony? How did you find him and what made you choose him?
We were a bit clueless as to who we would ask to officiate as the guests were 99% Afrikaans and we attend an English church, so Suzanne who helped organise all of the decor suggested we give Riaan de Villiers a call. He was incredibly nice from the start and his message on the day was absolutely beautiful.
How did you experience your Photographer’s service and where did the importance of photography fall in your day?
Our Photographer Landi Groenewald from Organictales was amazing since the first day we had coffee with her to meet up about the different wedding packages. We were searching for a certain look and feel that was captured within her style. She was organised, checked in multiple times and helped us out with service providers throughout the planning phase. On the day she was calm and knew exactly what she wanted from us. Even when the wind was howling it didn’t make her stray from what she wanted to achieve with the end result.
For us the photos will forever hold a special place in our hearts, as it will be the only memory we will have when we’re old and grey.
For us the photos will forever hold a special place in our hearts, as it will be the only memory we will have when we’re old and grey.
Who was your videographer and how was the experience of having them present on the day?
Rory from Organictales was our very unexpected, but pleasant surprise. We didn’t plan on having a Videographer, but Landi approached us with the idea and we immediately agreed. He was reserved, but knew what he was doing and gave us great pointers on what to do. We are extremely excited to see what he has in store for us!
Did you have a wedding/event planner and how did this service benefit you before and on the day?
Suzanne Visser from Dear Idea is an old friend of Mario and to be honest we would not have managed without her. She was always willing for a quick cup of coffee just to ease our minds and the decor was stunning. She really was the backbone of the whole day and we will be forever thankful for her.
Who were the caterers who made sure your guests were happy and fed?
Bertus Bester from Allesverloren is also the chef and the food was out of this world. We decided not to do a starter but asked for their famous Harvest Table which carried our guests through to the main meal. That included roast beef and chicken pie with roast potatoes, cream spinach and veggies. For dessert we had a carrot wedding cake and small jars of peppermint crisp and cheesecake.
Any advice to other couples still in the planning process? What was the most difficult and what really helped?
We would have been wrecks without Suzanne from Dear Idea who took all the stress of the decor and flowers off our hands including making a mock-table, setting up on the day and doing the delivery to and from the venue. If it’s within your budget, we would highly recommend hiring someone to help as you don’t necessarily know the industry as well as they do.
Tell us about the Honeymoon!!
Mario kept the destination a secret right up to when we checked in at the airport. We spent our honeymoon in the beautiful town of Ao Nang in Krabi. We had the best time in the most beautiful destination. From spending days on neighbouring islands to just laying on the beach at Railay with a book. It was an unforgettable experience which ended off with two days of shopping in Bangkok.
Service Providers:
Please do not download/copy/lift images from this website. A downloadable link with the full wedding will be made available soon.
Music – DJ Dean
Flowers/Decor – Dear Idea
Venue – Allesverloren
Big Letters – Lekker Trou
Photography – Organictales
Videography – Organictales
Dress – Ever After Bridal
Pastor Riaan de Villiers – 084 795 2223
Champagne – Durbanville Liquors – 021 976 5568
Hair – Simone Taljaard & Lismari Boonzaaier – 084 512 8855
Make-up – Liezl Visagie – 074 361 0757
