I know I’ve said this a thousand times,
but I feel so passionate about the importance of capturing life’s most precious moments.
Every year I try to give back to the universe for blessing me over and over again. Due to COVID-19, it’s been 2 whole years since I’ve held this competition. But I’ve been itching to do so and I finally couldn’t wait any longer.
So if you haven’t booked your photographer for your 2023 wedding, submit the survey at the bottom of this post!
Organictales will offer one lucky couple a chance to WIN FREE WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHY worth R18 000!
THE PRIZE
* A Pre-Wedding Shoot with 30 High Resolution Images * Pre-Wedding Meeting and Discussion * 10 Hours Wedding Day Photography. * High Resolution Digital Files on a USB
But that’s not all! ORGANICTALES will offer special discounted pricing to anyone who entered the competition but didn’t win! (T’s & C’s apply).
ORGANICTALES PHOTOGRAPHY will also sponsor up to 3 other prizes for people who entered this competition but did not receive first prize.
So how do you enter and Win Free Wedding Photography?
THE COMPETITION:
Couples chosen as finalists must be able to meet with me for a VIDEO CALL interview.
All you have to do is fill out the survey at the bottom of this post.
For some extra points you can also go and FOLLOW me on Instagram and like/comment on 5 – 10 of your favourite images on my feed to help me understand which of my photos fall in your favourites list. This helps me to get a better idea of the style and feel you desire in your wedding photography. Find me @Organictales
Fill out this survey below and send through to competitions@organictales.com and stand a chance to WIN FREE WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHY
Entries valid for weddings taking place any time between March 2023 – Dec 2023.
Competition closes 28 Feb 2023.
Since a wedding takes enormous amounts of time to photograph, process and deliver, only couples who complete ALL steps will be considered. This is a very personal gift and therefore only couples who show genuine interest and enthusiasm will be selected as finalists.
Good luck everyone!!
SURVEY
Please DOUBLE check that your email address is correct. If not I will not be able to respond to your entry.
If you have any problems submitting – please email your answers/images directly to: competitions@organictales.com / info@organictales.com
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If you struggle to submit or do not receive any reply from ORGANICTALES within 7 days of submission, please send an email with your answers and photos to competitions@organictales.com
*Organictales Photography reserves the right to cancel this competition or disqualify any entry without notice*
I met Chris & Anje a few months back while attending the Admired in Africa Photographic Conference. During one of the practical sessions, I got to photograph Anje in one of her Silver Swallow dresses and I remember thinking, “Wow! She is such a dream to photograph! She’s going to be a stunning bride one day! Lucky photographer who gets to photograph her wedding!”
So you can imagine the excitement I felt when she contacted me, asking for my wedding collections.
Chris, on the other hand is an extremely humble and fun guy who made the day such an easy breeze of laughter.
Together they manage a successful photography business named Madison & West.
Read their story:
When Photographers fall in love.
We met through mutual friends (Taryn aka mev Pretoria and our MC Quentin).Chris was their Wedding photographer and I was Joshua’s (their little boy) first nursery school teacher.
It wasn’t love at first sight, but we had a mutual love for photography and we became friends instantly.I was drawn to his honesty and the fact that he loves Christ and he liked the fact that I had the same passion for God & photography and that I was a teacher.
Our friendship bloomed into an unfailing love and 6 months down the line we found each other’s hearts.
F.R.I.E.N.D.S Proposal in New York.
It was a very cold and wet day in New York.We were looking for a coffee shop where we could get something to drink but, most of the shops were packed because it was pouring down with rain.We found a little stationary shop where I bought 2 books, a pen and a pencil and then I realised that we were near the F.R.I.E.N.D.S apartment building (the one they show in between scenes, with the red coffee shop) and suggested that maybe it would be a cool idea to go and have coffee there as it was our last day in Manhattan and we are such F.R.I.E.N.D.S fans.
The coffee shop was full but they had a little ledge in the window slil where we could sit and wait for a table…as it was super cozy, we decided to have our coffee right there instead of waiting for a table.Chris wanted to write me a little note in my book so I gave him a moment and when I turned around, to my surprise I saw a note along with my engagement ring.The note read:
Cnr of Bedford & Grove
“I’ll be there for you”
Wel vandag vra ek my beste vriend om te trou.
F.R.I.E.N.D.S
Ps-dink dis nogal ’n cool spot
Baie lief vir jou
…
I was overcome with emotion and said yes instantly!
Lady Anne Bridal and Mia’s Make-up.
Chris’s mom has a bridal studio called Lady Anne Bridal.I absolutely adore her wedding gowns as she stocks some of the best names in the wedding industry.I chose the Katerina by Enzoani (Blue collection 2018) and I felt like a princess (which is so very cliche, but on your wedding day you don’t care for feeling like a million bucks…oops, another cliche!).
Mia from Mia’s makeup.We didn’t have time for a trial and I have got to say, she nailed the look I wanted!Super happy!
A Classic and Humble Style.
Because Chris and I are both Wedding photographers, we have seen so many different settings and themes.So we instantly knew what we liked and disliked as we have discussed this on many occasions.
Cape Town was a great influence for us.Since we love the Cape so much, we decided to get married on Knorhoek wine estate.Fynbos that was in season was also a big influence on our day.We felt like we wanted to be reminded whenever we see that specific fynbos, that time of year, to transport us back to our wedding day and how beautiful everything looked.We also decided to have olive branches as a representation of new beginnings in our decor.
With our wedding style we tried to keep it classic and humble.
We love everything about Knorhoek wine estate and the people on the farm are like family to us.So when we started looking at venues we knew immediately that this is where we wanted to get married as it wouldn’t feel right to get married anywhere else.
The Most Memorable Moment of the Day.
For me:Definitely when I saw Chris as I walked down the aisle.When we met each other at the front, he couldn’t stop telling me how beautiful I looked.
For him:When we walked out of the venue as husband & wife.
For us:The breaking of the glass which serves as a symbol that no one will drink from our Marital cup.
A Father’s message.
My dad officiated the ceremony.It was a personal decision, one that we are very glad we made and something we will cherish as his message was confirmation on many things we have prayed about without him knowing.
Photography & Videography on the day.
Landi is a very hands on photographer.Her communication was thorough throughout and we loved all the sneak peeks she sent us.
As we are both wedding photographers, we understand that Landi experienced extra pressure regarding our photos.So far we are pleasantly surprised with her skill, not only regarding taking photos but also her editing.She has really bent backwards for us and we can see the passion she has for capturing people’s stories.She is not just a photographer who captured our special day, but also a friend and we will highly recommend her!
Willem and Conrad Kriel from Willem Foster Photography, did the videography of our wedding. They had fine attention to detail and handled us with great care.Very focussed, they know what they want to shoot and they worked well with Landi and with us. The way Willem also treated our guests was also something that stood out to us.
Jewelers with attention to detail.
We work with wedding jewellers as we are both photographers.Suvette and Johann (from Piccolo) are true artists and we value their artistic expertise. Suvette phoned me one day with a cool idea to engrave the word “Friends” on the inside of Chris’s ring and I loved that she thought of little details such as this as this just added so beautifully to our story
Towerbosch co-ordinators!
Lize and Marquerite from Towergoed was our wedding co-ordinators. They listened to our ideas and turned that into something spectacular. We didn’t have to worry about anything because they were on top of everything and we would like to really give our sincere thanks to these two awesome women and dear friends of ours.We wouldn’t have trusted anyone else with our wedding day & they made it extra special with your fine attention to detail, love and care. What a great team!
The reception was at Towerbosch restaurant, and by far has the best cuisine we have ever tasted.
On the menu:
Starter: Sesame crusted chicken salad.
Main: Braised Lamb Shoulder Beef Fillet Golden Roasted Potatoes Melange of Vegetables Polenta Pumpkin fritters
Dessert: Towerbosch “Grootgebak” and Wedding Cake.
Advice to other couples.
Make sure that your wedding portrays who you are as a couple.So many people are so obsessed with trends that they forget to “check” if that trend fits their personalities that when they look back at their wedding images 10 years from now their wedding feels very outdated and sometimes over the top.
The Day described in one sentence.
A humble, yet great celebration of two best friends who promised to love each other for the rest of their lives.
Honeymoon in New York.
Our honeymoon was the best!We went back to New York City and obviously enjoyed every minute.We also visited friends in Vegas and had the opportunity to do a few shoots there as well. Pictures below are some of the photos we took of ourselves.
De Uijlenes Forest Weddings have that special touch of magic to them. A popular venue and for good reason! The service delivery is top quality, and let’s not even get started on the amazing food! The day before the wedding, torrential rain poured down with heavy clouds filling the skies. Despite the weather forecast predicting more cloudy weather and rain for the next day, in my heart I knew that some miracle will happen and so it did! Not even one single cloud on the day of the wedding! Joadri and Jacques Matthee chose the most perfect day at the most perfect place. Here is their story.
A Pearly Beach Braai.
In a small town named Pearly Beach, we were both invited to a braai with friends of ours. Believe it or not, but at the start of the evening we really did not like each other very much. But as the night progressed it turned out as we never could have guessed. The evening turned in to a night of dancing on the beach and chatting to each other all through the night. What pulled Joadri to Jacques was the fact that he was such a fun person, a good listener and definitely his attractive and beautiful eyes! Jacques on the other hand was drawn by Joadri’s beautiful smile and how that smile can just light up everyone around her with her beautiful personality. She is such a warm and beautiful woman with an even more beautiful heart.
A Proposal in the Sand.
After 3 years of love and laughter, we planned a picnic at Pearly Beach together. The same beach where we danced all night long that very first time. At the end of the picnic, right before we were ready to go home, Jacques told me to turn around and come see what he wrote in the sand. Joadri turned around only to find Jacques down on one knee with a ring. In the sand he wrote, “SAL JY MET MY TROU.”
After crying for almost 10 minutes, Joadri finally said yes! Completely taken by surprised, especially since they planned the picnic together!
Rose Molteno Creations.
I went to a bridal expo and received a free fitting from Molteno Creations based in Woodstock. I absolutely loved her dresses. After my second fitting with her I found my dress. She also made my veil and garter.
The most memorable moment!
We didn’t see each other for 4 days prior to the big day. So naturally the moment I walked down the aisle and saw Jacques standing at the front, waiting for me, was such a highlight moment of the day. Jacques felt like everything around us just disappeared and that we were the only two people there between 150 guests.
Honeymoon Surprise!
Joadri had no idea where they were going for the honeymoon. She only found out at the airport that they were embarking on a journey to Thailand! They visited Phuket, Phi Phi, Koh Samui and Koh Toa. They also spent a day in Dubai on the way back. Definitely the best holiday ever!
I concluded my 2017 wedding season with a highlight trip to Jongensfontein. A small beach town a few kilometers from Stilbaai. Like most destination weddings, I arrived the day before and met all the close friends and family as we sat around a big camp fire eating barbecued ribs and chatting about the next day’s celebrations.
I think by now most people know that one of my favourite parts about being a wedding photographer is becoming friends with so many wonderful people. The journey leading up to these celebrations is one filled with excitement and hope and I truly feel blessed to walk this journey with so many new friends.
Here follows the unity of Chris-marie & Steyn Wessels:
Growing up as friends
We’ve known each other for most of our lives. We both grew up with our families camping in Jongensfontein over holidays. This is how we met. We only really got to know each other at the end of 2012. First it started as friends and quickly escalated to something more. It was his blue eyes that drew me to him!
A Christmas Present:
On Christmas day 2016 we celebrated our 4th year anniversary. We spent the day with his family, but when we got back to Jongensfontein, we went for a walk on the very same beach we got married on. He dropped to one knee and asked me to marry him!
A Rustic Beach wedding
We decided on a rustic theme and got most of our inspiration from social media, pinterest, friends and family.
We wanted both a beach and a farm wedding. So we decided to get married on the beach where we got engaged and to have our reception on a horse farm, Jongensdal, just outside Jongensfontein. This venue fitted our ideas perfectly.
A dress tailored to her liking
I bought my dress on Gumtree! I took it to the very talented Esna Saayman from Riversdale, who changed the dress to my liking. I wanted an open back and a lot of lace. She made sure that the dress became a dream wedding dress to me. The veil was bought at Bride & Co and was a 5 meter long ivory veil with lace outlines.
Rings plain and simple
We both like a plain setting and that’s how we decided on our rings. My ring was made at Viljoens juweliers in Worcester and Steyn’s wedding ring was made by House of Kallie with a wood inlay. The wood inlay is something he really wanted. My wedding band is a Swarovski rosegold ring.
Sister Love
Stephanie Kamfer from “The Beauty Spot” and Natasha Henning, a cousin of the bride, did a great job with the make-up of the bride, bridesmaids and mother of the bride.
Mariaan Odendaal, the sister of the bride, and Verna-Marie Beukes, a close friend, are both employees of Scar Hair in Cape Town and took care of Chris-marie’s perfect hair.
Martelize Wessels created the wreaths for the bridesmaids’ hair with greens, folded flowers and roses.
Riversdale NG Church
Ds. Deon Beyers from NG Church Riversdale West officiated our wedding. This is the Chrurch I grew up in. He was very well prepared and gave a wonderful message at the ceremony. He also prepared us for the ceremony during a practise session on the beach the day before.
A Photographer with Experience
Landi from Organictales Photography was very professional and we could see that this was definitely not her first time taking wedding photos. She went the extra mile and tried to capture every moment of our special day. She made us feel at ease and was not just a photographer, but also became a friend. Pictures are all you have left after your wedding day and we wanted to make sure we had the best photographer capturing our special moments.
Videographer in motion
Henlu & Karin Cronje from “Cronje Productions” did an excellent job at recording our special day on camera. They literally think about every little detail. I would definitely recommend them to anyone that is getting married.
Memories with Friends and Family
For both of us the most memorable moment of the day was when we walked in at the reception and everyone waited for us with sparkles and something to drink. We could see everyone was having a good time which definitely set the mood for the evening.
A Cash Bar with Cocktails
Hansie Saayman Bar services made gin cocktails, cosmopolitans and had lots of ciders when the guests arrived at the reception. Red wine, white wine and grape juice were from Calitzdorp Wine Cellar and Champagne from KWV. Hansie and his team were very organized and had more than enough available for everyone.
Friends and Food!
Now this is a surprise to everyone… We didn’t have a caterer.
Breads and spreads were made by the bride, the mothers, and grandmothers of the bride and groom.
A close friend of ours did a Lamb Spit for the main. Our farm neighbours organized the kitchen, made the roasted veggies, potatoes and pumpkin fritters. My two aunts made the salad and tropical fruit sticks!
Everyone was so helpful and this was much so cheaper than caterers.
Menu:
Starters:
Snacks and a variety of breads and spreads
Main:
Sheep spit
Sheep spit rolls with mozzarella and bacon inside.
Roasted Veggies
Crispy Potatoes
Pumpkin Fritters
Salad Sticks
Tropical fruit sticks
Desert:
Wedding cake – Carrot cake
Ferrero Roche Tower
Doughnut wall
Take-away/eat-in portion deserts: Chocolate mouse, peppermint crisp tart, cheese cake and strawberry tart.
Music and the Ocean
Charles Du Preez from “Just For You” made sure everything went according to plan with music and sound at the ceremony as well as the reception. He did an exquisite job. One of my bridesmaids, Irma Du Toit, sang a beautiful song at the ceremony called “Far away” written by David Edwards. Jeandre Schultz from the band ‘Slow Jack” in Cape Town, played the guitar while Irma sang while we signed the register. This was a very special moment with the ocean waving in the background and all our friends and family witnessing our union.
Chris-marie & Steyn’s Advice to other couples:
Planning a wedding is a very big step. Be organized and double check everything. Get a good photographer and videographer, because this is all you have left at the end to keep as memories. It is important to have a DJ that knows what they’re doing. Sound and music can make or break a wedding. Don’t try to do everything yourself. Make use of your loved ones, friends and family for advice and planning. Our friends and family were very helpful and without them, our wedding would not have been the same.
Multiple Destination Honeymoon!
We had such a lovely Honeymoon driving from Stillbay to Mosselbay and spending the night at Nyaru Game Lodge. From there we went to PE and then to East London. We had a lovely time at Coffee bay next and had the privilege to see Hole in the wall. We were traveling along the coast till Durban where we got onto the MSC Sinfonia for a 3 night trip to the Portuguese Island.
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!
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 😀
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
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.
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!
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.
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:
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.
Thank you to all the service providers who contributed to this perfect day:
A Cape Town Forest Engagement.
It was a beautiful, windless day in Cape Town. One of those rare gems. I thoroughly enjoyed this day – spending it with the sweetest couple exploring one of the most beautiful forests Cape Town has to offer. This location by far tops my list of favourites and once again it proved why. Afterwards we made our way over to the V&A Waterfront where we were entertained by some cheeky seagulls and cocktails.
The V&A Waterfront is one of Cape Town’s proud settings, where locals, tourists and businesses come together to hear beautiful local sounds and music. With a zest of authentic foods and smells, this is a perfect example of our rainbow nation.
