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Roodezand Wedding – Max & Kate

By Uncategorized, WeddingNo Comments

Roodezand Wedding.

Why did you choose your venue?

Finding a venue was the first thing we did when we started the planning process, because once we had a venue we could secure the date. 

We came up with a list of what we wanted from a venue – size, layout, chapel, view, distance from Cape Town. Our first venue viewing was quite a laugh though, because Max forgot his contact lenses at home – so his impression of the venue was very different to mine! 

After viewing lots of venues, every weekend, we were referred to Roodezand Wedding Venue in Tulbagh by a friend of a friend. We emailed Karen to ask for their pricing before we set up a viewing, and we really appreciated her upfrontness, her ‘no hidden cost’ claims, and her transparency. We were tired of hearing about venue hire fees, and then finding out later about the long list of additional charges. Karen was clear from the beginning about what was included and excluded, and how much we would have to pay. When we went to go view Roodezand, she also sold us with her wonderful knowledge of wedding planning, and her helpfulness. The venue was stunning, and we loved the mountains surrounding it. We also loved that Karen took so much pride in the service she offered, going as far as providing complimentary cordials for the table as to not have bright coloured cooldrink clashing with the decor. We loved how she treated and spoke about her staff, and how accommodating everyone was.

What was the most memorable moment of the day?

Kate – I would love to say walking down the aisle, but to be honest, that’s a bit of a blur for me. I loved walking through the confetti passage and seeing all our friends. But most of all, I just loved having everyone there. I loved that wherever I went during the day there was someone that I was excited to see. It’s amazing being surrounded by all your favourite people. 

Max – Ah there are so many! If I had to choose it was when I got to shake my now father in law’s hand and then took Kate’s hand. There was lots of secrecy about her dress and I had no idea what it looked like, it was the most epic moment when I eventually got to see it; and start the adventure that is marriage in front of God and everyone that’s important to us.

How did you experience your Photographer’s service and where did the importance of photography fall in your day?

Choosing the right photographer for our day was a top priority for us, because we knew that the photos of the day would be something that we would cherish forever. Landi Groenewald was great from the very beginning, and her years of wedding experience were very helpful. She shared some wedding timelines with that gave us a very good starting point for planning the flow of our day. She was also full of really great ideas about how to arrange your wedding timeline in a different way to make the best of your time with your guests, and utilize the best light for photos. 

We wanted to do an engagement shoot so that we could get comfortable with getting our photo taken as a couple (I think most people don’t get their photo taken very often unless they’re models?) and Organictales was super accommodating. She gave us some great ideas for spots to do the shoot, and went out of her way to make our crazy (and somewhat last minute) ideas work. Our engagement shoot was so much fun with Landi, and we knew we were in good hands for the wedding. 

On the wedding day Landi was relaxed (which made us relax) and was able to give us guidance on what we needed to do to get the best photos without us having to do weird stuff. We also really appreciated how organised and structured she was. She managed and guided our wedding party and family well, and really helped the day flow. She is also just such a lovely, likeable person that everyone enjoyed working with her. 

If  there was anything about the day you wish you could change what would it be?

There’s not a single thing we’d change. Even the unexpected rain and clouds played their part in making our wedding day special – by giving our guests relief from the heat, and providing us with a beautiful backdrop for photos

Any advice to other couples still in the planning process? What was the most difficult and what really helped?

  • Talk to your partner about your expectations for the day. Both people have thought about their wedding and what they want it to be like, not just the brides!
  • Decide what you want your wedding to look and feel like, and then take it from there.
  • Coming up with our top 4 priorities really helped us stay focused. It’s really easy to get swept up in all the wedding craze. You decide in the beginning that you want your day to be simple, the next minute you’re requesting quotes for chewing gum papers printed with your monogram! 
  • Share the admin. Keep everything in a folder on Google Drive or Dropbox so it’s accessible from wherever you are and on all devices (I remember we almost did our table layout on a piece of A3 paper – imagine we lost it! Very glad we just did it on a google sheet). 
  • Be fussy about your service providers. Find people whose work you love, and then give them the freedom to make your day beautiful. Let them be the experts, no matter how informed you think you are, you’re doing this for the first time, and they’re doing it for the 100th. 
  • Be nice; to your guests that keep changing their minds about their RSVP, to your service providers, to your partner, to your bridal party. This is meant to be a time of celebration, not of trauma. 

Describe your wedding day in ONE sentence. 

The most perfect start to our adventure!

 

Service Providers:

Venue – Roodezand wedding venue

Videographer – Dynamite Productions

Flowers – Designs by Marcel

DJ – BA Sound Solutions 

Wedding dress – Cindy Bam: http://www.cindybam.com

Engagement Ring – Dear Rae 

Wedding Bands – Famke 

Hair and Makeup – Skoonlief 

 

February 18, 2020
Love0

Memoire Wedding – Trudie & Enrico

By WeddingOne Comment

Memoire Wedding.

“Where every moment is a memory.”

Tell us about how you met and the attributes that drew you to each other.

Enrico: Having struggled to meet someone in our busy lives, we both turned to Elite Singles, a dating App, beginning of 2018. I always knew about this site, however for some reason the time just never felt right until 2018. I guess this was fate as I would not have met my wife had I not waited until the time that I did. What attracted me to her was the fact that she was beautiful, kind, caring and loving.

Trudie-Elize: After three months on the app I was about to delete my profile when I found a message in my inbox from a man that seemed to fit my criteria at first glance. We met in person after a month and I knew very soon that I have found my potential husband. I was drawn to his authenticity, loving nature and his mind. His judgement, general knowledge and the fact that he is so versatile. I believe that there is nothing that he cannot do, and he always has a plan to execute. He is a cautious risk taker and I just absolutely love every part of him!

How did the proposal go down?

I took my wife to a horse-riding farm in Hartebeespoort. She loves animals, especially horses and this place allowed for a romantic couples’ outride. She had a suspicion that I was planning something special since she is usually the person in charge of planning our weekend activities but could not be 100% sure. She thought that if I was to propose that I would jump off the horse along the ride to do so but this was not the case – There was a romantic picnic waiting for us close to the end that she was unaware of. The guide played along and had us jump up and down from the horses to meet zebras and game on our path. This in conjunction with the fact that I took the ring out of the ring box and placed it in my jean pocket confused her as she was trying to spot the ring box to be sure of my intentions. we arrived at the picnic spot, got off the horses and walked over to a beautiful table setting decorated with roses and champagne in the middle of the woods with heart shapes all around in the trees. I got down on one knee and asked her if she’d marry me. She was so surprised that she at first didn’t say anything. She just extended her left hand to me, to which I replied that I needed and answer before I could put the ring on. She then said “yes, a million times yes”, I placed the ring on her finger, and we kissed. They left us in the woods for a while and it gave us a chance to enjoy each other’s company as a newly engaged couple before we headed back with the horses.

How did you decide on your dress and where did you find it?

I was torn between two dresses initially from The Bridal Wardrobe. I went for a second fitting at a different branch but in my moment of doubt they brought out the Nina dress. I couldn’t get the dress out of my mind and went for one last fitting appointment with my mother and immediately forgot about the two other dresses I saw. The dress had all the features and uniqueness that I wanted and the style that Enrico mentioned he liked. I was looking for a romantic lace dress that made me feel sexy but look elegant and that was exactly what I found.

Who made sure your make-up and hair looked beautiful?

Nerine Bleeker was my make-up artist and also a close family member. She owns Dandily studio. Kylie Gehm – van der Merwe from Chase Hairdressing made sure our hair was done and photo-ready. Both comes highly recommended.

What was the most memorable moment of the day?

Enrico: When she walked down the aisle. She looked so beautiful and the suspense was finally over, she was my wife.

Trudie-Elize: I second that – it was such a special and indescribable moment. It started the moment my father came to the bridal room to take me to church, the walk up to the church with my parents by my side and then walking down the aisle. I couldn’t stop smiling – at that very moment the whole world suddenly faded and all I noticed was Enrico waiting at the end of the aisle. His face lighted up and I suddenly realized that I was going to be his wife – it made me so excited! This was the start of our forever journey.

Is there any special story behind your rings? Where did you find them?

We designed our own rings. I showed Enrico a picture of what I imagined my ring to look like. He then designed a custom white gold ring with personal modifications and had it 3D printed just for me. The diamond was specifically chosen with special consideration to the clarity and color. I wanted the diamond to have at least one flaw given my belief that perfection does not exist, but imperfections make us unique and beautiful. My mother has a 3-diamond ring that represent the marriage between them with God at the center. I wanted to replicate the meaning of her ring hence the 3-diamonds on my ring as well.

For Enrico we initially didn’t think to design a ring but each time we came close to finding something he liked, they either didn’t have his size or it was not made from the material he wanted. He preferred having a two-toned ring and that is when we started the designing process. He designed a white gold and rose gold ring. I took the opportunity to surprise him with our fingerprints and wedding date engraved on the inside. It made his ring completely unique and special – just like him!

Who officiated the ceremony? How did you find her and what made you choose her?

Carissa Millicent Jonker. She is not a minister but one of my dearest friends. We met in grade 1 and since then never lost contact. She was a strong spiritual leader throughout our friendship and that made me think of her the moment we got engaged. I wanted to keep the wedding very personal. She was just amazing and made the day extra special.

How did you experience your Photographer’s service and where did the importance of photography fall in your day?

The photos were very important to us since it captured the beautiful moments that soon become everlasting memories. We now get to relive the special moments and see them from a different perspective. Landi was amazing – she took charge where necessary, went above and beyond to make the day special and made us feel very comfortable. Her work obviously speaks for itself.  “All-in-one” is the best way to describe her service.

Who was your videographer and how was the experience of having them present on the day?

Rory from Organictales came highly recommended by Landi and he definitely did not disappoint. They were fun to have around and again made us feel very comfortable.

If there was anything about the day you wish you could change what would it be?

The day was amazing and perfect but went by so quickly. If only it was a possibility – we would wish for time to slow down. We would advise other couples to keep it simple. The less complicated the day – the more time you have to enjoy and take in the moment. It is easy to get caught up in the details when planning a wedding for such a long time only to realize that it did not even matter that much. The important moments you remember money can’t buy.

Tell us about the Honeymoon!!

In one word – “Priceless”

We started our honeymoon off in Paris and made our way to the South of France where we visited Nice, Avignon and Monaco. We continued our journey to Italy, Venice and ended our honeymoon in Rome. It was amazing travelling abroad and although we kept quite busy, it was well worth it. It was Enrico’s first time overseas and we managed to see many of the historical monuments and places that we have only dreamed about seeing one day. Some of our favorite sights included the Eifel Tower, The arc de Triomphe, the Coliseum and Sistine chapel. We enjoyed spending some quality time with each other and working together to find our way around. We built some amazing memories and will treasure it for a lifetime.

 

Service Providers:

(please do not copy or lift images from this site. A downloadable gallery will be made available to the couple)

Venue:  Memoire Wedding & Function Venue

Photography: ORGANICTALES

Videography: ORGANICTALES

Dress: The Bridal Wardrobe

Suit:  Cavalier, The Gentleman’s Store

Make-up: Dandily Studio

Hair: Chase Hairdressing

Music: Soundworx

Stationary: Lily Young Designs

Cake: Cocovanilla Foods

 

 

October 28, 2019
Love6

Diamant Estate Wedding – Sara & Morgan

By WeddingNo Comments

Diamant Estate Wedding.

~The Manor House Chapter

The Meeting.

Morgan:
Sara and I met on flight BD772 on Saturday the 17th October 2009. We were each returning to London from Cairo after separately travelling to Egypt with different friends.
My trip had been slightly traumatic and included being scammed into buying fake perfume in Cairo, unnecessarily riding camels (instead of taking a bus!) to the pyramids, being detained by the Egyptian army for several hours at a military base in Suez, getting lost and arriving at the Israeli border during the night and bursting an ear drum whilst diving in Dahab. Sara has been far wiser (as usual) and booked a guided holiday that went fantastically.
Sara found me speaking to a friend in the aisle and the three of us sparked up a conversation. She had only recently arrived in Europe and was eager to share her contiki adventures whilst we tried to impress her with our own recent  stories from Egypt. We chatted for the entire flight before sharing contact details when it was time to return to our seats for landing.
I was initially drawn to Sara since she was always up for an adventure. Over time I realised that she was an extremely kind and compassionate person which makes her a wonderful companion. It also doesn’t hurt that we have many similar tastes in terms of food, travel, music etc.
Sara:
Morgan’s story about how we met is 100% true! It was one of the most interesting flights ever. I remember thinking these guys were really funny, and their misadventures in Egypt sounded like something out of fiction, so very impressive! Morgan did well despite being barely able to hear me with his burst ear drum. When it was time to leave them, I remember watching them walk through the border together, and hoping that I would get the chance to see him again. He has said he was doing the same thing, and hearing him say that on our wedding night made me realise how lucky we are.
Over our years together I have been constantly drawn to Morgan, and as our time grew, he has pulled me closer. He is kind, loving, and respects me for who I am. He says I’m up for adventure and that’s true, but he has always been the one searching for our next little trip, and sometimes I can take some convincing to go along for the ride. It is because of him that have I learnt to ski, scuba dive, drive a car, climb a mountain, ride around Asia on a scooter, and perhaps most exotic of all, go to Cuba on whim without really knowing what to expect. I have him to thank for bringing out the best in me, and I love that we are going to have a whole lifetime together to keep adventuring. He is my best friend.

 

The Proposal.

Morgan:
The proposal went down terribly! I had known for several years that I wanted to propose to Sara and despite usually being impatient I planned it thoroughly. On a holiday home over Christmas I discussed my plans with my parents and my father very kindly gave me the stone from his mother’s engagement ring. I returned to London and found a jeweler to commission a bespoke ring in time for our summer holiday to Corfu. Unfortunately the ring wasn’t quite ready on time but it was our final trip for the summer and after consulting a few of my female friends I decided to proceed without the ring! After arriving in Corfu I planned to pop the question at a romantic little restaurant on a jetty over the ocean. On the afternoon that we were due to have dinner there we found ourselves sitting alone at a restaurant overlooking a beautiful beach called Agios Gordios. Sara commented on how perfect the setting was and I spontaneously decided to do it then and there! Unfortunately I didn’t drop a knee and had no ring so she initially thought that I was joking! It wasn’t exactly smooth sailing but she said yes and shortly after we had a celebratory drink with my brother and his fiance.

 

Sara:
The proposal was not a fairy tale! I had no idea Morgan was planning to propose. I had for years (despite not thinking it would happen) prepared what I would say if he ever proposed to me and I can say that I said none of that!

The beach was beautiful. Turquoise water, steep cliffs and it was virtually empty apart from us, perched on a sand dune watching the sun set. I can see why he threw caution to the wind! After I said yes and apologised for not taking him seriously, I thought about everything I wished I said, and later, I said it all. I think we both felt better after that. The next few days were surreal, and spending those times with Damian and Thomas made it even more special. When we got back to London, many of our friends also shared their own proposal stories… as it turns out, it NEVER goes to plan!

The Rings.

Morgan:
Sara’s engagement ring is a bespoke design that uses my grandmother’s diamond as it’s main feature. We decided to get matching wedding bands that were made from the same material as the engagement ring. We found a local jeweler in London to provide these but when we went to visit Sara thought that I looked stressed out about the process. When we left I admitted that I had had a terrible headache in the shop explained my facial expressions. Nevertheless the rings turned out perfectly!

Sara:
My engagement ring is important to me. Morgan’s family gave him the diamond from his grandmother’s ring, which is very sentimental. From that moment, I felt like I had been trusted with an important responsibility. On top of that, Morgan had designed the ring in secret, and I admire him for his resolve to do that. It ring is beautiful, I love it, and it’s an honour to wear a family heirloom. Our wedding bands are very simple, owing to Morgan having a very bad headache while we were in the shop, so designs were decided swiftly. Ultimately, the simplicity is exactly what we both wanted

Diamant Estate Wedding.

We fell in love with Diamant Estate on our first visit. The whole venue is fantastic but we were drawn to the Manor House and the lovely lawn overlooking Paarl. We couldn’t have been happier with our choice and it would seem that our guests agreed since many commented on the venue during the wedding day.

Peter Smallbones, a priest from the Claremont Baptist Church, officiated. Peter’s wife works with my mother who suggested that we consider him. We chose him because he was known to the family and also because of his very relaxed and friendly demeanor.

Mon Amour Events – Jessica Thiart.

Morgan:
We found Jessica Thiart of Mon Amour Events through our friends Mike and Antonia. They had a lovely wedding in Stellenbosch and couldn’t stop raving about Jessica so we asked for her details and met to discuss our plans a few days later. We really couldn’t rate this service highly enough! Jessica was instrumental in every aspect of the event and we never could have done it without her. It was especially useful since we are based overseas. We especially liked her consistently  calm demeanor which allowed us to enjoy the day to the fullest!

Sara:
We approached Jessica from Mon Amour Events for her business card at our friends, Mike and Antonia’s wedding. We loved the wedding in Stellenbosch, and after months of indecision on where we would be married, we finally knew it be possible in South Africa. From the very beginning Jessica was perfect for us. Extremely organised, and patient with us being far away, she did an amazing job of organising our wedding. People always say things go wrong on your wedding day…that is not an option if Jessica is on your team!

Cape  Town Wedding Photographer.

Morgan:
We found Landi and Organictales through a recommendation from my dad after he had seen some of her work online. We really liked her style and thought that it might be a small way that we could include my dad in our planning. We met Landi for a coffee and her service ever since has been absolutely phenomenal. She is incredibly professional, responsive, organised, relaxed and passionate. We knew that the photos would form an import part of our memories of the day and are so pleased with the beautiful pictures from Organictales!

Sara:
Morgan’s dad suggested Organictales after his love of horses led him to gorgeous shot of girl and horse which was taken by Landi. We had already been offered a list of photographers from our wedding planner, but we both liked the creativity of Landi’s photographs and also thought we could include Morgan’s dad in the planning by choosing his suggestion. It was the right decision. Landi is a professional. I loved her commitment to getting a shot right, and importantly as someone who is by default uncomfortable in front of a camera, she did her best to make me feel comfortable and beautiful. I’m sure our wedding photos will capture the happiness of the day

 

Service Providers:
(Please do not copy, lift or download images from this site. A Downloadable Link will be made available to service providers to download images soon)

Venue:  Diamant Estate

Photography: Organictales
Assistants:  Anje van Dalen  &  Graham Richardson

Coordination and Planning: Mon Amour Events

Catering: Red Pepper Catering

Lighting: Authentic Planning

Flowers: Bouwer Flowers

Live Entertainment: Angelo and Jane

DJ and Sound: Music 2 the Max

March 6, 2019
Love0
peppertree wedding

The Time Grandma Caught the Bouquet!

By Wedding2 Comments

Pepper Tree Wedding.

~A Classic but Timeless Chapter.

I first met Carla & Janco about a year ago when I photographed another unique wedding in the heart of the Karoo.  If there is one thing I always single out as my favourite part of my photography journey, it is the fact that I meet so many amazing people at my weddings.  Cara and Janco are just some more proof of that.  So I was pretty excited when Carla contacted me a few months later to say they got engaged and that she needed to book me as soon as possible!  I knew this would be a unique journey and even their engagement images were a treat!  Scroll down to read their story from how they met to how they abseiled down a cliff on Honeymoon!

 

Tell us about how you met and the attributes that drew you to each other?

We met in September 2011 on the dance floor of a Bloemfontein hang-out spot.  A bunch of friends and I wanted to dance, but sadly we didn’t know any men to dance with us!  As fate had it, I bumped in to an old friend who introduced us to a bunch of men in the same dilemma.  A perfect match!  Before I knew it, there was a tall, brown-haired man with a flowerprint shirt standing in front of me asking if I wanted to dance.  To my own astonishment, I jumped up and yelled “Yippee!!”
We started dancing and talking that night and we just never stopped again.  It was the start to the dance of the rest of our lives together.

Some of the attributes that draw us to each other is most definitely the fact that we find the other extremely attractive!  Janco describes it as an “internal happiness” he can see in my eyes.  Janco on the other hand can literally talk to me about any topic you can think of!  Even flower arrangements!

The Proposal.

One afternoon after work, we drove through to Kimberley for a bit of shopping.  On our way back to Boshof we decided to pop in at KFC which made the day feel like a hot summer holiday from the movies.  I told Janco that I feel like painting my nails just because I can!  He immediately agreed that we should do that later!

When we got back home, my neighbour and I took my bulldog pup for a walk and by the time we returned it was already quite dark, only to find ourselves in a moment of infamous Load Shedding without electricity.  Janco already had the house set up with a bunch of candles, a bottle of wine, music and the nail polish ready.

After my nails were dry, Janco gave me a hug and I could hear his heart beating right out of his chest!  I became so concerned that something was wrong and kept asking if he was okay.  The next moment the man went down on his knee, holding a ring towards me.  He was the most beautiful picture framed through that ring! I became so excited that I started running around in the house from excitement.  He had to bring me back and calm me down to give him my answer.  But I only gave him my “YES” after he reassured me that he had my parents’ permission! Haha!

Pepper Tree Wedding Venue.

The style of the wedding was only confirmed once I had my dress.  Classic and Timeless.  The flowers had to be different colours and there had to be a hint of rose gold.  In the end I decided that nothing matched, but overall it still made a beautiful image together.  My inspiration of course came from Instagram and Pinterest.

We only looked at one venue in person and then decided to just look further online.  I only had one request which was that the chapel should not have a thatched roof and that there needs to be a lot of natural light available.  Janco also only had one request and that was that everything needs to happen inside since we did not want to stress ourselves in regards to the weather.  We saw Pepper Tree Wedding Venue online and booked our date and a viewing.  We fell in love with the garden, the timeless feel and how welcoming everything was.

How did you decide on the dress and where did you find it?

One morning during the June Winter Holidays, my mother and I went to Bloemfontein to go dress shopping.  We went to 3 different stores, yet I had no idea what I was looking for.  They say the dress first needs to fit your body and second your taste! Haha!  At the third shop I probably fitted about 13 dresses in 5 minutes!  In that pile of dresses there was one that just kept talking to me and eventually stole my heart.  Bridal Emporium in Bloemfontein really helped me so much!

Is there any special story behind the rings.

Janco designed and drew pictures of my ring while he worked in America for a year.  I never really showed him what I liked, but I did tell him that if a ring is rose gold, I would like the diamond to be a clear white diamond, but if the ring was white gold then the diamond had to be pink!  He clearly did listen to me and when he returned to South Africa, he had it made by Philip in Kimberley.

His ring, on the other hand, is completely the opposite.  It is rough and something very different.  He is a farmer and works with his hands a lot and well… Janco himself is also very different.  His ring is oxidized silver with a golden rif welded on top.  It is also bruised and hammered to give it its rough look.  It represents the fact that not everything is perfect but in the great picture everything still remains beautiful and unique.

 

Who made sure your make up and hair looked beautiful.

Vanilla Moon in Bloemfontein is a bride’s one stop shop!  They definitely made sure I looked absolutely gorgeous and knew exactly what I wanted.

Most memorable moment.

I really want to say that the whole day was a memorable moment!  But there definitely were highlights!  One of the moments I will cherish was when I walked down the aisle with my dad, and seeing Janco waiting for me in front.  I felt so excited and yet so calm!
Another highlight was walking through the confetti and all the special dances that followed that evening with my husband and then also with my  dad.  A favourite moment was indeed when my grandmother caught the bouquet!  We joked with her before the wedding that we will set her up with a handsome hunk for the night, and what do you know! There she caught the bouquet!

How did you experience your photographers services….

WOW WOW WOW! When Landi Groenewald walked in to my room that morning while we were getting ready, everything started feeling real!  She was great!  I figured that if I book Landi for the photos I wouldn’t need a videographer! Haha!  She made us feel so at ease and she literally gets along with everyone and every guest on the day!

Who were the caterers.

Pepper Tree Wedding Venue was in charge of the catering.  The food was unbelievably delicious! My mother baked the cake and cupcakes and two friends helped her to decorate it all.

We also had a gin bar that was open during the Canapes.  A cash bar with extra cooldrinks and water were available during the canapes time, and later for everyone else’s hard tac.  We provided the Sparkling Wine for the toasts and enough wine for everyone who wanted to give the bar a skip.

 

Who made sure there was good music and sound?

Our DJ was Gert Deysel.  A man of many talents!  He is a dairy farmer as well as a DJ!! How awesome is that!  The chap lives right around the corner from Petrusburg and he had all our guests dancing and moving to the beat!

Is there anything about the day you wish you could change?

I actually never thought about that question!  I wouldn’t change a thing, come to think of it.  Even though it rained, the day still turned out perfectly magical!

Any advice to couples still in the planning process.

ENJOY the planning process and… MAKE LISTS.  My mother was the one who suggested and enforced the plan to make lists because I more often than not have the attitude of “let’s just wing it!”

Tell us about the Honeymoon….

We don’t kiss and tell….
Haha! We went to Clarence for 1 night, then 4 nights in Uvongo at Pebble Beach and lastly we spent 2 nights in the Drakensberg mountains at Berghouse Cottages. It was so unbelievable!  I don’t think we have ever laughed or ate as much!

Janco also had me abseil down a 160m high cliff at Oribigorge in Kwazulu-Natal!  The man is testing my limits! Haha!  But as a result I received my first certificate with my new surname on it!

Describe your wedding day in one sentence.

“Classy with a twist, friends,  music, fun, love, happiness, flowers, family and LOVE.”

 

SERVICE PROVIDERS:

(Please do not screenshot or copy images from this webpage.  A download link will be made available to the bride soon)

VENUE: PEPPER TREE WEDDING VENUE

PHOTOGRAPHY: ORGANICTALES

DRESS: BRIDAL EMPORIUM

FLOWERS: WALDORF

DECOR: HARTSLIEF

STATIONARY: TROULANTYNTJIES

HAIR AND MAKE UP: VANILLA MOON

DJ: GERT DEYSEL

ASSISTANT: ANGELA BUTLER

 

January 19, 2019
Love2

Chris & Anje’s Knorhoek Wedding

By WeddingOne Comment

Knorhoek Autumn Wedding

~A Photographer’s tale.

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.

Service Providers:

Venue:  Knorhoek 

Photography:  ORGANICTALES PHOTOGRAPHY

Videography:  Willem Foster Photography

Dress:  Lady Anne Bridal

Make-up Artist:  Mia’s makeup

Hair Extentions:  Strands of love

Cake:  The Perfect Match

January 17, 2019
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Allesverloren – Nadia & Mario

By WeddingOne Comment

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.

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.

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
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
January 3, 2019
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Cape Town Wedding – Conrad & Sanet

By WeddingNo Comments

Cape Town Wedding

~An AfrikaBurn Chapter

 

“We met on 15 January 5 years ago at a friend’s welcoming back party from Canada.  The party was at Pakolo Beach Bar in Houtbay and Conrad and I started a conversation about AfrikaBurn Outreach.  I was very keen to get involved in the outreach and the charity side of AfrikaBurn which is something that Conrad and his friend Rob Weinek started a few years earlier.  The party moved to my friend, Danielle’s house and it went in to the early morning hours with lots of laughing, dancing and guitar playing out on the porch.  Two days later, two different friends informed me that Conrad would like to have my number so he could take me out on a date.  Conrad’s generous and kind heart is what drew me to him.  He always try to give back to people less fortunate than himself and he is also a little old fashioned which I like.

On my birthday, 3 years ago, Conrad planned a big surprise; A secret he and my friends kept from me for months! Friends were so scared of accidentally saying something or letting the cat out of the bag that they avoided me and didn’t talk to me, so I was completely in the dark!  For my birthday he booked us in to the Twelve Apostles Hotel and after a whole bunch of funny things happened, he proposed to me after dinner.  It was absolutely amazing!  The room had so many rose petals thrown all over that we could hardly open the hotel room door!  I really did not expect a thing!  I initially thought that the hotel really over did things for a birthday and I was completely oblivious to the fact that this beautiful man was going to pop the question!”

 

Service Providers:
(Please do not copy, lift or screenshot images from this page. A downloadable link will soon be made available for all images)

Coordinator: Mon Amour Events

Photography: ORGANICTALES

Catering: Two Chefs Catering

Dress: The Wedding Boutique

Hair: Craig Taylor

Make-up: Algria Ferreira

 

 

December 20, 2018
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The Oaks Estate Wedding – Why intimate weddings are so unique

By Wedding3 Comments

The Oaks Estate Wedding

A full moon chapter.

Natalie & Rian’s The Oaks Estate Wedding will always be one I will remember.  Their compassionate way of life, their kind natures and genuine emotions shared on the day are some of the rare gems we still find today.  Their wedding took place a day after my birthday and on a full moon evening, so the best birthday present I could have received from anyone, was to be invited to document their special chapter and milestone of their union, so unique and so blessed in love.
Enjoy their wedding with me by reading their story below:

 

How a new journey started.

My ex husband actually introduced us.  It was a work introduction but secretly my ex thought that we would hit it off, which we clearly did.  We had such a good connection and rapport from the beginning.  I knew that didn’t come along everyday.  Rian still had to learn that and he was going through a divorce after 16 years of marriage.

There are some keen attributes about each other that draws us closer
Rian says that when I enter a room my smile and personality changes the atmosphere.  To me, Rian is a good man, not an everyday find, and of course his ‘George Clooney’ good looks! haha!

The proposal that didn’t include a tree.

The proposal happened on my birthday.  He took me to the plot we had bought together, told me that my birthday present would be the cornerstone of our new home.  I was expecting a tree.  He got down on one knee and presented a beautiful Protea diamond ring.  Not quite a tree!

 

The Elizabeth Stockenstrom Dress – Why a custom made dress isn’t for everyone.

Rian’s cousin is quite a famous designer and I went to see him for my dress.  However, in my heart I wanted to not have my dress made as I was too nervous.  I wanted to see my dress, fit it on and immediately know I had found the one.  So I didn’t use Victor Kok, but he did give me the name of a very talented photographer who had taken photos for his website.  When I saw the photos I knew she was the one!  My Pilates instructor happened to mention Elizabeth Stockenstrohm for wedding dresses and I fell in love with her style!  I found the one that fit my personality and style on the day.

Talita from Mist Make-Up.

I used Talita from Mist make up who does airbrush make up resulting in a very natural finish.  I went to Talita for my hair and make up trial and then also ended up doing microblading through her.  At the end she felt like a friend!  As I didn’t want bridesmaids she was the one who helped me get dressed.

The Oaks Estate

Greyton was a special place for us as we had spent an impromptu and very romantic weekend there after a break in our relationship, and that weekend will always be considered as a special reunion.  After the engagement we decided to tour some of the wedding venues/farms around Greyton.  The Oaks Estate was at the end of the road and when we saw its beauty and elegance I just knew it was the place for us.

Our wedding is what I believe is termed a destination wedding.  It was held on The Oaks Estate and took place over the entire weekend,  The actual wedding had the theme of an elegant dinner party, complete with a jazz band and wine and food pairing.

We used Marianne , the owner of The Oaks Estate as our wedding coordinator.  She knows The Oaks Estate the best and it all looked unbelievably beautiful! From the wedding arch she built and decorated to the beautiful flowers everywhere!  Lanterns and firepits throughout the garden.  It all created a fairtale look!

 

Most memorable moment of the day:

The merging of our two families in such a special way as part of the ceremony.  Rian stood at the alter flanked by his two eldest boys.  I had my son walk me down the aisle, led by the little ones Caitlin and James.  We exchanged vows on the most perfect of winter days with the mountains in front of us, the birds chirping, donkey baying and our good friend leading us in our exchange of vows!

Photography by Organictales.

Landi and Ronel made both Rian and I feel so relaxed.  I knew I was in great hands with Organictales.  We didn’t want to be away from our guests for too long and Landi respected this and kept her shots within the allocated hour.  However, in that hour we went bundu bashing up mountains, into forests, chasing the sun to  get what I know will be unbelievable shots!

Rian used his creative designer who specialised in videography to shoot our wedding video and he created a stunning montage including drone footage of the farm.

Jazz Band named Moonshine from Shoutmc.

Rian and I both love music and one of my desires was to have a jazz band at the wedding.  Landi told me about an amazing band she had just seen at one of her previous weddings which I then got in touch with.  Dan from Shoutmc provided both the jazz band Moonshine and a DJ.  The jazz band was one of the highlights for me really adding to the theme of elegant dinner party!

.

Catering by Herman & Phillipus @254 Driefontein.

The Oaks Estate recommended Herman and Phillipus form 254 , just down the road from her at their farm, Driefontein.  They invited us to one of their Sunday lunches they do on the farm and we were sold!  As Rian and I are foodies, great food had to be a big part of the wedding.  I was inspired by the Tasting menu served at Chefs Wharehouse and that became our inspiration.  Herman and Phillipus were very excited as they had never done anything like this before.  We had a three course tasting menu paired with some exceptional wine chosen by our friend Shelley who is somewhat of a wine expert!
We had a cash bar since wee supplied all the wine and bubbly but thought it best that people pay for their own hard tac

Shelley’s Pairing with the Menu:
In selecting and pairing wines with food, two primary aims evolved:
for the wine to complement and highlight the main components and special notes within the food, and for the selected wines to reflect and celebrate some of Nat and Rian’s special experiences and qualities.

First course

Black Oyster Catcher -White Pearl

Like our couple, this is a full-bodied and complex wine, the components of which have been handpicked with care, and allowed to join and release their unique qualities with minimal interference.

Described by the estate as an exceptional food wine, it is fully French in origin . the 60% Sav blanc brings fruitiness and a crisp minerality. which matches the green asparagus, and complements our rich and flavourful N European salmon. The 40% wooded Semillon offers a mouthfelt creaminess. as well as citrus and ginger notes, which are also to be found in the warm and gently spiced pumpkin soup, with its gingerbread croutons – isn’t that such a clever idea ?! Together the complexity and creaminess of the blend stands up to, and complements, the foresty burnt sage butter and the softly piquant shells of the pasta.

And then, to return to our couple and their union: this beautiful blend comes from the BlackOysterCatcher winery at the Cool southern tip of Africa, at Elim – which is right near Nat’s holiday home at Struisbaai, which has for some time already been shared with and enjoyed by this new blended family.

Second course 

Fairview Piekenierskloof Grenache

Our second course is a Mediterranean course of risotto and caprese salad. It is paired with Grenache, a cultivar originating in the Mediterranean region as well.

You may be interested to know that Pinot Noir is the red wine recommended to be served with seafood risotto.  I believe Nat and I show our class (or strength of personality?  or lack of class?)  by rejecting this lighter pinot noir, which is made from vines that are quite fragile and difficult to grow.  Instead, we have chosen a wine light enough to respect rather than overpower the delicacy of the seafood – but a more robust earthy peppery option to meet the richness of the risotto as well as our desire for abundance and wildness … sorry I’m getting carried away let me just refer to the wild red berry flavor.

This particular Grenache was sourced from Fairview, where we have spent many good times with a friend of ours who manages the farm there.

Like each of these two beloved and newly married people, these Grenache grapes from the Piekenierskloof, north of Paarl near Citrusdal, are amazingly robust and rewarding living things.
The high lying vines, withstand and even thrive in poor environments and under extreme (weather) conditions, to deliver profound style and joy. Sound like our peeps?

Grenache is usually used in blends to provide backbone (our couple has plenty of that) and to support other varietals in living their best life (our couple , as you know,  are dedicated parents and back friends in this way too).

Fairview has allowed Grenache to have its day in the limelight and be the centre of its own story, as we do for Nat and Rian today.

Third course 

Chocolate block

Some of you may have been exposed to the combination of red meat and chocolate some years back, but we are not going retro tonight.
And while it is no mystery how Nat feels about chocolate… [for laughter] there is some ongoing and unexplained mystery about the name of this blend from Boekenhoutskloof in Franschoek, as it is not a chocolate wine.

The wine, like our couple, has secrets to keep –  in this case the secret of a changing but consistently high quality and rich blend for each season (or year).
The wine, and Nat and Rian, are full in body and structure and flavor.
This 2016 blend, which is a Rhone (rather than a Bordeaux) blend, comprises 79% syrah (the French style of shiraz), Grenache (11%), Cabernet Sauvignon (6%) in new oak, Cinsaut (3%) and Viognier (1%).

It seems important to acknowledge the role of intuition and pure indulgent pleasure in the couple’s choice of this wine.

Because the wine offers  an indulgent pleasure:  Opulent and silky on the palate, deep with red and black fruit, soft in spice and tannins, slightly sweet with hints of violet and turkish delight, a breath of black pepper, a long lingering finish .. which all together actually bely a good press of alcohol…

And the highly personal and instinctual, rather than cerebral, forces involved in making this a favourite wine of Nat and Rian , have also resulted in the presence of a wine on our tables that has been described as a red for reds – and what are we about to enjoy but a course of red red and red meat !
A wine that is sweet and soft enough for the heat and fragrant spice of the curry, dark and structured to complement the delectably rich and tasty parcels of lamb with mushrooms and port, and refined and peppery enough for the classic beef fillet and its creamy sauce.

So, a nod to our beloveds for their good taste, and an invitation to the figurehead on the label of this brand to accompany Rian and Natalie: a lady who carries a dove of peace and hope, and guards intrinsic quality.

A magical day surrounded by love and beauty!

The day was a fairytale and I would change nothing! Other than the fact that our MC drove off with our keys so we had to, along with all our kids, sleep in my parents cottage.  My mom woke up the next morning to find a kid on every couch! Her response was: “Oh how lovely! You are all here!”

Advice to other couples:

Plan as much as you can before the time but then there comes a point where you have to leave everything in the hands of the professionals you have hired and just relax and enjoy the day!  The other thing I would really recommend is a wedding weekend.  The Friday night dinner is an icebreaker for the bride and groom to greet their guests and for the guests to get to know each other.  This takes so much pressure off the day, as everyone has already met and you don’t have to go table to table.  We could actually just relax and enjoy our dinner!

 

Service Providers –
(PLEASE DO NOT LIFT IMAGES FROM THIS WEBSITE. PLEASE CONTACT LANDI BEFORE DOWNLOADING IMAGES)

Photography: ORGANICTALES
Photography Assistant & Second Photographer:  Ronel Strauss
Venue: The Oaks Estate
Dress: Elizabeth Stockenstrom
Make Up & Hair: Mist Make-up
Music: Shoutmc – Moonshine Jazz Band
Catering:  Hermand & Phillipus @254 Driefontein Farm Restaurant

August 27, 2018
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De Uijlenes Forest Wedding

By WeddingNo Comments

De Uijlenes Forest Wedding.

~The Rustic Farm Chapter.

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!

 

Service Providers:

Venue:  De Uijlenes
Photographer: ORGANICTALES
Dress: Molteno Creations
Flowers and Decor:  Mother of the bride and De Uijlenes
Music: Sunset Seat Shop

June 18, 2018
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