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
