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