Zastron Wedding.
Many people are unaware of the beauty which lies within the Free State. This small and intimate Zastron wedding, with only the closest family members, took place on a farm close to Lesotho border. Read their story below.
How did you meet?
We met at crossfit. Being a guy, the first thing that attracted me to Nelda was how beautiful she is. My friend and I were sitting in the gym, my back was to the door, and he said I might like what just walked in. It then took me about three weeks to build up the courage to ask her on, what I thought was a first date. To Nelda it was merely: going to support our friends. As time passed, I became more attracted to her driven nature as well as the way that she could be very gentle and caring.
How did the proposal go down?
It was a complete failure. I had planned a weekend away to propose. Nelda, being Nelda, quickly figured out what the weekend was for. Then, the ring wasn’t completed in time and I had to manage expectations. The ring was ready the day after we got back. I told her I had to work late and went to pick up the ring. I got home with Nelda in her pajamas on the couch. After all, I am getting married to a human being with normal flaws, so why not propose to the REAL version of Nelda? The version that I love most.
Make-up and Hair by Lizel Voigt.
Lizel Voigt, my sister in law made sure I looked beautiful on our special day. She knows my style – I wanted to look like myself with just a touch of make-up and a plain, natural hairstyle. She did an amazing job!
A Joss Couture Dress.
Joss from Joss Couture made my sister in law’s dress which was beautiful and I decided to ask her to make mine as well. Joss Couture is absolutely amazing. She immediately understood the type of dress I wanted; plain but elegant. We made changes from the original design as the dress progressed. For example, initially I didn’t want long sleeves, but during one of the fittings we were playing around with some sleeve ideas and I loved how the lace looked on me. We changed the design to long sleeves – it was an autumn wedding after all…
Plain and Elegant Style.
For us it was meant to be as simple and elegant as possible. We wanted our closest family members and dearest friends to enjoy the day with us
Who were the caterers of the event?
Hanri Goosen from Onder die Akker’was in charge of the food. Hanri is famous in the area for her culinary skills. The highlight of the lunch was definitely the ice-cream with little surprises in it.
Any advice to other couples still in the planning process?
Let the experts do their thing. We have asked Claudia van Niekerk to help out with the flowers and decorations. I only gave her a vague description of what the tables should look like; minimalistic but classy. She then showed me a couple of options and I made a few basic decisions – the rest I left up to her. One of the memories I have is seeing the table for the first time and how impressed I was.
The Photography Experience.
To get all the photographs taken, Landi Groenewald had to travel between five farms: one where the bride got dressed, one where the groom got dressed, one where the ceremony was held, one where the lunch took place and finally the farm where I grew up for the couple’s photos. Landi went the extra mile (literally) with a smile. We are so lucky that Landi was available that weekend and would recommend her professional services to anyone.
Describe your wedding day in ONE sentence.
Riaan – It was the most amazing, love lived day of my entire life.
Nelda – A beautiful autumn afternoon under the shades of a big oak tree in the company of loved ones
Service Providers:
Photographer: Organictales
Dress: Joss Couture
Venue: Onder die Akker. – 079 515 7638
Flowers: Claudia van Niekerk – 082 378 4397
Make-up & Hair: Lizel Voigt