We wanted something low key that wouldn't cost and arm and a leg, but we also wanted something that was very "us". My wedding planner told me it was the weirdest wedding she ever planned... and that's also why it was also the best:
The bridesmaids each wore a unique dress because I didn't want anyone spending the day feeling self-conscious in a dress that they weren't 100% crazy about. The ceremony only took 10 minutes, the very definition of short and sweet. We also skipped a lot of the old stuffy traditions and replaced the cake cutting with a piñata beating, since the theme of the wedding was Mexican Fiesta. It was inspired by my pollen allergies actually; we couldn't use flowers so we went with succulents, greenery, cacti and a few dozen bottles of tequila to tie the decor off, of course.
It was wild and fun and every guest I've run into since told me it was the best wedding they've ever been to. Be yourself and the big day will take care of itself.
Not in a traditional sense either. I was working for an ad agency that needed models for a video they were shooting for a luxury hotel that is famous for destination weddings. I was like "I've got the dress. I've got the hubby and I didn't lose all this weight for nothin'. How about us?" So they flew us off to a private island in Mozambique the month after our wedding where we spent more time in front of the camera than honeymooning, but it was sensational and we have a pro video of it all to remember it by as well. You can watch it at https://youtu.be/n73g1DQUhW4.
I wanted something that wasn't so over-the-top that I would look at it 30 years from now and be like what the heck was I thinking, so I kept it very classic vintage but easygoing at the same time. The dress was a lace and chiffon A-line number with a plunging neckline that still keeps it classy, though my favourite part was the back which was sheer and secured with a long line of pearl buttons up my spine. It goes with my pearl wedding band. My bridesmaids leant me the rest: pearl studs and a diamond and gold vintage bracelet. And the shoes were burgundy velvet ankle-strap sandal heels that I still wear regularly. My cousin who studied hair and beauty saw to all that for me, but since I never got the flower crown until the actual day the upstyle we planned wasn't working at all with it. I ended up with a downstyle and I'm actually very glad for it. Unplanned doesn't always mean worse.
We got married at Gulu Private Resort (amazing amazing family business, run by incredible people) in East London where my dad lives and where I spent a lot of childhood holidays so it was a bit of a destination wedding and the guests had to fly in and spend the weekend. They stayed at Igoda Mouth which is right on the beach and we had a pre-wedding party that only finished at 2am or so on the day of. You'd think all the guests were hungover, but they weren't. I think they were pretty stoked to see what the wedding would be like if that was just the before party.
Honestly not much. We had been engaged for like 4 years when my then fiance decided he couldn't wait any longer and we set the date for just six months later. I was really busy with work and studies so my prep only started like 2 months before. I went blonder, whitened my teeth at home and did a home facial the week before so that was about it. I didn't exercise at all but I lost 2 or 3 kg through healthy eating and stress, of course. I then got my nails done the week before the wedding. And that's all folks.
Whoops already did that. The venue did basically everything for me (the tables, the decor, the hall, the flower crowns etc) and incredibly so at that, especially when you consider that I was just sending them Pinterest photos from Joburg and I only got to see the finished product on the day. I was 100% happy. The only thing that I asked them to change was my flower crown which was different from my bridesmaids (but not as nice since it was made with fake flowers because of my allergies) so they quickly whipped me up the same one and just dowsed it in hairspray to keep the pollen from coming loose. Pretty genius.
Suits. Who knows? I'm just impressed they all pulled it off.
I hate the way brides always impose one style and colour on all their bridesmaids which inadvertently only ends up suiting one of them. I wanted my bridesmaids to feel amazing and I'm a huge fan of the mixed trend so I told them to pick whatever they wanted and coordinate with each other. They decided to pick one colour as a guide so they all had unique dresses in different shades and lengths. And the effect was nothing short of amazing in my opinion.
A very good friend of ours married us unofficially at the actual wedding. We only did the official stuff in court about 2 months later. It was just easier that way because it meant one less thing to do before the wedding.
A friend did our video and we used Reflective Images for our photos. Very affordable in comparison to other photographers.
The family that owns the venue planned my wedding and I am eternally grateful. They are very talented.
The groomsmen and father of the bride shuttled everyone around and their was quite a bit of lift sharing.
The venue whipped us up some succulent themed cupcakes (much more practical than wedding cake) and they were gone in a flash.
The venue whipped us up some succulent themed cupcakes (much more practical than wedding cake) and they were gone in a flash.
All invites were digital and made by me on Wix.
See the wedding invite at http://caitlynstorm5.wixsite.com/mysite-3
See the save the date at http://caitlynstorm5.wixsite.com/mysite-2
Everything else was chalkboards and mirrors, so I guess our wedding was pretty paperless, barring the confetti that my dad spent the morning making with the punch to manage his pre-wedding stress. I highly recommend it for all fathers of the bride.
We went with a DJ who did all the sound and lighting. I wish I had found the time to put together a play list of all our favourite songs as I had wanted to but it turned out okay. Everyone just asked for whatever they wanted. We didn't take dance lessons because we wanted the dance to be super natural and I'm glad. I've been to so many weddings where you can see the discomfort as the couple tries to remember the steps or visibly count them out. Forget that and just have fun is what I say.
