Leading up to the big was super stressful, as it is for most brides. But the day was so magical, everything went smoothly and looked stunning. Thinking back, I don’t know why I stressed so much.
The day was filled with so many great moments and highlights for me but if I had to pick, it would be walking down the isle with my dad towards the man of my dreams. Wow, was such an emotional moment for the three of us and one I’ll never forget.
The honeymoon was a major surprise.... I was given a list of things to pack and knew we were leaving the very next morning. Other than that I had no idea.
During my husbands (I like saying that) speech he whispered in my ear “by the way we are going to Bali”
I am generally a really plain person and not into anything too over the top. So it was a huge surprise to most people that my wedding dress was a ball gown. Heck, it was a surprise to me too. I was something very simple and an A-line but nothing I tried on gave me that “WOW moment” everyone talks about. So as a joke and out of curiosity, just as we were about to end the fitting, I asked if I could try on a ball gown (when else would I ever get the chance). The rest is history, as I walked through the curtain my mom and sister burst into tears and I just didn’t want to take it off.... I felt like a princess.
(Dress: Tying the Knott Bridal Boutique)
Hair and make up I was pretty plain and as natural as possible. I wanted my hair back and out of the way. I loved how it looked and I got a shock when I saw myself in the mirror.
(Make up and hair: Prime by Dana Lewis)
Jewelry and shoes weren’t a major for me so I ended up wearing silver takkies because I wanted to be super comfortable and to dance all night long.
Earrings: Lovisa
Bracelet: American Swiss
Shoes: can’t remember, one of the small shoe boutiques in canal walk
My husband and I chose to get married at the church where we met 10 years ago. We both have a lot of history there and felt it would be very appropriate. We are both Christians so We really wanted God to be a major part of our wedding, and to have the reverence you can only get from being in the church.
Our reception was really small so being in a church meant it was open to all who knew us to come and witness our union. We had our canapés in the church courtyard to spend a bit of time with our guests.
The reception was held on the Oasis deck at Bloemendal Wine Estate in Durbanville. It’s a small venue which worked out perfect for us because we only had 60 guests. The venue has a great outdoor feel but totally sheltered from the weather.
The venue was so warm and welcoming when the sun set and the candles flickered. The atmosphere amoung our guests was awesome as most people knew each other. It was also great for us to mingle with everyone because we had a smaller guest list. I thought it would feel empty but I would have a small wedding again tomorrow. It was a party from the get go!
I’m a hockey player, so I made to stay away leading up to the wedding to ensure that I didnt end up with a sexy bruise or a broken hand. So I had to do my own exercise to make sure I looked good on the day. About a month before I started with a personal trainer twice a week and then trained on my own in between.
(PT: Lauren Bruyns- planet fitness Platterkloof)
In terms of diet, I initially did the 28 day diet plan which brought me down 6kg. After which a combination of no alcohol, portion control, limiting caffeine and tons of water. I was happy with what I achieved although with the dress I chose it didn’t really matter as I carry most of my weight on my bum and thighs. So as a result the dress had to be altered a week before the wedding.
(See 28 day diet on Facebook)
I didn’t have any specific beauty regime except for the general cleansing, toning and moisturizing. Eating well really does the trick as far as skin is concerned.
(Skin products: Clinique)
I absolutely loved our decor. I didn’t want anything to elaborate and over the top.
We decided on long tables with white tablecloths and a runner of pennygum, with roses. Lots and lots of candles.
The name tags my husband and I made from pallet wood and painted each persons name in white. These hung off the back of the chair.
We had little hessian bags with the cutlery in them and a few menus of each table which I made myself too.
The flowers and decor was all done by the very lovely Janine van Tonder from Prickly Pear. Amazing service and they can create any dream into a reality for their brides.
Our photographer was the very talented Lauren Pretorius. She also captured our engagement shoot and got a good sense of who we are as a couple.
Her photos are natural and she tries to capture all the emotions.
She is very professional and everything was so well presented.
We had a videographer and they also did the photo booth as well. But this was no ordinary photo booth... it includes slow motion clips of the guests in the booth which is really fun and a good laugh watching it after.
Videographers and photographers are the most important thing for me. They make sure you remember your day for years to come. To be able to hear your vows and listen to the speeches again is incredible.
The food was done by Bom Amis, the venues restaurant. They are really known for their amazing food. We had a three course meal but gave our guests the option between two starters, mains and desert. This was because we enjoyed the tasting so much we couldn’t narrow it down.
The cake was made by a very special lady, basically my second mom. She doesn’t do wedding cakes anymore but did my cake, cupcakes and canapes.
The cake was a naked cake with a mix of chocolate and vanilla with bar one in between. Cupcakes were exactly the same but in little plastic boxes for guests to take home.
The reception was such a blast. Everyone got on so well and with the help of amazing music it was a sure winner from the get go.
Our Dj was Juan from the company DJ Dean. Juan met with us prior to discuss our tastes in music. He also worked many times at the venue so know exactly how to set up and how much lighting etc he needed.
