It really was the most spectacular day. We had checked the weather forecast everyday for around 6 weeks and everyday it said the same. Predicted weather - Torrential rain & thunderstorm with a low of 7 degrees. The day before the wedding we had just written it off and accepted that it would rain on our big day (hey its supposed to be good luck anyway). That afternoon, the day before our wedding, the heavens opened up and almost flooded our outdoor ceremony area and the venue's main road, along with any last hopes of a sun filled day. The following morning, I jumped out of bed, pulled back the curtains and was met with beautiful blue skies - not a cloud in sight! But as the day drew on and the girls got pampered, the skies got darker and darker. All I could think was, "nooo! just hang on for a few more hours!" And it did! aside from a few grumbles of thunder during the ceremony, we had only the lightest rain that ensured the most perfect photos! With so much potential for a gloomy day, it turned out absolutely perfect. Our day was filled with laughter, tears, love and sheer happiness. From our groomsmen being auctioned off for a dance to a packed dance floor for the night and unforgettable speeches, we really had the most magical day and wouldn't have changed it for anything.
We went to Phuket, Thailand for the first time! It was such an adventure and ended up travelling over 3000km...exploring on a scooter! We got crazy farmer tans and sweated off any remaining wedding cake, but it was incredible.
My wedding look was elegant and classy with a splash of glitz and glamour. My hair was mostly down and curled over my shoulders (so much more comfy than a posh up do) while my makeup was flawless! (I couldn't get it off in the shower the next morning!) My dress was unbelievable, something out of a fairytale! It got rained on and stepped on and twirled and still stayed perfect the whole night. I had 2 pairs of shoes for the day, beautiful, white court shoe heels for the start and I partied the night away in a pair of custom converse sneakers that said "Mrs Farr" on the heel.
Hair & makeup by Fancy Fiction Hair & Makeup (Kayleigh Heneke)
We got married at Lythwood Lodge in the heart of the KZN Midlands.
The bridal party and close family stayed over the night before along with the bride & groom (although the girls had a sleepover the night before the wedding and the boys were in their own cottage) Most of the guests stayed the night at the venue which meant we all woke up and had breakfast together the morning after the wedding which was an amazing way to catch up and say our goodbyes before everyone left.
I never went on a diet, I ate a bit healthier in general (only a bit) and I went to the gym almost everyday with my other half. (He's a fantastic motivator and a gym bunny of note) I used olaplex at home on my hair to help it gain some life and I enjoyed one or 2 massaged before the big day.
Our decor and flowers were done by "E by A". Like my dress, the decor was elegant, sophisticated and sparkly. Our wedding colours were maroon and navy and I designed almost everything myself (benefits of being a designer) Our ceremony was held under a bedouin tent which gave us the benefits and views of an outdoor wedding without the chance of getting rained on. Our reception hall was breathtaking, we had a few natural elements such as petals everywhere and small tree stumps along with some greenery, but somehow it just worked with the glamorous look that our whole day had.
The groom and groomsmen all hired their suits from "Suit Yourself" in Durban North. The boys were all in a beautiful blue suit with maroon ties and flower buttonholes while the groom was dashing in a dark grey suit, black tie and white shirt. (He was jaw dropping to say the least)
My girls were all dressed in maroon infinity dresses. They all chose the different styles that they wanted along with the hairstyle that best suited their dress. I didnt want to be a bridezilla and dictate how they should dress when at the end of the day I wanted them to feel beautiful and comfortable in what they were wearing. They were all amazing, and looked incredible. (Their dates swooned)
The Original Infinity Dress can be worn 27 different ways, making it the perfect bridesmaid dress for all figures!
We had got legally married before the ceremony, so our marriage officer was a family friend who read a ceremony that I had written. He was amazing and it made it extra special having someone close to us do the ceremony instead of someone we would have only met once or twice.
Our photographers were Andy & Szerdi from Knot Just Pics - seasoned, creative, wonderful people who did more than just take photographs. Andy helped the boys figure out how to attach their flower buttonholes (they had no idea what they were doing) while Szerdi kept us girls all on track and knowing what to expect/do next. They were bubbly and made us feel at ease from the start. Not to mention that their work is unbelievable.
Our videographers were Max & Lara from Twenty Twenty Films - super affordable and went over and above what was expected of them. Travelling from JHB to Durban, arriving extra early to get shots that most wouldn't think of, filmed everything and everything that moved...and that didn't. Our sneak preview was incredible and has been watched over 50 times already in the week that we received it.
We had a coordinator from the venue, who helped piece some bits together and organized the things associated with the venue, but the weekend was planned by myself with the help from my incredible Maid of Honour and wonderful Mom (with the odd, sometimes ridiculous suggestions from the Groom).
The whole wedding I planned while overseas working in Dubai with my man. It was incredibly challenging and added an extra element of stress but the day turned out absolutely perfect.
Transport wasn't a big deal for us as the accommodation was about 100m from the ceremony while the ceremony was about 50m away from the reception! It was awesome and meant everyone and everything was on the same property.
The food was prepared by the venue, we had a plated 3 course meal which everyone raved about (thank goodness) they even catered for the kids and the vegetarians and made special adjustments to the meals for people with allergies.
Our wedding cake was made by the lovely Lauren of "Lauren Lee Cake Couture" We had a three tier cake made up of red velvet, carrot cake and vanilla. It was demolished! An incredibly tasty, good looking cake that was crafted beautifully.
Me! haha I am a designer so i created everything myself. I made an animation for the Save the Date, a website for the invite and I designed and printed all of the pieces for the day. It all turned out beautifully and Im proud of what I created.
We had digital dance lessons with family friends, Ryan & Janelle Junnie from Dance Basics. They were amazing and although we only had 2 lessons with them in person, they created a simple dance for us that looked beautiful that even had a surprise lift at the end! I had to learn 2 dances, one for the father daughter dance and one for the first dance. The father daughter dance was a Viennese waltz while the First dance was a slow Rumba.
We had the most legendary DJ, David Yapp. He was un.believ.able. really incredible. Not only did he have hip busting songs that didnt stop the entire night but he also had these amazing suggestions of fun, entertaining things to do on the night which went down like a house on fire! He also does this thing, which although may sound small, but everytime he saw me that night, he would smile at me and say "Hello Mrs Farr!". He was amazing and I would recommend him endlessly.
The Original Infinity Dress can be worn 27 different ways, making it the perfect bridesmaid dress for all figures!
