I'm a DIY kind of gal and a bit of a control freak too, and was planning on doing everything myself. I however had to learn to lean on other people to make our special day a reality as I ended up in hospital a week before the wedding. I was discharged two days before the wedding and still had so much to do. I don't know what I would have done without our hard working families, who jumped right in and took control of everything. Not being in control was pretty hard for me to cope with, but as my mum walked me down the aisle, and I saw my soon to be husband tear-up, made me forget about it all. The control freak in me, let go and I was able to live in the moment and enjoy the most precious day with my husband and our families. We weren't planning on having any wedding formalities, so it came as a surprise when Marius went down on his knee and asked me to dance, what made it even more special was that not only was it our first dance as husband and wife, it was our first dance ever.
We did yes! We were fortunate enough to make Dubai one of our honeymoon destinations. The tourist attractions were majestic. Everything just seems to be bigger and better in Dubai. Even though Dubai has so much to offer, the dessert safari was by far the highlight of our stay. After the rush of city life we opted for Khao Lak in Thailand as the second destination. Here we were able to relax, unwind and enjoy our time together as newlyweds. The beauty of the islands are picture perfect, with white sandy beaches, crystal clear water and lush greenery. The food was to die for and the people were so friendly and humble, that it made it hard to go back home. The beauty of mother nature was the perfect backdrop to an awesome experience, one that I was able enjoy with my best friend.
Natural.
Christine Scheffer from CS Bridal did an awesome job on my hair and makeup. My hair was in an elegant boho up-style, and was completed with a MOOI Design Bespoke Bridal Accessories hair vine. Makeup was easy, as I wanted a natural look, but still wanted to feel and look the part of a bride, which Christine was able to achieve effortlessly.
Christine also did the hair of my sister, mother and mother-in-law. Minette Brand, who assisted Christine on the day, made sure that their makeup highlighted their true beauty.
Finding a dress turned out to be trickier than I had anticipated, as it took forever to find something that I liked, after hunting high and low for THE right one, I came across an online pre-loved wedding dress site called Stillwhite. After viewing a couple of the dresses, I found THE one. I then arranged for a fitting, and it fit me perfectly, I decided there and then that this would be my wedding dress.
The string of pearls I wore, was my something old and something borrowed, as they were my great grandmothers' pearls.
We got married at a sweet little venue called The Rustic Rose. It was perfect for our small intimate wedding. The venue doesn't have accommodation, but there were so many lovely guesthouses in the vicinity.
I always imagined having a rustic wedding, so deciding on decor was rather easy.
For the ceremony area, I didn't need much, as mother nature in winter provided the best decor. To soften the rough edges, I had King Proteas displayed in large glass lanterns and Eucalyptus stems scattered over the paved walk way that lead to where we said "I DO". Rustic wooden crates, a touch of glass and lace was used for the "mingle corner" where the guests sipped on welcome drinks and nibbled on canapes. For the reception area I made large paper flowers, to form part of the rustic pallet backdrop at the main table. The large raw wooden tables were complimented by lace runners that hung down to the floor. Wooden flower boxes that I painted were filled with the most beautiful Proteas and fillers. I'm blessed to have talented family members as my aunt did all the flower arrangements for me.
Hannelie Riekert, a dear friend of my mum officiated our new beginning together.
The ceremony was concluded with Marius and myself planting a plant together, symbolizing that we would grow together.
Chantelle Loots did our engagement shoot and made us feel so comfortable as Marius and I both are rather camera shy, so having her capture our special day on camera made us feel more at ease. She was so patient with us, as it was quite a challenge getting Marius to pose for so many photos. :)
I took it upon myself to do all the planning for the day, and Trudy from The Rustic Rose coordinated the happenings of our big day.
Since the ceremony and reception was hosted at the same venue, there was no need for transport.
The tasty menu was prepared by Trudy Kotze from The Rustic Rose and our cake was made by a friend of my mother Elmare Rynders. Not only was the cake beautiful, it was divine.
I created the save the date and formal invitations and they were sent electronically.
