We had the most perfect day. From stunning weather to impeccable service, we cannot fault our day. The most surreal moment was actually putting my wedding dress on and realizing that it is no longer a dress fitting, but rather the time to actually walk down the aisle. I couldn't have asked for a better life partner and to share the day surrounded by our friends and loved ones. A day I will forever cherish.
We were fortunate enough to be able to go on Honeymoon on Monday directly after our wedding. We spent 11 days in Mauritius. What a treat. The blindingly white soft sand and multiple turquoise coloured waters never got old and was a scenery to behold every day. From relaxing multiple days to enjoying excursions, the island lifestyle didn't disappoint.
I wanted a wedding look that was authentic to me and my personality. I wanted a porcelain look for makeup but not fake or caked on. I didn't want an upstyle hairdo yet I didn't want everything hanging loose. I opted for both. I had loose hair with braids in to keep it out of my face. My wedding dress was a champagne colour with ivory lace halter neck. I didn't need to change anything about it. It was a perfect fit from day 1. I opted for flat shoes, as comfort is always key. I decided on light green coloured shoes as that was the colour of my wedding and it matched the bridesmaids' dresses. All jewelry was rose gold to match not only the champagne dress but my wedding ring as well. I stuck to the tradition of "something blue" which I incorporated into my lingerie.
We got married at the most beautiful wedding venue called Gecko Ridge in Pretoria. We opted for a venue that does it all. The chapel, reception hall and accommodation all in one place to make it easier for ourselves as well as our guests. The option to stay the night was purely up to them to either stay the night at the venue or nearby locations.
The only thing that drastically changed leading up to my wedding was health and fitness. We put ourselves on healthier eating programs and maintained hectic fitness regimes. Trust me, as hard as what it was, it paid out in the end. We both lost quite a bit of weight and looked fantastic on the Honeymoon.
I was fortunate enough to have the best venue, as they handled all our decor and setting for us. I wanted natural colours so cream and eucalyptus green were the colours I chose. My flowers were my only centerpieces and consisted of multiple white flowers with large cream roses and plenty of greenery with candles in-between the centerpieces. My flowers were absolutely breath-taking.
The groom wore a light grey suit while the groomsmen had dark grey pants with white shirts. The groom was the only one who wore a waistcoat to complement the entire look. All wore ties that were light green in colour to match not only the wedding colours but also my shoes and bridesmaids dresses.
I needed a colour that would match all skin types as well as a style that would match all body types. I absolutely loved the green colour and based my entire wedding around the bridesmaid dresses' colour. I had their dresses made by a stunning designer to fit each one perfectly.
We made use of Image 2U Photography. They were the absolute best and made everything so comfortable and ensured that everything also flowed smoothly. Not only did they capture our most precious day, but also were the most caring team and super friendly. I cannot wait to work with them again in the future.
I did not have a planner as I wanted to do everything myself. The venue had a team that did help with the setup the day before, although I was there the night before my wedding still helping the florist with all of the flower assortments. I do believe that me being hands-on wherever I could, made me even more appreciative of my big day.
Luckily the venue prepared all the food for our guests. From canapes to dessert and breakfast the next morning, it was the most divine food I could have asked for. We decided not to have a cake as we wanted something different. Instead, our cake was in the form of shooters for everyone to have and to celebrate with us. We ended up having a small cake just for photos.
I designed all of our stationery myself and printed almost all of it.
Like I said before, the venue has it all. There was an in-house DJ that we used for lighting and sound throughout our entire wedding day. He fulfilled all of our requests and made sure that we partied the night away. No lessons were needed as our group of family and friends are experts in the dancing department ;) The reception was beautifully lit with many candles and plenty of fairy lights draped from the ceiling.
