It all started with me not viewing the venue.. I only saw it the evening before the big day.. Risky.. I know.. Everyone kept telling me this.
I was a ball of stress the week before.. I had to squeeze in 6 calls in 8 days, sort out accommodation for my kitty, pack honeymoon clothing for a place that's "not warm, not cold, oceany, but not bikini-ish" (clues provided by my dearest Tawie), playing hostess for our 2 Canadian friends.. And then BONUS.. my poor Fiela (border collie) breaking her leg right into R13000 of dept.
My hubby and I were both on call the Wednesday before our wedding.. Not being able to take even the minutest of slumbers throughout the night.. Postcall on Thursday were set off for the 14hour trek with many a redbull and all the sugary goodness I could find..
In we went.. The 2 preweds, 2 Canadians, and 1 and a half dogs. Poor old Fiela hopping up and down in the Ranger... Sedated AF.
It seemed like a blink.. And it was the evening before the wedding. All the family and friends coming together for a braai and some drinks. Everyone laughing.. Meeting new people. Everyone there...for us. It felt weird. Its quite an odd experience to see people from different stages of your life, together.
After a mother-daughter sleepover in the on-site accommodation (we slept in a train unit!!).. We woke up at 7h30..watched the last bit of the sunrise.. Drank some coffee.. And then it was all fast forward from there on.
There were makeup brushes and sticky lashes.. Mimosas in abundance and Astros by the bucket load.
When we were all donned and sexy.. The photos began.. Then the ceremony. The butterflies. The first kiss. Mr and Mrs Wolvaardt. Hand-in-hand.. First dance. Eating. Dancing. Eating some more. Photos. Shots!! Photos. Sentimental stories. Tears. Waterpistols.
It all went by too fast.
You try and grab on to the moment and press pause.. But the batteries in the remote of your life.. Are dead.
We danced and we sang.. We all became friends.
It passed within the blink of an eye. I would change nothing, for it was the most precious blink of my life.
We set off to Mauritius Belle Mare Plage.. And, oh, what an experience that was. From windsurfing, to water-skiing, and let's not forget the 3 square meals of 5 star quality.
Some might say I waited a tad long before setting off to find my dress. But with the help of my 3 bridesmaids, and my wedding planner mom, I managed to find my dress in under 6 hours. I happened upon a little dress shop in Cape Town called Bridal Allure... Here they helped me try on many different styles, until I finally slipped into the one that made not only one (BUT ALL) of my bridal party shed a tear.. And that was BEFORE the veil was donned. Haha.
I went for a classic look. Simple updo with the least amount of makeup possible to make the look POP. My makeup was mastered by Gerda at Making Faces.. I'm afraid I'll have to appoint her for daily makeup, as I don't think I'll ever look that good again.
The scent that followed me through the day was that of Calvin Klein... A little purple bottle with the name of Euphoria.
About 2 years ago, my fiancé (I mean husband.. Oops! It still feels surreal) and I went to a wedding at Florence Guest Farm.. We fell in love instantly!
But.. When the time came to wed. The venue had been fully booked. Then.. As fate would have it.. We hear about this new venue.. Florence's sister venue, as they called it. Smitsfield Venue was but a skeleton when we first viewed it (3months prior to our wedding day.. EEP!).. But low and behold.. The team of construction workers managed to pull through and provide us with one of the most (who am I kidding - - THE MOST) breathtaking venues I have ever seen.
A little bit of faith never hurt no one.
I wish I could say that I spent hours sunbathing, eating chilled carrot hearts and limiting my sugar intake to less than a gram per day..
But the truth is..
My schedule only allowed 5hours sleep per night.. This is if I wasn't calling in a busy casualty, trying to shove a muffin in my face before the next stab chest comes in.
I was on call the Wednesday before my wedding. And as soon as my buns hit home turf, I was on the long trek (14 hours) to my venue.
Did I mention that I saw my venue for the first time the night before my wedding? Yeah.. Not stressed at all.
I love flowers, I love rainbows.. But I don't like flowers every colour of the rainbow.
We went for a rustic chic sorta vibe.
Wooden tables, concrete underplates, fairlylights everywhere, white flowers with greenery.. And then of course some wine to round it all off.
Seeing that the venue is set in the breathtaking valleys of Mpumalanga, there was no need for fancy decor. Dreamcatchers (made by my granny) led the way, through the forrest, to the alter.. Right up to my Mr Right (corny.. But true)
So.. You don't know my husband (you're missing out).. But he's the type of guy that believes that his suit should be kept a surprise (just as is the case with my wedding gown)..
Nevertheless, he was clad in a navy suit, brown leather shoes, and a red tie (not sure where he got that color scheme from.. Haha).. And hubba-hubba.. He was a force to be reckoned with. His red hair had been skillfully waxed.. His cheeks that of a baby's bottom. The butterflies were going ballistic in my belly.
The groomsmen wore leather bow ties (made by the granny).. And to be honest... I'm not sure what else.. I couldn't take my eyes off of my new husband.
I made a promise to myself a while ago, that when I get married, that I won't force my bridesmaids to squeeze into the same generic dress and feel absolutely ghastly for the entire event.
The truth is.. People come in different shapes, sizes, heights.. And it's only fair to provide them a dress that will allow them to accentuate their assets.
I thus went with the infinity dress.. Charcoal gray.. Ready to be worn as my fabulous friends see fit.
My husband (getting use to the term now) has had the same priest since birth.. So.. It was not even negotiable that he would want him to be a part of his special day.
Nevertheless.. Ds Hannes put in the effort to get to know me too.. So it wasn't one of those awkward cases where the guy can't even pronounce your name right. Haha
Salt 'n Pepper Photography captured the big moments..
I'm one of those people that always looks better on a selfie than on a non-selfie(is that a word?). Because, you know, you know how to tilt your head and squint your eye and twist your arm.. All the things you've always done to make yourself look less ogre-ish.. So.. I was sceptical.
But wow, oh wow... Salt 'n Pepper managed to be me feel comfortable while stuffing a sausage roll in my mouth.. They captured moments that will make me smile the brightest smile for years to come. They captured the true essence of who we are and what we stand for.
They are a must use if you're striving for the "genuine" factor.
My planner was no other than my number one fan..
My best friend..
My mother.
Helen Truter. Look her up. She might be HUGE one day.
14 hours in a Ford Ranger. Driven by my hubby... Accompanied by a border Collie (Fiela - who broke her leg and needed surgery 2 days after our wedding), a malamute-husky-mix (Yogi) and 2 Canadians. (Chris and Sarah)
The food was provided by the venue.. And, oh my, it was to dieeee for! I'm so glad I wasn't exposed to that buffet before I had to fit into my wedding gown.
It's a regular thing for my hubby and I to dance in the kitchen.. He usually corners me with soapy gloves.. And continues to spin me round and round... Leaving the kitchen floors all foamy, naturally.
About a week before the wedding.. We decided to ask my brother-in-law and his wife to help us with a routine.. They dance professionally.. So it'd be a walk in the park for them. We had decided on opening the dance floor with Perhaps Love from John Denver (this was also the first song of my in laws).. So it goes.. We got the routine and practiced it a couple of times over the last week..
But when the big moment arrived.. The 1-2-3-4 was more like 25-46-58-75... The intro was left out, the fades weren't fadey.. And we swore that John Denver had made some last minute changes we didn't know about.
At first we thought it to be a MASSIVE disaster.. And then we just decided to let go and just wing it.. Cause.. You see. Even though we new what was happening.. No one else knew a thing.
Our first dance was nothing short of perfect.
