The highlights and memorable moments of my wedding day is definitely so many as I truly had the best day ever!
The wedding started off 2 days before the wedding date with Family from far arriving, having our rehearsal at the venue in the evening and the guys getting their waist coats fitted and the groom collecting his tux, how exciting!
The day before the wedding was spent by me stressing: shopping the last minute bits and bobs with my mom and packaging the wedding favours I made( I'm a Pastry Chef) so I made a sweet favour for all our guests to enjoy at the reception/ take home with them. Then in the evening my sister booked myself, my mom and aunty into a Forest Cottage and we relaxed, got pampered and had some bubbly leading up to the last hours and hype of the "Big Day"...
The "Big Day" our Wedding Day...the day I became Mrs Venish…
The morning started off at about 6am for me (keeping in mind I went to bed in the early hours finishing off my wedding speech). My Dad cooked up a mean breakfast for me as he knew I wouldn't be eating much during the day, how thoughtful :) I fetched him from his fresh cut and dropped my Mom in Law at the salon for her hair...
Whilst everything was happening in the background as well as it pouring with rain I might add! I kept in communication with my Bridesmaid that pushed the hairdresser as well as the bridal crew to make it there and to make-up timeously ,it really helps to have a control freak as a Bridesmaid... they really help get things done on the day;)Haha
Then it was my turn to have my hair done...interesting thing about this...Karma must've paid me a huge visit on my wedding day, if the rain wasn't enough...no OH no, I sat directly facing in the eyes of the girl previous to me that stole/broke my husband's heart, however the story goes LOL! So it was an awkward (and satisfying at the same time) moment of my wedding day.
I (Drove myself to and from on the day of) arrived at my Make-Up and everything after that point happened so fast, I had to really stop to take it all in...my husband gifted me with a beautiful pearl bridal necklace and love letter that I read as I arrived for my make up(obviously! as the tears were flowing receiving this and reading the letter-in the privacy of a room at the Forest Cottage). The photographer arrived, snapped some pics, my Dad arrived with the wedding car and driver(Driver was the owner of a Porsche so yes I got a free spin on my wedding day, perks of knowing a guy in the business hey!) and then it was off to the venue we go...
The ceremony proceeded and I'll never forget the look on my husband's face...when I walked down the isle and he saw me the first time in my wedding dress as well as throughout the ceremony, with the biggest smile on his face, absolutely priceless moment! It was a fairy-tale! The rain came crashing down mid ceremony(we had an outside ceremony, now you can imagine my level of stress regarding weather predictions the week of the wedding) so we backed it up to under the stretch tent until it was over, then the wind made it's appearance whilst lighting our candles to join to one ahh when I think back...the stories I can tell!
The moments in-between signing the register, the confetti throw and pictures afterwards was pretty much a blur as it was deathly cold outside and we were all just freezing and putting on a happy face LOL! But it helped that all our guests were such champs in the weather we had on our wedding day, couldn't have asked for better wedding guests! :)
And, so the night began as we made our Entrance into the Reception...Speeches proceeded, beautiful and heartfelt by all that said them engraved in my memories for a life time! We did all the other traditional proceedings shortly thereafter...cake cutting, first dance, bouquet throw and garter toss and then (*insert drum roll*) the dance floor was open for business!
To me the best emotions are captured by what we hear in words and the beats of a song and that of the times our eyes are closed (to kiss, to pray and to shed tears). I know I can't write the entirety of my wedding day...this is merely the summary of a book, the first page of my new chapter and hopefully I could do it justice by the things I wrote on this platform so that you too can feel what I felt on my wedding day and when I speak about it to others. :)
We travelled up the Garden Route for our Honeymoon. It started in Plett for 3 nights then we moved on to Knysna for 2 nights and ended in Wilderness for the weekend. It was just a week but very special indeed!
We used our wedding gifted money to have our Honeymoon and literally lived that week carefree and did all the things we wanted to do...our most fun together was definitely had at the pubs we visited, the service,food as well as the people were so great!
Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner's were spent at either entirely new spots never visited or at our old favorites...we're the couple that spends most of our cash on food, we're huge foodies, "fatties" and proud of it! Haha!
Bird encounters, distillery visit and outdoor games, in between shopping splurging and too much sushi was just a few of the highlites shared of our time away together :)
My Wedding Look was as follows:
*Wedding Dress by Bridal Flair.
*Wedding bands(rings) by American Swiss and NWJ.
*Bridal Pearl Necklace/Grooms Watch by Sterns. (something "new")
*Something "old" rings and bracelet from my Mom
*Something "borrowed" strapless bra by my sister-in-law, haha!
*Something "blue" garter by Bridal Flair and Lingerie by Naughty but Nice.
Hair by Bonita at Fab Hair Salon
Make-Up by Iris Gomez Team done by Melissa Aylott and Marelise.
Estate 28 Country Wedding Venue here in the quaint city of Port Elizabeth.
My Beauty and Nails were done by Madelein at Dreambella Beauty Salon.
My Spray Tan was done by Suzanne Wylde Pigmentation Clinic.
The Groom wore a black suit, with a black waistcoat. He had a long sleeve white buttoned shirt underneath with a complementing Burgundy tie. He had a Black boutonniere with burgundy detail pinned to his suit.
The Groomsmen wore black pants, white long sleeve buttoned shirts with a black waistcoat and complementing Burgundy Bowtie. They had Burgundy Boutonniere's with black and white detail pinned to their waistcoats.
They found the above from Perry's suits and hiring in Westbourne Rd, PE.
My Bridesmaids wore Burgundy infinity dresses from Bridal Alchemy in JHB. Each purchased a nude open toe/closed heel to complement the dress. Make up was a subtle, fresh look. Their hair was a messy up-do look done by Bonita at Fab Hair Salon in PE. Jewellery was minimalistic and their choice to dress up their look, within reason obviously...
Ken Carr from the Lorraine Methodist Church in PE.
Chantelle Kendrick Photography. She captured my 21st birthday celebrations and journeyed with me through the years all the way to the isle! We first bonded playing club hockey together and then she was pretty much stuck with me to take photo's of all my special occasions that followed that :)
The Wedding Transport were as follows:
My sister-in-law's car took the bridal team from A to Z on the day of the wedding.
My Parents car was used for everything in between on the day of the wedding.
The best for last...my wedding car was a....Classic PORSCHE! This was graciously lent to us for the journey to the venue by my Dad's friend, who also drove us there...He has a business called Karl's Car Hire here in PE
Venue took charge of the food and catering.
My cake was made by my colleague and friend, Chef Clare Emma Russell
Wildflower Graphic design sorted our wedding stationary.
Antalis our wedding paper.
Papermaster for cutting our wedding paper as well as sourcing a specific paper we wanted to use.
Postnet did the printing f our wedding stationary as well as some cutting into the specific sizes we wanted.
All of these guys can be found here in the heart of PE.
We did not take dance lessons... we pretty much "winged" our first dance and all other dancers that followed haha!
Sound and Lighting as well as the DJ was all done by KC DJ sound and lighting. All in PE, yet again...
