Our wedding was a very special occasion with lots of memorable moments. The highlights were saying "I do" in the forest surrounded by all of our loved ones while having a beautiful view of the ocean. We could not escape the rain on our big day, but we miraculously had a 30 minute window to tie the knot outdoors, before it started raining lightly again. As the saying goes: "Rain is a blessing!". The marimba band then set the tone for a celebration full of good vibes, fun and laughter. My husband and I had the opportunity to enjoy some time together at sunset on the beach to soak in the love and happiness of our special day, while the photographer snapped a few pictures, before the rain came pouring down again and we had to make a run for our money. The dance with my dad, my husband's speech and our first dance are some of the most special moments to cherish for a lifetime.
We stayed in Cape Town for 3 nights after our wedding to say goodbye to our guests from abroad. We then departed to Koh Samui, Thailand. On our way back we made a quick stop in Singapore. It was an awesome experience!
As a bride I had a vision to look classy, elegant and modern. I wanted my looks to match each part of the occasion therefore, I had a mermaid dress with a big princess skirt that fitted perfectly over the dress to create a different style. The princess dress was for our forest ceremony as I wanted to look like a princess with a more dramatic bridal focus and for the reception I had a more fun and sexy look with the mermaid dress. My dresses were made by a very talented family friend of mine Stiena Hoffmann. She has worked for big leading industry designers such as Gert Johan Coetzee and Anel Botha Couture. I knew she would be the best at making the perfect creation exactly the way I would like - and she did! Stiena has incredible talent! My dress was pure white, with intricate lace and beading that was perfectly placed by hand. The design was a v-neck style with an open back. It was a comfortable fit which is important for brides due to the long hours of wear and non-restrictive movement is essential for having the best time.
My hair was in a down-style and taken back, because I like my hair down while needing something that would last for a very long day / night. My hair is thin and curls doesn't last 12+ hours. It was a very good choice since I got rained on and my hair was still looking great by the end of the night. Thanks to Studio Michelle!
My make-up was done to create a soft and welcoming look. I don't wear a lot of make-up in general and opted for a natural look that matched the wedding colours (burgundy and light pink) to compliment my facial features.
I had closed bridal heels for my princess look and changed my shoes to white wedges for comfortable dancing later in the evening.
My jewelry and accessories were minimal, because my dress had a lot of detail to it and I did not want to over do it or take attention away from the beauty of the dress. I wore special pearl stud earrings that belongs to my mom (something borrowed), a bracelet from a friend in London that could not make the wedding (something blue) and my wedding rings - that's it!
We had a fairy tale venue to compliment the french rustic theme that we were looking for. Our venue had a beautiful forest with large trees and a view of the ocean as we said our "I do's". It also had majestic mountains around the reception venue which looks like a castle on a hill, and we had the beach as perfect sunset photo opportunity. It was an all-rounder venue for us! It was also a special location for my husband as it was in the town where he always had his childhood holidays.
Panoramic views of the Atlantic Ocean and majestic mountains provide the perfect backdrop for any event.
I went on a 10 week lifestyle and fitness transformation journey by joining a challenge hosted by Monique.Fit.
My skincare routine included microneedling treatments alternated with chemical peel treatments from Life Day Spa Rosebank.
We had beautiful, high quality flowers supplied by Protea Flora Gansbaai, arranged by Esme Engelbrecht.
Decor hired from Function Hiring 4U.
We had a very talented Marimba band from Gansbaai Academia which set the mood for a fun party at the reception.
We also had Rene Ludick Caricatures to draw our guest as entertainment.
A heart ring box, table numbers and all laser cutting services were provided by Faith as Gifts.
Customized water bottles with our wedding logo and timeline of events label were provided by Just Water Western Cape.
The groom and groomsmen had customized wooden bowties, cufflinks and pins made by Faith as Gifts.
Their outfits were from Woolworths.
The groom had a custom made suit.
Infinity dresses made to order from Bridal Alchemy.
Bracelets and night gowns from JJs House.
Hair and make up from Studio Michelle.
The presence of God was felt through the special message delivered by Ds Ferreira Marais from NG Weltevredenpark.
We made use of the services from Alfred Photography to capture our wedding day in pictures and video format. The team did not hesitate to capture all of the beauty of our day and went above and beyond in the rain. We love the video that we now have reminiscing about all the little details and beautiful moments of our once in a lifetime event!
The cake was made by Cake Patisserie Studio to compliment the theme of the wedding.
Stationery designed by Copper Heart Studio.
Dance lessons from The Dance Studio.
Our reception was one big jol! All the guests enjoyed it so much. The marimba band from Gansbaai Academia had everyone's feet moving at the canapes, which was then followed by the bridal couple walking into the reception welcomed with applause and cheer.
The sound and lightning was done by The Party Technician in a very professional manner. Guests danced the night away until we had to end the dancing at 02:00am. What a night!
Panoramic views of the Atlantic Ocean and majestic mountains provide the perfect backdrop for any event.
