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Ariella Cohen

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If you’re planning to propose to your partner in Cape Town, you are in luck thanks to the beautiful scenery that Cape Town is blessed with. If you want to propose out in nature there is no shortage of beautiful locations for you to do so. Whether you take a drive out to the winelands or stay within the city, you will be spoiled for choice.

Have a look at these 5 proposal spots that make use of nature to set the scene:

Cape Point

Take a drive out to Cape Point National Park to see where the Atlantic and Indian oceans meet, and become one with your partner.

 

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Lion’s Head

Hike up lion’s head and take in the magical views from the top. You will certainly feel like you are on cloud 9 up there.

 

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Kirstenbosch Gardens

Plan a picnic in these lush gardens and take a walk on the Boomslang tree canopy walkway for panoramic views of the gardens and mountains.

 

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Boulders Beach

While there are plenty of beautiful beaches in Cape Town, Boulders beach, with its colony of African penguins, offers something a little extra to make the proposal that much more special.

 

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Vineyards

The abundance of beautiful vineyards and accompanying restaurants makes it easy to choose just one to propose. Enjoy the delicious local wines and views of the vineyards.

 

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Also read: Things to do in Cape Town

If the wedding invitation asks for formal attire, know that this will be an elegant affair and you should dress accordingly. This doesn’t necessarily mean that you have to wear a tuxedo or something to that effect, however, you do have that option to if you would like.

Men

A suit is mandatory with formal attire. Stick to a dark suit with a white shirt and tie. Pair this with dressy leather shoes and you are good to go. A tuxedo would not be inappropriate if you would like to wear one.

 

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Women

If you are planning on wearing a dress, it should be floor length. An evening pant suit or smart separates is also appropriate. Stick to neutral or dark tones. Heels would be the best shoe choice with this type of attire.

 

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A semi-formal dress code is just above cocktail and below formal. The time and location of the wedding should help guide your outfit. If the wedding is in the evening, you should wear more structured clothing in darker shades, if it is in the day, wear light colours and fabrics.

Men

Wear a suit and tie or a smart blazer with a button down shirt. Pair your clothing with a smart pair of leather shoes.

 

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Women

Wear a smart, knee-length dress, jumpsuit, or smart pants or a pencil skirt with a nice blouse. Semi-formal outfits should be form fitting, especially for an evening wedding.

 

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If you’re having a seaside wedding then a nautical theme will tie in perfectly. This is ideal for a relaxed feel while still having a strong theme. Think shades of blue and beach and sea motifs.

Get inspired by these elements to include in your wedding:

Stationery

 

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Backdrop

 

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Escort cards

 

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Table setup

 

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Centrepiece

 

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Place setting

 

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Dessert

 

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Favours

 

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Feature image: Peet Mocke

Vineyards are a lovely setting for a wedding with romantic appeal. This type of venue is a breath of fresh air from your typical wedding venue and it makes for an interesting view.

Check out the pros and cons of using this type of venue for your wedding:

The location

Vineyards are lush and charming and therefore will provide a beautiful backdrop for pictures. This is assuming they haven’t harvested yet, which you will need to enquire about as some vineyards only allow weddings after harvest season. Due to the fact that vines need lots of space, the venue will be big enough to host all your guests and there will most likely be areas for both your ceremony and reception. Make sure that there is an inside venue in case the weather isn’t looking too great on your wedding day.

Since vineyards are generally out of the city, guests will either have to travel to and from the venue, or stay over somewhere nearby. Hopefully guests will be willing to make the trip and won’t leave too early. The great thing about the venue being some distance from the city is that escape from city life and the total privacy that you will have. Find out if there is a noise curfew as often vineyards have strict end times, and you don’t want to have to cut your reception short when everyone is having a good time.

 

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Food & drink

If you’re a wine lover, then this is the perfect venue for you as you can incorporate wine elements into your wedding theme. You also might be able to have custom wine labels made for their wine bottles which adds a touch of personalisation to your wedding. Just check that they can serve liquor other than wine as it is not everyone’s drink of choice. You might have to use the catering options provided by the vineyard but this should not be a problem as vineyards usually have great restaurants.

 

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The logistics

You should be able to decorate as you would like but you will also pay for all your rentals. The cost for this type of venue hire is high and so with the rental fees you could be paying a very high figure. However, the venue will most likely have wedding packages that you can choose from and depending on the type of food, drinks and decor you choose, you could get a good deal.

 

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If you love the sound of being surrounded by beauty and have the money to pay for this type of venue, then this could be the wedding of your dreams.

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If the wedding invitation states ‘cocktail attire’ as the dress code, it means you are expected to wear sophisticated clothing that is neither too formal nor too casual. This means that you can play with the colours and accessories you choose to wear. Oftentimes, it can be tricky to figure out what to wear. Don’t worry we’ve got you covered.

Men

Stick to wearing a dark suit with either a white or colour shirt, or a suit jacket and slacks. You can accessorise with a fun tie or pocket square in bold colours or patterns.

 

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Women

Anything between a knee-length dress to just shorter than an evening dress is appropriate. You can also wear a jumpsuit, dressy suit or a nice blouse with dress pants or a skirt.

 

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Bohemian or ‘boho’ weddings are perfect for the alternative couple who wants a relaxed and laid-back look and feel for their big day. This theme manages to bring mismatched items together in a chic way.

Think earthy elements, texture and a wide, rich colour palette.

Natural ceremony

 

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Geometric backdrop

 

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Dreamcatcher decor

 

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Colourful bar

 

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Mismatched centrepiece

 

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Naked cake

 

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Dessert table

 

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Rich-coloured seating area

 

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Hotel weddings are popular venues for a reason. Hotels are generally beautifully decorated and have the facilities to cater for weddings. It is essentially a one-stop shop, making it one of the most convenient venues to choose from. Of course, as with any wedding venue, there are some limitations.

Take a look at the pros and cons of this venue type to see if it would work for you:

The location

The beauty of this venue is that you can have both your ceremony and reception in one place. Hotel venues are usually already pretty and elegant and so you will not have to do much decorating.

However, if you would like to decorate, you might be limited in terms of what you are allowed to do in the space. You will also have to accept the fact that this venue means that your wedding will have a standard ballroom look and you might not be able to have much personalisation.

If you do decide to have your wedding in a hotel, they will most likely book rooms for the bridal party and groomsmen to get ready in. Guests that have travelled for the wedding will be able to stay in the hotel and won’t have to worry about transport to and from the venue, plus, the hotel might even give a group booking rate.

 

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The facilities

Hotels will have plenty of parking space, bathrooms and the ability to house a lot of people with ease. There will be built-in sound systems for all audio requirements. The staff are experienced in dealing with lots of people at large events which will keep things running smoothly. You won’t have to rent any furniture or cutlery or crockery as they will have more than enough for your event.

But then again, this leaves little room to personalise your wedding. if you want your wedding to be unique, you might feel constrained by the limited options of this kind of venue.

 

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The logistics

While the convenience of hotel weddings is appealing, it also means that you might be limited by hotel rules. Since the venue is in a working hotel, your wedding might have a time limit as the noise might bother other guests. You could potentially have to use the hotel bar for drinks and their catering service instead of being able to choose your own.

Another negative is that hotel weddings are generally quite expensive. Even if the hotel offers wedding packages, these might limit you even further in choosing your own photographer or videographer as you might have to use the ones that come with the package.

 

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While you might save on rental costs with a hotel wedding, the venue alone could be quite costly. You also run the risk of being bound by vendors approved by the hotel. at the end of the day, however, it will probably save you a lot of time and stress when you’re planning the wedding if your heart isn’t already set on specific vendors.

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You’ve been invited to a wedding and the dress code says ‘smart casual’, so what can you wear? If this is the dress code then you can assume that the wedding will be relatively informal.

Keep your outfit laid-back but add a touch of elegance, it is a wedding after all! Dress smart but don’t go overly dressy.

Men

Wear a blazer with a button-down shirt and smart suit pants or chinos. Jacket and tie are optional. Shoe wise, wear loafers, brogues or boat shoes.

 

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Women

Wear a stylish mini dress or skirt or smart trousers with a blouse. You can add a tailored blazer if you’re up for it. Stick to sandals, wedges or low heels.

 

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Your wedding will be a romantic affair regardless of your theme. However, a romantic theme is always appropriate for the day, especially if you are wanting your wedding to be a traditional, fairytale day.

Make use of an abundance of flowers, draping, calligraphy on stationery and signage, soft lighting, blush tones and delicate details to turn your wedding into a romantic rendezvous.

Have a look at these beautifully romantic wedding ideas:

Candle-lit and flower petal-strewn aisle:

 

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Blooming backgrounds:

 

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Archway to heaven:

 

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Floral ceiling:

 

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Central attraction:

 

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Monochrome magic:

 

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Cake it up:

 

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Blushing beauty:

 

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Feature image: Pixabay