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    Post wedding ceremony activities for your guests

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    So you’ve just tied the knot! Before you head to the wedding reception, you and your partner need to capture some memories. Perhaps the venue itself offers a great scenic background and is the perfect spot for your pictures, or you and your loved one are going somewhere that requires some traveling. While you’re off snapping some pics, your guests are either waiting at the ceremony venue or traveling to the reception venue to wait there. However, they don’t have to feel like they’re waiting around – here are some ways you can keep the party going while you and your spouse are temporarily gone.

    1.Picture Time!

    While you’re taking your pictures, your guests can too! Set up a photo booth and let them have some fun. Make sure there’s music playing, so it’s not awkward. You could also hire a photo booth so your guests can get their pictures on the spot to take home. You and your partner can join in on the fun when you’re done taking your romantic couple pics

    2.Happy Hour.

    Provide cocktails for your guests. Allow them to mingle over drinks and snacks. Go a step further and organise a mini alcohol-tasting section, whether it’s gin, wine, whiskey, rum, or bubbly. You can even have your family and friends make their own cocktails, or hire a bartender for a few hours.

    3.Games and activities.

    Let your guests play around! Set up various games and activities to get everyone in a silly mood. Karaoke, a How Well Do You Know The Couple quiz, old-fashioned lawn games or even some board games could prove to be a whole lot of fun. You can customise the games based on the venue, the number of guests and what you think they’d prefer.

     

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    Anyone for Jenga?

    A post shared by Scrivelsby Walled Garden (@scrivelsbywalledgarden) on

    4.Professional entertainment.

    Hire someone to keep your guests preoccupied and having a good time. A comedian, band, and caricaturists are all great options.

     

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    Check out this great caricaturist I saw a recent wedding! Really amazing work!⠀

    A post shared by Damon Bilger (@damonbilgerweddings) on

    5.Record the moments.

    Have someone film your guests giving you and your partner a lovely message.

    6.Advice section.

    Have a something set up on a table where your family and friends can leave you some words of wisdom, whether it’s a book or pieces of paper to write on place in a jar. You can even have them sign something! It’s something cute and truly special to look back on.

    It’s very important to inform your guests of the wedding schedule. There’s nothing worse than people being left lost and wondering, or worse still, bored to tears. Attach the schedule to the invitation, send an email, even have it posted somewhere at the ceremony and reception venues.

    Picture: Unsplash

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    Wedding dress silhouettes to flatter your body shape

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    It’s your big day! All eyes are on you, and that dress! The wedding gown may be one of the most important elements of this occasion of love. Well, to the bride at least. It’s something that every girl imagines herself in and it’s absolutely vital to many a bride-to-be that the dress leaves jaws dropped and heads turned.

     

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    HOW TO PICK A WEDDING DRESS FOR YOUR BODY TYPE. ——— When it comes to wedding dresses there are million and one styles and designs to chose from. From silhouettes, to necklines and fabric the options are endless. But the fact is not every wedding dress you love is suited for your body type. The female body type has been grouped into 5; 1. The Hourglass or Figure 8 ⏳ 2. The Pear ? 3. The Rectangle ◼️ 4. The Apple ?& 5. The Inverted Triangle ?. Which wedding dress fits each body type? – If you have an hour glass figure you can wear all types of wedding dresses from Ball gowns to Mermaid styles. – For rectangle shaped ladies all types of wedding dress styles look good on them except the Mermaid style. – Pear ?? shaped ladies will pull off Mermaid dresses ? perfectly ? – Apple shaped ladies would look great in A-Line and empire wedding dress styles. – While, ladies with an inverted triangle shape can rock all dress styles minus the Mermaid and Sheath style. Got any questions? Please share them in the comments section. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . #weddingdresstypes #weddingdressideas #weddingdressstyles #weddingdressshop #weddingdressdesign #weddingdressng #sellyourweddingdress #usedweddingdresses #onlinebridalboutique #mermaidweddingdress #ballgownweddingdress #sheathweddingdress #empireweddingdress #nigeriantopweddings #weddingsonpoint #preownedweddingdressesinlagos #brideonabudget #brideonabudgetnigeria #africansweetheartweddings #africanluxuryweddings #weddingdressinspo #weddingdressgoals #weddingdressideas #next2newbridal #lagosbridalstore

    A post shared by Sell Your Wedding Dress Here (@next2newbridal) on

    We’ve gathered a few of the most flattering wedding dress silhouettes for your body shape.

    1. A’s for days! For all the gorgeous ladies with beautiful curves, the A-line silhouette may appeal to you. It’s usually fitted at the top to emphasise the waist and then flares out at the skirt. It’s a very flattering shape not just for curvaceous brides but all body shapes.

    2. Wanting to highlight your curves a bit more? The trumpet silhouette is what you’re looking for. It hugs your curves, and flares out from the knee down. As body-hugging as it is, it still allows for a lot of movement.

     

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    We posted a picture of the back and train on this dress about 2 weeks ago and it was one of our most liked photos! We totally get why because the fit on this dress is beyond good! Gabi and Alex love a pretty ballgown and they both put this dress on and raved about how good they felt in it! They said they felt held in yet sexy but not too over the top, a perfect combination for a wedding dress!⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ #onefinedayfittedweddingdress #onefinedaymermaids #essenseofaustralia #D2770 #essenseofaustraliaD2770 #fittedweddingdress #mermaidweddingdress #mermaidbridalgown #mermaidbride #trumpetweddingdress⠀ #sexybride #sexyweddingdress #sexyweddingdressideas #sexybridalgown #sexyweddingdressinspiration #sexyweddingdressinspo #sexybridallook #sexybridalfashion

    A post shared by One Fine Day Bridal (@onefinedaybridal) on

    3. The sheath shape. If you’re petite or slender, this is very flattering. It’s tight-fitting and elongates the body.

     

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    Floral lace is combined with glitter tulle. All start in a halter neckline, end in a flattering sheath silhouette | Our gorgeous #florence from #venus2019collection is what you’re looking for . . . #sheathweddingdress #laceweddingdress #sparkleweddingdress #weddingdressinspo #koreanbride #singaporebrides #vancouverbridal #hamiltonbride #torontobridalshop #vancouverbridalboutique #kansascitybridalboutique #coloradobridalstore #virginiabrides #floridabridal #weddingdressinspo #weddingdressshopping #kentuckybridalshop #louisianabride #wyomingbride #sacramentobride #austinbride #texasbridestobe #londonbridal #manchesterbride #liverpoolbride #newcastlebridal #georgiabride

    A post shared by WEDDING DRESS MANUFACTURER (@selfa.bridal) on

    4. Looking to make an even bigger statement? Have a look at the mermaid style. It’s similar to the Trumpet shape mentioned earlier but a bit more dramatic. It’s also a bit more constricting, however.

     

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    Wedding gowns & bridesmaid dresses, we do it all! ✨?? @morileeofficial style no. 8177

    A post shared by Bravura Fashion Bridal (@bravurafashionbridal) on

    5. Off to the ball! The classic ball gown silhouette emphasises your waist. The fullness of the skirt means this dress compliments various body types. If you have a ‘plank’ shape, it creates the illusion of bigger curves. For women who are a bit more busty, this dress can create a nice balance.

    6. Dropped waist. This gorgeous silhouette flares out a little bit below the waistline. It compliments taller brides, as it can elongate the torso area.

    At the end of the day though, it’s about the dress you feel the most beautiful and confident in and your opinion matters most. There are no actual rules – just go for it.

    Picture: Pixabay

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    Should you unplug your wedding?

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    Technology is undoubtedly a massive part of our lives in this day and age. Our phones are practically extensions of our arms and we can’t go without checking in to our social media once a day. Most of our memories are made by captured moments on our digital devices and not by living in those moments. This can frustrate people who would rather be doing the latter, especially when it comes to significant occasions such as weddings.

    This might be the reason some couples choose to have ‘unplugged’ weddings, where guests along with the bride and groom must forego using their mobile devices and instead be present in the moment.

    The benefits of having an unplugged wedding is the intimacy and the lack of distraction. Take away cellphones and the guests will pay more attention to the happy couple. Everyone will be able to relish the occasion. Requesting that digital devices are switched off also eliminates the chance of unwanted disturbances during the ceremony.

    By unplugging, the photos from your wedding will also look a whole lot better – no more pictures of your beautifully-dressed guests with their eyes glued to their mobile devices. There’s just something refreshing and romantic about photographs without cellphones in sight. There also won’t be any unplanned overexposure in the pictures because five people all decided to take a photo with the camera flash on at the same time as the photographer. It will also remove any awkward encounters. We all know the aunties are going to insist on taking fifty pictures, of the same shot, with their outdated cellphones. That either means your paid-for photographer will have to compromise their shot or uncomfortably wait for the aunties to get their picture.

     

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    How do you feel about having a #phonefree wedding? Let us know below ? #cocomelody #daretolove #weddingideas

    A post shared by COCOMELODY (@cocomelodyofficial) on

    Aunties aside, there are some positives to plugged-in weddings as well, the first being that you don’t have to wait for the professional photographs to be sent to you (there is a bit of a waiting time) before you can see pictures from the wedding. While you wait for your professional photo’s, you can enjoy Auntie Jackie’s pictures from her phone!

    Having access to social media at a wedding can also be a good thing. Using a unique hashtag just for your wedding on Instagram or Facebook is a smart way to create an online ‘photo album’ made up of pictures snapped and uploaded by you and all your wedding guests. Everyone will be able to view pictures posted with that specific hashtag, all in one place. It’s also a lovely idea to implement the hashtag from the first wedding event onward, for example, the engagement party. This will allow snapshots from every wedding celebration to be placed in one section.

     

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    Oh Snap! #gunningwedding #socialmediarequest #pluggedinwedding #diybride #diywedding #TableTents #PleaseSendPics #NPRofWeddings

    A post shared by Sharon Gunning (@shargunning) on

    Still can’t decide if you should have a plugged or an unplugged wedding? Why not do both. You can opt for an unplugged wedding ceremony and a plugged-in reception, for example. You can customise it however you want, after all, it’s your big day.

    Picture: Pexels

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    Do you believe in these wedding superstitions?

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    Let’s be honest, we all know a few. Wedding superstitions have been around for centuries. The question is, do you believe in them? Not seeing your loved one the night before the big day, lest the groom changes his mind at the last minute, is a widely-known superstition.

    Here are a few superstitions you may not have come across:

    1. Ditch the yellow roses. It is said that yellow roses symbolise jealousy.

    2. The incy wincy spider superstition – finding a spider on your wedding dress is supposedly a sign of good luck.

    3. Welcome the tears. Some people people it is good to cry on your wedding day, as it means you will have no more tears left to cry in your marriage.

    4. Dodge the nun or monk. It is said that a bride who sees a nun or monk on her wedding day will be cursed with infertility and poverty.

    5. In the wedding world, Saturday is viewed as the least lucky day of the week to get married, while Wednesday is supposedly the best day to wed. Getting married on the 13th of the month also does not bode well, and getting hitched in the month of May is seen as unlucky too, due to the Romans’ festival of the dead that was always held in May.

    6. The bride and evil spirits. One belief held by some is that the bride is more susceptible to evil spirits. In some cultures, the bride therefore needs to be carried over the threshold in order to be protected from them. She also has to wear a veil to ward off the spirits. Roman brides, meanwhile had to wear garlands and wreaths because they believed that if you were inside a circle, malicious spirits could not harm you, while in Ireland, it was believed that ringing bells would shoo the supernatural away.

    7. If you have an older, unmarried sister, one superstition has it that she needs to dance barefoot at your wedding. If not, she will be at risk of never getting married.

    8. Count the pieces. In Italy, it is thought that you have to break glass on your big day and count all the pieces – the number tells you how many years you’ll be married.

     

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    Rain is a good thing…especially when your photographer gets a shot like this one of our real bride Megan! ?⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ We know the weather has been kinda crazy to kick off of wedding season so fear not. If you’re lucky ? enough to have some on your day, it can mean: ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 1. Fertility ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ It signifies that you will have children. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 2. Cleansing ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ It signifies the cleansing of tough times or sadness in your past. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 3. Unity It signifies that your marriage will last. A wet knot is extremely hard to untie – therefore, when you “tie the knot” on a rainy day, your marriage is supposedly just as hard to unravel! ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 4. Renewal ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ It signifies washing away of bad memories or occurrences and, in effect, gives you a completely new, fresh chapter in your life. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Photo: @jlarsonphotography837 #realbride #chicagobride #chicagowedding #chicagoweddingphotographer #chciagoweddingvenue #rainphotography #rainydaywedding #goodluck #weddingsuperstitions #rainisagoodthing #weddinginspo #bride2019 #bride2020

    A post shared by Bri’Zan Couture | Bridal (@brizancouture) on

    9. Don’t be a butterfingers! Some believe that if someone drops the wedding ring during the ceremony, they will be the first of everyone at the ceremony to die.

    10. Let the heavens open – it is said by some that rain on your wedding day brings fertility and cleansing.

    So, which of these do you believe in?

     

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    When two cultures become one

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    Diversity unites us. We are no longer confined to people from our own creed, culture or nationality. Perhaps once upon a time, it was frowned upon to marry across cultures, and couples would have to convert or choose one culture or the other. But in this day and age, it’s not unusual for people from different backgrounds to tie the knot.

    Anjuli Nanda and her husband Charlie Diamond are the picture-perfect example of two cultures merging. They had two weddings: a traditional Indian wedding, and a traditional British one, both which took place over one weekend.

    Two separate weddings obviously means two different dresses! On the Friday wedding, which was a traditional Indian ceremony, the beautiful bride wore a striking red lehenga, a type of full-length skirt that is embroidered and pleated, designed by Nepalese-American fashion designer, Prabal Gurung. Anjuli chose the lehenga not only because it is traditional wedding attire, but to pay tribute to her late mother.

     

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    My reign begins #AD⚡️CD

    A post shared by Anjuli Nanda Diamond (@anjulinanda) on

    The colour red is highly symbolic in Indian weddings, representing life, love, passion, prosperity and fertility. The bold colour also compliments various complexions, and the bride is always guaranteed to stand out. Anjuli’s lehenga was filled with detail and meaning. The skirt consisted of eight panels, each with patterns that represented meaningful moments in the couple’s relationship.

    Anjuli was also bedecked with jewellery for the wedding. Her wrists were stacked with red bangles, along with a few of her mother’s gold ones, and her necklaces and one set of earrings were designed by Anita Dongre. The glowing bride also donned a pair of Marlo Laz earrings designed by her friend and bridesmaid, Jesse Lazowski.

    The big day consisted of various traditional Indian wedding customs, including the Baraat – the groom’s procession to the ceremony on horseback. Arriving on a decorated horse, the groom is then welcomed by the bride’s family and garlands are exchanged. Anjuli and Charlie’s ceremony was also conducted by a Hindu priest and performed under a traditional mandap. After the ceremony, the couple and guests indulged in cocktails along with an Indian buffet.

    For the British wedding on the Saturday the next day, the bride wore a white Westwood Couture gown from Vivienne Westwood with a perfectly-fitted corset. In keeping with English tradition, Anjuli had Something old, new, borrowed and blue – her great-grandmother’s gold wedding band (“something old”), Marlo Laz tanzanite and diamond ring (“something new”), her mother-in-law’s earrings, bracelets, and trinity ring (“something borrowed”), and her mother’s sapphire and diamond pinky ring (“something blue”).

     

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    An unpublished favorite ?

    A post shared by Anjuli Nanda Diamond (@anjulinanda) on

    This time, the ceremony was conducted by the dashing groom’s friend, and Charlie’s sister and Anjuli’s maid of honour each did a reading. The happy couple wrote their own vows. After the ceremony, everyone enjoyed famously British pastimes such as badminton and croquet set up on the lawn, followed by the wedding reception.

    So what’s better than one wedding? Two, of course! For Anjuli Nanda and Charlie Diamond, this was a dream come true.

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    Real wedding: The simple life with Kristin & Nicky

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    Kristin Breytenbach and Nicky Rossouw roped in their families for a modest-meets-rustic wedding in the heart of the Cape Winelands.

    THE VENUE

    Winery Road Forest was a dream come true – unpretentious yet lovely and enchanting. I’d always wanted to get married in a forest and Winery’s Morne and Lize made our day special and easy.

    THE THEME

    There was no theme, but the venue and day were filled with things we love in a sort of mismatched rustic and enchanted way.

    THE DRESS

    Sharon Burrows is highly creative and worked tirelessly to accommodate all the features I envisioned for my bridal look.

    THE DECOR

    This was definitely a family effort. We hired a few props, such aschalkboards to write quotes on, from My Pretty Vintage, but the whole family pitched in, as did our friends. Sewing 560 bunting flags was no joke.

    THE FOOD

    Chef Martin De Cock of Diemersdal Farm Eatery was amazingly imaginative with our budget and informal tapas-style menu. He and his team created small fine-dining magic.

    THE DETAILS

    We roped everyone in on other small details of the day too: I loved making my own crown, Nicky’s mom made my earrings and bracelet and, together with his aunt, created my wild bouquet too. One of my bridesmaids even sewed my garter that morning (one of the ‘small’ things I almost forgot on the day).

    THE FIRST DANCE

    For King And Country has long been one of my musically talented husband’s favourite bands – and when we heard ‘This Is Love’, we just knew!

    LITTLE BLACK BOOK

    Venue & coordination: Winery Road Forest
    Photography: Nikki van Diermen Photography
    Dress: Sharon Burrows at Still White
    Hair & make-up: Donna Taylor at Make-up Madonna
    Rings: Prins & Prins
    Groom’s suit: Zara
    Lighting: The In Thing
    Catering: Diemersdal Farm Eatery
    DJ & sound: The Party Technician
    Videography: Triplane Film Company
    Hiring: My Pretty Vintage

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    Real wedding: Raelene & Nathaniel

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    Former Miss Teen SA Raelene Rorke and Bostonian Nathaniel Clarke brought their two worlds together for a special weekend-long celebration in Hoedspruit.

    THE VENUE

    We loved the setting of Kapama River Lodge. It’s so luxurious and was big enough to accommodate 126 people comfortably, with lots of different areas to entertain our guests throughout the weekend – we didn’t have to use the main hall until the night of the actual wedding! The Kapama team was unreal, and the game drives were filled with wildlife action (almost everybody had an incredible viewing story). It was such a perfect safari-wedding experience.

    THE THEME

    With some 40 of our guests visiting Africa for the first time, the weekend was about them as much as it was about us, so the decision to have a safari wedding was an easy one. The theme was vintage African bush. We had a very romantic candlelit spit-braai under the stars on the Friday evening, with local dancers for entertainment, and finished with a traditional Xhosa wedding ceremony. Everybody came in traditional clothing and learnt some local dance moves!

    THE DRESS

    I had chosen a dress way before the wedding date, but it got stuck at customs and was shipped back to the US. I tried on about 25 other dresses in Joburg, but they all started looking alike to me. On a trip to Boston before our wedding, I went to Vows Bridal Outlet and fell in love with three dresses, which I had no idea were all from the same designer, Monique Lhuillier. I chose the one I felt most comfortable in; it was perfect!

    THE DECOR

    We kept the decor natural and elegant – canvas chairs, a hessian carpet for the aisle and lots of greenery, with a pink, red and lime green colour scheme for the flowers. The reception was set in a beautiful dining hall with simple wooden furniture, huge chandeliers, more than 200 candles and plenty of romantic roses.

    THE FOOD

    We worked with the hotel to plan a simple, elegant menu that had something for everybody: roasts, vegetables, and for the starter, hearty soup. It was delicious. We also ordered 11 of our favourite cakes from Châteaux Gâteaux and had their Mozart cake (layers of Japonais with hazelnut praline cream and chocolate shavings) for our wedding cake.

    THE DETAILS

    There were so many amazing moments throughout the weekend, but at about 10 pm on the night of our reception, the skies opened up with a torrential downpour – the first of the season! Rainfall on your wedding day is meant to be a blessing, and as the area was experiencing an extreme drought, the timing was even more special. 

    We also asked guests to donate to Umgazana Primary School, near my hometown in the Eastern Cape, instead of giving us gifts.

    THE FIRST DANCE

    ‘There Will Be Time’ by Mumford & Sons

    LITTLE BLACK BOOK

    Venue: Kapama River Lodge, Kapama Private Game Reserve
    Photography: Louise Meyer Photographers
    Co-ordination: Adiel Tryon at Umvini
    Rings: Park Lane Jewels
    Flowers: Flower Market
    Decor: The Wedding Warehouse
    Stationery: Lime By Design
    Cakes & dessert: Château Gâteaux
    Band: Tokyo Groove

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    Real wedding: Ané & Marius get married between heaven and earth

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    Surrounded by their nearest and dearest, Ané Bartleman and Marius Eksteen celebrated their special day on a sprawling estate in the Hemel-en-Aarde Valley.

    THE VENUE

    We scoured the internet for a venue, which is where I stumbled across Bona Dea Private Estate. I lined up three venues for us to view around Cape Town in one day, but Bona Dea was our first and last stop. It is truly the most spectacular venue along the Whale Coast. With astonishing views, a lavish ballroom (as well as perfectly groomed gardens), we knew our guests would be entertained at all times.

    THE THEME

    We really wanted an elegant, exciting, fun and comfortable wedding. We all had a blast over a long weekend with wine tasting, great food and even some whale-watching! Our wedding day was even better than we imagined it would be.

    THE DRESS

    My dress was made by Casper Bosman of Casper Designer Wear in our hometown of Bloemfontein. I wanted something very simple, fitted and sophisticated. There were times I thought I should add something here or there, but your first instinct is always the best choice.

    THE DECOR

    We wanted decor that wouldn’t date, so went for a clean look and feel with shades of grey, silver and white. Bona Dea has a wide variety of decor options available for a perfectly tailored wedding. We loved everything from the tree branches and fairy lights dangling from the ceiling to the delicate flowers and gorgeous cake stand.

    THE FOOD

    For our entrée, we had a creamy wild mushroom and biltong soup. The main course was beef fillet on a bed of vegetables with pumpkin fritters – absolutely delicious! Our wedding cake was just perfect. I found a picture on Pinterest and we were so lucky to have Charlotte from Krummels Sugar Art make a red velvet cake, with cute cake toppers that looked like Marius and me.

    THE FIRST DANCE

    I’m a dance teacher, so this was crucial. Afrikaans music is great to dance to, so we opted for Juan Boucher’s ‘Gebore Om By Jou Te Wees’.

    LITTLE BLACK BOOK

    Co-ordination, decor & venue: Bona Dea Private
    Photography: Johan Koegelenberg Photography
    Flowers: The Flower Scene
    Cake: Krummels Sugar Art
    Catering: Two Chefs
    Audio-visuals & DJ: Event Music Solutions

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    Anna & David

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    Anna Kokosinska was swept off her feet by David Bird. They wed in true romantic style with a three-day affair in Franschhoek.

    HERE COMES THE BRIDE…

    Our versions of how we met differ dramatically, but it all started in a bar in Perth. Two days later, I was on my way to Texas with him, where a two-week visit soon turned into a whirlwind romance.

    Our engagement was spectacular. We were staying at a spa hotel – Les Sources De Caudalie – just outside Bordeaux. He proposed in the cellars of Château Lafite Rothschild. To top it off, we had dinner at a two Michelin starred restaurant that night.

    Having lived all over the world, David said South Africa was where he wanted to get married. After seeing photos of Franschhoek, I didn’t need much convincing!

    A close friend in South Africa recommended Wedding Concepts and we met Kate, our wedding planner, over Skype. We spent a year chatting and creating Pinterest boards. She made the planning process a breeze and I will be forever thankful for her.

    THE BIG DAY

    Having never set foot in South Africa, it just blew me away. The venue and the decor were so much more than I could have ever imagined.

    We had a great party with flowers and candles everywhere. We wanted a big celebration that was romantic and fun, as a well as being memorable for all our guests who had travelled so far for us.

    It was raining on the day, just as I was heading to the altar. We delayed the start by 20 minutes – making David a little nervous! – which let me get some extra-special photos with my dad. So the rain turned out to be good luck for us!

    David’s uncle handmade a beautiful box holding a bottle of Vrede en Lust wine and two love letters. During the ceremony it was explained that if there were ever a time in our relationship when we felt disheartened, we should open the bottle of wine and read the love letters – of course, the hope is that such a time will never come. It was very emotional and many guests said they would start this same tradition in their own relationships.

    BEEN THERE, DONE THAT

    One of the greatest ideas we had was to focus on each other on the day. We were not traditional and didn’t spend the night before apart. It was very special to be able to have so much time together and not get caught up in the chaos.

    THE FINER DETAILS

    I envisioned myself in a sleek, lacy vintage dress. After many bridal boutiques and describing what I wanted, one lady said ‘you are a Monique Lhuillier bride’, and how right she was! I settled on a ballgown style – completely different from what I wanted at first!

    For the decor, we had lots of candles, flowers, crystal and mirrors everywhere, with romantic lighting. There were white couches around the dance floor so people could still be part of the atmosphere while taking a breather.

    Our first dance was to ‘We Are Young’ by Fun.. We love the Jewish tradition of dancing straight after the ceremony and wanted an upbeat song to get everyone dancing.

    Wedding Album_Real wedding_Anna and David

    Wedding Album_Real wedding_Anna and David

    Wedding Album_Real wedding_Anna and David

    Wedding Album_Real wedding_Anna and David

    Wedding Album_Real wedding_Anna and David

    Wedding Album_Real wedding_Anna and David

    Wedding Album_Real wedding_Anna and David

    Wedding Album_Real wedding_Anna and David

    Wedding Album_Real wedding_Anna and David

    Wedding Album_Real wedding_Anna and David

    Wedding Album_Real wedding_Anna and David

    Wedding Album_Real wedding_Anna and David

    Wedding Album_Real wedding_Anna and David

    Wedding Album_Real wedding_Anna and David

    Wedding Album_Real wedding_Anna and David

    Wedding Album_Real wedding_Anna and David

    Wedding Album_Real wedding_Anna and David

    Wedding Album_Real wedding_Anna and David

    Wedding Album_Real wedding_Anna and David

    Wedding Album_Real wedding_Anna and David

    Wedding Album_Real wedding_Anna and David

    Wedding Album_Real wedding_Anna and David

    Wedding Album_Real wedding_Anna and David

    Wedding Album_Real wedding_Anna and David

    Wedding Album_Real wedding_Anna and David

    LITTLE BLACK BOOK

    Wedding Coordination: Kate from Wedding Concepts

    weddingconcepts.co.za

    Venue and catering: Vrede en Lust

    vnl.co.za

    Photographer: Jean-Pierre Uys

    jeanpierrephotography.co.za

    Music: DJ René Tanguy `the Frenchman’

    djrene.co.za

    Flowers: Aspen Flowers & Co

    aspenandco.co.za

    Stationery: Secret Diary

    secretdiary.co.za

    Dress: Monique Lhuillier

    moniquelhuillier.com

    by
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