Well hot damn. You know it’s going to be an amazing day when we’re kicking it off with a totally unique and beautiful wedding that also happens to feature the talents of not one but two of our most favourite vendors. Casey Jeanne‘s dresses are always exquisite, but along with some deliciously boho accessories, this one makes bride Taryn look (by her own apt description) like a bohemian goddess. In a fashion spread. In Vogue. And the gorgeous (but totally laid-back) details don’t stop there – I promised you a groom in jeans, and here he is, rocking them. There’s a gypsy band of attendants (how much am I loving the MoH’s style?), flowers for the guests’ hair, a hand-tied bridal bouquet, bunches of wildflowers in pastel tin cans on rustic tables – for a bride who decided not to splash out on her floral budget, Taryn was surrounded by blooms. The whole effect is delightfully un-fussy, the kind of atmosphere where guests are ready to kick off their heels and dance with joy – and I’ll bet that’s just what they did. The wonderful Alexis Diack was on the scene to deliver her usual heart-stopping photographic captures.

Love Story
Mike and I met the boring, old fashioned way: through a mutual friend, at a club (no Tinder for us).

The Proposal
Mike proposed to me at Granny Mouse in the Midlands. It was the first place we ever went away to together as a couple and we loved it so much that we went back again and again and again. (Third time lucky, as that was when the proposal took place.) We both aren’t very big romantics, it makes us a bit shy and awkward, so he proposed in the privacy of our own room where it was just the two of us, before taking me out to dinner – obviously I couldn’t eat.

The Venue
I had always wanted to get married in a barn, it was the one thing that had remained a constant in my girly wedding dream. The Glades was the first venue we looked at and from the moment we walked into the barn we fell hook, line and sinker. If you ever get a chance to see the venue you will understand, it’s perfection and then some.

Wedding Style
We wanted a very relaxed wedding with minimal fuss. We used the beauty of the venue to our advantage, so decor and flowers were kept very simple. We did some DIY by painting tin cans baby yellow, baby blue and coral to hold the flowers and brought in a sailor theme with napkins that my aunt made.

Wedding Details
As Mike and I are not very traditional, I think our wedding matched our personalities in that it was very relaxed. We wanted people to eat good food (burgers), drink lots and dance the night away.

DIY Elements
We saved a lot of costs on flowers. Our amazing friends and family were on tin collection duty, and we painted the tins ourselves which we used for our flower arrangements. My aunt made our napkins.

The Flowers
I am a big believer that spending a lot of money on wedding flowers is somewhat of a sin, so we opted for fairy daisies, penny gum and other inexpensive blooms.

The Dress
My wedding gown was made by the insanely talented Casey Jeanne Walters. As I had saved costs on flowers, I went all out on my dress. It was a lace and silk Georgette style. It was and still is quite possibly the most beautiful item of clothing I have ever worn. To say I love it would be an understatement. I felt like a bohemian goddess in it. It was my favourite detail of the day.

Memorable Moment
The most memorable part of the day (besides marrying Mike obviously) was having my ten year old Chihuahua, Chi-Chi, walk down the aisle with me.

The Honeymoon
We actually did not go on honeymoon because we were in the process of moving overseas soon after our wedding. We decided it was more important to spend the honeymoon money on transporting our four animals overseas with us. We are planning a trip to Fiji next year, yay!

Advice for Future Brides & Grooms
I think it’s very important to keep focused on what the day is about and not get lost in wedding land. It’s a great time and should be fun. If it’s making you stressed, you are doing it wrong.

You can see more from this wedding on Alexis Diack’s blog.

SERVICE PROVIDERS
Ceremony & Reception Venue: The Glades | Catering: Blue Strawberry Catering |Photography: Alexis Diack | Co-ordinator: Gabi Linehars (The Glades) | Videographer: Michelle Rabe | Cake: The Little Cake Company | Flowers & décor: Vanilla House | Bride’s dress: Casey Jeanne Walters | Hair & makeup: Charelle McAllister | Bridesmaids’ dresses: Purchased in New York | Groom’s attire: TopMan, Levis, Country Road | Hiring: The Glades | DJ: DJ Fuego Heat (076 3986465)