Today’s wedding comes from co-ordinators The Aleit Group, and I’m so excited to share it with you! Not only is it absolutely gorgeous gorgeous gorgeous (not that I’d expect any less from this team), but it’s also completely unique and contemporary. The location for one thing, is the Lightbox Studio, a minimalist photographic studio and event space in Greenpoint, that has incredible views out over the city, harbour and Table Mountain. I just love venues that show off the urban cool side of Cape Town, and this is definitely one of them. The look is white on white with a dash of silver, which makes tiny bits of colour like the cocktails really pop. Instead of a seated meal, the couple opted for a cocktail party followed by dancing, and it all adds up to a celebration that just oozes sophistication. And the details… wow. My favourites: the cake topper, the bridesmaid’s dresses, the incredible photo wall/guest book, and Andrew’s super cool “(Hus)band” armband. And with this level of awesome, I know you also won’t be surprised to hear that pictures are by the always-brilliant Joe Dreyer.
Category: Weddings by Type
Rustic Beach Wedding at Paternoster Lodge by Just Judy Photography
It’s back to the beach for today’s wedding, and what a gorgeous wedding it is! So many of my favourite elements – intimate beach setting, gazebo, proteas, CHEESE CAKE. (Oh, how I do love a cheese cake. They just add that something unexpected, and they’re so absolutely perfect for a couple who are not that excited by the idea of a sweet dessert. And this one was 100% DIY! Amazing.) But what’s even more impressive is that all of this coastal rustic goodness was pulled together by a bride and groom who were living in Shanghai, China, with all the challenges that organising a wedding long distance can bring. Kira and Jason, you guys did an amazing job! Thank you for sharing your day with us. And thank you also to the lovely Judy Stofberg of Just Judy Photography, who took these stunning photographs.
Apple Green Wedding at Rockhaven Farm by Lauren Kriedemann
When the very lovely Lauren Kriedemann offered to send over one of her favourite weddings from last season I was pretty excited. I am, after all, a huge fan of her work. But when I opened up the file I actually gave a little squeal of joy, because this wedding just bursts with pretty, rustic details! In fact, it’s so perfect that if you couldn’t see the very palpable joy and love between Lauren and Riaan in every picture, I might have mistaken it for a magazine shoot. It’s hard to narrow down, but my best bits: the fresh green signature colour (perfect for a wedding in apple country), the venue (how much are we loving Rockhaven right now?), the fun lovebird stationery, Lauren’s pearl bracelet and the clip in her hair, having afternoon tea for dessert and moving it outside, and of course the lawn games. And I’m not always sold on flower girls, but this has to be one of the cutest little girls ever, no? I love how Lauren K has caught her cheeky smile in the photos (especially the one above)! Many thanks to her, and to the happy couple, for sharing this amazing wedding – enjoy!
Country Luncheon Wedding at La Petite Dauphine by Wedding Concepts & Adel Ferreira
Ah, this wedding… I just want to pack my boxes and live in this wedding. The table settings are exquisite, as is the ‘indoors-outdoors’ ceremony setting. Pops of bright colour, ribbons floating in the breeze, fedoras, beyond adorable flower girls. I am completely in love with the décor and the atmosphere created by co-ordinator Hannes Loubser from Wedding Concepts (a company I wouldn’t expect anything less from than this amount of awesome). But if that’s not enough for you, the other thing that really makes this wedding stand out is that it turned the traditional schedule on its head and focused on what was important to the couple, as well as the season and venue. The day started with a relaxed lunch (which meant a total of two amazing meals for the foodie groom), followed by a sunset ceremony (with speeches immediately after) and then dancing and chilling late into the night. Tom and Marguerite: thank you so much for sharing your super-inspiring day with us – may the rest of your lives together be just as sweet!
Vintage Forest Wedding at Beloftebos by Gavin Casey
When I saw today’s wedding on photographer Gavin Casey’s blog, I was so excited that I emailed him straight away to ask if I could feature it. There’s a real cinematic quality to these pictures – I just love looking at them. I was even more excited to discover that it was co-ordinated by the Aleit team, as they always manage to bring something unique to their weddings. And this one has just that – starting with the venue. Ceremonies at Beloftebos are held under beautiful oak trees that form a roof so dense that you can legally sign the register! Other favourite details: the baby’s breath bouquets, mismatched bridesmaids’ dresses, succulents under glass, the vintage car and the broderie anglaise-style cake (with such a cute cake topper). I also loved that the couple played Pétanque (a form of boules) with their guests!
Plum Festival Themed Wedding at Rhebokskloof by Monica Dart
I love it when I come across a couple that chooses to do their wedding differently. I love it even more when they don’t just do it to be cool or unique, but to reflect the things that mean something to them or share a part of their history with their friends and family. Rebecca and Jacques are one of those couples – they met at a music festival a couple of years ago, so for their wedding day decided to recreate that carefree summer vibe complete with a lakeside picnic and an awesome live band that had their guests dancing on the grass late into the night. In fact, I am totally jealous of anyone who got to go to this wedding, since it looks like so much FUN! Fortunately, the super lovely Monica Dart was there to capture the day through her photos, and she’s done an amazing job of bringing it to life. Enjoy!
Elegant Garden Marquee Wedding by Ryan Graham & Wedding Concepts
Sometimes I just can’t believe the talent I come across in this industry. Last week’s bride was an amazing designer, and today’s is an incredible baker – her cakes are totally swoonworthy. More about that later this week, because today it’s all about her beautiful wedding (okay, it’s a little about her cake). Roxy and Craig were married in Constantia before moving on to a lush garden reception at her family home nearby. There’s something special about having a wedding at home, isn’t there? I love the idea of being reminded of that moment every time you visit, and being surrounded by your nearest and dearest in a familiar place.
Handmade Rooftop Picnic Wedding at Azure by Annemari Ruthven
Ok, I admit, I love all the weddings on this blog, and almost every day I fall in love with a new one. But the wedding I have to show you today is just… wow. As in, jump up and down and make little squealy noises-kinda amazing. As in, I’m still speechless at some of these details-kinda amazing. It is so beautiful, so creative, so personal and so joyful, that I have no doubt you will be truly inspired. You may remember Louise and Riaan from their bookshop-themed engagement shoot (in which case you’ll certainly remember their very talented photographer, Annemari Ruthven). Both are designers, and they took on their wedding like it was a high spec design project, from hand-staining the lanterns with tea to designing and making all the stationery and the exciting little goodies for the picnic baskets, to personalised parking vouchers (seriously!). Every little detail was considered to make the day special for their guests. And you’ll be able to see even more of those details on Thursday, when I’ll also be telling you how you can get a little bit of Louise magic for your own wedding (yay!). In the meantime, congrats to Louise and Riaan, who as well as being super talented are just two of the nicest people. Thank you both for sharing your incredible day!
How to Plan a Beach Wedding in Cape Town
Today’s guest post comes from the lovely Kate Diaz over at Wedding Concepts, one of Cape Town (and South Africa’s!) top event designers. She and the rest of the Wedding Concepts team go out of their way to create distinctive celebrations, and I always love featuring their work here on SBB. Today, Kate’s here to offer some top tips for hosting a beach ceremony or reception in the area – including where to get a Cape Town beach wedding permit – essential advice for anyone who’s planning a seaside celebration!
Elegant Beach Wedding at PURE, Hout Bay by Aleit Weddings & Joe Dreyer
There’s so much to love about today’s wedding, which comes from photographer Joe Dreyer (whose work I have been dying to showcase!). The totally unique beachy ceremony location, for one (which just shows how a little creative thinking goes a long way). The proteas, of course. A couple so obviously in love. Ashley’s glorious dress. The infusion of different cultures into the day. But for me, the best thing is the way that the wedding is so very personal. It’s the perfect example of two people who are really celebrating their journey as individuals and as a couple, and sharing that with those who mean the most to them. To me, that’s what weddings are all about. Ashley and Malan – thank you for sharing your story with us, and congratulations again!