I always say that SouthBound Bride is for couples bound to South Africa by birth, or bound for South Africa as their wedding destination, and I have to say, I always get a little thrill when I see international couples choose our beautiful land for their nuptials. Melanie is from Germany and Oliver was born in Colombia, but it was in Cape Town that they chose to tie the knot, in a gorgeous ceremony and reception that was inspired by Melanie’s love for contemporary interior design. With a palette of midnight blue, rose quartz and blush, an outdoor ceremony next to a horse paddock, and opulent tables overflowing with pink peonies, white Colombian hydrangeas, berries and garden roses, as well as Delft-style vases that bridged the gap between the couple’s story (and their love of travel) and their wedding destination. Needless to say, they were in the best hands with their planners, the forever awesome Wedding Concepts, who took the couple’s fresh ideas and turned them into trend-setting splendour. Tyme Photography took these utterly gorgeous pics.
Love Story
Oliver: Melanie and I met on New Year’s Eve. Actually, it was a New Year’s Eve Party where she asked me to dance with her. Apparently she just wanted to dance, but I already knew that I liked this girl. Sad only, that I had to wait several months until I had the opportunity to meet her again and to show her that I was the right one!
The Proposal
Oliver: I asked her to help me with cooking and then asked if she could pass me a box of Fleur de Sel that I needed to flavor my dish. I hid the engagement ring in this box! When she found it she stared at me without saying anything and I was so nervous, that I forgot everything that I wanted to say… But I pulled myself together and asked her THE QUESTION. And she said YES!
The Venue
A combination of intimacy, individuality and elegant luxury.
Wedding Style
We had a colour scheme in mind of blush, blue, white and gold.
Wedding Details
The Ming vases in our table setting reflected our love of travel. At the beginning of our relationship we travelled a lot across Asia: Thailand, Vietnam, Sri Lanka, Cambodia, etc. With my passion for interior design I of course challenged us all the time with how we could get lovely, unique Asian pieces back home. In Cambodia we finally found old and beautiful Ming vases and bowls. Oli and I had to carry all the fragile, bulky pieces through Cambodia and Thailand back home.
Design Elements
Wedding Concepts executed most of the design elements on the day and brought our vision together beautifully! I lovingly designed our wedding logo and the overall theme of the stationery, which included the South African national bird, the Blue Crane. I was so eager to have a candy bar – absolutely trendy at that time! I had a specific picture in my mind of how the bar should look with all its details, like white feathers, blue macarons with a gold accent, and all customised by our lovely planner, Kate.
The Dress
From the first moment it was clear to me that I wanted to have a dress from the Spanish brand Pronovias, as they are known for the most beautiful lace dresses. We made a little event out of the fitting, together with my aunt, my cousin and a friend. I found my perfect dress at only the second store we visited.
The Bridesmaids
My bridesmaids wore chiffon dresses in elegant, pure grey.
Memorable Moments
We cannot say that there was a favourite or most memorable part of the day. The whole day was so special for us. Sharing this amazing day together with our friends and family, who all came from abroad… Looking back on it, we’re still speechless. To be honest, our whole vacation in South Africa was our favourite part!
Proudly South African Details
The menu! We worked with both the venue and Wedding Concepts to conceptualise a delicious, South African menu.
Advice for Future Brides & Grooms
If you’re planning your wedding from abroad, make sure to pick a good wedding planner! This will make your life much easier before and definitely on your special day!
You can see more from this wedding on the Wedding Concepts blog.
SERVICE PROVIDERS
Wedding design & coordination: Kate Diaz for Wedding Concepts | Photography: Tyme Photography | Venue & catering: Grand Dedale Country House | Floral: Fleur le Cordeur | Bride’s dress: Pronovias | Bride’s shoes: Jimmy Choo | Hair & makeup: Yolande du Toit | Lighting: Something Different | Stationery: Secret Diary | Wedding cake: Laura Mitchell
