Nautical Emoyeni Wedding by Lauren Kim {Abigail & Dean}

Those of you who have been around here for a while will know that my love of nautical knowns no bounds. Like today’s bride describes herself, I’m a nautical fiend. There’s no bad day that a bit of crisp linen and bateau stripes can’t solve, no view that isn’t made better by having a ship on the horizon, and no end to the shiny nautical bits and bobs that I have to restrain myself from filling my home with. So I think what I really love about Abigail and Dean’s wedding is that, even though it isn’t located even remotely near the coast, that didn’t stop them from pulling off a sea-worthy festival of awesome. From the blue and white striped tablecloths to the nautical cake to the oh-so-adorable bridesmaids with their captain’s hats, photographer Lauren Kim has captured every lovely detail. (Oh and PS, if you love coastal style, come back later for more beach-themed table decor!)

Love Story
Dean and I met in old school Melville at Roxy’s.

The Venue
We both love everything about Johannesburg, where we live in Brixton with our three dog ‘kids’, Rosy, Lilly and Peanut, so we decided to have our wedding in true Johannesburg style. The view turned out to be one of my favourite things about the day.

Wedding Style
I’m a nautical fiend, so decided to go for a nautical-themed wedding. I had to be very careful though as sometimes themed weddings can look cheap and cheesy.

Wedding Details
I had my Gran’s wedding ring attached to my mom bracelet (something old and something borrowed) – it was something really special to me. Like having her there with me.

Most Memorable Moment
The emotion of the day and the people were the highlights. If you choose special people to be in your bridal party they really go all the way. My mom and dad also pulled out all the stops, giving me everything my heart desired and spending every cent they earned that year on our special day.

Advice for Future Brides & Groom
I’ve been in marketing and events for over seven years so that experienced helped in the organisation. There were a few things I realised on the wedding day:

Take every gap you get to sit and watch people at the reception – seeing how much they enjoy the party means a lot considering the amount of planning that goes into it. My guests kept asking me to dance, which I did every now and then, but I also told them: “Just taking a minute to absorb everything!”
Don’t bother with dancing lessons – mine were tiresome and expensive and there is so much adrenaline at the time that you land up just wandering around the dancefloor anyway. Use the time to relax before your big day instead.
Videographer, videographer, videographer! The speed at which the day goes is beyond comprehension. You will not have enough time to take everything in, so spend the money and get the videographer!
Sit down on a chair when you try on your wedding dress. Mine was super comfy and looked amazing when I was standing up, but when I sat down it was uncomfy and looked funny.

See more from this wedding on Lauren Kim’s blog.

Lauren Kim Photography is a member of the SBB Directory

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