Hello lovelies! How’s your week going so far? I must admit, I am finding work hard at the moment with the short days on this side of the equator, and so much to do before Christmas! But it’s lovely to be in the festive season (even if I will be another year older at the end of it, gah). Anyway, if you have the December stresses (or even if you’re riding high on a wave of festive cheer), here’s something pretty to make your afternoon just before you rush off from work to finish off that Christmas shopping. Pieter and Leanie were married at what is fast becoming a favourite venue for me, the classy and intimate Firlane House. They used Leanie’s favourite flower, the arum lily, as a motif, and incorporated lots of pretty but subtle touches. It’s class all the way, and Bernard Bravenboer has captured these gorgeous pics to share with you. I especially like how Bernard manages to capture the spirit of the later evening – I always think this is a real challenge for a photographer, but the pictures from the dance floor and cake cutting are some of my favourites. Ah, just give me some twinkly lights, a chocolate cake and a pumping dancefloor, and I’m a happy woman. ;)

From the lovely Leanie:
Pieter and I met in our first year of university through my roommate, who was at school with him. At the beginning, he came to visit her at our residence, but before long he was having coffee with me! He asked me out in the Stellenbosch botanical gardens, and four and a half years later he asked me to marry him there too.

I wanted a traditional white wedding, with lots of lights, glass and flowers. I’m crazy about arum lilies so I knew I had to include them, and from there the white and green colour scheme developed for the rest of the decor. We picked them ourselves at a farm outside Bredasdorp. My father made chalkboard hearts for the seating plans and table numbers.

It was a special day, from getting ready with my bridesmaids (in dresses they made themselves!), to walking into the church and seeing Pieter standing there, and the moment we walked out of the church as man and wife for the first time with our guests showering us with flowers. After the ceremony we served lemonade on the beach, which worked perfectly to quench everyone’s thirst!

My advice is to give yourself enough time for hair and makeup – don’t worry if you plan to get up at 8am, as you’ll be awake in any case! A wedding co-ordinator is a must if you can manage it – it takes so much of the organisation off your shoulders so that you can enjoy your big day that much more.

Baie dankie Leanie en Pieter! Hope my translation was okay! ;) And big thanks and cheers to Bernard – you can, as always, see more of this wedding on his blog right here.

Service providers:

Venue & catering: Firlane House
Photographer: Bernard Bravenboer
Co-ordinator: Nikki du Toit for Antoinette Events
Florist & decor: Marina du Toit for Antoinette Events
Cake: Danielle van der Westhuizen, La Dané
Bride’s dress: Hanna Kemp
Hair & makeup: Marceley en Marna
Hiring: Antoinette Events
DJ: Johan Wiid