I first came across Warren Williams when we featured Monique & Kaz’s engagement shoot, and I’m thrilled to be able to feature our first of his weddings today. If you haven’t checked out Warren’s blog yet, you definitely should, since not only are the pictures gorgeous, but the way he writes up each wedding always gives me a chuckle! When he described Herman and Marilet’s celebration, it was clear that the two of them had the kind of relaxed attitude that most brides and grooms (and service providers!) can only dream of, and you can see from all the images that this allowed them to really enjoy every second of the day. And when the couple are having fun, everyone’s having fun!

The wedding was held at Mofam, Elgin, a river lodge and waterskiing school in the heart of Cape apple country. Rustic and picturesque, it’s the perfect laid-back venue and was one that was very special to the couple, since Mofam helped to plan the engagement as well as the wedding. As Marilet says, she and Herman became part of the family from the day they decided to get married! And because the venue is on a lake, the bride and her attendants can arrive in a rowboat or on a little river barge, as Marilet did. Isn’t that adorable?!

From Marilet:
Herman and I met in a bar… I always said that I would never meet my husband-to-be in a bar, but never say never! We both share a love for music, friends, and animals. There was an instant connection and we’ve never been apart for more than two days since.

Aren’t those strings of apples lovely? Such a fresh, pretty take on flower garlands and I love how it immediately ties everything in with the location of the wedding.

Our design concept was centred around a rustic theme. Since Mofam is situated in the Elgin Valley, we decided that we would make use of the beautiful surroundings and apple orchards, thus incorporating the natural colours, i.e. white and green, and hay. Incorporating nature meant that we didn’t have to make use of elaborate decor.

Marilet continues: My advice is to get your friends and family involved, since it makes the whole affair more personal.

In fact, the wedding was a real family-and-close-friends affair, which was one of the things the couple loved most about it, alongside the fact that it was a massive party! When the time came for the garter to be thrown, they threw in a hilarious variation – a dance off! One by one the boys vied to win the garter – according to Warren: “Grown men throwing themselves with complete passion onto the dancefloor (when they clearly can’t dance after a dozen Jagermeisters) defies logic!” What a fun idea! The evening also included a heartfelt speech from Herman that won’t be easily forgotten by his bride.

Congratulations, Marilet and Herman! Wishing you a wonderful life together! And a big thank you to Warren – remember to head over to his blog to see more.