I never cease to be amazed by how beautiful my home country is. Despite having seen some truly awe-inspiring places on my travels, nowhere quite makes my heart soar the way that South Africa does. The big sky, the variety of flora and fauna, the African-ness of it. When photographer Jacques Lloyd of Real Simple Photography kindly sent over Ilanie and Johan’s wedding at Galgeberg Resort in McGregor, it reminded me of that. The scenic backdrop of the ceremony is just… beyond. It reminds me of a line from one of our national anthems, which roughly translates as: “over our eternal mountain ranges/where the cliffs give answer”. It is without doubt a very special place for two people to promise to spend their lives together, and what makes this wedding even more special is that it was the first one that Galgeberg has hosted. I’m super excited to be able to share it with you today.
Tag: Real Weddings
Real Circus Wedding {Michelle & Werner}
Roll up, roll up! The circus is in town!
Thought our real weddings were finished for the week? Boy do I have a Friday treat for you! If you follow Cap Classique on Facebook (and if you don’t, I’d just love it if you did!), you’ll know that I guest posted earlier this week on the lovely Christie’s blog, Hindsight Bride, with a very special wedding. Remember when you were a kid and the Boswell Wilkie Circus was in town? (Massive excitement!) Well, Michelle and Werner actually got to have their wedding at the Boswell Wilkie circus! How unbelievably cool is that? VERY, that’s how.
Real Wedding at Dornier Wine Estate {Marlein & Hennie}
If you look up elegance in a dictionary, you’ll find alongside a mention of grace and taste, the concept of elegance as something cleverly simple. So whichever way you define it, elegance is what today’s wedding is all about. A bride in a beautiful dress, carrying a single rose-flanked protea. Poised. Stunning. A lovely guest house for preparations. Bridesmaids in the softest shade of pink. A groom at home in his suit. A succulent boutonniere. A vineyard reception. Wooden tables. Damask. Little sprigs of brunia on the napkins. Simple gifts of fudge and cigars, charmingly presented. Every detail is perfectly formed, and each has its place in the whole. It’s cleverly simple, and tasteful and graceful. It’s elegant. Which makes it the perfect match for photographer Joanne Markland, whose photographs are always pure elegance. And how much do I love, love, love the final pic in this series – the way that no matter what wedding craziness is going on around them, the bride and groom share a moment of stillness and connection. So whatever craziness the working day holds for you, take a moment for yourself here too, and enjoy.Read More
Real Wedding at Schaftplaas {Liana & Toy}
A while back I remember coming across a wedding online where, during the reception, one of the groomsmen proposed to one of the bridesmaids. Cute, right? But I remember thinking how if you were going to do that, you would have to be part of a group of friends who would be so excited for you that they wouldn’t feel you were upstaging the bride and groom, simply making the whole night even more special for everyone. It wasn’t until I was putting this post together that I realised Liana and Toy were that couple! And now I can see exactly why the proposal was perfect for them – they are clearly warm and down to earth folks, and like nothing better than chilling out with the people they love. And the great thing is, that’s EXACTLY what their wedding was all about. Forget trends and trappings, this is one wedding that was totally original, because it was designed completely around who the bride and groom really are. From their outfits to the ultimate rustic venue (Schaftplaas), to the proudly South African touches like tin cups and malva pudding for dessert. From the horse cart and hay ride arrivals, to the barbed wire table decorations, to the barn dance festivities and the dogs hanging out like they were just another guest. It all looks like so much FUN! And if you weren’t already convinced that personalised weddings are the Way To Go, then welcome to your conversion. Liana and Toy – you guys rock. Thank you so much for sharing your day with us! And another great big thank you to photographer Annemari Ruthven, who is as talented as she is lovely and took these gorgeous pictures. I’m so excited to have her on the blog again!
Real Wedding at De Hollandsche Molen {Michelle & Frans}
Ok, confession. I’ve always kinda had this thing where I wished I was born Southern. As in, Southern American, not from the south of, like, the earth (in which case I did pretty well). For one thing, it’s a beautiful place, and for another I would make a great steel magnolia. Plus, growing up I would have got to kiss boys who sounded like Harry Connick Jnr and called their mothers ma’am. But most of all, I would have got to use expressions like “that dog don’t hunt” and “finer than a frog’s hair split four ways” in my lilting Southern drawl. I’ve tried them in my Saaf Effrikan accent and… well, that dog don’t hunt. But let’s just pretend for today that I AM Southern and that I could say things like that, because y’all, today’s wedding really is finer than a frog’s hair split four ways. Take a beautiful Cape day, add proteas and laughter and pretty vintage details, and you have the epitomy of wedding gorgeousness. Every little part of Frans and Michelle’s day at De Hollandsche Molen seems effortless and graceful and bathed in golden light, and their joy is so beautifully captured by Rebecca Meissner of Love Made Visible, it’s infectious. So grab an ice tea and sit a spell, and enjoy this nugget of Southern (African) goodness.Read More
Real Wedding at Groenrivier {Huibré & Schalk}
Time to kick off our real weddings for 2011!! And I can’t think of a better one to get us started than Schalk & Huibré’s. It’s the PERFECT balance between laid back, vintagey farm cool and stylish sophistication; I die over the little details every time I look at them. The stationery is, quite simply, amazing. Playful and eclectic and totally covetable. (Of course, it never hurts when the groom’s aunt is the fabulous Elsje of Elsje Designs!) The venue is gorgeous (Groenrivier in Riebeek West, about an hour from Cape Town). And Ian Mitchinson‘s pictures are quite simply… wow. (Wait till you see the couple shoot taken around Riebeek Kasteel) I can’t even pick which is my favourite part – the plum coloured dresses, the antique brooches on the bride’s bouquet, the SHOES, the homely little vintage touches like coffee cans and kitchen scales adorned with roses… and the truly astounding part is that it was organised in THREE MONTHS! Yes, it’s actually possible (although I’m convinced Huibré must be some kind of wedding savant to pull this off). So prepare to be awed!Read More
Real Wedding at La Petite Dauphine {Diana & Ross}
There are some weddings that are so totally synchronous that when I’m putting the post together it feels more like an inspiration board than an actual wedding, and that’s what today’s is like for me. Seriously, it is flawless. The decor, the styling, even the weather seem to pull together into a cohesive whole that is just elegant, rustic perfection. Green and brown are two colours that work beautifully and bring so much depth to one another, especially when they reflect the lush spring gorgeousness of the Cape winelands. Details are cleverly chosen – clouds of baby’s breath and roses in copper pots and teacups, twig hearts, fruity water in glass bottles presented in an old wheelbarrow, wicker baskets for the ring bearers. And I love the whimsical little details, like Diana’s long veil and the embroidered bathrobes for her bridal party. In fact, there’s not a single thing I don’t love. Co-ordination of all this swoon-worthiness is down to Absolute Weddings, who are based in Cape Town, and the breathtaking images are from top photographer Christine Meintjes. Christine’s crisp style is perfectly matched to all that is light and bright, and her pictures in the blossoms are just inspired. *sigh* So grab a cup of coffee this Tuesday morning, and dive in!
Real Wedding at Straightway Head Hotel {Kedi & Alex}
So yesterday was Thanksgiving, and even though I’m not American, I found myself giving a lot of thanks. As in, THANKS to a certain South African broadband network who shall remain nameless, we couldn’t get the pictures through for yesterday’s real wedding. But THANKS to the hard work of the one and only Monica Dart (I am totally the president of her fan club today), it’s all here for you right now. And THANK goodness, because this is just the bestest way to end off your week (or start your week, or continue your week… it’s that sweet). As usual, I am in love with Monica’s photos, which seem to dance off the screen of their own free will. Combine that with a beautiful summery day, a haawt couple (seriously, how beautiful a bride is Kedi? – and she’s a doctor no less!), the prettiest of summer flowers against crisp damask tablecloths and a breezy garden setting, and I am pretty much smitten. So big THANKS to everyone involved for sharing!Read More
Real Wedding at Mofam River Lodge {Marilet & Herman}
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!
Real Wedding at Morgenhof {Alicia & Winston}
We’re back to real weddings this week, and today’s is a blinder – although of course we wouldn’t expect anything less from the Wedding Concepts team! They had an unusual challenge this time – to turn the historic cellar venue of Morgenhof into a contemporary, formal space using lush, modern colours. They also had to mix two cultures (Alicia from the US and Winston from Liberia) and create a space where all the couple’s guests could feel at home. I think they more than pulled it off, as evidenced by the huge smiles on Winston and Alicia’s faces! I’m also absolutely thrilled that I finally get to feature the work of photography team Zarazoo, who I’ve been a fan of for aaaaages. Their style always makes me homesick, since they capture the big sky we are lucky enough to have in Africa (as well as the fun and personalities of the people they shoot). In fact, so much about this particular wedding reminds me why I love my home continent – it just seems to radiate with the glow of the warm earth, the light of the sun and the love of family and friends. I hope you love it as much as I do.
