Tag: wine farm weddings

Why Have a Winelands Wedding?

by gaby

For a lot of people, when you think ‘South African wedding’, one of the images that immediately springs to mind is the beautiful Cape winelands… a bride and groom walking hand in hand among the vines, great food and wine… you get the picture. After all, our wine route is one of the most beautiful places on earth (not that I’m biased as a Stellenbosch alum or anything, but they so are). And yes, we’ve all been to winelands weddings before, but from time to time, when I hear couples say that they avoided estate venues just to be different, I feel a little bit sad. That’s like saying you went to Italy and avoided Tuscany, just to be different. Not because we don’t have a wealth of other fantastic options, but because there are so many more reasons to consider a wine farm wedding than not. And so, since this month we’re celebrating everything vineyard, I thought it was the perfect time to round up my top ten of ’em.Read More

Glamorous Gold Wedding at JC Le Roux by Jana Marnewick {Shannon & Justin}

by gaby

What’s black, white and glamorous all over? Why, this wedding of course. Think classic black tie elegance with a generous helping of gold, all in the spectacular outdoor scenery of the Cape Winelands. Sigh. Justin and Shannon are a trans-continental couple who’ve endured the ups and downs of a long distance relationship, and I loved that they included so many personal and international touches in their big day, from a globe guest book to his and hers luggage tag favours. I also LOVE Shannon’s bridesmaids’ style – a MOH in pure sequins with a bouquet of gold-sprayed baby’s breath (genius, why haven’t I seen more of this idea?), bridesmaids in chic LBDs carrying wreaths – and of course, Shannon in her very own one-of-a-kind Old Hollywood number. Let the pretty party begin! Jana Marnewick was on the scene to take these lovely pics.Read More

Summer Rustic Wedding at Opstal Wine Estate by Dearheart Photos {Helene & Graeme}

by candice

While emailing Helene about this blog post, I got to know a little bit about this bubbly bride. The first fact was that her and her hubby are avid “adventurers”. Their first email came after they had been trekking through the mountains in Nepal. The follow up mail was sent from Istanbul, and the last one was sent from South Africa, just before they were about to head off to Swaziland! The second fact is that Helene is most definitely a people’s person (even over email!) and is one of those humans that you just immediately feel like you have known forever. (Read her story and you will understand why – this girl has a way with words!) Thirdly, Helene & Graeme have serious heart and it comes through in every detail of their wedding day. From the gold cement pots made by a rehabilitation center that focuses on teaching job creation skills, which displayed some of their flowers, to the absolute joy on their faces while celebrating surrounded by friends and family. I loved the vibrant summer flowers and the pops of gold in the decor (credited to Helene “feeling slightly gold crazy!”) the spectacular setting and all the special, intimate moments captured by the talented Lindsay from Dearheart Photos. I hope all you SBB readers enjoy this happy, love-filled day as much as Gaby and I did, and to Helene and Graeme, we wish you many more adventures together!Read More

Real Wedding at Webersburg {Leandrie & Raubie}

by gaby

Hello dear friends – sorry you missed out on your real wedding fix yesterday! I have a little holiday planned for next week, so I’m on double duty making sure everything’s ready to keep things pretty around here. Anyway, today’s wedding from Cheryl McEwan – as full of little details as it is – is definitely one to keep you entertained. Leandrie and Raubie were married at the magnificent Webersburg, with pops of green against a neutral palette, and lots of fun touches. My favourite is definitely the milkshakes with stripy green straws – adorableness! I also really love that Cheryl’s made sure not just to photograph these details as they stood on the day, but to get the bridal party interacting with them – it’s a nice editorial way of bringing those little touches to the forefront and making sure your pictures tell the story not only of your day, but of all the effort you put into the details, which I know is important to a lot of you! So here we go… enjoy!Read More

Real Wedding at Molenvliet {Sarah & Liam}

by gaby

Good morning SouthBound Brides! It’s our first real wedding of the year, and I can’t think of a more auspicious start than one captured by South African photography legend Christine Meintjes. A wedding from Christine is always a treat, but with a breathtaking Cape venue (the lovely MolenVliet), the most delicate pastel details and special touches like a canopy of flowers for the ceremony, white vases inside tall glass ones on the tables (love this) and dreamy bridesmaids’ dresses, this is extra special. Not to mention a to-die-for bit of hair accessorising on the lovely bride. It’s the perfect way to kick off what is set to be a year of real wedding awesomeness, and I for one, cannot wait!Read More

Real Wedding at Merwida {Robyn & Warren}

by gaby

Well fiddle-dee-dee. Who needs Rhett Butler and a plantation house when you can have an elegant manor wedding right over in Rawsonville! Today’s lovely bride and groom chose Merwida as the spot for their reception, a country house based on the design of Tara from Gone with the Wind. They were married right at the top of the tree-lined driveway, followed by games and a classic white on white wedding reception with dancing under the stars. What I love best about this wedding is the way that it marries a chic, classic style with a little touch of carnival – isn’t it lovely? And it just shows that you can pick and choose the ideas and styles that you like best from contemporary weddings, and you don’t need to go the whole nine yards with a theme or concept like carnival to inject a little fun into your reception. The beautiful images are by SBB friend and sponsor Kathryn van Eck – I just love her clean, fresh style! Oh, and PS: when the groom surprised his bride with a guitar serenade? Totally my favourite. Bet there wasn’t a dry eye in the house!Read More

Real Wedding at Rhebokskloof {Laura & Bradley}

by gaby

So what happens when your uncle is one of the most famous and celebrated designers in South Africa and you’re planning your wedding? Well, you ask him to design you a dress, of course. This was the fortunate position today’s gorgeous bride was in, and not only is her Errol Arendz wedding dress stunning, but it shows off all her best features – she’s definitely putting the haute in haute couture! Beyond that, I also love that Laura and the dapper Bradley chose to have a classically elegant white wedding at Rhebokskloof, with a beautiful tent, touches of silver and glass and an extravagance of white roses. This is certainly a style that won’t date, and their images (gracefully shot by Veronique Norval) will no doubt still look as fresh in twenty years as they do today. Sigh. I do love a classic.Read More

Real Wedding at Molenvliet {Liesl & Andrew}

by gaby

I’m very excited to showcase today’s wedding. It comes from one of our industry favourites – the always creative and inspirational Aleit Group, and the styling is seriously cool (not to mention the gorgeous pics by the incredible Jean Pierre Uys). I mentioned Delft a couple of weeks ago as an element I have found interesting recently – well, this wedding used it as a motif throughout. Think place settings, origami menus, cookies and (OMG I die for this) even a Delft-patterned dancefloor! That said, the theme is never tacky or overdone, it just blends in beautifully with the winelands venue (Molenvliet) and the safari-inspired details. Another element that must be mentioned is the aisle – how cool is this one? I’ve never seen anything quite like it, and I’m in love! Yet another reason I am loving this wedding though, is Liesl and Andrew’s super cute story, which includes one of the most romantic proposals ever (I just wish I had space to include the whole thing!). She was a South African girl who finished up her education at boarding school in the UK, he was a born-and-bred Brit. Then somehow, after studying in London and Nottingham respectively, they both landed up in London getting started in their careers in accountancy. And so it began…Read More