Lights, Camera, action, I Do

Modern-day couples with a bit of cash and imagination are going all out to ensure they have the fairytale wedding of their dreams. Under the guidance of experienced, top-notch professionals in the industry, couples can enthral guests with a wedding so well put together that it looks and feels like a Hollywood production.

Experienced wedding coordinator and owner of Wedding Concepts, Christina Holt, says that many of the couples she works with are slightly older, with some expendable income to put towards having a spectacular wedding with a personal touch. Wedding Concepts specialises in conceptualising, designing and coordinating stylish, upmarket weddings (for both local and international clients) and in her experience Christina has noticed a significant shift in the approach couples are taking, regardless of their age.

According to Christina, the current trend is to conceptualise the entire décor and design of the wedding. Everything from specialised lighting and creative seating to the types of tablecloths, crockery and cutlery is taken into detailed consideration. But instead of looking at each of the elements individually a more holistic approach is taken, an approach Christina refers to as Event Interior Design.

“It’s very exciting to see, and it is a huge market within the wedding market. We go to the extent where we put together a storyboard depicting the couples’ preferred style through various looks in fabric, flowers, containers, lampshades etc. Based on that storyboard we develop a whole décor concept unique to the particular couple and their style. On the day, the personalities of the couple must shine through in everything”, says Christina passionately.

Professional wedding photographers are exposed to a large amount of weddings in any given year so they are also bound to notice any trend shifts. Award winning wedding photographer, Joe Dreyer says that besides the move to a more relaxed, photo-journalistic approach in their photos, couples are starting to place more emphasis on the importance of their wedding photos. Couples seem more willing to spend a bit extra for guaranteed quality on the whole. “Weddings are becoming smaller, more exclusive and personal. It is clear that people are spending more money on the entire feel of the wedding,” says Joe. He goes on to say that most of the weddings couples he’s worked for recently have been slightly older and pay for the wedding themselves so they tend to pay more attention to the finer details and focus on incorporating their personalities into the day.

While Christina and Joe have noticed an increased preference for a highly personalised approach to weddings, couture wedding gown designer Paul van Zyl comes across many misconceptions regarding tailor made wedding gowns. Paul feels that brides underestimate the importance of taking the figure, personality, complexion and other key aspects into consideration before designing their wedding garment.

“I believe that a custom made wedding gown carries a little bit of your soul, because it has to be so you. The fun part around designing a wedding gown is to actually sit and explore your inner soul, your likes your dislikes and your personality. Yes, pictures and ideas help, but allow a designer to guide you and assist you to eventually arrive at beautiful and unique gown,” says Paul.

Paul feels that the main misconception around couture wedding gowns is that people just assume it will be expensive and don’t even consider it as an option. He says: “The reality of South Africa is that one has to respect the fact that not everyone can splash out on a R20 000. We’ve got an enormous fabric shop and some designers fly down from Gauteng to buy fabric here because we import from Europe. The same style of material is then copied in Asia and we import those cheaper ranges as well. So we also cater for the bride who simply cannot spend R1000 or R500 per metre. It may not be the original, but it looks very similar.”

Paul says that it is therefore imperative to work with a professional who can advise you on all the various materials to suit every aspect of your requirements, including your budget. Paul feels that a true professional will be able to show you suitable material options that you were not even aware of before.

Both Christina and Joe also feel very strongly about the importance of working with a professional. Joe says that because there are so many photographers out there, it is imperative for couples to look at as many portfolios as possible and not get caught up in the extras and enlargements that that are included in the package. Joe feels that it is equally vital to meet with the photographer personally beforehand. He believes that to get the best photos you need to be as relaxed as possible on the day and a professional photographer should make you feel relaxed and beautiful instinctively.

Christina says that people also just assume that wedding co-ordinators are lavishly expensive, but what many people don’t realise is that you pay a small fee for their expertise and the special relationships they have with suppliers. She says that in the end you could probably save some money by using a wedding co-ordinator because they are privy to the best deals in the industry and are experienced at negotiating with suppliers.

Whatever your budget or personal style, one thing is clear: professional service providers should not be steered away from on the assumption that they are expensive and one-dimensional. If you take some time to speak to a quite a few of the many professional service providers out there and discuss your budget limitations and requirements upfront, chances are you could find a bit more than you bargained for.

Lights, Camera, action, I Do | Wedding Articles