I was so incredibly anxious about my wedding day, but it honestly was the most magical day of my life. The day afterwards was one filled with mixed emotions; elation and giddiness at being married, and sadness that it was all over and wishing that we can rewind and do it all again.
We had a first look; so Josh saw me prior to the vows and only our immediate families were present (and the bridal and groom party) and it was so exciting! I don't think he has ever looked so happy to see me, and this did not detract from the butterflies at seeing him again at the end of the aisle. It made it all the more exciting.
The vows were also highlight for me; Josh also made vows for my adopted daughter, Nthando and this took us all by surprise. It was an incredibly special moment that we will never forget.
Lastly, seeing my wedding venue come together as I had imagined it to, despite doubting myself over and over again as we moved away from many traditional elements. It reflected our personalities and I don't regret any decision we made towards putting this wedding day together.
Unfortunately, we both work at schools (for learners with Autism) and we have not yet been able to go on honeymoon. We are also trying to save again as we all know how expensive weddings are, lol.
My wedding look was simple, and natural. I wanted Josh to recognise me as still being me. Nothing was elaborate or overly expensive. We worked hard at staying within budget.
Wedding dress - My Special Day Bridal Boutique (Somerset West)
Shoes - Shoerama (Kenilworth Centre)
Jewelley - Lovisa (Cavendish Mall)
Lingerie - Jack and Joan (Kenilworth Centre)
Hair - Kelly Lee Engelbrecht
Makeup - Nabz Makeup
Veil - Bride and Co (Canal Walk)
We got dressed at Dongola Guest House in Constantia - they went above and beyond to make sure we had everything we needed to ensure were relaxed and comfortable. The rooms were also on opposite ends of the property to ensure that Josh and I did not cross paths until we had to.
Jack Blacks Taproom in Diep River was our wedding venue. We had the best experience from start to finish.
Admittedly I did not do very much as I did not really make enough time for these kinds of things; however I did the following:
Galvanic Facial - La Petite Salon (Constantia)
Nimue Facial - Gold Leaf Spa (Bergvleit)
Hands and Feet - Sorbet (Kenilworth)
I needed help in this area because due to time and budget constraints. In addition, the venue could only accommodate set up from 14h00 which makes things rather tricky if you do not have help; therefore my fairy godmother would have to be Zenobia from Blue Olive Events. She took my ideas, and the overall feel and look I was after, and made them come alive!
Lighting - Lekker Trou (Blouberg)
The groom found his suit at Markhams, and his shirt, belt, tie and shoes were from Woolworths. The groomsmen also bought their pants, shoes, shirts and ties from Woolworths.
The maid of honour was my sister, and she found her dress at Bride and Co in Johannesburg.
My daughter was the flower girl, and she wore a dress from Truworths Kids, her tights were from H&M, and her shoes were from Woolworths.
Willie Viljoen (Cape Marriage Officers)
The BEST and loveliest photographer; Suane' Lourens.
The videographer was Marc Wylie, who was recommended to me by a friend and we cannot wait to see what he has done for us!
Yes! She made my dreams a reality - Zenobia at Blue Olive Events
This is funny - we just used Uber Black
The venue had their own chef and menu.
No wedding cake to cut costs.
We wanted a 'paperless wedding' so everything was digital, Chelsea at My Big Event was a gem!
The reception was less talking and more having fun (as we wanted a wedding that was less sit down, and more get up and socialise). This meant that we made the speeches quite short, and did the garter and bouquet toss early on in the evening so that the formalities were all out of the way.
DJ - ATIC Mobile DJ
Dance Lessons - Dizzy Feet
