How he popped the question:
Jeroen whisked me away to a very romantic lodge in Mpumalanga. We were not going to have much of a December break so I thought this was our chance to just have a couple of days together to relax and unwind... Jeroen was very irritable on the drive down. I thought it was the mist and terrible road! Little did I know that he was just working up the courage to pop the question later that evening!!!

The lodge was wonderful and after a very sumptuous dinner on our private deck overlooking the river Jeroen surprised me by going down on one knee!!! I made him sweat a minute or two (he did make me wait 9 years, after all!!!), then said that the thought of sharing the rest of our lives together as husband and wife seems appealing! (I actually said: Yes, indeedy!!!)

We were both so excited we couldn't wait to let our friends and family know immediately!

The Dress:
I saw a picture of the dress I wanted and my aunt made it for me! I was so happy with it, made me feel like a fairy in a fairytale!

The Suit:
No suits in sight! My aunt made Jeroen’s shirt and we bought his pants from Edgars.

The Bridesmaids Dress:
My sister was my bridesmaid and she got her dress from Truworths.

Colour Scheme:
Chocolate Brown and Cream, with hints of autumn red.

Flowers:
I made all the bouquets & centrepieces myself. I got the flowers on the Thursday before the wedding from Jason’s Flowers @ Multiflora. I used cream tulips and roses, safari sunset and blush, and those red berries (can’t remember the name?).

The Transport:
Our guests were transported to the ceremony site by open Landrover. I went down in hubby’s Sante Fe and walked the rest of the way through the veld!

The Ceremony:
Our ceremony was held under the trees in the bush. Was so special and different!

The Reception:
The reception was held in The Cradle Restaurant. It is a spectacular venue with views to die for and the food is SCRUMPTIOUS! The venue’s staff is very friendly and helpful and made the day run so smooth.

The Cake:
We didn’t have the traditional wedding cake (but then again we didn’t have a traditional wedding!). We opted for a ‘cheese’ cake, which we served with condiments, nuts, fresh fruit & crackers directly after the ceremony. The guests loved the cheese & wine in the bush!

Favours:
Jeroen & I are known coffee-holics, so we thought it only fitting to give our guests filter coffee with rusks which they could enjoy the next morning.

Decor:
I made everything myself; from the runners to the placecards to the napkins! Was a huge task but I loved seeing it all come together. I bought my candles from Pick & Pay – the same ones you get at Gradiflora, just a LOT less expensive! I bought galvanised buckets from streetvendors and painted them with tinted varnish and they were my plower pots for my centre pieces.

Music:
Our music was provided by DJ Mark from Cream Cheese. He kept the guests boogying till the early hours!

The Honeymoon:
We stayed 8 days at Le Victoria in Mauritius. Was wonderful and didn’t want to come back!

Brides Tip:
Delegate, delegate, delegate!!! And get a videographer, because you will not take in half of the day and it is so special to see it afterwards.

Special Moments:
Having my daddy walk me down the aisle was the most emotional moment for me. After almost losing him to cancer, I felt so blessed that he was there by my side. And Jeroen & my first dance was one of those outerbody experiences… I loved every minute of it!!!

Recommended Service Providers:
Photographer: Andrea Carlyle: prices@andreacarlylephotography.co.za
Videographer: Gavin Blok: gavin@gavinblok.com
Make-up Artists: Juanita: juanita@in2art.co.za
Music: Cream Cheese: info@creamcheese.co.za
Venue: The Cradle: jennifer@thecradle.co.za

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