Vendors you chose and why:

Since travel forms such a big part of our life (and our relationship) we thought it would only be fitting to have vendors from all over the world!

Our wedding planner Gabby from ‘Cause We Can Events flew in from LA. It was her first time in Africa, and we were thrilled that she was willing to travel 36hr to be with us (and to take on the challenge of planning a wedding from so far away). We spent over 2 years planning our vision with her, and after seeing what she pulled off in Utah, we knew she’d be the perfect partner for our multi-location wedding in South Africa…and she was!

Both venues were quintessentially “rustic afro-chic” – exactly what we wanted. Our ceremony took place on the long sandy beaches outside Draaihoek Lodge & Restaurant and even though gale force winds nearly blew us all away due to the Spring Tide, it was the perfect setting for the beach wedding of our dreams. Our reception venue, Bosduifklip, was as outdoorsy as us, and the tree-stump tables and chairs, together with the dance floor wrapped around a giant rock, made it the perfect setting for our Full Moon party. The food was also incredible and one of the main reasons we chose the venue – they delivered a delicious display of what a South African seaside “braai” (barbecue) should be.

We both felt like royalty – Chanel dressed in Chosen by One Day (from Melbourne, Australia) and Stevo in his bespoke suit from Bordoni (from Antwerp, Belgium). The outfits definitely added to the glam of the day, making sure we both looked our absolute best. We’re so grateful we found both Chosen by One Day and Bordoni.

The decor rental company, Muse, completely blew us away with their styling. It was everything we hoped for and more!

And finally, the brilliant Jennifer was actually the last vendor we booked, but as they say, “save the best for last”, right? Seeing Jennifer’s portfolio we knew we struck gold. We wanted an intimate, editorial and documentary-style approach, with a focus on small details, and capturing the emotion and mood of the day, and that’s exactly what Jennifer gave us. So so happy she too was willing to fly across the globe from Toronto for our special day.

Favourite moment of the day:

We had so many favourite moments but will highlight two of them.

The first look.

After debating for months if we should have one or not, we are both so so glad we did. It was the one part of the day where we could have “our moment”, be alone, and just enjoy each other. It was also such an emotional build-up, so no words could describe that feeling.

The moment we walked in at the reception, just before we headed into our first dance.

Nothing can quite prepare you for the love you feel, seeing all your favourite people from all over the world, cheering for you, and clapping, as you walk in as “Mr & Mrs”. Pure magic.

Advice to couples currently planning their wedding:

It’s such a tricky time to be planning milestone events, with the world on lockdown due to COVID-19. On the one hand, it might be worthwhile waiting it out so that you can have an affair as big as you want, with all the people there with you, but on the other hand, it might be better to just elope with a photographer in a beautiful and remote location. Depending on what is more important to you, we’d say that you should try to be flexible and adaptable as best as you can, and stay hopeful. Use this time for research and to dream up your ideal day. Chat to your vendors to see what is possible. But the most important thing is that you remember why you are getting married – whether it’s just the two of you or a big event when it is safe to have one…remember that at the end of the day, you are celebrating your love and starting a new chapter in your lives. It’s about the two of you and nothing else.