Tersia + Gerrit

Wedding date: 6.11.2021
Dress: Custom Ella Rose

How did you and Gerrit meet?
We met in our third year at Stellenbosch University in 2013. Only after 2 years of friendship, did it blossom into romance, and we have been inseparable since.

Tell me about your proposal story?
Gerrit took me away for the weekend at Gordons Bay. The day of the proposal, we went to a few wine farms for wine tastings, had something to eat at the Elgin railway market, and ended the day with a glass of wine on the balcony of the place we were staying at. It had the most beautiful view of the sunset over the False Bay. I had just gotten a new phone with some nifty camera settings, so I was playing around with the phone and taking photos of the sunset, when suddenly, Gerrit told me to get up and stand in a certain spot. Right there, with the view of the last bit of sunset behind him, he asked me to marry him.

What was most important to you when planning your wedding?
I wanted the wedding to reflect our individual personality and be a representation of our love. After the wedding, I wanted people to say, “this was typically Tersia and Gerrit”.
We succeeded.

How did you feel when you first stepped into your custom made wedding dress?
First…. Overwhelmed! I cried. But it was tears of joy! After dreaming about the dress for so long, designing it with Jo, and finally seeing it for the first time just made me so happy and emotional. It was everything I have dreamed of and more.

What did you love most about it?
The way the dress hugged my body in all the right places and just how comfortable and beautiful I felt in the dress. I could not believe my reflection in the mirror.
I loved every detail about the dress! The soft lace topper, the train, flowy chiffon skirt and just the right amount of classy and sexy. The dress embodied my personality perfectly and I could dance the night away in it.

Did you have a specific theme for your wedding? If so, please tell me about it.
No theme, I just wanted it to feel rustic, free, and colourful.

Where was your wedding and who was your photographer? Why did you choose them?
Our wedding was at La Terra De Luc Wedding Venue, in Franschhoek. What we loved about the venue is the peace and tranquillity. It is a working farm with an old storage unit that they rent out for functions, and the moment we saw the photos online, and later in person, we just knew that it was the place. Rina Lotter was so helpful with everything, and she has a lot of stuff already that you can use.
MarJohandie (The Letterbox Productions) was our photographer, together with her husband, DeWitt. I first came across their work on Instagram, and coincidentally, Rina at the venue, suggested them to us as well. I started looking at their work and I loved their style and the emotions they capture. We had an engagement shoot with them, and from the first shot they made us feel so comfortable in front of the camera. We could not have asked for better people to capture those intimate moments.

Describe the essence of your wedding day, and what you experienced?
I was SO nervous and excited! Everything just flew by and before we knew it, the day was over. The whole day we experienced love, joy, and lots of laughter. We could not stop smiling and our family and friends made the day such a special day to remember and cherish forever. We had so much fun, that we just want to plan another wedding but then for a whole weekend, and not just a day.

Do you have any words of wisdom for newly engaged couples planning their wedding?

I have a few…

1. DELEGATE! I struggled to hand tasks over to friends and family, and it resulted in unnecessary stress. They really want to help, and you should let them.
2. Don’t stress about the little things. At the end of the day, no one will remember or care if there weren’t menus on the table, or if the mains were served a little later than planned. Everyone is enjoying themselves and you should too.
3. On the day of the wedding, even with all the planning in the world, something will not go according to plan. Just let it happen. It is a funny story to tell after the wedding.
4. The best thing we did for ourselves during the wedding, was to have a few minutes alone together during the cocktail hour, without anyone else or the photographers. We could eat something (we arranged with the venue to pack us a basket) and really take it all in. WE JUST GOT MARRIED!
5. You do not have to do all the traditional wedding things. It all depends on who you are. We, for instance, did not include a bouquet or garter toss, neither a first dance nor cake cutting. No one noticed or complained that it wasn’t part of the wedding. Figure out what you really want to include and represent your personality.
6. Lastly, but probably the most important, figure out a budget, and stick to it! You can cut costs on unnecessary things and include the things you really want to. Don’t just go with the first quote you get, ask around, ask friends and family if they know of someone/something.

The last few weeks before the wedding can feel overwhelming, and you might feel like you just want the day to come to get it over with. One of my good friends gave me this advice when I felt like this: “Just relax and enjoy the journey, because as soon as the wedding is over, you will wish that it was still there.”