Wedding date: November 13, 2022
Dress: Kamala from the Boho Luxe collection
How did you and your Husband meet?
Lyle and I have known each other since high school. One day during an off period, I was sitting in the school hall with a classmate when Lyle walked in with friends and sat directly behind us. I truly believe it was fate and by God’s hand that we met.
Lyle was in a grade higher than I was and to have an off period at the same time is just not a coincidence. He noted that he was not interested in sitting in the school hall but his friend insisted that they do. They then sat behind us because they knew my classmate. He introduced himself and we had a good period getting to know each other.
Thereafter, we spent many lunch breaks together and would chat constantly. 2 years later, he asked me to be his girlfriend. He truly is my best friend.
Tell me about your proposal story?
Lyle proposed on the 27th November 2020 at the beautiful Delaire Graff estate. He popped the question on one knee at the lookout point up the hill after a lovely ride up through the vineyards. He surprised me completely. A month before the day he told me that he is planning a couples photoshoot with a date and a time to be ready. I had no idea about the location.
Upon arriving to the secretive destination, I was so thrilled to be having our shoot on the absolutely beautiful Delaire Graff. It has been on my bucket list of estates to visit. To have Lyle propose at this estate was just the absolute best memory, a dream and the best day.
We celebrated with an exquisite dinner at Indochine. I was finally going to marry my best friend!
What was most important to you when planning your wedding?
When we started planning our wedding, we both agreed that the most important thing is to have our wedding day that is stress-free, intimate and special. We made sure to always support each other throughout the planning. Lyle was such a hands-on fiancé when it came to planning and budgeting.
How did you feel when you first stepped into your wedding dress?
I felt like an absolute princess. Every step I walked in my dress I felt royal, confident and beautiful. I was ready to tie the knot right there and then.
How did you know it was ‘the One’/ what did you love most about it?
I loved that my dress was designed with aspects that I love. I love a crepe dress and I’m in love with pearls. So having my dream wedding dress be created with both crepe, lace and pearls, I just knew it was the ONE. A dress that spoke to my heart and my soul.
Did you have a specific theme for your wedding? If so, please tell me about it.
Since I was 18 years old, I’ve always envisioned my wedding day to be minimalistic yet timeless and elegant. I love white roses and everything green so choosing our wedding colour palette was effortless. We incorporated the roses, green ferns and eucalyptus into our florals including my bouquet, the boutonnières and arch flowers. Our stationery also had white floral and green elements.
Where was your wedding and who was your photographer? Why did you choose them?
We held our intimate wedding at The Alphen Hotel in Constantia. With the hotel’s historic architecture juxtaposed with modern luxury it was and is the perfect venue for any special celebration! We love everything about The Alphen and couldn’t have chosen a better place to celebrate our union.
We held our intimate ceremony in The Alphen secret garden that was enclosed by tall trees, green bushes and flowering plants. The perfect backdrop for our ceremony and photos.
Our afternoon and evening couples shoot took place all around the hotel’s picturesque premises.
Our morning and afternoon moments were captured by Lisa Gabriel Photography. We chose Lisa because her eye for detail and capturing the essence of the environment and emotion was seen through all of of her photographs.
Our evening shoot was captured by Tertius Gous Photography. We chose Tertius to shoot our sunset session because he has an eye for good lighting and captures the true romance of the setting.
Describe the essence of your wedding day, and what you experienced?
The first highlight of our day was seeing the clear blue sky, sun rising and the smell of crisp clean air after an evening of pouring rain. The weather was absolutely perfect for our elegant and timeless wedding. It was not too hot neither too cold, it was just right.
As I was having my hair and makeup done, my sister-in-law walks in with a cutely wrapped gift and an envelope. Upon opening the gift, I pulled out a beautiful glass frame that had 3 different location pins printed within. The first location pin was our high school, dated on the 27/02/2013, which was the day we met for the first time. The second was dated 27/11/2020 at Delaire Graaf, the day that Lyle proposed. The last location pin was The Alphen Hotel dated on the 13/11/2022, the day that we tied the knot. My eyes instantly started tearing with my heart just firing through my chest. It’s the sweetest gift I have ever received and this was the man I was marrying in less than 2 hrs. What a dream man I have!
Another special moment I will never forget is walking down The Alphen stairs with dad by my side, smiling and teary-eyed. Listening to our violinist, Donnè play “A thousand years”.
As I walked down the aisle toward my handsome husband, time stood still and I was finally marrying my high school sweetheart of 8 years. An absolute dream come true!
Our intimate wedding lunch was held in the private dining area of the Blanko Restaurant at The Alphen Hotel where we enjoyed a 3 course lunch with our closest friends and family listening to the restaurant’s classical tunes that filled the private dining room. An afternoon filled with good conversation, great company and a whole lot of laughs.
Lyle and I really enjoyed our couples afternoon and sunset shoots, it gave us a moment to take everything in and just smile, laugh and enjoy our new union as husband and wife. Our dream day was as perfect as we imagined it would be. A day that we will treasure forever.
Do you have any words of wisdom for newly engaged couples planning their wedding?
1) Try to stick to your budget.
2) Don’t be alarmed when things don’t go according to plan.
3) When choosing a venue, it’s always good to check if there’s a backup venue included in the cost price if the weather does not turn out the way you expect it to.
4) Accommodation on the venue site is a huge plus. A lot less hassle when considering transport, luggage and photographs.
5) A morning ceremony is not a bad idea. We loved it.
Anything else about your experience at Sheer Bride you would like to share
I would like to thank Jo for rendering the best service to me. She perfected my wedding dress and I loved the 3m long veil that she recommended. It took my bridal look to another level. Thank you for making every visit so special.
Vendors:
Photography: Lisa Gabriel photography and Tertius Gous photography
Venue: The Alphen Hotel
Violinist: Donné de Kock
Stationary: Stuck on you wedding favours
Videographer: Junaid Hartzenberg films
Hair & Makeup: Marnel Toerien
Decor & Flowers: Special Events
Sheer Bride 
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