Wedding date: 17 December 2022

Dress: Roxane from the Boho Luxe collection

How did you and your Husband meet?

Marcus and I met back in 2015, when I started working at the same school that he was working at, we didn’t interact much but as time went by, we would have randoms with conversation each other. This eventually blossomed into a friendship.

Tell me about your proposal story?
A couple of months before we got engaged, a good friend of ours suggested that our friend/church group should do a team building. Every now and then over the next while leading up to the engagement she would plant this seed about a team building event. Marcus (my now husband) had told me that I can expect the proposal to happen any time before the end of the year so I should always have my nails done and an outfit picked out. After much searching, I finally found a dress that I would want to have for the engagement. Each week I waited in anticipation. Our friend then said we would be having our team building one Saturday, I was annoyed! It was one of the weekends I was sure it would have happened! I tried everything I could to get out of the team building. That week I still sat with our pastor planning what we would be having as a lunch after the team building and I gave her the list. That morning, I went to coffee with a friend, usually we would be out for an hour but that day she wanted to walk into every shop, I was annoyed especially since I didn’t want to go to the team building. Eventually we all got to the meeting point, being the competitive person that I am, it didn’t take me long to get stuck into the day, I didn’t even notice that all the challenges had theme, love! We went from location to location on an amazing raced themed day, ending off at the
gardens where Marcus first told me he loved me. One of the clues then said that one of the members needs to be wearing a dress for the next part, and in the car, was my engagement dress! I immediately knew what was happening and after having to solve the final part of the puzzle ( a conundrum using our first dates), Marcus was waiting for me on the middle of the bridge!

What was most important to you when planning your wedding?
For me the most important part when planning our wedding was that we both felt included in the process. It was not just my day, but our day. Keeping this in mind made the process so much better and it forced us to communicate! Another important thing was what kind of atmosphere we wanted to create. We wanted our wedding to truly reflect who we are as people.

How did you feel when you first stepped into your wedding dress?
When looking for my wedding dress, I knew I wanted something that no one would expect to see me in and wow! I felt amazing when I put that dress on. I immediately knew that my search was over. It’s a peace I cannot even explain. When I stepped into the dress, I felt at peace and that confirmed that it was the one for me.

How did you know it was ‘the One’/ what did you love most about it?
I love the way that the dress made me feel. I didn’t feel like it was too simple or too showy, it was a perfect combination. I knew it was the one, when I put it on because I suddenly felt completely at peace, and I knew the minute I had it on that I couldn’t wait to walk down the aisle and for Marcus to see me!

Did you have a specific theme for your wedding? If so, please tell me about it. We had a very rustic theme for our wedding, lots of wood accentuated with black accents. We knew we also wanted something different and dusty blue stood out for us. The combination of blue and wood was breath-taking!

Where was your wedding and who was your photographer? Why did you choose them?
Our wedding was at Deannie Landgoed in Stellenbosch. It is an absolutely fantastic venue.
Dianie and her team went above and beyond for us in helping to make our day special. We went with them because the venue was fairly new and they allowed us to bring in a lot of our own things, somehow from the moment we met the owners we knew this was the place that we would get married. They are truly amazing!
Our photographer was Piktographi, we went with them because she actually reached out to us. We liked their work and went with them. However, the service was not good! But I will end it there.

Describe the essence of your wedding day, and what you experienced?
Our wedding day was so peaceful. There were a few hiccups along the way but the people around us is what truly made the day what it was.
Being able to celebrate with our close family and friends was a beautiful experience. The morning we had a lovely start with our bridal party and just eased into getting ready and eventually leaving. The people we had around us is truly for us what made the day so special.

Do you have any words of wisdom for newly engaged couples planning their wedding?
As cliché as it sounds, enjoy the process. It’s a once in a lifetime experience. Make sure that your day reflects who you and your partner are. People will always find something to complain about or find fault in, so you might as well enjoy yourself making your day what you envisioned. Do not be afraid to be extra! This is your moment you deserve it. Lastly your, and your partner’s opinion is the only one that really matters in the end, hold onto that!

+Anything else about your experience at Sheer Bride you would like to share
Jo, you are amazing! Throughout the whole process you kept reminding me that it is my day and the only opinion that matters about my dress is mine. You made the whole process so smooth and easy, and you were always open with communication. Thank you for making my dress shopping experience such a joy!

Wedding venue: Deannie Landgoed

Photographer: piktographi

Make up: Blush make up