South Africa DIY Wedding from dna photographers
First off, I just have to tell you that reading the bride's description of her day is sort of like reading a fabulous love poem because it reminds you of why you're getting married and what's really important. Not only is this gorgeous bride a wordsmith, she's also one heck of a DIYer and with help of her loved ones, created a unique and spectacular day. dna photographers snapped up all the pretty details and love and you can see it all right here.
From the Bride... I’ll start by quoting the famous Ralph Waldo Emerson: ”Life is a journey, not a destination.” As for this blissful day, I would say it was and still is about the relationships and not just the wedding day. And so, everything really started when I met Michael, who has always inspired me to get those things done, those wonderful ideas, that keep lingering in my mind. When he proposed, it simply catapulted us into an awesome, fun, passionate seven months of weaving friends and family, cotton and string, paper planes and striped paper straws, into a wedding day. While Michael went beer tasting with his dad, my mother and I spent interesting hours in the passage of my parents' house, creating countless meters of bunting! My brother-in-law printed the most gorgeous serviettes for us, and my varsity buddy gave me her collection of old keys from student days. I was teaching my girlfriends how to crochet the lantern covers while Michael was networking with the farming community to organize straw bales!
The venue? It was a little thumbnail image I fell in love with when I Googled "free state wedding venues." The beautiful repetition of the timber trusses in an old sandstone dairy shed, out in the country off the beaten track, was pretty much cast in stone when Philna told us we could tie the knot anywhere on the farm. Michael and I love going out of our way for the thrill of adventure, and we both had a sneaky grin that all our friends and family would have to do it with us this time! They would need to get some dust on their polished shoes under those gorgeous eucalyptus trees … and come to think of it I would probably need some ankle boots then…
Just because you do things differently doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice style or detail. We prefer a simplistic outlook, but also think what you do should be true, necessary and beautiful. Oh, and it must work. I loved the idea of brass, timber and sandstone; from childhood, we both have been drawn to the expansive open spaces of the Free State’s cosmic landscape. But it was really the friends and family who climbed the trees to hang up the bunting and filled up the tree-chapel benches a few hours later, that completed the loveliness and made the whole day special, blessed and truly God-given.
The venue? It was a little thumbnail image I fell in love with when I Googled "free state wedding venues." The beautiful repetition of the timber trusses in an old sandstone dairy shed, out in the country off the beaten track, was pretty much cast in stone when Philna told us we could tie the knot anywhere on the farm. Michael and I love going out of our way for the thrill of adventure, and we both had a sneaky grin that all our friends and family would have to do it with us this time! They would need to get some dust on their polished shoes under those gorgeous eucalyptus trees … and come to think of it I would probably need some ankle boots then…
Just because you do things differently doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice style or detail. We prefer a simplistic outlook, but also think what you do should be true, necessary and beautiful. Oh, and it must work. I loved the idea of brass, timber and sandstone; from childhood, we both have been drawn to the expansive open spaces of the Free State’s cosmic landscape. But it was really the friends and family who climbed the trees to hang up the bunting and filled up the tree-chapel benches a few hours later, that completed the loveliness and made the whole day special, blessed and truly God-given.
Wedding Photography: Desmond Louw + Antonia Heil of dna photographers / Wedding Venue + Catering: Vlakbult Guestfarm in Clocolan, South Africa / Venue Contact: Philna Le Roux (083 761 7621) / Floral Design, White Chairs, Candelabra + Vases: Maretha of Function & Wedding House / Drinks: Clarens Brewery / Wine: Chamonix / Decor: DIY / Wool for Crochet Projects: Orion Wool and Crafts / Wedding Invitation + Napkin Printing: Tobie Groenewald of I Love Screenprinting Studio / Napkins: DIY with Materials from Lowry's Fabric Wholesalers in Cape Town / Tablecloths + Table Runners: DIY with Material from Fabric Castle in Cape Town / Burlap for Aisle: Fabric City in Cape Town / Brass Candlestick: Milnerton Market / Packaging: Ebony and Ivory / Decorative Hole Punch: Merrypack / Paper Materials: The Deckle Edge + NOR Paper (021 5113810) / Cake Stand: Price Home of Mud Studio / Glass Bottles: Consol Factory / Striped Straws: Natalie Royston (082 408 5739; info@whimsicalcupcakes.com) / Getting Ready Location: Annemarie of MAKAODI gaste plaas (082 854 6166) / Wedding Dress: Lisa Nel / Bride's Ankle Boots: Etsy / Bridesmaids' Attire: Made by the Bride’s Mother / Groom's Attire: Country Road, Woolworths + Canal Walk / Groom's Shoes: Woolworths / Groomsmen's Suits: Their Own / Groomsmen's Ties: Woolworths