It’s no secret that Rosemary Hill, a lovely organic farm just outside of Pretoria, is one of my favourite wedding venues in South Africa. So you can imagine my excitement when it was finally time for us on the 26th of January 2013 to photograph a wedding at this ridiculously awesome venue. Cloudene and Dietrich are such a wonderful couple! They just fit so well together – they complement each other in every way and I adore how natural they were in front of the camera.
I asked this lovely couple to share a bit of their relationship details with us:
When did you know you had found the one:
“There was not a defining moment for either of us; no light bulb suddenly lit up. We gradually became aware that our friendship and love for another was sincere and honest. He has the goofiest jokes and the kindest heart of anyone I have ever met.”
“She has the most beautiful smile and most amazing way of making people feel comfortable around her. Her down to earth beauty and personality makes her an unbelievable partner and my best friend!”
How did you get engaged?
“We had bought my engagement ring in December, knowing that the big question is around the corner. Both of our parents are ‘old school’, and asking the parents’ permission had to be prioritised. We had booked a cruise with some friends for January and I thought maybe the cruise would be the perfect opportunity for him to ask me… BUT he had assured me that he had not had the guts to ask my Dad yet and I knew he would not dare ask me if the parents were not informed.
Off we went on our wonderful cruise. He picked an evening to have dinner alone and we spent the evening giggling at our funny waiter trying to impress us. After dinner he suggested that we take a walk to the front of the ship and spend some time together (TITANIC moment… pardon the pun). Unintentionally spoiling his ‘get down on one knee moment’ I sat down against the railing while he kept standing. As I was sitting he lent over and said, ‘I have an important question to ask you…’ He stuck his hand into his pocket and out came the ring and the question:
‘WILL YOU MARRY ME?’
Ecstasy went through my body as I lept into his arms with delight and before I could say ‘YES’ I mumbled ‘but you haven’t asked my DAD!!!’
He held me close and whispered ‘oh, but I did’.
He is the BEST BEST BEST BEST EVER!!!”
They have some advice for future brides & grooms:
“Don’t rush; don’t be afraid if you do not have a fixed idea in your head about your wedding day (it will come). Trust your partner and allow them to express themselves too. Enjoy the time together while planning and remember, if at the end of the day you’re married to the one you love, then the day was a success! Two of the most important elements of your wedding is a venue that represent the both of you and a photographer that you trust. We were fortunate to have both of these elements!”
They also wanted to add some special thank you’s:
“Our incredible and loving parents, Mckenna for designing the coolest invites, Lorelei for keeping it ‘real’ and for always looking out for me, Ulrich for supporting and being there for his brother, Jenene for being a spark of inspiration and co-ordinating the behind-the-scenes, the brothers Werner and Emile for leading our celebrations and keeping the mood light and humurous, for Ds. Schoeman for bringing the Holy in our lives, for Rosemary Hill for taking a chance on a crazy idea and pulling it off beautifully (our guests are still talking about how great it was for the main course to be brought to the table), to all our guests – those that were there in person and those that were there in thought, thank you for loving and supporting us. A final thank you to our wonderful photographers that stayed until late at night to capture all the perfect moments, you two were awesome and went beyond the marker for us!!”
We fell in love with every aspect of their wedding day: the chocolate brownie mix as wedding favours, the cheese wedding cake, the handmade candelier, brooch bouquet and the unexpected silly moves during their first dance to name a few. Dietrich and Cloudene’s wedding truly reflected their personalities.
Congratulations Mr & Mrs Uys & thank you for all the giggles we were able to share on your most precious day together; may your life together be as inspiring, unique and full of awesome moments as your wedding day was!
Wedding Planners: Elsa Maritz at Rosemary Hill (website) & Jenene Bernhardt
Catering, Ceremony & Reception Venue: Rosemary Hill, Pretoria, South Africa (website)
Bride’s Dress: Karen vd Walt – 0837393582
Bride’s Headpiece: Irene Crafters Market (website)
Groom’s Outfit: Cutter & Buck
Bridesmaid’s Accessories: Lorelei’s Unfaltering Sense of Humour
Cake & Flowers: Vintage Rose – 0716841052
Hair & Make-up: Melissa Minne – 082 978 6503
Stationery: Homemade and designed by Mckenna Benecke
