I really love when couples book me way in advance – it gives me so much time to get to know them. They end up feeling more like friends than clients! Madelaine & Jaun are one of these couples. I’ve been chatting to Madelaine for many months about their wedding day and she kept me up-to-date with every part of the planning process. I have such a soft spot for this beautiful (inside & out) bride and it was devastating when I heard that her father passed away just before their wedding day. I thought it was beautiful that she dedicated a very precious scrapbook to her father on the day to make sure his presence was felt. Her elegance in dealing with every and any difficult situation has given me such great respect for her.
Their vintage dusky rose wedding was held at Kuthaba Bush Lodge in Modimolle, Limpopo on the 20th of April 2013. It was a weekend affair and started with a social braai the Friday evening, their wedding on the Saturday and a breakfast buffet on the Sunday morning. We were all pretty tense when it POURED on the wedding day – now don’t get me wrong, rain can be amazing on a wedding day – but these two were hoping for a sunny day and I just felt they deserved to have this wish come true. Needless to say, it was a BIG relief when the rain stopped just before the ceremony started and we had the most beautiful golden sunlight to work with during the newly-wed session. š
How did you meet?
Madelaine: “I was working at Spec Savers as an optical assistant and Jaun walked in with his friend Matthew – they gave me a very hard time. Jaun ended up adding and changing his frames and phoning and coming into the practice at random times… He ended up getting spectacles a couple of days later only to ask me in front of everyone for another appointment; I answered ‘What would you possibly need another appointment for – you have had everything done now?’ and he said ‘I would like to make an appointment for a dinner date’. Well, two kids and almost six happy years later, we finally got married!”
How did Jaun pop the question?
Madelaine: “We have a special restaurant that we go to every year for our anniversary so I did not think anything of our normal special date… Jaun deals in exotic pets and we ALWAYS have to cart spiders or snakes with us and not even our anniversary escaped the little spider container that IĀ was askedĀ to please keep in my handbag. To my irritationĀ I said to him ‘of all the things we keep in our bags, now I have to keep the spider as well’. We had our drinks, placed our order and Jaun seemed strange. He was on his phone and then said the person will meet him to get the spider and asked if I will please take it out of my bag and open the plastic Tupperware container as there is another container inside and he just wants to give it to the person like that… I opened the bigger container and inside was a beautiful little box with the most stunning diamond ring inside. All I could say was ‘this is not happening!’ and he popped the question! That was the biggest surprise of my life!”
Madelaine: “I LOVE all things vintage and different. I planned our wedding for two years and I said from the start all things lacey and pearly would make me happy. I made everything myself and worked very hard at it but it was perfect!”
What advice/tips do you have for other couples’ in the process of planning their wedding?
Madelaine: “To the bride: take your time planning your big day. I planned and prepped for two years and there were still little things I did not get to do or forgot that I would have loved to have done.”
Madelaine: “Thank you to you and Gerhard! We call you our dream team and all our guests said we had the BEST photographers ever… We totally agree… YOU were AMAZING…. and we are looking forward to our beautiful day’s perfect photos!”
Congratulations to these two lovely people & thank you Mr & Mrs du Toit for making us feel at home during your weekend wedding and all the kind words that were shared. We are SO glad we were your chosen photographers xx
Ceremony & Reception Venue and Catering: Kuthaba Bush Lodge, Modimolle, Nylstroom, Limpopo, South Africa (website)
Bride’s Dress: Tidebuy (website)
Dress Alterations & Bride’s Headpiece: Amber Raine, Benoni (website)
Bride’s Shoes: Bride & Co. (website)
Bride’s Jewellery & Bridesmaids’ Accessories: Honey (website)
Groom’s Outfit: Uzzi, East Rand Mall (mall directory)
Bridesmaid’s Dresses: Truworths (website) & Foschini (website)
Cake: ES Party Cakes (website)
Flowers: Liza Steyn – e-mail apricot-tree@telkomsa.net
Hair & Make-up: House of Beauty – contact number 082 864 0800
Stationery: Handmade by Bride