Dirk and Jen’s Wedding
Dirk and Jen’s Wedding:
On a beautiful May day last autumn, we had the joy of planning and co-ordinating the wedding of a very special couple, Dirk and Jen – we just loved every bit of this wedding!
Dirk and Jen had seen our ‘Citrus and Slate’ styled shoot featured on The Pretty Blog a few months earlier and loved the combination of the neutrals, yellows and greys. They were also keen on using some local flowers in the mix for their big day, hence the incorporation of some white proteas and soft, grey fynbos. While the feel I got from them at our first meeting was that they had a preference of classic over modern, I also wanted to provide them with a contemporary feel, suited to the young couple they are – they were game. We put together a mix of both soft flowers – the roses, lisianthus, delphiniums and fynbos – and structured flowers – the proteas, tulips, and casablanca lilies – and opted for grouped arrangements for the larger focals, while adding a fun touch to the more classic table arrangements, with quirky craspedia balls and tulips dotted throughout.
Jen was wonderful to work with – gentle and gracious, uncomplicated while also knowing her likes and dislikes, trusting, and overall, such a lady – a real compliment to her adoring Dirk. I really wanted her bouquet to reflect her softness, stearing away from the bold yellow used throughout the rest of the wedding and opting for a romantic posie in neutrals, with a touch of silver brunia for depth and texture. Jen was breathtaking in her customised Stella York gown supplied by Olivelli Cape Town.
The bridesmaids bouquets on the other hand incorporated punches of fun yellow in the craspedia balls and tulips, while still maintaining a classic and elegant feel. The bridesmaids were graceful in beautiful, rouched buttercup gowns, also from Olivelli, which were the perfect gentle statement to accompany Jen in her soft, scalloped lace creation.
Dirk is a gentleman in every sense of the word. His love and admiration of his beautiful bride was evident from the first time we met and we were so priviledged to be a part of the journey of seeing this lovely couple give their lives to each other. He and his groomsmen were dapper in navy suits and bow ties. I loved how old-school so many of the details of this wedding were, somewhat reminiscent of ‘Downton Abbey’ splendour and what a fitting venue for such an occasion – the resplendent Lanzerac Estate, steeped in history and old-world charm. The cut-glass tumblers, the library, the chivalry – this wedding was a joy to behold.
Dirk and Jen really wanted their ceremony to be outdoors, surrounded by the beauty that is the surrounding valley. They loved the idea of the focal arch with ‘floating’ flowers and hanging glass vases. The striking setup provided the perfect platform for our floral additions of simple floral posies, grouped focals and silver urns full of yellow and white petals.
I just love this pic of Dirk and Jen, shortly after saying their ‘I do’s’, with a halo of golden light and the joy of their guests surrounding them. This was such a special moment as they were presented for the first time as husband and wife to their loved ones.
More than anything I loved being a part of all the details of this special day – assisting Dirk and Jen with the aesthetic decisions that needed to be made from the flowers and decor to layout and lighting, guiding them through the how’s, when’s and where’s, the on-the-day coordination, contingency plans for rain (and just look at the weather!), managing the suppliers, keeping everything running smoothly and according to the time schedule and generally ensuring that they had the most memorable day of their lives! It helped that they were such a pleasure to work with and had great style.
We decided on a banquet look and feel, opting for 6 long tables with Dirk and Jen seated in the centre, surrounded by their friends and family. They opted for the lovely wide plinth tables and ghost chivaris chairs from Urban Tonic, giving us lots of space for the table decor and spacious settings for the guests . The block table runners in a bold chevron yellow were right on trend, fresh on the latest catalogue, and added a fun element to the elegant reception decor. Jen loved the idea of having garlands of tulips hanging in between the fairy light curtains and the effect was stunning. We made use of Lanzerac’s dance floor and set up a chic satelite bar to the one side for the dancers to stay hydrated, ensuring the party went on into the wee hours. A service bar in the foyer of the venue, and champagne coolers positioned strategically between the tables, ensured that guests remained in the venue making for a lovely, vibrant atmosphere which Dirk and Jen were very specific about.
We have been incredibly blessed with easy going brides who choose us mostly for their love of our style and allow us the freedom to create something beautiful for them on the day. Dirk and Jen were incredibly generous with their trust of us and our ability to look after their dreams and make this into a day they will cherish for the rest of their lives. This made their wedding a really special one for us as we were allowed to own the design concepts and use our creative flair to piece together a carefully coordinated union.
We were very fortunate to have worked with some incredibly talented people on this wedding. Lanzerac Estate, who we have since done a feature blog post on, was the perfect setting for this fine day and our experience with Denise and the rest of the Lanzerac staff was proffesional, thorough and friendly. Dirk and Jen chose Peter Gilder for their rings and jewellery, Olivelli Cape Town for their gowns and Khaliques Sandton for their suits. Their stationery was perfection by Lezanne from Lezanne’s Designs and their 3 tiered, triple flavoured, masterpiece of a wedding cake was made by none other than Lulubelle’s Bakes.
To say that this wedding stands out as one of my favourites would be an understatement. I loved every moment working on this wedding and can only thank the very humble bride and groom for allowing us the opportunity to put together their special day. Dirk and Jen – wishing you many, many years of wedded bliss… you’ve had the perfect start xx
Some of the wonderful suppliers we worked with:
Venue: The Lanzerac Hotel and Spa, www.lanzerac.co.za
Bridal Gowns: Olivelli Cape Town, www.olivellicapetown.co.za
Stationery: Lezanne’s Designs, www.lezannesdesigns.co.za
Suits: Khaliques Sandton, www.khaliques.co.za
Jewellery & Rings: Peter Gilder, www.petergilder.co.za
Wedding Cake: Lulubelle’s Bakes, www.lulubellesbakes.com
Fudge Favours: Sweet Dreams, www.facebook.com/fudgemakers/
Cape Town Wedding Co-ordination: The Rose Cafe, www.therosecafe.florist
Flowers & Decor: The Rose Cafe, www.therosecafe.florist
To see more of this gorgeous venue, have a look here for our blog post on Lanzerac as a wedding venue.
