Paola and Fabio met on a Christmas holiday in 2004 at a party held by mutual friends in Cortina D'Ampezzo.  The later reconnected at a party in Rome in 2005, and made the exciting decision to move to South Africa. Fabio’s proposal was both creative and unique. “Every time Fabio tried to propose to me, I would cut his speech short and said that I would only listen to him if he proposed in Cortina D'Ampezzo. Being 12,000 kilometers away and having obligations at work, we could not take a trip there, so Fabio had to improvise. With my parent's blessing, he arranged to have a snow machine fill our whole garden with snow and he adorned the house with white flowers and 100 candles.  When I came downstairs my parents were in tears, I was absolutely awestruck and when Fabio proposed this time, I accepted. He further surprised me with a huge diamond hidden in a lobster!”

The couple got married at Grande Provence in Franschhoek, where guests arrived to enjoy pre-ceremony drinks and the sounds of a classical trio. An outdoor ceremony was framed by the oak trees and surrounding vineyards, with the Bride making a beautiful entrance as Marcia nuziale di by Mendelssohn was played. After the ceremony, pre-dinner drinks were held in Grande Provence’s lush gardens, and later in the evening guests moved to the reception area, which was a beautifully tented courtyard with individually named tables. A white decor scheme created an elegant ambience, coupled with the delicate sophistication of roses and exotic orchids. It was the perfect setting to savour the sumptuous food – after enjoying starters and a main course of crispy duck leg confit with a fricassee of mushrooms and new potatoes with whole grain mustard and sherry sauce, the speeches commenced and guests indulged in slices of the wedding cake, a luscious chocolate ganache wrapped in chocolate collars. The festivities continued late into the night, with plenty of dancing, wonderful music and unforgettable moments.

“Our wedding day on 25 October 2008 was absolutely fantastic!  It was tender and emotional and the start of our lives together. It is a day which we will always treasure and we were so privileged to share this with family and friends.“ Paola and Fabio hesitate to name a single favourite moment because the entire day was so memorable, but they fondly recall the speech they made together. “We shared a real intimate moment and even when the words got stuck in our throats, we were lovingly encouraged by our friends and family.”

The couple were thrilled with their wedding and the work that we put into it. “We were very spoiled to share this experience with you. From our first meeting we knew we were in good hands. Aleit and his team immediately understood what we wanted for our special day and they were always available and there for us, every step of the process. They guided us through everything and made the preparations for this special day, easy and exciting.”

Minister – Kevin Needham
Cake – Kanya Hunt
Music Agent – Aleit Music and Entertainment
Stationery – Creations by Alexa
Dress - Kobus Dippenaar
Gifts - Aleit Shop
Florist – Flowers in the Foyer
Lighting - Something Different Concepts and Shows
Photographer – Joe Dreyer
Videographer – Vicky Goslin Video Productions
Hair and Make-up - Michelle Maree & Hugo Bornman
Flooring – To-Nett’s
Transport - Wijnland Executive Tours cc
Bedouin Tent - Touareg Tents
Hiring – All Events Hire, Get Set Linen Hire and Exclusive Hire