“Love at first sight is the stuff dreams are made of. You will only believe it when it happens to you!” That’s how Winny Vorster and Eben Smit feel about each other.
After Winny moved from Cape Town to Johannesburg to pursue her career, she was introduced to Eben by her very first boyfriend, a mutual friend that had moved to Gauteng a few years earlier. Winny and Eben kept their distance on the first night at a party, but Eben did not pass up an opportunity to extend an invite to a polo match the next day. Pretty horses, men in tight white pants, French Champagne, salmon sandwiches and witty commentary – was all that was required to seal the deal for Winny.
A romantic skiing holiday in the Italian Alps produced more than Winny bargained for. Eben coaxed her into taking some pictures on one of the highest, most isolated slopes with a 360 degree view of the shiny, white, mountain tops. Instead, he went down on one knee and produced some glitter of his own. A little stunned, overwhelmed and shaky, Winny almost dropped the diamond in the snow! Exactly one year before their wedding day, it remains one of the happiest days of their lives. On their return to South Africa they designed the ring together and had it made.
Their wedding day, held at the stunning Le Franschhoek Hotel & Spa, was another happy moment, or rather, string of moments. “It was a bit eerie to see how the planning and hard work of almost a year came together – in a good way. We were very fortunate that we had some fantastic people looking after the preparations and proceedings on the day, as our focus was definitely not on that – we only had eyes for each other,” says Winny. During the ceremony, the Bride could not stop smiling, and Eben had a hard time waiting for formalities to finish so he could kiss his new wife.
“The day went by quickly, but we tried to take moments to take it all in. It was the best party of our lives and everything worked out perfectly!” For Winny the best moment of the day was seeing Eben at the altar and saying her vows. For Eben, seeing Winny walk down the aisle was emotional and picturesque, and spending time on such a special day with all their best friends and family was truly special.
The day was an absolute dream and the finest details were attended to by The Aleit Group. A fire spinning show and gift boxes with a selection of luxury sweets were some of the special touches the guests could enjoy. A saxophone player and a jazz duo entertained the guests during pre-ceremony drinks, and a duo consisting of a classical guitar and a clarinet, played during the ceremony, adding that touch of magic making the day all the more unforgettable.
The guests were all asked to sign a huge six litre bottle of Blaauwklippen Red which the couple are going to open on their fifth wedding anniversary and enjoy with friends. What a lovely idea!
At Pre Dinner drinks, Pongracz was served with a strawberry, and the food was a culinary adventure! Indonesian chicken satay, aubergine caviar with goats cheese, angels on horseback, and prawn skewers with Thai chilli jam, were just a few of the delicious canapés served. Braised shoulder of lamb was served as main course, followed by a trio of desserts - Lemon Tart, Vanilla Pod Ice Cream and Berry Zabaglione.
Winny and Eben entered their Reception on “Just Like Heaven” by The Cure, and opened the dance floor with “Dance Me to the End of Love” by Leonard Cohan. It was so romantic, and what a touching moment when the Bride and her father danced to “Brown Eyed Girl” by Van Morrison.
After the magical party, the couple stayed at Le Franschhoek and Le Petite Ferme in Franschhoek for a few nights. Then they left for an idyllic week at the Phi Phi Island Village Resort & Spa in Thailand. “In our experience one of the most romantic places on earth,” says the couple. “The beauty, friendly service, the food and the snorkelling are beyond compare. We spent another week at the Le Meridien Beach Resort in Phuket where we sampled more Thai cuisine in all the wonderful restaurants in the vicinity and spent lazy days on the beach, or went sailing. Finally a few days at the Amari Watergate Hotel & Spa in Bangkok and a bit of shopping ensured we slowly acclimatized back to the real world.”
The couple’s advice to anyone getting married is to use The Aleit Group. “Their professionalism, eye for detail, warmth and of course trendiness, makes your day a dream come true. They just add that extra special touch to everything! And they seemed to always know exactly what we wanted! Thank you so much Aleit and Team!” |
