"It was not the most exciting introduction. I had been to a rather dull client event and met up with a friend later on to try and salvage the evening! We ended up in a bar and were "accosted" (ok, so there are two versions to this story) by JP and his friends. Despite getting off to a rocky start, the rest is history!"
True to the English weather, the proposal took place on a rather cold day. "Despite it being bitterly cold, we travelled to Cambridge for some post-Christmas 'down time'. It was below freezing but JP insisted we go for a boat ride! I remember him being oddly insistent and found it strange when he sulked after the boat hire company told us it was simply too cold to venture out. JP then decided that we should go for a walk. I was cold and grouchy and stomped around behind him. I soon realised what had been brewing when he suddenly went down on one knee! I think at the time I was more concerned he'd damage his leg kneeling on the frozen ground... but was very happy to accept!"
"Bad weather seems to be something of a reoccurrence in our relationship (well, I am English!) and so it was no great surprise when our big day turned out to be grey and windy. This was easily remedied by a few glasses of champagne and we both enjoyed the build-up with our friends and family." The ceremony was moved to a cosy chapel nearby and a vibrant marimba band lifted the mood. "The ceremony went perfectly and we both agreed that the chapel Faye found for us as a back-up was perfect. We were really lucky and managed to get all our photos finished (thanks to Joe!) before the heavens opened."
A sumptuous meal was enjoyed at Tokara with guests having a choice of three starters, mains and desserts. The venue looked stunning with striking flower arrangements using South African inspired blooms - minimalist yet effective in the space. Hundreds of candles inspired romance and mood lighting created the perfect atmosphere. The evening included subtle aspects of South African influence!
"Despite the rain our overriding memory was one of friends and family who surrounded us and were all clearly having a great time. This is exactly what we wanted. The rest of the evening was spent on the dance floor (which is a rarity) and despite a few near accidents involving Mampoer and fairy lights (?!) we finished the day on a complete high."
Having travelled from London to SA for the big day, the couple focussed on making their guests feel welcome and spent a fair amount of time playing host. "As a result we didn't have much spare time before having to head back to London, but we did manage to travel to Umngazi Resort & Spa on the Wild Coast. What an amazing place - by the time we left we were almost horizontal! And the big plus is we still have our proper honeymoon to look forward to in May which will be in The Seychelles."
"My advice to future couples would be to hire Aleit! I have organised a wedding from overseas and I can vouch for how easy they made our lives. What I learned from the whole experience was to relax and enjoy the ride, put your trust in the experts – they know best – let's face it, they've done it a few times! Not only do they have great ideas and contacts but also have an ear to the ground and the day runs so smoothly. Faye was calm despite having to re-route a wedding two days prior due to bad weather. The fact that she never showed an ounce of concern meant that we were relaxed. Their professionalism but most of all sense of humour really made our day." |
