Jamala truly is a very special place. A lodge so luxurious that it only sleeps 10 people, it offers an intimate bush experience, where personal service and attention to detail are the cornerstones of every waking moment. The lodge successfully combines colonial style and African eccentricity in a delightful marriage of opposites. Set in the pristine 75 000 hectare malaria-free Madikwe Game Reserve, Jamala Madikwe is the ideal place for that ultimate safari experience – and now too, the ultimate luxury wedding experience!

Our team set out with the task to design a destination wedding where 80 guests – both local and international – would fall in love with Madikwe, and particular Jamala Royal Safari Lodge, for the same reasons Becky and Kevin had. With such a spectacular setting, the look and feel of the wedding had to follow suit. Already having printed their wedding invitations, Becky and Kevin had chosen the magnificent giraffe as the one design element they would look to carry through the day.

The ceremony took place in a clearing in the bush, about 2 hours before sunset – and the weather was spectacular! Guests arrived in open safari vehicles and were greeted to a clearing where 2 large, handmade white giraffes stood proudly as pole holders for the chuppah, and had been expertly covered in a mix of indigenous and exotic florals. With rangers standing on guard around the ceremony in case any wild animal decided it too wanted to witness the marriage, guests were able to look out onto a nearby watering hole surrounded by an exquisite expanse of lush landscape that was a kaleidoscope of green and yellow from recent rainfall.

After enjoying a pink and orange African sunset as well as a delicious “bread and spread” feast, guests were driven to Jamala, which had been transformed into a dazzling reception space. Two long tables, each seating 40 guests, created a striking layout from which our team designed a tablescape suitable for a Royal Safari Lodge. Lush bands of indigenous florals such as King Proteas, pink garden roses, pennygum and succulents in abundance filled the centre of each table and created the impression of flowers that simply never ended! Vintage safari lanterns and votive candles provided soft lighting on the tables, whilst an incredible cluster of antique chandeliers was suspended above the bridal table as an impressive focal feature. Not to be forgotten, charming miniature versions of the giraffes from the ceremony were added to the florals, and they also made a re-appearance on the seating plan in the form of laser cut tent cards. One giraffe from the ceremony was returned to the lodge and become the couple’s guest book for guests to sign and leave their personal messages on.

As the guests tucked into a sumptuous tailor made feast under an African sky littered with stars, many marveled at the sheer setting of this one of a kind celebration. And simply put, our teams mission was achieved. As like Becky and Kevin, Jamala Madikwe Royal Safari Lodge had left a lasting impression filled with only special memories and incredible moments for each and every single guest in attendance.

Images by Tyme Photography

The post A Magnificent Celebration at Jamala Madikwe, Royal Safari Lodge – Becky & Kevin’s Real Life Wedding appeared first on Wedding Concepts.

This magical venue hosts far more than wine growing vineyards and eight acres of beautiful gardens. Once you arrive, you are most likely to be welcomed by chickens, geese and even a donkey or two! With its world-class garden spa, superb cuisine, and breath-taking views of the surrounding Franschhoek mountain ranges this was the perfect start for this gorgeous couple’s marriage.

The simplicity but uniqueness of this venue set stage for the look and feel for the day that followed. The ceremony was held under a gorgeous oak tree where a rustic swing hung that had been adorned with the famous King Protea and white dahlias, not to mention the soothing sounds of running water in the background from the stream that passed through the ceremony location. In true Babylonstoren spirit the farm life was apparent throughout the day, entertaining the couple as they snuck away for their portraits and giving them one memorable experience! Gourmet canapés such as creamy gorgonzola mousse with roasted beetroot and summer inspired sorbets were circulating for the guests to enjoy whilst listening to some local acoustic talent with the African sunset set behind the mountain ranges.

The contemporary ‘White Studio’ was converted into a romantic haven for the reception where delicate flowers such as dahlias, daises and pineapple lilies where used with touches of blush and a farm mix of organic vegetables. Above the table a rustic lighting feature was custom made to complete the décor look and feel. Branches were suspended from the roof with naked light bulbs that created a romantic and dreamy reception space. After dinner the couple and their closest friends and family gathered outside where they celebrated their marriage by cutting into their blush and floral inspired three-tiered wedding cake. Whilst this was going on, the studio was converted into an impressive white dessert buffet station and the furniture was all cleared for the true celebrations to start! The night continued with scrumptious desserts, impressive dance moves and all the guests getting involved in the uniquely rustic photo booth – all whilst overlooking a wild, raging summer fire that hugged itself along the  nearby mountain ranges.

Images by: welovepictures

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Manar is a stunning beauty from the small East African country of Eritrea and Hussein originally hails from Palestine. Together they flip between French, Arabic and English with ease and possess a unique international connection. For their wedding, they chose Cape Town not only for its unique beauty, renowned world class cuisine and wines – but also because it was pretty much centrally located for everyone from around the world to attend!

With such an enjoyable and easy going nature, coming up with a décor concept from their initial brief was an exciting experience. Manar & Hussein liked the idea of a romantic “safariesque” look to feature throughout, but also wanted the look to make sense in the winelands setting. Our creative team conceptualised a décor concept where we would have the opportunity to work with different materials, textures, natural and earthy elements. The ceremony was kept slightly traditional with a white floral theme. Large wooden stumps with a variety of different white floral arrangements were added down the aisle to soften the look but also to add a fun natural detail. Stunning artichoke flowers and a mix of orchids and lisianthus kept the arrangements strikingly different.

For the reception, our team created an African-inspired earthy table setting complimented by its unique colour scheme. We were inspired by the romantic color palate of an African desert scape. Mauve, amber, maroon, dusty pink & purple florals worked beautifully alongside the natural -coloured stone stripe table cloth that was adorned with wooden discs. A modern mix of floral arrangements in glass vases of various heights took centre stage, and in keeping with the earthy look, they were filled with sand from 3 different deserts in Africa: The Kalahari, Sahara and Karoo Deserts! The different coloured sand mixed with soil from Cape Town created a stunning effect throughout. Flowers were a mix of indigenous florals such as proteas & silver brunia, succulents, artichoke flowers as well as roses and orchids which softened the setting. Amber glassware and wooden laser cut stationery pieces tied the organic look together beautifully.

The reception was an arrangement of round tables, and for lighting our creative team wanted to create a variety of concepts that would not only add a fun feature above each table, but that would also give the appearance of being an extension of the table décor. Each table had a tall arrangement with a light shade that would house a floral arrangement, or a suspended light shade with a floral arrangement inside it. There were no less than 5 suspended lighting objects above each table – including the striking customised over- sized wooden light bulb!

The food and wine from Overture and Hidden Valley were a gastronomic hit amongst the international crowd, and a charming 2 tier wedding cake repeated the recognisable silhouette of the African Acacia tree which was a design feature across all the wedding stationery and even on the dance floor!

A Moroccan themed shisha lounge along with colourful kelims and vibrant décor, created the perfect chill-out space for guests to socialise, puff away on a shisha and enjoy the wide range of international dance music on offer. And finally, an African and vintage-travel themed photo corner was the final piece in the travelling romantics dazzling South African wedding adventure!

Image by welovepictures

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