Take our word:

For true wedding glamour and style sophistication – be sure to contrast contemporary elements with opulent designer touches. how about bare table tops with lavish florals, ornate crystal glassware and silver cutlery?

The Story:

At Wedding Concepts, every now and again we come across a very special kind of couple. The type of couple where from receiving their very first email, we know that planning and designing their wedding is going to be an enjoyable and exciting experience every step of the way. Originally from Australia, this couple was Anna & David.

Anna had never visited South Africa but wholeheartedly trusted David when he suggested getting married in the Franschhoek Winelands. Having lived in Australia, Texas and now Singapore, Anna & David’s guest list of 85 would consist of guests from all over the world. This celebration had to be on par with international design and wedding trends, all whilst show-casing the best of what Franschhoek has to over: incredible cuisine and award winning wines!

The look and feel we settled on was to be elegant, modern, sophisticated and above all – stylish. During the months of planning, the emphasis grew on modern contrasts with a distinct return to opulence and a by-gone era of glamour. This would be highlighted with an abundance of flowers, masses of crystal chandeliers, variations of height on the tables, pure silver cutlery and cut crystal glassware. Customised dark wood reception tables were specially designed and made for this celebration. The contrast between the white and cream florals and the crystal table features was striking and we kept the look clean and modern by excluding table linen. Stationery was kept classic but did not disappoint in elegance. Each menu received gold foiling features with a delicate touch of water colouring to bring through a hint of pink. This was finished off with a real orchid flower for every single place setting. With Anna soon to become known as “Mrs Bird”, guests where shown to their seats by the means of petite lazar cut Swallows delicately placed onto the edge of each crystal wine glass with their names printed on the Swallows wings.

Entertainment highlights included amazing performances for the ceremony and pre-dinner drinks by acclaimed jazz group Breakfast Included; and a surprise to guests, a vibrant performance of traditional Zulu warriors right. A decadent sweet and candy station ended an expertly prepared 4 course menu which consisted of only the best locally sourced produce in the Franschhoek Valley. 80 beautifully handcrafted mini cakes substituted a traditional tiered wedding cake and large cheese boards and gourmet Polish-style hotdogs made for delicious late night snacks.

With the reception exuding a sense of old-world glamour, the dance floor and party space was kept slick and contemporary! A modern extension to the reception venue was added on by means of a Bedouin tent, which was then completely floored and completed with a hi-tech LED dance floor taking centre stage! An 8 piece band and DJhad a beautiful ABS stage built for them and brand new customised lounge furniture created stunning pockets which framed the dance floor. Intelligent lighting filled this space and the marquee to create the perfect party atmosphere for guests to literally feel like they were dancing the night away on stars.

To finish off a magnificent wedding weekend, Anna & David had a Trash the Dress shoot to really add a different look and feel to their memories in South Africa. The various locations at this particular farm really provide incredible backdrops for some beautiful photographs.

The Photographer: Jean-Pierre Uys