From formal affairs to laid-back, sentimental vibes . . . we caught up with two North Coast brides who recently said ‘I do’ in their own breathtakingly beautiful ways.
WHIMSICAL GLAMOUR:
Bride and groom: Annie Ludick and Kgolo Mthembu
Venue: La Paris Estate in Franschhoek
Real Housewives of Durban star Annie Ludick recently said ‘I do’ to Kgolo Mthembu in a magnificently glamorous destination wedding in Franschhoek. Annie tells us a bit more about her special day, which was coordinated by the dream team from Oh Happy Day.
A BIT ABOUT THE BRIDE AND GROOM
“We met through my sister at her home in 2010. Kgolo had been friends with my sister for many years and he came to invite her to an event that he was hosting. I was visiting from England where I lived at the time. Years later, I moved back to South Africa and started a promotions and dance agency, which Kgolo then used for his annual birthday celebration. We then built a professional relationship after he asked me to work directly for him as his personal assistant. About four years after I began working as his PA, he told me I was the woman he would like to marry and we started dating. We have been together for six years now, four years ‘traditionally married’ and it’s been almost a year since our dream white wedding.
ABOUT THE PROPOSAL
We flew out to Italy for a holiday in July 2017, visiting Rome and Venice. I had no idea that he would propose at this time. On the final night of our holiday, we decided to book a dinner at a fine dining restaurant. We got dressed up for the occasion and Kgolo ordered a Gondolier to take us to the restaurant. Just as the sun was setting on 22 July, in the middle of the Grand Canal, he got on one knee and proposed.
A DESTINATION WEDDING
There are so many moving parts when it comes to planning and executing a destination wedding. Besides the actual wedding ceremony and reception, you also become a ‘concierge’ for your family and friends for the weekend, ensuring all family members are well accommodated and can get around easily. Planning transportation post reception to ensure everyone gets back to their accommodation safely (especially during COVID with a 12pm curfew) and booking flights for individuals and families was personally the complicated part to coordinate for me, along with ground transportation to ensure they got to their accommodation from the airport and back and, of course, were dropped off in time for the actual ceremony! It’s so important that you have a strong team who you can trust to execute a destination wedding successfully. I’m so glad that Oh Happy Day had everything covered exactly as I imagined for my ceremony and reception so that I could focus on my family.
OUR FAVOURITE MOMENT OF THE DAY?
Definitely my first dance with my husband. Being held in his arms, hearing him sing the lyrics to our wedding song (Here and Now by Luther Vandross) in my ear, and singing along and really feeling the song in my soul. Its like time stood still.
VENDOR LIST
Photography: Lizelle Goussard
Event Planning, styling & floral design: Oh Happy Day
Venue: La Paris Estate in Cape Town
Videography: The MNRLS
Wedding Dress: Jacqui Emanuel
Make-Up Artist: Khwezilokusa Ndlovu
Groom’s Stylist: Prince Nhlengergwa
LAIDBACK BEACH VIBES:
Bride and groom: Tyla Gormley and Devon Lane
Venue: Salt Rock Hotel
A reggae band, food trucks, festival vibes and the ocean in the background … high school sweethearts Ty and Devon’s laidback Salt Rock wedding was everything they ever hoped it would be, and more.
ABOUT THE BRIDE AND GROOM
Dev and I met through a mutual friend at Grace Church youth group when we were about 14 years old. I caught Devin’s eye because of the pink Haviana shoes I was wearing, which sparked a conversation that evening. Little did I know that it would end up lasting a lifetime. After that, we met at the beach a few times and I soon found myself very attracted to this young, fun, naughty surfer boy. We started dating when we were 15 and have been together ever since. We are true high school sweethearts.
THE VISION FOR YOUR WEDDING
It was always our dream to have a wedding near the beach and a very relaxed, almost ‘festival’ feel, with not too many set formalities on the day. I wanted everyone to enjoy the day as much as we did and really feel relaxed and welcome. My wedding was everything I had hoped and more! We had an incredible reggae band play for us right after the ceremony, which set the relaxed, chilled vibe we wanted for the day. We had different stations of food trucks, a champagne bar and an ice cream stand that served food throughout the evening and there wasn’t a set ‘eating time’. Whenever you felt hungry you could go up and order your pizza or burger. We danced all night with beautiful lighting (fairy lights draped around the palm trees and venue) set up by Darryl Monks (our wedding planner). We were truly blessed with the weather as well, as everything was outside.
TELL US ABOUT THE PLANNING
With my creative background as a stylist, planning and organising are a huge part of my day-to-day business. I knew I didn’t want to get to involved in the planning because it would take over the enjoyment of the build-up to my special day, so I was lucky enough to work with my close friend Darryl Monks who owns Darryl Monks Event Architecture. He is just incredible. I gave him one or two reference pictures and he just ran with it, adding his own touch!
YOUR FAVOURITE MOMENT OF THE DAY?
Besides walking down the Isle to a very tearful groom, I remember looking up during the speeches and the whole sky had turned pink. This was a moment that no camera could capture. It was surreal and I just felt so grateful and blessed to be there at that moment, marrying my soulmate with our friends and family present to witness it. Another special moment was putting on my wedding outfit that one of my best friends, Tayla Krummeck from Hamilton Clothing, had made for me. It was a design that I had in mind from a very young age. I always wanted to wear pants but still wanted it to feel feminine, simple and pretty, and that is exactly what it was. I loved wearing it and that we created it together.
VENDOR LIST
Wedding planner and coordinator: Darryl Monks
Bride and bridesmaids outfits: Tayla Krummeck, Hamilton Clothing
Makeup: Lindsay Nixon of Nixon Make-up
Officiant: Zak Dermick
Photographer: Wez Lewis
Videographer: Dan Dedekind
Venue: Salt Rock Hotel
Catering: Mark Brunskill, Mobile Events Co
Band: The Meditators
DJ: Tom Thornhill
Flowers: Flowers By Leigh
Text: Leah Shone
