Ryan & Liesa {Wedding}

On Saturday 2nd March, Farmboy and I headed off to the Crab Apple Chapel in Dargyl (in the Midlands) to celebrate the marriage of two very special people. The reception was held at The Cairn of Old Kilgobbin, a gorgeous country style venue with lots of love and soul. 
Ryan & Liesa Rollin are the beauty and brains behind the antique cutlery jewelry brand and shop in Howick, called Rollin Vintage.
With their creative flair and appreciation for all things vintage, their wedding was absolutely beautiful. 

Here are a few photographs of the day...{not too many of them as I will be giving those more personal ones to them as their wedding present}.


Dillon & Michelle {Wedding}

A few weekends back Farmboy and I headed to Joburg to celebrate two very special friends as they said {I do} at the Moon & Sixpence in Muldersdrift. 
Dillon & Michelle had an awesome wedding blog, which they updated with their recent adventures, accomodation tips and a whole post on the bridal party! Dillon, being a computer wizz, did the whole thing himself...have a squizz here
The day was filled with much love, laughter and friends...thank you Dillon & Michelle for having is be a part of your special day!

And how amazing was her bouquet?! Handmade by the bride herself...skills!
xxx

 


Our Wedding Venue...{The Set Up}

Here are a few gorgeous photo's from our special friend Sophie of Sophie Smith Photography

(if you can remember, Soph did our engagement shoot a few months back and we were thrilled with the photographs...these are no exception!). 

Sophs, thank you for capturing these special moments, and for being on hand to help out with all of the preparations!! 

These photo's will give you a little bit of an idea of all the hard work that went on behind the scenes to make our dream venue a reality. These are just photo's from The Shed. The Barn, where our ceremony was held was a little dark to capture properly, so will post those as well as all the official piccies from our photographer Jacki Bruniquel soon!

These lovely ladies were incredible with my flowers! Thank you Gail & Ren!!!! Lots and lots of love to you two! x

serious face, arranging those bird cages was hard work you know ;)

My Farmboy, making his handmade tables just right

Crockery was hired from 

A Vintage Affair

 in Joburg! They were so delightfully perfect on the tables, I was thrilled!

The Hutton Brothers, enjoying some tea!

Weather proofing The Shed! The day before the wedding it poured with rain! We were so worried the same would happen on the day, but it was all sunny clear sky's on our Big day!

Tea break time!

Tired busy bee's!

Andrew & Bianca {Wedding}

A few weekends ago Farmboy and I headed off to Balito to celebrate our sister (well, our sister-in-law's sister, so I guess that makes her our sister too?!...geewizz family titles sure do get complicated!) at Collisheen Estate.

It rained, and rained, and rained the whole day...but the clouds gave the entire celebration a very romantic ambiance. 
Here are some photographs from the day...
 
 
 
My handsome hubby
 
as of a month ago...my new brother and sister-in-laws :)
The Handsome Hutton clan

Yuppiechef Gift Registry

A little while ago I did a blog post (click here) on some idea's of places to open up gift registries (most particularly wedding registries) here in South Africa. After getting back from honeymoon a few weeks ago, we were absolutely spolit when a *BIG* box arrived from YuppieChef.

It was super easy to set up, I just went onto the website, filled in the registration form, and started shopping! Yuppiechef stocks everything and anything your kitchen could ever possibly need, and with brands ranging from Le Creuset to Bodum to Jamie Oliver you really are spoilt for choice!

The team at Yuppiechef kept in touch every step of the way, informing me if things were out of stock, and then giving me an option to either wait until it came in, or to choose something else of equal value...how nice are they!

Every gift that our guests ordered for us arrived in perfect condition, no bumps or scratches (and they came all the way from Cape Town! And guests didn't have to lug prezzies all the way to our wedding, but knew that when we got back from honeymoon, their precious cargo would be delivered safe and sound.

AND it's free delivery on all orders anywhere in South Africa! How cool is that :)

Here are some photo's of Farmboy unwrapping some of our wedding presents...










Thank you Yuppiechef!!


{Before} The Shed & The Barn

Here are some photo's of the shed (which was to become our reception venue) and barn (our chapel/ceremony venue) before all the wedding prep began. The shed was where the calves were kept after being seperated from their mommy's (Farmboy's parents own a dairy farm, hence the cows) and the barn was being used as a place to shear the sheep and keep bits of junk. Still, even with all that 'natural' stuff (ahem cow & owl droppings) going on, the true beauty of the place is undeniable :)

The Shed...













The Barn...












Rob & Lee {Wedding}

Yesterday, Farmboy and I headed out to the beautiful Providence Wedding venue in Nottingham Road to celebrate the wedding of my dear friend Lee. The weather was awful, cold and wet, but it did nothing to dampen to moods of those present as we celebrated the union of two very special people, before God.

It's now officially, one week to go until Farmboy and I walk to the aisle! Last night was a wonderful escape from all the hustle and bustle of preparing for our wedding.  It's really important to try and take a break from the all the 'wedding' talk, and gain some perspective into the real meaning behind weddings.

I have had to be reminded a few times by friends that you are a bride for a day, but a wife for life. It's so easy to get carried away {read: obsessed} with every little detail, and worry about this going wrong, or that not happening at the right moment. And ladies, trust me when I say this, your man is going to go crazy with all the wedding talk...make sure to schedule in some 'couple' time where the {W} word isn't allowed to crop up :)

Here are a few photo's I took of the day {you might remember the Hen's party we threw for Lee a few weeks back...if not, click here for a little reminder}
















This is a snap of me {left} and two lovely ladies {far left is one of my bridesmaids for next week!}
{The Bridenappers}

Farmboy & Citygirl
xxx

Wedding Seating Plan {Inspiration}


Doors and window panes make for gorgeous additions to any rustic or farm style wedding. If you're lucky enough to get your hands on one with the glass in tact, get your writing hand warmed up and get scribbling!

{Source: Style Me Pretty Pinterest Board}
{Source}
Or what about using cute little pegs and string or bakers twine to create your own unique seating plan. A fun DIY project to do with your bridesmaids :)

{Source: Style Me Pretty Pinterest Board}
{Source)
Or what about mixing and matching old frames to create a lovely collage of table numbers? Mix and match the colour, texture, shape and size of your frames until you're happy with the look!

{Source}

Lee's {Hens Party}

My old flat-mate is getting married, 7 days before me in September this year. It was wonderful sharing in her Hens Party (and catching a little glimpse into what's in store for me too!).

Here are  a few pic's of our weekend away in Ballito (notice, not one beach photo!):




The beautiful bride to be...






Lee is marrying a doctor, hence the outfit below :)






Lee, I can't wait to share in your special day! Wishing you and Rob a lifetime of happiness and joy! xxx

2 Months to the {Wedding}


In just under 2 months time, I will be walking down the aisle. My my, the time has just flown past! Farmboy proposed (click here for the full post on how he popped the question!) on the 11th March this year, and 6 months felt like a perfect time to get everything done. But with only a few weekends left to get everything done, I am definitely starting to feel the pressure.

So, I thought I'd write a quick little list (l just love writing lists! And when they are written on cute stationary like this, I could write them forever!) of things that we have got done so far, and then of course there's what still needs to be done...


Now that all that is ticked off, I feel so much better! That is, until I turn over and see the To Do list glaring back at me...things like rings, favours and flowers oh my!

Tips for {Wedding Gift Registries} South Africa

With just under 3 months until our big day (eeeeekkkk!) we have lots of time to think about all the goodies we need to make our place feel like a home. As Farmboy and I don't live together, I stay in a little 1 bedroom flat, and he will move in with me once we are wed (oh I just love the sound of that!). So, this means that at the moment, everything is pretty much pink, pink, and pink (with some beige and caramel colours thrown into the mix). The {very manly} shelf that Farmboy built for me to hold all my varsity files was the start of the transition from *my* space to *our* space, and it's going well, slowly, but well.

So, to help you get your new home kitted out in preparation for marriage, here is a list of our favourite gift registry stores here in South Africa:
{just click on the images below to be redirected to their websites}






The following registries (Yuppiechef & GrannyGoose) can be set up and managed online, which makes your life so much easier, and it's way more fun to look in the comfort of your own home or favourite coffee shop, than traipsing round the mall!

Yuppiechef also offer free delivery on all orders, anywhere in South Africa :)




If you come across any others, please pop a comment below :)

A weekend of {wedding DIY}

Last weekend was spent with sanders, nails, hammers, paint and of course multiple cups of coffee as Farmboy and I got our hands dirty in preparation for our wedding in September. The first few photo's show our awesome yellow wood sideboard (which will hold all our dessert at the wedding) and the last few shots of of the door to the barn (where our ceremony will be). The only problem with getting started, is that we realise just how much we still have to do to make all our idea's happen...eek!











Planning a Location Wedding...{4 months before}

{Image Source}
One of the greatest hurdles when planning a location wedding (a location wedding being a wedding not held at a specified venue that would organize the catering side of the event) is getting a caterer that can do the following:

a) cater for your number of guests (in our case 160- 180)

b) specializes in your particular food style

c) is able/happy to cater for your function at your location

d) is available!

Let me tell you something, to find someone who does all of the above is no easy feat! I spent many hours trawling the internet to find 'the one' and, after much frustration and anguish, was referred to Sarah from Harris and Homes in Durban.

Sarah has been incredible to work with so far, with a menu that includes the likes of "cream cheese stuffed dates skewered with parma ham" and "marinated lamb cutlets with coriander and honey" I am hoping that I have enough time in between greeting guests to fill my tummy!

Farmboy and I met with Sarah last weekend when she came to see the farm and chat to us about the logisitics of catering for the number of guests we are having. She was amazing at giving us loads of practical advice when it came to the many bumps and niggles we came across, while also giving us idea's for things we hadn't even thought about yet.

 Sarah, Farmboy and I are happy that you will be catering for us for our wedding, and we are so looking forward to the food!

The Harris & Homes website is under construction, but in the mean time you can contact Sarah direct on 074 183 8745

Clyde & Candice {Engagement}

A few weeks ago, on a sunny afternoon, two friends and their fiance's headed into the Pietermaritzburg Botanical Gardens for a wee spot of posing. Great fun was had by all, most especially the couple in question. Dear readers, I am pleased to introduce to you Clyde and Candice, who will be saying their *I do's* in January next year.

Enjoy

xxx































Our *Save The Dates* {Ruby & the Swallow}

Dear wonderful ladies behind the charming blog, Ruby & the Swallow!

You have made both Farmboy and myself so very happy with your design work for the Save the Dates for our wedding. We both cannot wait to see what you come up with for our invitations (and of course all the other goodies we have put you in charge of!).

If there is anyone out there looking for a lovely, personal, and oh-so-creative duo to design something special, click here to get in touch with Ruby & the Swallow. The girls made it so easy for us to get exactly what we wanted for our wedding, and every little detail has been thought of...including the actual packaging that safely stored our envelopes!

Thank you ladies, you really are just fab!






Our Wedding Venue...The *Before* Photo's

*Sorry for this last post! Silly Ipad didn't actually post my pictures...So here you go!*

We are both thrilled to be having our venue on Farmboy's *working* dairy farm in the little town of Creighton,  Kwazulu Natal. Our ceremony will tale place in the Barn (complete with live Barn Owl who is wrecking havoc all over the walls!). Our reception will be in the shed, which is used as a calf nursery for the baby cows recently separated from their mommy's! 

Watch this space as we turn it into the venue of our dreams...

The Shed:








The Barn:






Freebie...Bridesmaid Cards

I made these cards for my Bridesmaids a little while ago and thought I would pop them on the blog for you to download :) I got the idea from Pinterest (I mean, where else does one go for inspiration?!)

Print or email these cards to make your chosen ladies feel oh so special...


Click here to download these files, as well as the Maid of Honour card :)
Happy Wedding Planning!

xx

6 months before the wedding...*Part 1*

This past weekend marks the 6 month count down until my *Big Day*. Some people have said that we are a bit ambitious to undertake planning a wedding in 6 months but I insist it can be done! For those of you out there in the process of planning your special day, and those of you you just might need to bookmark this page for the future, here is my list of what needs to be done 6 months before walking down that aisle...


For Farmboy and myself this was pretty easy...we are getting married on his Dairy Farm here in Natal. But if you don't happen to have a handy family farm, then I would suggest scouring your favourite wedding blogs for wedding venues (even better, look at local wedding blogs like The Pretty Blog for posts of their latest *real* weddings to get a feel for what sort of venue you are after.) Most big/fancy/popular venues require booking up to (and sometimes, over) a year in advance. 
If you aren't quite engaged yet but are planning on getting there soon it wouldn't hurt to keep your ears open for openings at your favourite venue(s). If you do choose to go the slightly less traditional route like we are, you need to do lots of thinking about the practical side of things. For example, where will everyone stay? Is it close to the airport? Are there facilities for caterers? Is there a church nearby? Where will your cereony be held? If there is a chance the weather is going to be iffy, do you have a plan B?
All of the above WERE not properly thought out when we decided on the farm, but we are just going to make it work for us. Luckily, it all seems to be running to plan so far, we shall see if it continues to do so!
On that note, your venue might determine the time of the year that you have the wedding. Ideally you need to choose a rough month/season/day but this might all be determined by the availability of your venue. As the venue wasn't an issue for us, we had to worry about my studies and in particular, when I actually have holidays in order to have the wedding and then to go on honeymoon. Keep all of these factors in mind when choosing the time of the year and the venue.



Before you decide on a caterer, you need to have a rough idea in mind of the type of food you are wanting your guests to eat. This will also depend on the time of day you choose to have your ceremony. For us, having it on the farm means that a lot of people will be traveling very far (and with the limited options for accommodation) they will be coming for the day and the zooting off back to the airport. So, we needed to take this into consideration and are therefore having a day wedding. Our main meal is therefore lunch. As it will be Spring for us, and to cut down a little for the budget, we are choosing a buffet style meal with more of an informal mezze type feel with Canape starters. It helps if you have a few idea's in mind before meeting with different caterers as they will ask you loads of questions! Bear in mind you might need to phone ahead to make an appointment with caterers to ensure they give you their undivided attention when discussing your wedding.

Remember to always get more than 1 quote for the food. We have decided on a catering company based in Durban as I was offered the best service (so far!) but it is costing a little more as they have to travel all the way out to our venue. If you are having a location wedding, make sure you find out exactly how much they charge per kilometer, and whether they are able to travel before getting into the nitty gritty of the menu.
Some catering companies also offer decor hire (for things like your plates, knives & forks etc) but others you will have to source those items separately.




The reason I have put the Budget as the third item in this list is because I'm not sure how you set a budget without getting an idea of what things cost. If you are fortunate enough to have your Dad pay for the wedding, it is important to be able to show him 'proof' of what things cost as opposed to just guessing. Also, prices will definitely have changed from his time so make sure you give him a good idea of roughly what the costs are before setting a budget. If you and your fiancee are paying for the wedding, it is also important to get an idea for yourself of what these things cost so that you can work out where you can save money, and where you might not be able to cut costs. 
We are wanting to do a lot of DIY elements in our wedding so that at the end of the day we can say that we are a part of each and every single element of the day. This is a great way to save on costs, and with the help of gorgeous wedding blogs like The Pretty Blog, GreenWeddingShoes & 100LayerCake you can add your own personal touch without looking tacky.
Draw up a spreadsheet on Excel to help you with putting your budget together, or download one from the internet. I found a great one from LoveCelebration (click here) which has helped me so far to get my budget in order. Once you have finalised your budget then you have to stick to it! This is the hardest part of planning your wedding but it really important. Decide what is the most important elements for you as a couple, and then go from there. For us, the photographer is high up on our list of priorities, and is even higher up than my wedding dress :) You just need to work together and decide what you really want, and then compromise, compromise compromise!



**This is a list I have complied from my experience thus far in planning my own wedding. I am by no means an expert and I'm sure I have probably left one or two things out. I would love to hear from you if you have any tips or idea's for planning your wedding, especially if you have been through it yourself! Feel free to leave a comment below, I'd love to hear from you**

*Love Celebration* Wedding Planner File

A little while ago (while browsing through my favourite Wedding Blog *The Pretty Blog*) I came across Love Celebration, a wedding planning file jammed packed with tips, advice and idea's to make your wedding the perfect day it should be. If you're like me and love to write lists, and then check items of said list, get a secret thrill from filing, this this file is going to become your new best friend when planning your wedding. 








The only problem I have of the file is that it's a little bit bit small. Once I'd printed off all the wonderful free extra goodies from the site, my file was bulging with no more room for even a scrap of paper.  But apart from that it's been so useful. My favourite part has been the section on etiquette and how to ask for money as a gift...well done Celebration Team!