Dear Kerry,

It's not very common for the minister and his/her partner to be invited to the wedding reception unless they are very close friends and you have a personal relationship with them. You also do not have to feel obliged to invite them as it is not the norm in South Africa.

Happy planning!

Megan

Dear Kim,

Private ceremonies and wedding receptions have become more popular, as most couples would rather spoil a handful of people than skimp on many guests.  South Africa has some wonderful and beautiful spots where one can have a private intimate ceremony followed by the reception. 

Garonga Safari Camp

Situated in the greater Makaladi Conservancy on the West of the Kruger National Park, this beautiful camp offers an intimate wildlife encounter in an unhurried environment.  You can choose to have your ceremony anywhere in this beautiful camp and have the experienced staff take care of everything. 
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Ulusaba Private Game Reserve

Owned by well known Sir Richard Branson Ulusaba is situated in the Sabi Sands Game Reserve and offers over 10 000 acres of unspoilt bush.  They offer a safari experience like you've never had before.  Have the ceremony either in the bush or at any of their amazing lodges scattered throughout. 
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Jaci's Safari Lodge

Situated in the malaria free area of the Madikwe Game Reserve boasting 75 000 hectars of big five territory.
With various wedding packages available you will be spoilt for choice
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Amakhala Game Reserve

Situated in the Eastern Cape, this  5 000 hectars of spectacular Eastern Cape valley bushveld offers a variety of wildlife including the big five.  With a beautiful chapel on the reserve, having your wedding ceremony there would be stress free.
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Marataba

Set within a dramatic landscape encompassing vast plains, deep gorges and majestic mountains, Marataba is an exclusive 23 000 hectare private concession in the heart of Limpopo's Marakele National Park.  The perfect malaria-free bush wedding at Marataba. Catering for up to 30 sharing guests, a setting on the African plains or at the lodge, both with the magnificent Waterberg Mountains as backdrop.
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Hunters Country House

An award winning country retreat situated at the heart of the Garden Route. Renowned for its superb blend of ambience, cuisine and hospitality; the emphasis here is on discreet, unobtrusive and friendly service.   Their “Chapel in the Forest” is the perfect setting to exchange your vows, while the surrounding verdant gardens are the ideal setting for your exclusive wedding pictures. The chapel is framed by floor to ceiling windows overlooking the spectacular valley of indigenous forest and can seat up to 55 guests.
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Grand Roche

Grande Roche is situated on the site of the old De Nieuwe Plantatie in the Drakenstein valley of Paarl.  What would be more romantinc than having your wedding ceremony in their 300 year old chapel! 
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Stanley Island

The Ludbar Manor is a unique wedding and conference facility on an exclusive island in the middle of the Keurbooms River near Plettenberg Bay.  It caters for up to 120 guests on a large outdoor paved area under the indigenous Milkwood trees in a stretch tent.  Access to the venue is by covered ferry, private aircraft or helicopter.
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I hope you find your dream romantic wedding venue amongst the options given!

Happy planning!

Megan

Dear Nicole,

Fascinators have become an increasingly popular accessory and make for some lovely photo's.  Dating Back to the 17th century it's really made a good comeback.

I have done some research for you and you can contact the following people who will be able to assist you:

• Karen Boonstra makes amazing fascinators, you can contact shop@aleit.co.za to view her full portfolio of fascinators on offer.  She is not situated in Port Elizabeth, but Cape Town.  Perhaps you can ask your sister to go buy it for you if you manage to find one from her.

• Angie Coverley from POSH situated in Newton Park will also be able to assist you.  She custom makes them to your requirements.  You can contact her at 083 656 8874

• VIP Brides at www.vipbrides.co.za also sell them.  You can contact them at vip.brides@gmail.com to send you images of the fascinators they have available.

• Mandy's hat boutique might also be able to assist.  They are situated at 43A King Edward Street, Newton Park.  You can phone them on (041) 365 0695.

 
I hope you find something you like.

Happy planning!

Megan

Dear Jacqueline,

When deciding on the time of day you need to take into consideration that during winter natural light is not that abundant and during summer time you have intense heat during certain parts of the day.

The season you are planning on having your wedding in will ultimately be the deciding factor. During spring and summer (September to end of February) it's advisable to have your wedding later in the afternoon (anytime from 4pm onwards) thus eliminating exposing your guests to extreme heat and giving you enough time and daylight after the ceremony to have your wedding photographs taken. This is also a lovely time as snacks will be served around 5pm and starters at 6:30pm. However, during winter (March to end of August) you will need to have your wedding start around 2pm because the sun starts setting at 5pm and it can get quite chilly. You also want to ensure there is enough daylight left to take your wedding photographs.

Ultimately determine which season your wedding will be in and make your ceremony start time according to the guidelines above.

Happy Planning!
Megan

Dear Euline,

When planning your wedding there will be many occasions where you might not see eye to eye with your mom (or even with his mom) regarding your wedding choices. The first thing you need to take into account is who is paying for the wedding.

If you and your fiancée are paying for it yourselves, with no financial help from your mom, then perhaps you should tell her that because you are paying for the wedding yourselves, you would like to have it at your chosen venue.

In this case, gentle persuasion is the way to go – often it's not what you say, but how you say it, that may hurt feelings. On the other hand, should your mom be assisting you financially, then perhaps she feels that she should play a big part in your decision of where the wedding is held. Discuss the venue choices with her. Let her tell you why she has chosen her specific venue, and you tell her why you have chosen yours, then discuss the pros and cons of each venue. At least this way she'll feel that you're open to discussion. (Even if you know in your heart that you won't budge, let her feel that she might just stand a chance).

Remember that it's okay to disagree, but ultimately it's how you handle the situation that will make a huge difference. So be aware of your tone and body language when discussing this topic with your mom, and you might just find that she comes around to loving your venue as much as you do.

I hope that you find this answer helpful and that soon you'll let me know that she came around to loving your venue.

Happy Planning!
Megan

Wedding invitations should be sent out at least three months (12 weeks) before the wedding. This will give your guests enough time to decide whether they will be able to attend and if so make the necessary arrangements. However, if any of your invitations are being mailed out of the country, you’ll need to send them a few weeks earlier than the rest.

Happy Planning!
Megan