Anna and Freddy’s fun-filled farm-style wedding was a relaxed affair, held at the beautiful Slipperfields at the foot of the Lady’s Slipper mountain near Port Elizabeth on 7 January 2011.

The ceremony was kept relatively short, as it was a very hot day… but it didn’t make it any less special. Friends and family lead the couple in praise and worship as a friend (who is a pastor) married the pair.

ATTIRE

When it came to her gorgeous gown, Anna found it extremely difficult to commit to a dress design. “I wanted something different and striking - but I am a ‘less is more’, ‘no fuss’ kind of girl - so at the same, I time didn’t want anything too extravagant,” says Anna.

In the end, Colinda Raath translated the idea of a 20’s style dropped waist frock into a gorgeous, flowing gown. The main feature of the gown was the gathering of fabric in the central point on the dropped waist at the front of the dress. Colinda created striking sliver detailing at this point. The back of the dress featured a deep V, which emphasized Anna’s beautiful figure.

Lauralee Castle created a fresh, natural look with Anna’s make-up, and her hair was done by Juan Joubert Hair and Beauty. A beautiful headpiece was designed by Colinda, which incorporated a vintage margazete broche, lace and a few ostrich feathers.

Freddy and his groomsmen all wore suits hired from Hire Society.

DETAILS

The couple enhanced the farm-style of their wedding by adding elements such as bales of hay, fresh peaches and compromised on the colour scheme. “My husband loves bright colours, while I am more a fan of subtle hues, but we let both our preferences influence the colour scheme which was feminine peach accentuated by bright orange as well as various shades of blues, yellows, pinks and greens,” said Anna.

Web designer by day, Anna was responsible for all their stationery, and designed a simple but elegant bird motif that was incorporated throughout the wedding.

Anna describes her favourite décor element as the ceiling. Due to the size of the reception venue at Slipperfields they felt the need to dress it up. With the help of Angelic Wonders they added draping to a central point in the ceiling with fairy lights, and hung Chinese lanterns over the chequered dance floor. The outcome was more striking than they ever could have imagined!

Jana of Slipperfields understood the couple’s vision and assisted with the execution. She helped create a vintage-relaxed-country-bird-peach (yes, it’s quite a concept!) wedding day by providing extra décor elements such as jam jars for the cocktails and bales of hay which were dressed up with fabric to match the bunting.

The actual table centrepieces were simple yet elegant and were just right for the theme of this wedding.

THE CAKE

The wedding cake was one of the first and easiest decisions they made. “My husband and I saw a photo of something similar and absolutely loved it right away,” says Anna. The bird motif that we used throughout the wedding originated from this photo. It was a simple, white 3-tiered cake with a bird motif running up the sides. The cake was made by a friend, who did a great job!

DIY BRIDE

Anna got creative and added a personal touch to her wedding - a real inspiration for all the brides wanting to give Wedding DIY a try!

She spent many happy afternoons scouting second-hand shops for décor elements, such as the consol jars used on the tables and the frame that was used for the table seating plan.

FUN IDEAS

Both Anna & Freddy love spending time with friends and family and love entertaining, so it was important to them that their guests had fun at their wedding, and they achieved just that!

Guests were kept entertained and happy while the couple had their photos taken. They enjoyed canapés of fresh bread with dukkah and dipping oils while enjoying a game of croquet. With the help of Jana from Slipperfields the couple also created a dedicated photo corner with bales of hay, couches and props such as chalkboards, where guests could have some fun.

A family member had a special surprise for the couple during the speeches. They were presented with a beautiful pair of white pigeoens, which they released together.

PHOTOGRAPHS

Ingrid Marais Ingrid captured beautiful moments during this wedding, true to her style as always. With exquisite attention to detail, you can truly get a feel for this wedding.

ADVICE

Words of wisdom from Anna: “Planning your wedding is a wonderful and exciting time, so enjoy every moment of it as it is over so quickly. Try not to get stressed out, and when it comes to your wedding day, just forget about all the details and trust those around you to take care of any final arrangements. Make sure that you think about nothing else on your wedding day other than having fun and marrying the man of your dreams.”

Thanks for sharing your wedding with us!

WEDDING SUPPLIERS

• Catering: Shumba Catering
• Decor: Angelic Wonders
• Dress Designer: Colinda Raath
• Florist: Floral Expressions
• Hair: Juan Joubert Hair and Beauty
• Make-up: Lauralee Castle
• Photographer: Ingrid Marais
• Reception Music: Grant
• Reception Venue: Slipperfields
• Stationery Supplier: Bride
• Videography: Brad Peens
• Wedding day Transport: Tavcor

Would you like us to feature your wedding? E-mail megan@perfectday.co.za for more information.