Where and how did you meet?
Jermaine and I met on a Wednesday evening at a Happy Hour function in Washington DC. The local radio station was hosting a 70’s costume contest and I was with my co-workers sitting on the patio unwinding after a day at the office. Towards the end of the evening, Jermaine ask me to dance and before I left we exchanged business cards. After that evening we were inseparable and six years later we decided to get married.

How did he propose?
I wish I could tell you this romantic story of how he proposed to me but that wouldn’t be the truth. Over the years we took a very slow practical approach towards discussing marriage – which felt very comfortable for us. One day after our church cookout he asked me if I would get married again and I in turn asked him the same question. After a long,  honest discussion we discovered that we felt the same way – the answer was “yes”. One weekend we selected the diamond, designed the ring and placed the order. When the ring arrived – we were so excited to see the final product – he opened the box and put the ring on my finger. Although we already felt engaged, the ring made it official.

Please provide a short description of your wedding day?
From the beginning to the end our wedding day was stress free and fun, all due to the great work of our wedding co-ordinator from Wedding Concepts. The original plans were to get married in the garden at the Grande Provence Heritage Wine Estate in Franschhoek but it was raining so we had cocktails in the Art Gallery and moved the wedding to the wine cellar. Moving the location of the wedding to the wine cellar turned out to be the best decision. The wine cellar was the perfect combination of intimacy and romance. With a solo guitarist playing in the background, I walked down the aisle on a carpet of rose petals and we exchanged vows under crystal chandeliers. We held our reception in the Jonkershuis dining room and enjoyed a delicious dinner with great wine. Throughout the evening we listened to a playlist of songs my husband created that spanned over the course of our relationship and mingled in the sitting room enjoying the warmth of the fireplace. The evening ended with all of us returning to Lawhill Luxury Apartments and popping open a bottle of champagne with our family and friends.

If you could change one thing about your wedding day, what would it be? Wedding Concepts took care of everything for us. Trust me when I say the day was perfect. I wouldn’t change anything.

What was the highlight of your day?
We were able to get a sneak peek of the wine cellar before our guests and that moment was a feeling we’ll never forget. The design of the wine cellar with the brick walls, wood doors and arching pillars was absolutely beautiful yet simple. Also, the combination of the chandeliers, dimmed lighting, and detailed rose carpet created the intimate feeling we were looking for.

How did it feel to finally stand next to each other as husband and wife?Absolutely joyous.  It was the comfort of feeling and knowing in our hearts “this is the right time with the right person”.

Where did you go on honeymoon?
We went to the Shamwari Game Reserve in the Eastern Cape and stayed at the Bayethe Lodge. We wanted our family and friends to experience the thrill and excitement of going on a safari and seeing the beauty of South Africa – memories of a lifetime!

 

Photography Gavin Casey Photography

Contact www.gavincasey.co.za

Wedding management and design Wedding Concepts

Contact +27 21 426 5783 | www.weddingconcepts.co.za

Wedding coordinator Megan Kenny from Wedding Concepts

Venue Grande Provence

Contact www.grandeprovence.co.za

Wedding gown Tadashi Shoji

Contact www.tadashishoji.com

Flowers Fleur Le Cordeur

Contact www.fleurlecordeur.co.za

Cake Roxanne Floquet

Contact www.roxannefloquet.com

Stationery Lara from Lara’s Designs

Contact www.larasdesigns.co.za