FIRST EDITION APRIL 2011 WEDDING COORDINATION & STYLING
INDEX INDEXINDEX FROMALEITFROMALEIT FROM ALEIT
Opening letter from Aleit
SHOWCASE SHOWCASESHOWCASE
Nunu en Bonginkosi - Johannesburg, South Africa Jenni & Paul - Isle of Man, UK Karin & Richard - Cape Town, South Africa Bev & Handré - Cape Town, South Africa Philippa & Simon - Jersey, Channel Islands, UK Natalie & Brent - Cape Town, South Africa Janine & Clifford - Cape Town, South Africa
GETTINGMARRIEDINT GETTING MARRIED IN THE CAPE THIS WINTER? WHEN ALL IS SAID AND DONE WHENALLISSAIDANDD PROPOSAL IDEAS THAT GUARANTEE A “YES” PROPOSALIDEASTHAT FEATURED FEATUREDFEATURED
Lindy & Matthew - London, UK Luandi & JP - Tokyo, Japan Catherine & Paul - London, UK and Lagos, Nigeria Clare & Andrew - London, UK
THESE ARE A FEW OF OUR FAVOURITE THINGS THESEAREAFEWOFSOMEOFOU BON VOYAGE BONVOYAGEBONVOYAGE
Another exciting trip to Europe for Aleit
FROM OUR MAN FROM OUR MANAGING DIRECTOR My family, friends and peers, the surroundings I witness each day and my travels are all a constant source of inspiration. However, sometimes when I find myself stuck in a rut, I look for inspiration elsewhere and am pleased to say that there are some fabulous wedding blogs and sources of stimulation and insight ‘out there’ – be it through the internet or print medium. I in turn, hope that our newsletter provides similar inspiration to future brides and grooms, suppliers, designers and creative people in general. We certainly take pride in our innovative ideas and have what I believe is a rather forward thinking team. I certainly hope that our new electronic magazine showcases this – the first of its kind in the wedding industry of South Africa.
Aleit Wedding Coordination was recently privileged to be part of a rather exclusive celebration which I can unfortunately not divulge much about. Needless to say I was again rewarded by the realisation that the sky is literally the limit. I have had the opportunity to attend weddings in London, Amsterdam and Barcelona and am proud to say that we are most certainly setting trends in SA. We can continue to dream big in this amazing country of ours. Thank you to all of the brides and grooms who grant us this honour.
NUNU & BONGINKOSI
Nunu and Bonginkosi hosted their wedding at Webersburg Wine Estate on a spectacular day in December. It was a grandiose affair, yet filled with so much love and The Aleit Team felt immensely honoured to be a part of such a traditional African celebration. Fresh petals, later used as confetti filled terracotta pots that lined the white aisle which led Nunu to Bonginkosi. The reception was ever so stylish: An all white affair with a minimalist approach, accented by oversized tassled lampshades and crystal chandeliers. The ethnic presence of the bridal couple and their vibrant guests filled the space with such dramatic colour. The heart and soul of Africa shone through in their choice of music and to accentuate this, guests were treated to the sounds of Lira! Lira Molapo is a stellar performer and proudly South African. Her fans know she puts on an enthralling performance each time she walks onto a stage..... and Nunu and Bonginkosi’s guests were certainly not disappointed. Food was available in abundance and there was no compromise on quality. The festivities peaked with a dramatic performance by the Fire Tribe fire spinners – an apt culmination of the celebration of a rather “hot couple”.
JENNI & PAUL
Jenni and Paul hosted their wedding celebration at one of the most breathtaking locations the Cape Winelands has to offer. Clouds Estate is located at the summit of the Helshoogte pass and offers surreal views over the valley. Classic with a twist is what I’d call this wedding: the soft pastels and elegance portrayed by the floral installations inspired by tradition...with plum glasses bringing in the twist. The wedding projected a classic air yet was filled with slightly ‘cheeky’ aspects - like waitrons welcoming guests to the ceremony with large silver antique ice coolers filled with Vawter and a selection of beer. After the romantic ceremony, hosted near the owner’s cottage, guests followed the newlyweds and strolling musicians through the vineyards to the rooftop piazza where they enjoyed rather funky canapés which included wood fired Tiger Prawns on Lemongrass skewers and bobotie samosas. Ignoring convention, Jenni and Paul opted to have the speeches done during pre-drinks and entered the reception by embracing the dance floor to the sounds of The Black Eyed Peas, “I Gotta Feeling”. This brought a smile to each of our faces as I am sure it does to yours!
KARIN & RICHARD
The word Pigalle means sunshine and is of course also a very celebrated district of Paris. But more importantly, it is the name of one of the most successful restaurants in Cape Town and this was where Karin and Richard decided to celebrate their marriage. Throw the words: sunshine, Paris, Cape Town, stylish, chic, sexy, big party and great food together and you start to get an idea of where this wedding was headed...okay, maybe not the sunshine...but the great atmosphere on the night was a superb replacement for the lack of ‘rays’ on the day. If we had to rate this couple on style they would certainly be found somewhere high on the rankings: From the bold location choice for the ceremony and pre-drinks (which was held on Table Mountain Road...yes, it really was), to the sassy cocktails on arrival at Pigalle; From guests having their shoes polished to the Sunday Times they received on departure. One of the highlights of the day must surely be Karin and Richard’s first dance which was perfectly choreographed by Hayley, a member of the Aleit team. Each week she spent an hour with the couple perfecting their dance and the results were spectacular - a non traditional, tongue in cheek approach which showcased this couple at their very best. In fact, come to think of it, this has to be THE opening dance of the year! Oh, and let’s not overlook the Liquidchefs ‘power hour’ hosted at eleven or the pizzas that were distributed as a late night snack around midnight. With Good Fellas on standby to return the slightly ‘overindulged’ guests to their doorstep....let’s just say this is a wedding we all would love to attend!
BEV & HANDRE
Bev and Handré hosted their ceremony and reception at Klein Genot Wine Cellar (now Holden Manz) on a rather cloudy day in May. Set against the backdrop of the magnificent Franschhoek mountains, their wedding highlights our point about how fabulous winter weddings can be! The inclement weather ensured that the day was inviting and intimate. On arrival guests were treated to colourful cocktails displayed on light boxes which lifted the temperature and added to this couple’s rather sleek approach. The ceremony was held in the red wine cellar and Bev walked down a candlelit aisle to the sounds of “Truly, Madly, Deeply” by Savage Garden - a clear indication that a great party was to follow! The couple’s portrait shots were taken amongst the vast stainless steel vats in the white wine cellar which will forever remind them of the significance wine has as a medium for great celebration! The bride opted for a “dinner- party-at-home feel” rather than the traditional wedding vibe and the decor was contemporary yet clever, perfectly mirroring the couple’s personalities. With inverted Arum Lilies submerged in glass vases, the stark form of Proteas on the bar counter, vast amounts of tea-lights on the dinner table...it’s really all about the drama, the romance, the intimacy and lots.... and we mean LOTS...of candles!
PHILIPPA & SIMON
The newly built ASARA Hotel played host to Philippa and Simon’s wedding – an intimate affair with romance as the key factor. The setting was what ‘did it’ for the couple – sweeping vista’s of vineyards, mountains and the lake which formed the backdrop for the ceremony. The couple specified Gerberas as their flower of choice which posed a challenge to the floral maestros at OKASIE. We think they came up trumps. The flowers were vibrant and symbolised the colour of love. An African choir was chosen for the ceremony and they sang “Mamma Thembu’s Getting Married” as Philippa and Simon entered the reception. The music just kept getting better with Gavin Minter serenading guests at the reception. “I firmly believe he would have given ‘Old Blue Eyes’ a run for his money!” said one of their guests. We can’t help but agree!
Natalie and Brent wanted to deliver an exceptionally memorable experience for all of their guests. The ceremony would incorporate all the military traditions that were so ingrained in Brent’s life and the evening was to be immensely enjoyable. The wedding was hosted at Webersburg Wine Estate, which set the tone perfectly. The male retinue in full military dress lent an air of dramatic sophistication to the day and laid the framework for the couple’s underlying theme and favourite movie – Pearl Harbour. The reception was exceptionally sophisticated with round dinner tables draped under embellished cloths. The rustic chandeliers were removed to be replaced by crystal compatriots. Kings Pattern silver, cut crystal glassware and personalised menus completed the place settings. Needless to say, music was a very important part of this wonderful wedding. A classical trio opened the day’s events during guest arrival and ceremony. After the ceremony, a jazz trio followed with toe tapping tunes and kept everyone well entertained. As guests entered the reception, they were welcomed by a performance from The van der Merwe Brothers and for the rest of the evening a DJ kept both young and old on the dance floor. Staying with the Pearl Harbor theme, the Bridal Couple opened the dance floor to Faith Hill’s “There You’ll Be” while a black and white rendition of the movie played in the background.
Janine and Clifford were the lucky winners of the Top Billing Win a Wedding competition an initiative inspired by Aleit who approached Top Billing with the proposed idea. After a month of public voting on the Top Billing web site, Cape Town couple Janine and Clifford walked away with the prize which was a wedding to the total value of R500 000. With Top Billing on site to conduct interviews and document their experience, the fortunate couple even got to feel like glamorous celebrities for a day! Guests were shuttled from the car park to the veranda of the Manor House where the ceremony took place and this heightened the surprise. The bride arrived in a 1947 Bentley MK6 and a classical trio played “Air on G-String” as the bride walked down the aisle to meet her soon to be husband. Afterwards guests were treated to sumptuous canapés and enjoyed vibrant jazz played by the Sound Image trio. As The Aleit Group is known to continuously come up with unique ideas, the reception hosted at Zorgvliet was not set up at the obvious location – but rather a Bedouin tent was erected on the paved area between the historical buildings and the car park.. Who would have thought that such elegance could be extracted from an often overlooked space! Guests were treated to the sounds of Nomfusi who is currently performing to great acclaim.... in fact she has achieved more in two years than many artists achieve in a lifetime. The couple opened the dance floor to “For Me, It’s You” by Train and the party got underway. Come to think of it, the evening can be perfectly summarised by the title of the song that was played as the couple entered this spectacular reception which was - “Feeling Good” by Michael Buble.
MARRIED IN THE CAPE THIS WINTER? AGETTING WINTER WONDERLAND! No - this is not a trick question! Yes – we know that if given half the chance most of our clients opt for a summer wedding! I mean who in their right mind would get married in winter anyway? We would!! Give us the opportunity to convince you otherwise and you may just find yourself reconsidering! For a start, you would probably manage to keep the finances in check and a lower budget makes everyone happy! The industry is quieter during the winter months and many suppliers run special offers or are open to negotiation. So guess what – more for less! One does not have to worry about parasols, finding a shady spot or keeping guests cool during the ceremony. In fact there are numerous rather beautiful winter afternoons which are perfectly temperate to host that dreamy outdoor ceremony so you do not have to ditch your ideal altogether. And should the weather be inclement (always have plan B in place), a cosy church or cellar wedding can be just as spectacular when lit by hundreds of candles!
You can have such fun with your photographer – think fun umbrellas, bright wellingtons and dancing in the rain. As quoted by Greg Lumley: “In winter the photos are certainly not run of the mill! If you like more creative and arty images then this is without a doubt the best time to get married. Everything is dramatic! Because of the cloud cover lighting conditions are more controlled allowing your photographer to create images that are usually difficult when the sun is out.” One has access to a far greater and more beautiful array of flower types. A florist’s dream in all honesty! And as it gets dark sooner you have more time to party within venue curfews and therefore no overtime charges! Just make sure you choose a cosy location that emanates warmth rather than an oversized cavernous hall. A fireplace for pre-drinks would be well received by guests and would also set the perfect ambience. Ensure that the venue of choice can accommodate everyone indoors and that no one has to walk miles from the car park.
WHEN ALLALL IS SAID AND DONE WHEN IS SAID AND DONE When the last guest has left and everyone’s wished you well, the aftermath left at the wedding venue is actually a treasure trove of goods that can be recycled and repurposed. The arrangements of flowers can brighten someone’s day and leftover food can be dropped at a homeless shelter or township. Your wedding has more life than you thought! With careful planning and communication to your suppliers, you can arrange to help better people’s lives.
You may get lucky and find a single organization that will collect it all on your behalf – or you may need to do it the old-fashioned way by asking the florist to deliver the flowers, the caterer to take the leftover food to a shelter and the waiters to grab a bag and separate glass, aluminium, and plastic for recycling. Or, if you have a one, simply ask your coordinator to arrange all of this for you! It’s true what they say – if you can touch the life of just one person, you’ve made the world a better place.
PROPOSAL IDEAS THAT GUARANTEETHAT A “YES” PROPOSAL IDEAS We know all too well what it’s like to want a proposal. But what about what it’s like to be the one popping the question? The following tips may help inspire some ideas that make your proposal a memorable one! Take her to the beach. Write her proposal in the sand and when she is reading it, drop down on one knee and pop the question. Also, the beach would be a wonderful place to hire a sky writer. When she looks up in shock and awe, drop down on one knee and pull out the ring. Write “Marry Me” in rose petals on the bed. Before she gets a chance to see it, take her out to a romantic dinner and make her feel like she is the only person in the room. When you get home, she will definitely say “Yes!” For the more courageous groom: Take her to dinner. Tell the waiters that you plan to propose and they will sometimes help with the process. When they bring out the food, stand up and tell the surrounding patrons how much you love her. When you see how caught off guard she is, drop down and ask the big question.
Take her on a picnic and before you go, write “Will you marry me?” on her napkin. When she pulls it out and reads it be ready with the ring and wait for the answer. While she is out of the house, pull up her computer and change the screen saver to a picture of the two of you and the caption “Will you do me the honour of being my wife?” Set the screen saver to come on after 30 seconds of non-use. When she gets back to the computer, make sure you are there so you can have the ring ready for when she sees it. Take a hike to a semi-remote area and have a picnic set up beforehand with close family and friends. When she arrives, she will definitely be surprised to see everyone. This will be the perfect setting to pull out the ring, drop down and ask the question. Remember, a marriage proposal doesn’t need to be done in a big fancy setting to be memorable. Plan it well and have fun doing it!
LINDY & MATTHEW
HOW THEY MET
“Matt and I met at work soon after I came to London. I walked into the open plan office and thought – mmmmmnnn, that guy is very cute... and then quickly thought, but that’s weird because he is actually not my type at all! As you are currently reading about our wedding you can imagine the rest.”
THE PROPOSAL
“Matt is full of surprises! We were due to go on holiday and he had convinced me that the flights only left on a Sunday. We therefore had a full Saturday in London prior to departure so Matt suggested we make the most of it – after all we would “technically” already be on holiday. He said he had a friend who could get us a private area in a fancy West End club for the Saturday night so why don’t I invite some of my friends and he would too. We even nicknamed it ‘Super Saturday’! He then said that he was able to get a reasonable rate at a hotel in the heart of the West End which would be good fun as we had planned the night out anyway – what a fun start! As ‘Super Saturday’ arrived, we took a walk down to the river and to my surprise there was a private speed boat waiting to take us for a ride up the Thames. The boat dropped us off in the West End near our hotel. After we had checked in, I was surprised when Matt pushed the button to the top floor. The room was absolutely gorgeous with sweeping views over the river, Big Ben and the London Eye. I hadn’t noticed the terrace outside with a table laid for two - complete with flowers and champagne - but I had noticed that Matt had disappeared and as I walked outside to look for him, there he was, down on one knee asking me to marry him. I was in total shock but it was such a great surprise! What I didn’t realise was that he had invited my family and his family to a sunset champagne reception on the very same terrace immediately afterwards and that the “night out” I had helped plan was actually our engagement party! It was the most amazing day!”
THE WEDDING DAY
Lindy and Matt wanted to savour their day and were really concerned that it would all pass in a blur. “We were really keen to have a wedding day that is not rushed. Somewhere I’d seen a quote from Aleit saying that one should slow everything down to quarter pace otherwise the day will simply fly by! We wanted to start earlier allowing us a longer time for post ceremony drinks followed by dinner and a great party.” The Mount Nelson Hotel was chosen as the setting... was set up on the lawns of the hotel gardens. During the ceremony guests were seated under draped canopies and to everyone’s amazement, an African choir appeared at the end of the ceremony to lead the couple to the signing of the register while singing “Oh Happy Day”. An extended cocktail hour allowed the couple to leave the hotel grounds in order to push boundaries with their photographer – including some of the amazing landscape the city has to offer. A magical walkway was demarcated using glass hurricane vases filled with candles. Despite the popularity of rectangular tables, Lindy opted for more traditional round tables with English style arrangements set off by votive style candles on the day and this worked exceptionally well in the setting. Once seated inside the beautifully decorated marquee, guests were treated to his and hers starters followed by speeches and then main course presented on platters to the tables. As a surprise to the guests, Zulu dancers were engaged to perform on the middle tier of grass between the ceremony and marquee areas later that evening. Guests were drawn outside to the vision of fire baskets and tribal dancers. A cocktail bar and styled lounges surrounded the dance floor area – adding to the grown-up, chic sophistication of this wedding.
THE BEST MOMENT
“Matt and I were advised to take a few minutes on our own every now and again during the wedding and it was the best advice ever. My favourite memory has to be the 10 minutes sitting on the couch with Matt in our little lounge area overlooking the dance floor, just watching our party in full swing! Everyone was laughing and dancing and having a great time which is exactly what we wanted! Having said that, the whole day was amazing!”
THE HONEYMOON
“Matt and I enjoyed a three week trip to Malaysia followed by the Maldives. It was just perfect!!”
WHAT THEY HAD TO SAY ABOUT US
“Having Aleit coordinate the wedding meant that on the day we could really just relax and enjoy ourselves and the presence of our families and friends. The small touches, such as having vases for the bridal bouquets in front of our place settings, the tray of iced water (with straws for lipstick!!) before we walked down the aisle and having a little pack of our ‘on-the-day’ stationery waiting in our room when we got there made the day fantastic. Aleit and Jaco thought of every detail and we were just left to enjoy ourselves!”
THE COUPLE’S ADVICE TO FUTURE BRIDES AND GROOMS “Take a few moments during each phase of the wedding day – the ceremony, pre-drinks, the reception and the dance party - to absorb it all. Oh, and definitely use Aleit - having a good wedding planner is worth its weight in gold.”
LUANDI & JP
LUANDI & JP
HOW THEY MET
JP was introduced to Luandi by mutual friends when he moved to Pretoria from Cape Town. “We only got romantically involved after two years though; it took a few glasses of wine and a rather competitive game of 30 seconds to officially ‘break the ice’ ” smiles Luandi. After living in Pretoria for five years the couple moved to Tokyo where they now live, work, love and explore...
THE PROPOSAL
JP and Luandi were on holiday in South Africa and went to Paternoster with friends for the weekend. After careful planning and intense nail biting the proposal was planned for Sunday.......but by the Friday night JP couldn’t wait any longer and popped the question just before midnight on the starlit beach. “We continued to celebrate with our friends for the entire weekend. It was an amazing time.” says Luandi.
THE WEDDING DAY
Diemersfontein, the chosen location of JP and Luandi’s wedding, has held an association with the arts for many years - starting with the strains of opera singing drifting up from the cottages housing the Italian prisoners in the 1940’s. It is no wonder the couple chose such a moving piece for the bride to walk down the aisle to - ‘I Giorni’ by Einaudi Ludovico. (The exit piece - “I’m yours” by Jason Mraz – was not half bad either!) Predrinks took on an air of relaxation as the ladies were encouraged to remove their shoes and hang them on an elegantly assembled “washing line”, to be returned just before they entered the reception. Entertainment during this time took the form of Croquet and Boule and guests enjoyed the Polaroid station immensely. Canapés were suitably styled and presented in picnic baskets which were
filled with biltong, droëwors, fruit kebabs, cheese straws, spiced nuts and various dips. Additionally, more traditional canapés with a light-hearted twist were passed around by the waiters which included grilled figs wrapped in Prosciutto, toasted sarmies of Goat’s milk cheese, fresh basil and tomatoes, mango and boerewors skewers, gourmet mushroom kebabs and spoons of Yellow-fin Tuna tartare. Guests were overawed as they entered the Bedouin tent past waterfalls of fairy lights draped in the trees and ultimately, under a canopy of fairy lights elevated in the roof of the tent. The exceptionally stylish decor drew favourable comments from guests – a fine balance, combining sleek contemporary lines, warm textures and a soothing palette. Food was plentiful and came presented as table buffets, as always, offering great variety to guests. The selection of dessert certainly pleased guests with the fatal ‘sweet tooth’ – a selection of Hertzogies, nougat, mini Pavlovas, zesty lemon tartlets, nutty chocolate brownies, creamy fudge bites and Tia Maria Dom Pedro’s. DJ Darren Rose kept the large dance floor in good use until the wee hours and guests’ energy levels were topped up by way of mini rump and Guinness pies accompanied by pomme frites. “There are probably not enough positive adjectives to accurately describe our wedding day! We had everyone we love present, I wasn’t anticipating anything to go wrong and even if it did, I would have had a very hard time finding it! It was simply put – absolute perfection!!”
THE BEST MOMENT
“Cumulatively, it was one immensely blissful moment. To unfairly favour one such moment I would have to say - walking down the aisle and kissing my husband is an extremely special moment.”
THE HONEYMOON
“Very, very cliché I know...but we are always on honeymoon....just without the champagne and chocolates. We do not believe in steps or stages. Straight after the wedding we took our friends from Austrailia, NZ and Japan on a group safari. We then spent a wonderful two weeks with family and friends in SA before heading back to Japan. Doing what makes YOU MOST happy is more important than doing what generally comes next...”
their “friends” - all the service providers that complete this package of perfection truly live up to their “friends” title...How do people manage to make it seem like the first time they’re doing hair and make-up, taking pictures, making a video, cooking food, serving drinks, decorating, leading a ceremony, making music or baking a cake....just for you? I guess it’s because Aleit saw something, recognized a true passion and made life-long friends as well as excellent business partners...”
WHAT THEY HAD TO SAY ABOUT US
THE COUPLE’S ADVICE TO FUTURE BRIDES AND GROOMS
“From the beginning Aleit, Faye and the rest of their team were magnificent!! We planned the wedding almost entirely over emails and the phone. The fact that they understood our needs, respected our budget and supported our vision for the day made working with them an absolute pleasure. Aleit has a brilliant mind with a great sense of humor which will put anyone at ease and - in my case - strongly consider renewing our vows in a year’s time!! They have an amazing team of very professional, hard working people yet still manage to make time to get to know you...even though there’s no reason to keep in touch after the wedding! With Aleit being the mastermind of creative delegating, Faye was our rock! She has a real gift for making things happen and has a special place in our newly wed hearts;-) With regards to what the Aleit group calls
“Do not lose sight of what you set out to do in the first place - marry the love of your life. Ask for help and listen to suggestions, no matter how good you think your ideas are. Don’t sweat about the guest list...you’re not getting married to any one of them! Invest in a good photographer and videographer - it’s all you’ve got after the wedding! The more you stress and freak out on the day the less you’ll remember - take time to stop every now and then and admire things from a distance - it’s priceless!! Try do get hold of a physicist to mess with the space-time continuum and slow the passage of time...seriously!!”
PRE - WEDDING EVENT
HOW THEY MET
“I moved back to Nigeria to set up my business after living in London for 14 years. I met Paul through great friends of mine, Arjun and his lovely wife, Marlene. Marlene spoke a lot about their neighbour “Paul” and always talked about how good he was with their two little children. Marlene literally dragged me to meet Paul at a BBQ hosted by a mutual friend. She was convinced we’d make a good match. We had a nice enough chat (I thought he was from New Zealand – he’s actually South African) and he thought I was a “butter girl” (i.e. spoiled Nigerian princess!). We met again the following weekend and got to spend a little more time chatting. He took my number... and actually called me...even if it was a whole 4 days later. Paul cooked me the most amazing dinner (a very interesting story which I will not go into) and the rest as they say is history!”
THE PROPOSAL
“We had spoken about getting married before – it must have been about six months after we met - so we knew we were heading ‘there’. It wasn’t a conventional proposal in the strict sense of the word! We happened to visit Paul’s parents in East London as his father was unwell. Whilst on our trip, we walked into a jewellers shop just to browse and saw a really beautiful sapphire and diamond ring. It wasn’t quite right and I told Paul we could always look somewhere else at another time. I had opened the door to leave the shop and Paul pulled me back in and pointed to a ring in the window and said “why don’t you try that one on?” I said – sure, why not. I walked back into the shop and asked him what finger to try it on (cheeky me!). He said my ring finger, so I put it on and it was a perfect fit. He asked whether I liked it and I said yes and that was that! After we got back home, Paul formally asked my father and we did a little proposal re-enactment with him on bended knee!”
THE WEDDING DAY
“It sounds very clichéd but it really was the best day of our lives. There was forecast for rain on the day but I had prayed about the weather and I knew we would be fine. I wasn’t nervous at all. Probably because we’d had a mini traditional Nigerian wedding ceremony at Clouds Estate the day before so it felt like we were married already. On the day itself, I just looked forward to enjoying myself with Paul and to share it with our closest friends and family in one of the most breathtaking settings in the Winelands. It was everything we wanted and more...if that’s possible.” Webersburg Wine Estate played host to Catherine and Paul’s charming wedding. The decor was understated and elegant yet held a slightly ethnic twist. A marimba band entertained the guests during pre-drinks alongside the ever present Tribaut Schloesser Rose Champagne and elegantly presented canapés. Once the guests had been seated, Catherine and Paul entered the room via the grand staircase...weaving their way to the dance floor. “In Nigeria, when the new couple enters the reception, all their friends and family surround them and dance into the room with them. This happened on our day. We danced to a Nigerian song, “No one be like you”, courtesy of our fantastic Nigerian DJ (flown in from Nigeria as a wedding present from a very dear Aunt). We stayed on the dance floor until our MC was forced to cut the music! We really could have just danced the night away although our hungry guests may not have been too appreciative of that.” says Catherine. In true African style, the food kept coming! The piece de resistance being the main course served as a table buffet – including hot smoked salmon trout served with green chilli and coriander chutney, rosemary and thyme marinated lamb cutlets, mild peri-peri petite Pousins...
and not to forget the roast potatoes, Jollof rice and summer greens. Nomfusi and the Lucky Charms continued to wow guests until after the first dance when the DJ took over and set the tone for a late night party. The opening dance and father-daughter dance were choreographed to ‘Fly me to the Moon’ by Frank Sinatra and ‘Mo Sho Rire O’ – respectively. Guests were then invited to join the couple to the sounds of ‘Vuli Ndela’ by Brenda Fassie. And to ensure that the guests had staying power for the special guest DJ, Spicy Lamb and Chicken Röti’s were seved at eleven o’clock.
THE BEST MOMENT
“That’s a difficult one! It was truly special from start to finish. Getting dressed, having my hair and makeup done, putting on my dress (all those “bridey” things), walking down the aisle and then having Paul take me by the hand. Our readings were pretty special too - EE Cummings ‘I Carry Your Heart With Me’ and 1 Corinthians 13. Our entrance to the venue and seeing the reception for the first time were also fantastic. It was our vision come to life. Seeing our friends and family get along so well, witnessing them having such a great time was simply the cherry on top!”
THE HONEYMOON
“We wanted a really chilled and stress free honeymoon so we rented a car (not an uber luxurious car - Paul called it a Kalahari Ferrari) and drove from Stellenbosch to Knysna, stopping off at different points along the way. We got to experience some of the most amazing scenery in South Africa and stayed at some great boutique hotels on our journey. We tried our hands at pottery, a first for both of us, ate lots and slept plenty. In general we behaved just like a newly wedded couple!”
WHAT THEY HAD TO SAY ABOUT US
“Another difficult question! With the Aleit Group you get the wedding you dreamed off, full stop. With plenty of heart, laughter, warmth and love along the way. I wasn’t quite bridezilla, but we knew exactly what we wanted and what we didn’t, and Aleit and Faye executed our vision perfectly. Our pictures are breathtaking and it is a testament to the work they do when every single guest that came to our wedding said it was the best wedding they had ever been to. I truly had no stress on the day, we glided round with our head in the clouds, partied till 3am in the morning, and went to bed happy and content in the knowledge that every single detail was taken care of and in such an amazing way. Bravo Faye and Aleit!”
THE COUPLE’S ADVICE TO FUTURE BRIDES AND GROOMS
“Needless to say, it can be an extremely stressful and emotional time planning a wedding. It helped 100% having a wedding planner. Definitely try not to sweat the small stuff although I could have taken my own advice at times! Have a vision and a budget (!) in mind as this helps clarify what exactly you want your wedding day to be about. Don’t be pressurised into going over the top with things that are out of your range. After all, when you have a team like the Aleit group working with you, flowers in a tea cup will look elegant and glamorous! The best advice I was given in the run up to our wedding was: ‘have great food, great music and the rest flows into place’. This really is true. Above all, remember that in the big scheme of things it’s just a day and you have the rest of your lives to enjoy together. Good luck!”
PRE - WEDDING EVENT
CLARE & ANDREW
HOW THEY MET
Clare and Andrew met at work. “Andrew was more senior than me...at the time... and I needed his help with a certain procedure. He agreed to assist me as long as I consented to a date! Need I say more?” says Clare.
THE PROPOSAL
“Andrew took me to Paris for the weekend. I thought he was going to propose but he didn’t! I later found out it was because the ring was not quite right so he had asked for it to be changed. A few weeks later he took me away for the weekend in the country. Again I was slightly suspicious of what he was up to. He then got so drunk at dinner (nerves apparently!) that he could not stand up and proposed lying on the bed before passing out!”
THE WEDDING DAY
Clare and Andrew had chosen the renowned Vrede en Lust as their wedding venue and the components of this rather special day speak volumes....let your imagination run wild! A beautiful bride and a dashing groom, a joyful choir, lime washed wrought iron gazebo, perfect rows of white Wimbledon chairs, aisle scattered with antique roses, mass arrangements on each side of the Gazebo, white plinths for the Pimms and water stations, wooden benches with vintage scatter cushions for pre-drinks, a sassy jazz duo, a seating plan display consisting of a white wooden trestle table topped with old suitcases and floral detail, silver urns filled with ice and beers, a Polaroid camera, cotton face cloths, herb posies, Boule and Croquet sets, Bikini chairs, stone stripe table cloths for half the dinner tables and silver satin table cloths for the others, amber water glasses, white French hemstitched napkins tied with the leather luggage tags, laser cut table numbers, Franschhoek Smoked Trout, Stuffed Loin of Lamb with a Leek and Oyster Mushroom Ragout, a well
stocked bar, fairy lights, James Frank and the Sticky Triggers, a Cabana lounge, Espresso Bouchon and Creme Brule, Perspex table lamps, suspended black board menus, flood lights for the vineyards, mood lighting for the reception area... and a very warm day full of sunshine as predicted by the weatherman! “Everything was absolutely perfect – exactly what we had dreamed of!”
THE BEST MOMENT
“It has to be the ceremony...but also the first dance... and then ultimately seeing everyone chilling out around the pool at the reception. In fact every moment was the best!”
THE HONEYMOON
“We are in sooooo much debt...but it was sooo worth it. Highlights were definitely our safari in Sabi Sabi and the last few days at Thonga Beach Lodge in St Lucia, Kwa Zulu Natal set in a nature reserve with kilometres of untouched white sandy beaches. Diving, snorkelling, long walks, picnics and the sound of crashing waves...what dreams are made of!”
WHAT THEY HAD TO SAY ABOUT US “Utterly professional and definitely on our wavelength...you knew exactly what we would like and not like. You did not push us and understood we were very busy at work. Everything was taken in our stride. We thank you for that!”
THE COUPLE’S ADVICE TO FUTURE BRIDES AND GROOMS
“Remember it is YOUR wedding and nobody else’s. Definitely get a video - I’ve watched ours about a million times!”
THESE ARE A FEW OF OUR FAVOURITE THINGS... THESE ARE A FEW OF OUR FAVOURITE THINGS....
We thought Tate’s wedding ring was exceptional.
We gasped when we saw Bev’s glamorous bracelet.
We fell head over heels for Aimee’s wedding dress.
We sighed blissfully at the unveiling of Woutrine’s shoes.
We swooned at Bev’s exquisite perfume.
We gasped when we saw Jenni’s drop dead gorgeous earrings.
We drooled over these mouth watering canapés.
And...we thought Andrea and Michael’s wedding cake was simply “to die for!”
ANOTHER EXCITING EXCITING TRIP TO EUROPE FOR TRIP ALEIT.... ANOTHER In light of the fact that the number of international clients The Aleit Group attracts annually continues on the upward spiral, it stands to reason that Aleit’s presence in the United Kingdom and Europe is an effective strategy. He will be heading to Europe from 13 until 30 June 2011 for consultations, media meetings and of course an event or two. But all work and no play makes for a boring person - something we know Aleit is NOT – and never to be underestimated, Aleit has decided to celebrate his birthday in the fabulous city of Paris! I mean, why settle for Parys when you can have Paris! This time around, Aleit’s travels will take him to London, Paris, Munich, Prague and – wait for it – Warsaw, to work on an upcoming wedding in Poland! He will be available for consultations in London between 17 and 21 June – these consultations comprise of a dynamic one-on-one session at a central location of your choice. The consultation will be charged at a fixed rate of £115.
This buys you - future brides and grooms - one and a half exclusive hours of Aleit’s time which enables you to chat about your wish list and the details of your wedding day. This productive session will, without a doubt, give you a comprehensive idea of what is possible, the available products and services in the area of your wedding location, which of these are ideal to achieve your desired look & feel...and of course ultimately, it will leave you even more enthused about your big day! You will be armed with creative ideas and left with a definitive direction on how to incorporate your personal style. Of course, should you decide to go for a full coordination service, wedding planning will be a stress-free experience from the word ‘go’ with Aleit and his team at your side. To all future brides located in Europe, please do not hesitate to contact Jeanne-Loïs on info@ aleit.co.za to arrange a personal consultation with Aleit.
SERVICE PROFESSIONAL EXTRAORDINAIRES SERVICEPROFESSIO NUNU AND BONGINKOSI
Venue – Webersburg Wine Estate Bar and Staff – Shake and Serve Catering – Dish Food and Social Hiring – Top Table and Exclusive Hire Lighting – Something Different Concepts and Shows Flooring – Event Flooring Tent – Cozi Hiring Flowers – OKASIE Furniture – Attica, In and Out Events, FOCI and Red Hot Events Music – Aleit Music and Entertainment and Lira Sound – Presentation Staging Wedding Cake – Hunt House Kitchen Stationery – Elsje Designs Photographer – Gavin Casey Videographer – Vicky Goslin Video Productions Hair and Make-up – Mark Boss Minister – Kevin Needham Wedding Dress – Vera Wang
JENNI AND PAUL
Venue – Clouds Estate Bar and Staff – Shake and Serve Catering – Gourmet Chef Hiring – Exclusive Hire and Function Hire 4 U Lighting – Something Different Concepts and Shows Flowers – Floral Affairs Furniture – FOCI Music – Aleit Music and Entertainment Band – Sound Image Fire Spinners – Fire Tribe Stationery – Elsje Designs Photographer – Jean-Pierre Uys Babysitters – Baby Exchange Hair and Make-up – Candice-Leigh Minister – Mark Wiemers
KARIN AND RICHARD
Venue – Pigalle Bar and Staff – Shake and Serve and Liquid Chefs Catering on Table Mountain – Dish Food and Social Hiring – Top Table Lighting – Something Different Concepts and Shows Flooring – Event Flooring Flowers – Aspen Flowers & Company Furniture – FOCI and Attica Wedding Cake – Hunt House Kitchen Stationery – Elsje Designs Photographer – Gavin Casey Videographer – Zara Zoo Shuttles – Good Fellas Hair and Make-up – Luciano dos Santos Minister – Kevin Needham Wedding Dress – Karma Clothing
BEV AND HANDRE
Venue – Holden Manz Wine Estate Bar and Staff – Urban Tonic Hiring – Exclusive Hire Lighting – Something Different Concepts and Shows Flowers – Aspen Flowers & Company Music – Aleit Music and Entertainment Wedding Cake – Holden Manz Wine Estate Stationery – Elsje Designs Photographer – Joe Videographer – Zara Zoo Hair and Make-up – Fabienne Minister – Mark Wiemers Wedding Dress – Ohanlan Bridal
PHILIPPA AND SIMON
Venue – Asara Wine Estate Hiring – Top Table Lighting – Something Different Concepts and Shows Flowers – OKASIE Music – Music Maestro’s and Aleit Music and Entertainment Wedding Cake – Asara Wine Estate Stationery – Elsje Designs Photographer – Joe Videographer – Vicky Goslin Video Productions Hair and Make-up – Hugo Minister – Kevin Needham Wedding Dress – Suzanne Neville
NATALIE AND BRENT
Venue – Webersburg Wine Estate Bar and Staff – Shake and Serve Catering – Stir Food Hiring – Top Table and Exclusive Hire Lighting – Something Different Concepts and Shows Flowers – Floral Affairs Furniture – Red Hot Events Music – Aleit Music and Entertainment and Gary Deacon Wedding Cake – Hunt House Kitchen Stationery – Elsje Designs Photographer – Jan-Hendrik Photography Videographer – Tolken Media Hair and Make-up – Luciano dos Santos
JANINE AND CLIFFORD TOP BILLING WIN A WEDDING
Venue – Zorgvliet Wine Estate Bar and Staff – Shake and Serve Catering – Ginja Hiring – Top Table and Exclusive Hire Lighting – Something Different Concepts and Shows Flooring – Event Flooring Tent – Tentation Flowers – Aspen Flowers & Company Furniture – Lounge Around Music – Aleit Music and Entertainment and Nomfusi and The Lucky Charms DJ – Darren Rose Wedding Cake – Hunt House Kitchen Stationery – Elsje Designs Photographer – Joe and Jan-Hendrik Photography Videographer – Zara Zoo Transport – Wijnland Executive Tours Make-up Artist – Luciano dos Santos Minister – Mark Wiemers Wedding Dress – Jagadi Haute Couture Suit – Jagadi Haute Couture A special thank you to all the Service Professionals who where sponsors to make this day most special for Janine and Clifford
SERVICE PROFESSIONAL EXTRAORDINAIRES SERVICEPROFESSIO LINDY AND MATTHEW
Venue – Mount Nelson Hotel and Spa Hiring – Top Table and Exclusive Hire Lighting – Something Different Concepts and Shows Draping – To-Nett’s Flooring – Event Flooring Furniture – Flowers in the Foyer Tent – Downings Mobile Bathrooms – Nice Equipment Co. Sound – Presentation Staging Flowers – Flowers in the Foyer Music – Aleit Music and Entertainment African Dancers – Music Maestro’s Wedding Cake – Cakes by Wade Stationery – Couple and Elsje Designs Photographer – Ryan Graham Photography Videographer – Ryan Graham Photography Hair and Make-up – Candice-Leigh Minister – Kevin Needham
LUANDI AND JP
Venue – Diemersfontein Bar and Staff – Shake and Serve Catering – Out of this Planet Catering Hiring – Top Table Lighting and Sound – Presentation Staging Lighting – Something Different Concepts and Shows Bedouin Tent – Cozi Hiring Flowers – Aspen Flowers & Company Furniture – FOCI and In and Out Events DJ – Darren Rose Wedding Cake – Vanilla House Patisserie Photographer – Joe Videographer – Vicky Goslin Video Productions Hair and Make-up – Lianne Minister – Mark Wiemers Wedding Dress – Lady Marmalaide
CATHERINE AND PAUL
Venue – Webersburg Wine Estate Bar and Staff – Shake and Serve Catering – Stir Food Hiring – Top Table and Exclusive Hire Lighting – Something Different Concepts and Shows Lighting and Sound – Presentation Staging Furniture – Lounge Around Flooring – Event Flooring Flowers – Leipzig Floral Design Music – Aleit Music and Entertainment Band – Nomfusi and the Lucky Charms and Marimba Band Wedding Cake – Hunt House Kitchen Stationery – Elsje Designs Shuttles – Bingley Tours Photographer – Jean-Pierre Uys Videographer – Tolken Media Hair and Make-up – Luciano dos Santos Minister – Mark Wiemers
CLARE AND ANDREW
Venue – Vrede and Lust Hiring – Top Table, In and Out Events and Table Cloth Hire Lighting, Structure and Sound Company – Something Different Concepts and Shows Flowers – Floral Affairs Music - African Choir: Music Maestros and Sticky Triggers DJ – Darren Rose Wedding Cake – Cakes by Wade Stationery – Elsje Designs Photographer – Sybrand Cillié Videographer – Goosebumps Productions Hair and Make-up – Luciano dos Santos Minister – Mark Wiemers
I type this closing paragraph of our first electronic newsletter while snatching glimpses of the Royal Wedding which is currently underway. Somehow this feels fitting as it is a comfortable realisation that we treat all our clients like Royalty each and every day. Despite not always rolling out the red carpet for the likes of the global Monarchies and Sir Elton John and cast, each and every one of our bridal couples are as important to us as Kate and William are to the world today. And I could not help but wonder if Kate had a guardian angel offering her a sip of cool water through a straw before stepping into the car and then touching up her lipstick, or someone to share a quiet laugh and a reassuring embrace before she embarked on her journey down the aisle? Who knows - she may have loved having us around! Having earlier completed a decor mock-up for a rather regal client from Bloemfontein, I move on to finalise the plans for my time abroad so that we are able make the most of our Group resources for our future brides and grooms. Our wedding in Poland has the Aleit Team in the grips of great excitement and what was meant to be a quiet winter, now looks as if the cooler months will keep each and every one of us on our toes as we plan for a mammoth 2011 / 2012 season. We have clients flying in to enjoy menu tastings, cake sampling, decor mock ups, fabric sampling and the many other enjoyable facets of wedding planning as well as a few hearty winter celebrations. And it is with this in mind that I would like to say how very proud I am of the very fantastic Aleit team. We really do have an exceptional product to offer the world! Nastrovia! Aleit