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The Aleit Group, a class act in wedding planning
Welcome to our brand-new feature on wedding coordinators, where we profile three outstanding professionals. The Aleit Group has the experience to organise world-class events and nothing is too much trouble for them
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hat are the hottest wedding trends right now? The wedding industry is quite competitive and being on par with the latest trends sets you apart from your competitors – that’s why we are on trend every time. Couples are always looking for the next best thing, and want to keep up with what is new and exciting. Colour: Don’t be afraid to play with colour – be it soft shades or bold pops with metallic accents. Classic white will always be very popular but colour is gaining a much stronger presence. Embellishment: We’re seeing a lot of weddings with contemporary edge, vintage craftsmanship and detail. We aren’t just talking about colour here, but classic design periods such as Baroque and Victorian are reborn to include a mix of modern textures, textiles and unique elements. Food: To incorporate something exceptional, go with food stations. They offer a more up-scale version of the traditional buffet, catering to a variety of different tastes. Digital: Technology provides endless options for registries, wedding websites, and event RSVPs online (but don’t forego printed wedding invitations). This provides a more streamlined process. The most important piece of advice you can give someone who’s getting married
is… to use a wedding coordinator to take over the nitty-gritty planning of the wedding. They can point you in the right direction regarding your budget and everything from florists to photographers. They will also deal with potential disasters on the big day. The most common mistake couples make when planning their wedding is… forgetting what a wedding really is all about. It is the day that you as bride and groom get to celebrate your love and start the rest of your lives together. The biggest wedding wow factor you’ve seen was… a gorgeous bride, dazzled in glitz, arriving in a helicopter that landed on a heart-shaped bed of white rose petals next to a picturesque dam. As the helicopter descended, all the rose petals flew through the air. The bride then climbed into a vintage carriage with stately white horses and was escorted to the ceremony area, where she was accompanied down the aisle by nine elegant bridesmaids. The biggest wedding you’ve done was for… a lovely Angolan couple who’s wedding took place at the gorgeous Cavalli Estate. Guests were flown in from across the globe to attend the lavish affair and were treated like royalty at the numerous pre- and post-events. And what was the budget? We can say it went high into the R2 millions, but including accommodation, flights, transfers and additional events, well over R5 million.
What is the strangest thing you’ve seen at a wedding? At one of our recent weddings, as guests became merrier throughout the evening, the coordinators had their hands full with groomsmen throwing a table into a dam. They started with a spoon, then a tray and finally a very expensive designer Italian table. Another strange request was a bride asking for a real lamb at her couple photo shoot at the last minute.
The Aleit Group is South Africa’s premier wedding and events coordination consultancy. The company also includes The Aleit Academy, Aleit Travel, A Place, Aleit Music and Entertainment, aMedia, A-Tek, Stir Food, and Shake and Serve, fully encompassing the catering, bar, staffing, training, travel, venue management, film and graphic design disciplines. This affords us the option to provide the very best, personalised service to every event we coordinate. By paying attention to the finest detail, we create an ambiance that is chic with understated elegance and unique styling – a look and feel tailored to your specific wishes. www.nubianbride.co.za |
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