A picture perfect Wedding and Honeymoon
How can you ensure that your wedding and your honeymoon are picture perfect?
You have dreamed about your wedding day since you were a little girl. You have pictured every moment for years. Now, you have found your lifelong partner and you are eager to turn that dream picture into the real thing. The Travelling Bride team of consultants concentrate on weddings and honeymoons. Our main focus are weddings that are “simply different”. We love the challenge of the “different” wedding concept which includes small weddings for just the bridal couple to the bigger ones of 100 guests and more. Our team will take your dream, your budget and your ideas and turn them into a fairytale dream wedding that will be remembered forever.
THE SOUTH AFRICAN WEDDING PACKAGES
Your wedding day should be the most stress free day of your life so packages are designed to ensure that its simply perfect and there are quite a few to choose from. The wedding packages include those done in a cave at the bottom of the mighty Drakensburg mountains, in a small chapel in the middle of the bushveld, on a booze cruiser in the middle of the Vaal river, sunset wedding on the beaches throughout South Africa or surrounding islands, on yachts cruising Table Bay in Cape Town, in the country and many more. All of the wedding packages include a minister who will take care of the legal side of things and he will conduct the ceremony. Religious or non religious. All packages include a co ordinator on the day, photographer, a decorated area where the ceremony takes place, bridal bouquet and buttonhole, bridal make up and hair, accommodation, romantic dinner with bubbly and sometimes even a violinist. There is a standard package for all of the weddings but couples can take anything out or add anything to them so that it suits your requirements and of course, your budget. The team are also able to do the necessary paperwork for couples wanting the unabridged marriage certificate which will include the apostle and this is what is required if you are going to be living anywhere other than South Africa after you are married. This documentation makes your wedding legal in other countries.
THE SURROUNDING ISLANDS
Weddings on the surrounding islands are still quite popular but we have noticed that many more couples are preferring the weddings offered in South Africa and then having an island honeymoon. We believe that it is because the wedding packages offered in South Africa include a lot more and cost less. Getting married on the islands is basically the same as getting married in court in South Africa. A day is set aside for the couple to go into the magistrates offices where all documentation is signed and the ceremony takes place a day or two after. It is therefore important to decide exactly what date you want your wedding day to be remembered. i.e. The date that you will celebrate your anniversary every year. If, for example you want your wedding date celebrated on the 14th February every year then this would be the date that you go into the registrars offices to sign the documentation making your marriage legal and your ceremony is then done on the 15th or the 16th , a day or two afterward. Every resort on the surrounding islands offer small wedding packages but mostly, they’re very basic because so much that is required isn’t readily available and sometimes the islands have to fly flowers or rose petals in. This also takes the cost up. The “idea” of an island wedding is extremely romantic but the fact is, the weddings that are now offered in South Africa far exceed those offered by any of the islands. We have compared photographs and our team have been to witness them on the islands. Having said all of this, the island wedding is still high on a lot of couples list and when we arrange them, we try to ensure that they include as much as is possible without pushing the price overboard. Highly important to choose a date that falls within low season because this is the time when specials run and it’s possible to get the island wedding package at half the price.
THE ANNIVERSARY OR ROMANTIC GETAWAYS
Most times when couples celebrate their anniversary, they opt for a weekend away in South Africa. There is a variety of packages to choose from and we always try to ensure that it is as romantic as possible with candle light dinners, massages, romantic picnics and more. The same little lodges and resorts can be used for romantic weekends away. There is a selection of options from beach, to bush, to mountain, river, cave and more.
FIVE TIPS TO SAVE MONEY WHEN DECIDING ON YOUR WEDDING DAY
1. Choose a date that is out of season so that you don’t pay high prices for flowers, venues and/or photographers. Example…flowers are very expensive a week prior and a week after Valentines day or mothers day. Spring is very popular for weddings so stay away from September. December is also popular for weddings because so many people go on holiday and decide to do the wedding whilst they are on leave.
2. Choose morning champagne breakfast wedding instead of an evening wedding with dinner. Most times guests won’t be drinking early morning and champagne is all that you are likely to pay for. Breakfasts are cheaper than dinners.
3. If at all possible choose a week day instead of a Saturday. Saturdays are very popular for weddings and most venues charge double for Saturdays.
4. If you are eloping, ensure that a video is made of your wedding because once back home, you can have a get together with all friends and family, show your wedding on the big screen for everyone to see and still get to receiving wedding presents from everyone.
5. If you are watching a tight budget, you can still have your dream honeymoon. Chat to your consultant and if Mauritius has always been your dream honeymoon destination, she will find specials if you have chosen your date within the low season or you can opt for a stunning beach honeymoon in South Africa for a fraction of the price.
Written by Candice Strydom
Sales manager
The Travelling Bride
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