22 May 2010
Hi Maryke, and all future Travelling Brides
Firstly Congratulations!!!!
The emotions you are going through are quite familiar. As we were also scared of using a company via the internet and even after finding one, scare that this company, The Travelling bride whom we had chosen to co ordinate our wedding, didn’t exist so we made some phone calls to references, just to make sure as one doesn’t want to take any risks these days.
I didn’t meet with Marrilyn upfront as I made use of technology by scanning in pictures and emailing them to her in order to make sure we are on the same track. I must say it was still a risk but they most certainly pulled it off. I didn’t feel the need to meet with any of The Travelling Brides team as they are not present on the day of the wedding and have a wedding co-ordinator running the show on the big day. They have one in every province throughout South Africa and they are highly professional and very efficient. I only went down to KZN to the 3 different venues Marrilyn arranged for me to view and said I should choose from and I chose Salt Rock Hotel because of personal requirements. The viewings were set up by Travelling Bride. This already gave me peace of mind.
My friends say that this was the most beautiful wedding that they’ve ever attended and some have even confessed that they were quite jealous about the whole idea as one would think that it will cost you an arm and a leg. In my opinion, this was not the case. Travelling Bride was the most affordable of all and this after 34 other quotes had been received from various companys.
The wedding turned out stunning and the people were all highly professional.
The buffet was great and more than enough and most of my guests went for seconds. They enjoyed it so much that there wasn’t any space for the wedding cake.
Everyone was talking about the services received from everyone as the wedding-counsellor was extremely good and took us step by step through everything. There were no nasty surprises.
The guests were impressed by the violinist who entertained them while they waited for the bride (me) to arrive.
The photographer”s work is really top-notch. He made me feel at ease and took some stunning pictures.
The Travelling Bride offer decor at an additional price but I decided to do my own,(with my mom & brother). I would suggest that you make use of the offer as they remove everything afterwards, whereby my family had to ensure my decor was collected. Just a bit of a hassel after everything is over.
My hair and make-up was the one thing that made it difficult to relax about, as I didn’t do a trial run and had to take the risk. But it was so worth it. The ladies work can be measured by any high standards as they were good and I felt like a million bucks. My hair has natural curls, so at the beach, with the humidity one can only imagine. But they worked it and I was confident.
If one should ask if I would do it again using The Travelling Bride/Lets Elope team, I would do so in a heartbeat. Marrilyn and her small team handles the stress while you (the bride) just focus on the minor details like the attire, wedding bands, guest lists and invitations. If my memory serves me well we enquired with Marrilyn 8 months before the big day. I see this as one company offering everything under one roof which really takes a huge amount of the stress off of any bride. Can you imagine meeting with everyone, all my weekends would have been booked up and I personally would have felt overwhelmed.
I had the beach wedding of my dreams and not many people can pull that off in my opinion. Marrilyn/Travelling Bride and the team made it look easy and certainly shouldered all the wedding stress, leaving me with nothing to worry about and this made it possible for me to focus on other issues.
Hope the feedback will clear any uncertainty and if you need any more feedback or clarity, feel free to drop me a mail.
Attached are some photos of what was happening in the background on my special day with a few pics of the day itself. I hope you enjoy.
Good luck.
Kind Regards/Groetnis
Chantél van Niekerk
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I am sure that many will agree when said that a wedding ceremony is the most important part of a wedding and made more difficult in this day and age by different cultures marrying one another, different religious groups marrying one another and many other factors. Sometimes a bridal couple may simply just not want to get married in a church and look for alternative avenues.
The Travelling Bride have found the solution. Choose your favourite venue whether it be the gardens at your favourite restaurant, your favourite area within a park close by your home or simply in your very own garden. The team move in with everything required and we negotiate the permits where required. We bring along an arch, decor for the arch, beautifully set up signing table, bamboo lanterns to mark the aisle, chairs, covers, tie backs, lanterns, rose petals,bridal bouquet and buttonhole. If so required, we can arrange to bring a minister, photographer and even a violinist along. Once the ceremony is over and the I DO’s have been said, the team leave the couple to the photographer whereafter, you then enjoy a breakfast, lunch or dinner at your all time favourite restaurant, a spitbraai at home with family and friends or even snack platters in your garden with your guests. This is the most cost effective way to tying the knot and the ceremonys are all breathtaking, incorporating your chosen colour wherever possible. Couple can choose whether they would like a christian ceremony, a symbolic ceremony, write their own vows and a ceremony with or without prayers.
For international visitors, we are able to do all the paperwork required to ensure that your marriage is legally recognised in your country of origin. Weddings can be extremely costly and our team have done all possible to help save our clients money. The Travelling Brides, “Wedding Ceremony’s made easy” are fast becoming a real hit in South Africa with brides in all provinces booking to ensure that their special day turns into a fairytale dream with the most beautiful ceremony setting of all time and with the very least stress.
Written by Marrilyn
For The Travelling Bride
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THE BUSHVELD SAFARI wedding is the cheapest and yet, the most beautiful of all wedding packages. Imagine getting married deep in the bushveld and saying I DO just as the African sun says goodnight to the bushveld. The beauty of the bush, the romantic sounds of the night, a glistening sky with a kaleidoscope of colour as it spreads over the mountains and African bushveld – all of these contribute to the most beautiful, romantic and peaceful wedding any couple could ever imagine. A champagne toast in the bushveld before heading back to camp for the most romantic evening you could ever dream of. The terrace or outside area of your honeymoon suite is lit by lanterns. A table is decorated in proper bushveld style and the food is simply wonderful while your personal waiter stands quietly to the side in preparation of making your every wish a reality. As you silently look over the views that lay before you, it is not surprising that you would want to this moment to continue forever. Sunset Safari Weddings in the South African bushveld cannot be beaten and are still number 1 on wedding wish lists across the globe.
Marrilyn
for The Travelling Bride.co.za
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What happens when deciding to get married is the ONLY thing the bride and groom agree on…..
What when she wants the entire family from immediate right through to cousins and distant aunts and uncles and he only wants immediate family to attend the wedding. She wants a big fairytale wedding with as many people as possible but he wants to elope, just the two of them. What happens when he wants a sit down collar and tie wedding and she wants something more casual.
When both bride and groom are deciding on colour…he wants black and white and she wants pastels …. all of them…
He wants a five course dinner served and she wants snacks and fruit. He wants a special date because it’s connected to something symbolic in his life and she doesn’t ever want to have to share her anniversary. He wants a small cosy honeymoon and she wants something more flashy like an island or overseas trip. He wants to save and pay cash for the wedding but she wants to make a loan and has a hundred reasons for the decision. He wants to wait a year or two before having children and she wants to have a baby almost immediately.
Well…. this would be the first test of your ability to give… and take… and compromise. If you’re not able to, our suggestion is to postpone the wedding, indefinitely. Most times the groom will just let the plans flow and he will go with whatever the bride decides on, but, there are the odd occasions when the groom wants to have things 50/50 and when this is the case, it is important to sit down and ensure that the plans flow 50/50. Allow him to take part and “listen” to his suggestions. No two people can agree 100% always, every minute of every day but, you need to decide which are the most important decsions and tackle them and then decide on the smaller less trivial ones. Try not to let each decision create an arguement and do not ALWAYS HAVE TO WIN.
Written by Marrilyn
for The Travelling Bride.co.za
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Opt to having a champagne breakfast beach wedding. There are many upsides to this decision. The beaches are quite emply early morning. Waves are beautiful eary in the early morning and make for a stunning back drop and …. guests don’t drink too much alcohol so early in the morning. Also… many venues won’t charge a venue hire for a breakfast. Venue hiring is expensive so could be a huge saving for you.
Use a wedding planner who has good relationships with suppliers because they are the ones who are most likely to be able to get discounts on just about everything so that all fits your budget at the end of the day ensuring that you don’t have to cut back on too much.
Always choose flowers that are in season because flowers can be pricey. Choosing flowers that are in season will make for a huge saving.
Choose your wedding date carefully so that it co incides with good weather. Check weather patterns and always ensure that there is a back up plan in case it rains. Choosing a good date will save you money in the long run. Choosing a good date that doesn’t fall on a public holiday or any other holiday will also save money because most suppliers and especially beach hotels and resorts charge double for public holidays and Sundays.
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Many couples have a problem where parents from the bride or groom or both sides, want to have things THEIR way. And sometimes, because the brides father is paying for the wedding, many brides come through to us and chat about their mothers and sometimes, fathers, interferring in everything that they try to arrange. It takes all the fun out of planning for their wedding and the end result is a really peed off bride and groom who feel like the wedding isn’t really theirs and probably the reason why so many couples opt to elope. We have had to dry many a brides tears because they simply don’t want what the parents are forcing them to have and we have even had brides wanting to hide their marital status from interferring parents. We suggest that bride and groom sit down together and make their plans before they even announce their wedding date. Put down on paper everything that THEY would like to do and how they would like to do it. Once they have it all together, call a family meeting and do not ASK permission from parents or family. Gently TELL them that this is how you would like things to happen. THIS is YOUR dream for YOUR wedding. Ask them not to comment until they have heard you both out. Once you have told them how you would like things to happen, you can then ask their opinions. Jot down things that seem to be most important on their lists so that you and your bride/groom can go over it all again once you are alone and see how you would like to accommodate them. If anyone starts a screaming match, try really hard not to get upset. Perhaps you can then excuse yourselves and tell them that you’ll try the meeting at another time when everyone can talk calmly and nicely. Remember…. you are not a baby anymore and the wedding day is really about the BRIDAL COUPLE and not moms, dads or family. If you are really wanting to elope, then it might be a good idea to tell moms and dads. Remember… don’t ask permission. Tell them that it’s what YOU want to do but feel it right to let them know beforehand and whilst this all sounds really cool, we do understand that there are certain parents who cannot be approached in this way at all. This becomes difficult because it’s this that causes bridal couples to secretly elope and then face the music upon their return. We believe that it important to focus on yourselves and what you both want because for the rest of your lives, you will carry the memories with you……. most times…. long after moms and dads are gone.
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Weddings on the islands have always been very popular and even though they are more expensive than those offered in South Africa, if it’s been the brides dream for years, then there are a few tips to consider when planning.
1. Always do the homework on your chosen island. Make sure that you know when the rainy season is and when the low season is because this is when specials are most likely to be advertised and can save you money.
2. Beach weddings are different to the norm and big, frilly, lacey kind of attire is not always appropriate. Remember, it’s hot and you need to be as comfortable as possible.
3. Shoes need to be chosen very carefully to avoid sinking away into the sand. Most beach brides use a string kind of shoe that ties around the ankle and toe with some pretty beading.
4. Time of day is important if you are wanting sunset photos. Sunsets happen around 6pm on most of the surrounding islands.
5. Remember that the legalities are taken care of a day or two prior to the ceremony so it is highly important to choose your date properly. Example…if you want to celebrate your wedding anniversary every year on the 14 February for romantic reasons, then you need to ensure that the signing of the documentation is done on the 14th February. The ceremony will then only take place on the 15th or even the 16th. The day that the documentation is signed, is in essence your wedding date.
6. If you are thinking of inviting guests to attend your wedding, ask your consultant about self catering chalets available on the island of choice. This would save money. Guests do not have to stay as long as the bridal couple do. Guests can stay for 3 or 4 nights.
7. When it comes to the dinner celebration….remember that most packages include breakfast and dinner so ask about a supplement charge instead of a full private dinner. Your wedding planner will go through to the wedding planner on the island of choice and make sure that if the dinner is set up perhaps in a different area, on the beach etc, there is a supplement charged and not the full price. Because dinner is included in the package and pre paid, it might be a good idea to celebrate your dinner in the restaurant that provides for dinners included in the package…this way…there should be no addditional charge at all….and you can ask that they set up a table just slightly away from the rest of the guests.
8. If you opt to having dinner in the standard dining area, ask about taking your own decor for the table along with you. You can take your own table cloths and overlays, your own matching serviettes and any little item that you would like to put onto the dining table. You could even take your own chair covers and tie backs.
9. Ask for locally grown flowers because anything else would entail flying them in from surrounding areas and this takes the price up. Locally grown flowers are so beautiful and can even be placed on the dining table afterward.
10. The islands can be pretty expensive when it comes to drinks so if you’re planning a wedding, it might be a good idea to put everyone on a fully inclusive package beforehand. This would ensure that all drinks are included and you won’t have to fork out money per drink. Important to find out about entertainment. Most of the resorts have live entertainment every evening during and after dinner. If you choose the standard dining area for dinner and then move into the area where the local entertainment has been set up for the evening, you won’t have to pay extra for entertainement and your guests will have a wonderful time, dancing until the band packs up.
Written by Marrilyn
for The Travelling Bride
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Themed weddings can be a lot of fun. At The Travelling Bride, we have experienced great joy over the years of planning these and would like to share with you some of our highlights. South Africa offers many different settings that can be used for weddings that are different to the norm but exciting and memorable. Can you picture a wedding on the top of Table Mountain, at the foot of the mighty Drakensberg mountain, on the white sandy beaches off the Natal coastline, in the middle of the Vaal river, in the heart of the bushveld surrounded by the big 5 or in the middle of the Tsitsikamma forest? The settings are simply breathtaking. Each one designed around specific needs, requirements and budgets. We believe that the wedding setting is what is remembered throughout the years afterward, so, providing a beautiful setting ensures that the wedding is remembered always. Every young girl grows up with a specific picture in her mind of her wedding day. It’s just something that all little girls dream about and as we move into the 21st century, we find that the big, traditional wedding with 500 guests, starting to fade away. Most couples and families are starting to realise what a waste of money it is to have the huge wedding, inviting people from far and wide (many not even known to either the bride or the groom). Today the focus is more on the needs of the bridal couple so we feel it important to offer “different”, beautiful and keeping it all…….affordable. I will be covering each one seperately so that I can provide you with all the tips and secrets for each wedding theme so please visit often.
Written by Marrilyn
For Travelling Bride
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The anniversary is a chance to take a step back and have a look at the year that has gone by and do a close-up analysis of your marriage. It gives you the chance to rekindle some of the flame that used to burn brightly. It gives you a chance to say you’re sorry about things that have gone wrong and it gives you a chance to escape the world and concentrate on one another completely for 24 hours. With modern day society being as hectic as it is, it is so easy to get lost in the everyday drama of work, meetings, children, colleagues and more. Far too many couples get “lost” along the way and the anniversary is the perfect opportunity to get things “back on track” at least once a year. It is highly important that Mr does not forget the date because too many times, it’s the male who forgets. Not on purpose, I’m sure, but it seems to be a man kind of thing. Woman very rarely forget. They might not say much and 90% of the time they sit back and wait….to see IF he is going to remember. If YOU are one who has forgotten for the past years, make a point of remembering this year. Diarise…ask your secretary to remember, put a little notice on the inside of your wallet….do what you have to do so that you do NOT forget this year. Your wife will be ever so impressed by YOU remembering….it is a message to her that you love her. So….the day just starts perfectly and it can only get better as the hours pass. Arrange something really special for the two of you. A weekend away with candle light dinners, romantic massages, rose petal baths, champagne on ice and whatever you know will really touch her heart. Make sure that you have a lovely little gift for her……soft satin sleepwear, sexy lingerie, her favourite perfume or something that you know she will love. Your anniversary will be hugely successful and love will shine brightly in your lives once again and with a little work, you could keep the shine.
Written by Marrilyn
For: The Travelling Bride
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Weddings have always been perceived to be the BRIDE’s SPECIAL day. Everything is supposed to revolve around the bride and this has been cutomary for centuries. Slowly this is beginning to change… worldwide. More and more couples are looking at the wedding day as THEIR special day and both, bride and groom are taking the show in their own, unique ways. It’s the reason why many young couples have broken away from the traditional wedding scenario and now look at what they can afford, and they spend time and energy into making the day as special and as focussed on the two of them as is possible. Gone are the days where weddings were for the entire family, sometimes having up to 200 and more guests. Young couples focus on affordability and not just that…they prefer to stick money into buying a new home, saving for their babies and future and many are still studying. Gone are the days where a couple or their parents would take a loan to cover a wedding. The custom where the brides family pay for the wedding and the grooms family pay for the drinks and flowers is also starting to fade fast. Today, young couples are taking the responsibility of paying for their own weddings, relieving the family of the financial burden. There are still fathers out there who insist on paying for their daughters wedding but it’s not common anymore. Unless dad has a hugely successful business, young couples opt to paying for their own weddings. Remember when a young man started dating a young woman in days gone by, he would always…but always pay for the dinner and the drinks. This too, is no longer common. Many couples pay for themselves and sometimes, it is quite acceptable for a young woman to foot the bill. Times are certainly changing. More and more, men and woman are becoming 100% equals and share responsibilities equally including the children. It isn’t uncommon today to find a man staying home and looking after the children whilst the woman goes out and earns. Many accept this without a problem and are not embarrassed at all. Society is slowly starting to accept it as well. It’s hard to think about and absorb some of the traditions of days gone by and because we’re living in a world where everyone is supposed to be equal now, it’s really nice to see the end of some of those long ago traditions.
Written by Marrilyn
For: Travelling Bride
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