Lia & Rob

I feel like I need to say immediately, that yes, this is in fact, a REAL wedding. I know, I know. It's actually off-the-chart amazing. It's been one of those weeks on RMW hasn't it?!? Stunning wedding after stunning wedding...honestly even I've been overwhelmed by it all and I look at beautiful weddings on the daily!!! We love the use of olive wreaths and branches throughout the decor, Lia's headdress and bouquet are particularly show-stopping and the rustic, organic table centrepieces look good enough to eat. Personalised enamel mugs as favours?? Ummm yes please. Lia and Rob toasted their engagement on their travels in France with champagne in an enamel mug, so it only seemed fitting that guests toasted their marriage with the same thing! The gorgeous, natural photography comes from Abby Anderson who is UK based, so if you're after this style of photography for your own big day (on home ground or further afield) do give her a shout. After you've pinned to your hearts content from this wedding of course...

The Bride

Lia The Bride: Robyn Roberts custom made my wedding dress and it was everything that I had ever imagined my dress to be. Robyn just understood exactly what I wanted and I don’t think I have ever felt more beautiful. It was simple and classic and I loved the delicate French lace on the bodice which faded onto the full tulle skirt. I ended up with a bohemian inspired look but chose to wear a long veil during the ceremony and an olive wreath for the reception. Why choose one look when you can have both! I chose dramatic make-up which may not be everyone’s cup of tea but I think the red lipstick added just enough drama considering that my dress was quite simple and I have a fair complexion. One piece of advice is don’t compromise on the look you want. I tried on so many dresses which were lovely but were just not quite right. It’s your day, so ensure that your dress is everything you have ever wanted it to be.

The Groom

I think a navy blue suit is perfect for a wedding. A black or charcoal suit would have been too harsh considering our colour scheme and my very pale complexion (and he is incredibly handsome in navy blue). He didn’t wear a tie because it was an absolute scorcher of a day and the more relaxed look suited the feeling we were going for. Less was definitely more in our view.

The Wedding Party

My bridesmaids wore dresses in various shades of pale pink. I decided on the colour but then told them that they could choose a dress in any style they preferred. I wanted them to be comfortable and to feel their best on the day and having six bridesmaids it can be a nightmare trying to find a style that suits everyone. Each dress was so difference but collectively they looked beautiful together. The groomsmen wore navy blue trousers (no jackets) and white shirts. Again, a simple and relaxed look. We bought each groomsman a pair of sunglasses to replace a tie (which they loved and certainly used throughout the day) and considering the heat and the fact that our ceremony was held outside, it was perfect.

The Ceremony

Walking down the aisle is a surreal moment. I had both my parents give me away. It was so important to me to have both my mum and dad with me. I thought that I would be incredibly emotional but I couldn’t stop smiling. I was just so happy to be marrying Rob. We were so fortunate to have a very dear friend perform our wedding ceremony and she took an incredible amount of time preparing a very personal message, incorporating beautiful stories and anecdotes about the two of us. It is the most emotional part of your wedding day and having someone who really knows you facilitate your marriage ceremony is so special. Rob and I wrote our vows together which is also a little unorthodox but in preparing your vows together you get to share far more with one another than those few sentences on the day.

The Venue

Our venue was the Old Mac Daddy in Elgin, South Africa. The moment Rob and I arrived there the first time we knew that it was perfect. Set amongst apple orchards with a beautiful view over the Elgin valley, it suited the type of wedding we wanted: relaxed, intimate and very much our own. It is perfect for a weekend wedding and there is nothing pretentious about the setting, you don’t feel as though your wedding is one of a thousand that have been hosted there before yours. The food was delicious (we opted for gourmet) and the service was spot on.

The Decor

Our colour scheme was pale pink and olive green with olive wreaths and branches being a big feature. One Day Events assisted with the décor, flowers and lighting and were absolutely amazing. We kept the décor simple, allowing the flowers and lighting to do all of the work. I wanted our flowers to have a rustic feel so we decided on an assortment of proteas and textured fynbos in shades of pink, purple, green and white. Every arrangement was so unique and had a wonderful, unstructured feel. Each of our guests received a personalised enamel mug as a gift. On the day we got engaged we were so fortunate to be in France with our closest friends and we celebrated our engagement by drinking champagne from identical mugs. The mugs tied in perfectly not only with the theme and colour scheme, but with the memory of our engagement.

The Photography

What can I say, Abby Anderson was incredible. The proof is certainly in the beautiful photographs she took, but she was also such a pleasure to work with. I cannot stress enough how important a good photographer is because the day is over before you know it and it is only when you receive your photographs that you get an opportunity to slowly relive every special moment from that day. Abby was just the best.