Despite a number of breathtaking outdoor options, including the Cape Winelands, Kelly and Genevieve Putter went for an inner city venue with a touch of fantasy.
THE MEET
Kelly and I have had the same group of friends for years, but were only ever acquainted. One hot summer’s night out with friends was about to change that. While on a weekend away with friends on the Langebaan Lagoon, we started chatting and hit it off immediately. Our friendly weekend away soon turned into a romantic getaway surrounded by white sandy beaches and wildflowers in bloom.
THE PROPOSAL
We went away for the weekend to a beautiful place called India House in Ceres. I only later found out that he was stressed about the engagement ring, which still wasn’t ready. So within an hour of our arrival, he made an excuse that he had to drive out somewhere to find signal to join a conference call for work. Turns out he was actually meeting his business partner who drove an hour out of Cape Town to deliver the ring that had only just been dropped by the couriers after Kelly had finished work for the day. When he returned, he admitted that there was no conference call, and got on one knee while presenting the ring to me. My heart burst, as did my tear ducts.
THE DRESS
My eldest sister Lisa, once a couturier, has been designing for close to 30 years and has her own yogawear label called Yogafunk, so it was a no-brainer that she would design my dress. We spent many hours on Pinterest together looking for ideas. I knew I wanted something unusual and dramatic, so I went for a black Spanish dress with Chantilly lace draped over it and a long black multi-tiered cape.
THE VENUE
The Centre for the Book is in Queen Victoria Street across from Company’s Garden in Cape Town and looks like it’s from the set of Harry Potter. It is a national monument and the original building dates back to 1906. The dome-like roof is very unique and stands out from the city’s other buildings.
THE WEDDING DAY
The bouquet…
The flowers were the product of the immense creativity of Heike le Cordeur of Fleur Le Cordeur. I gave her free reign with my bouquet, which weighed a ton and skimmed the floor behind me. It was so beautiful it even got a feature on the front page of Die Beeld Leefstyl.
The decor…
We went for a black and cream theme accented by Heike’s beautiful flowers. As wedding favours and place settings, we sourced second-hand romance novels from CAFDA (Cape Flats Developmental Association) and wrote personal notes in each guest’s book thanking them for being a part of our story. The food was all served on platters by the very talented chef Jacques Erasmus of Hemelhuijs.
The entertainment…
It was indeed a family affair. My sister’s partner, Mapumba Cilombo is a musician, and he played live guitar to welcome guests and for Kelly’s walk towards the altar. He also rounded up some talented singers to form a gospel choir that sang ‘Oh Happy Day’ by Edwin Hawkins to kick start the festivities after the ceremony. My mom and my sister Natalie are both choreographers and rounded up some contemporary dancers to perform. It really was the best day!
Service providers…
Venue: Centre for the Book; Wedding planner: Anne Mann Weddings; Photography: Shanna Jones; Flowers: Fleur Le Cordeur; Decor: Jacques Erasmus of Hemelhuijs
Want to share your real wedding with GLAMOUR? Email [email protected] with your top five pics, or tweet us at @GLAMOUR_sa with #GLAMWedding to share!
Love all things bridal or planning your own big day? Then head to our Wedding section for tips, tricks and more real wedding stories.
