Jana & Frans

A Durbanville Hills Wedding

A Durbanville Hills wedding!   Jana and Frans gave me the pleasure of photographing their wedding on my own backyard.  I literally live two minutes away from this fabulous venue.  There are so many advantages to photographing a wedding in your own backyard.  Firstly, I know lots of gorgeous spots, secondly I know the light and thirdly , I dont lose time on driving …and local is always lekker!  Durbanville Hills is pretty famous in our area as nine local wine producers are involved in this cellar and some famous wines are produced here.  In fact three wine estates played a small part in this beautiful wedding.  Jana, got ready at the regal Cape Dutch boutique hotel at Meerendal and then we stopped off at the picturesque Altydgedacht Farm which is one of my favourites spots.

Jana’s vision for her Durbavnille Hills wedding was gorgeous.  This Durbanville Hills wedding was tasteful, elegant, timeless and yet understated and in no way upstaged the beauty of this young couple.  It was a perfect backdrop to them as people, soft, quiet and yet strong in their unity.  What was also very apparent on their wedding day, was the importance of family to them and how both sides of their families played some small or big part in their wedding day.  The fact that the day went off without a hitch can definitely be attributed to Jana’s mom, Jane whose organisational skills were phenominal.  Got to say, I was also slightly nervous as Frans’s mom and aunt are both talented photographers themselves but what impressed me most, was that both these lovely ladies didnt even take their cameras out and put complete faith in me to capture this beautiful wedding.

SUPPLIERS:

Dress Designer: Paul van Zyl – Paul van Zyl Couture – www.paulvanzyl.com
Jewellery: Anina Le Roux – Lily Blue – www.lilyblue.co.za
Make-up Artist: Amelia Kotze – www.ameliakotze.co.za
Hair Stylist: Dawid Kriel – Institute Aesthetic – www.iaesthetic.co.za
Stationery: Marelize Bester – Paper Paradise Tygervalley – www.paperparadise.co.za
Venue: Hanlie Campher and Stephanie Bailey – Durbanville Hills Wine Estate – www.durbanvillehills.co.za
Florist & Decor: D’Shahnee Louw – Sorrento Events – www.sorrento.co.za
Wedding Cake: Kanya Hunt – The Hunt House Kitchen – www.kanyahunt.co.za
Church music: Titia Blake and Mike Hoole – Palm Strings Duo – www.palmstrings.co.za
DJ – Criss Kruger – Cape DJ’s – www.capedjs.co.za

Videographer – Rudolf -Pie in the Sky – www.pieinthesky.co.za

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All weddings are special to me …I love every single one of my couples …and I cherish their wedding day memories always!  But this one is slightly more special …as this family is like family to me!  I have known this young bride, Roxanne, since she was about 10!  Her mother became one of my very best friends while sitting next to a swimming pool at Kenridge Primary School waiting for our children to finish with their swimming practice!  Over the years we have realised how often our lives almost crossed until that one fateful day when her mom told me that Roxy had a crush on my son!  Ruth and I had been to the same high school but she finished as I started (yes, she is older but she was more popular!!!)…and even stranger, we were in the maternity hospital delivering Kyle and Roxanne at the same time …and yet we never met …until they were both 10!  And because of Roxanne, I realised that her mother and myself have the same type of humour and we get each other!  And the funny thing is …..we both get each others children but not necessarily our own!  Roxanne, is a beautiful, compassionate, strong-willed, loving girl ..who was brought up as the only girl surrounded by her three brothers!  And when Julian came on the scene, it was obvious that he was the man for her …this was no silly schoolgirl crush …he was and is ..the love of her life!  And no one can ever doubt how much Roxanne means to Julian ….his speech said it all ….he never told her how beautiful she looked, which she did …he told her something so much more special than that ….he told her …the she was “home” ….where he belonged and only wanted to be!  These two fit together like two garden gloves ….they nurture each other, encourage each other, defend each other and love each other!  Julian truly loves Roxanne …a man who isnt scared of three tough brothers never mind a very loving, protective dad …..and has already skipped through hoola-hoops to ensure that they were together is definitely there for all the right reasons ….and the only reason is ….love!

Roxanne decided she didnt want bridesmaids ….she didnt have any sisters ….and to her the most special people in her life were her brothers …so she decided that she would rather have them as her “bridesmen”  She totally loved being surrounded by her brothers …each played a very special part in her magical day at De Uiljenes wedding venue!  Roxanne’s stunning make-up was done by none other …than the super talented, super nice, Sanmarie Botha!

Part 2 can be viewed here!

Part 2 can be viewed here!

SUPPLIERS:

Venue : De Uiljenes, Gansbaai

Guesthouse :  Doolittle Farm

Photobooth :  Bambooth

Videographer : Lemon Square

Wedding Planners :  Lynne Swart & Ruth Crump

DJ :  Cape DJ

Flowers :  Veldflora & Dinique

Cake :  Leigh’s cakes

Stationery :  Ryan Crump

Hiring Company :  Function Hire Hermanus

Bridal Make-up & Hair :  Sanmarie Botha

Dress:  Anje Couture

The post Wedding | De Uijlenes, Gansbaai | Part 1 appeared first on Jo Ann Stokes.

I have to be honest, I  loved these family portraits….but for so many reasons!  Chris, their son, is actually my go to “computer expert” …he is amazing …whenever I have a problem ….I shout for him and because he too has a love for photography, he actually understands exactly where I am coming from!  So when his mom, Louise contacted me and asked me to take photos of the family as a special gift for her husband for his 60th birthday, I thought it was such a beautiful present and it was also lovely to meet Chris’s family as he talks about them often with such affection.  As a mother of grown up children, I know how difficult it can be to get the family together to get family photographs.  And Louise was in the same predicament as myself as  Julia, their arty, creative daugher,  was heading back to France very shortly!  Their youngest daughter, Hanja is just sucha joy ….the madhatter of the family and a bundle of fun ….she had everyone laughing …a gorgeous little character!!  The other thing that i loved about doing the Fourie family shoot was that they brought their furry family members too.  Their dogs are beautiful …and it was fun to watch them having an awesome time running around the forest as if it was Christmas but luckily Louise was able to control them quickly for the photoshoot!  I must also admit that doing a family shoot in winter when the light is softer and sets quicker is also gorgeous …and being surrounded by beautiful farms …especially Altydgedacht farm which is famous for its divine wines and which is run by the most amazing Parker family.  I really would suggest that if you havent done so before …take a ride out to the farm and go buy some of their gorgeous wines and sit under the trees and have some wholesome, hearty food at eat@altydgedacht ….your taste buds will be totally tantalised!  They also do weddings and functions at Pampoenkraal and if you are a local resident of Durbanville then we really should support our local farmers!  And if you are a local Durbanville resident ….then you might recognise or have heard of Dr Fourie, he is a well known pediatrician in our area ….and I could imagine that children will always feel loved and cherished in his hands as he is such a soft, gentle soul …and you feel as if you have been in the presence of an angel!

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Anna & Mark travelled all the way from the UK to have a stunning wedding at Tintswalo Lodge …the original blogpost is on my old blog and can be viewed here!

Merelene Joy did Anna’s make-up beautifully!

Anna & Mark

My beautiful Catherine Zeta Jones lookalike!!!

I met Mark and Anna four days before their wedding for their engagement shoot …..and i couldnt believe that Anna had never had a photo shoot before …she has the most beautiful face with the most gorgeous dimples!

And this beautiful lady only has eyes for Mark ….and I can understand why ….he is such an awesome man …and i cant help but say that i became really very fond of this young man! His manners are impeccable and he treated Anna like an absolute queen …but when i saw him interact with his own mother on the day of the wedding ….I knew that Anna was really marrying a true prince.

Mark is South African and grew up here and went to the local Wynberg Boys High School …but he decided to spread his wings and move to the UK ….and went to work for 3M where he met his gorgeous, Anna.

And when they decided to get married …they both agreed that they would get married here …..and what better place to get hitched than at the very beautiful, Tintswalo Lodge!

It seems their friends had no problems travelling to sunny South Africa to watch these nuptials take place! I did wonder though if the company, 3M had grinded to a halt for this wedding …..as there was a large amount of their staff at this wedding!!!

I must give a shout out to the most amazing, organised make-up artist, Merlene Joy!

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Tintswalo Lodge Wedding

This Tintswalo Lodge Wedding was absolutely magnificent.  Not only were we surrounded by Cape Towns finest natural wonders but we were encrusted in absolute magnifient luxury of one of the finest boutique hotels  in the Western Cape ..if not South Africa.  It was truly a sight to behold to watch Pam & Werner say their vows surrounded by friends and loved ones and their cutest children but also to have the magnificent backdrop of the Sentinel Head and having waves crash over rocks … natural music to all our ears!

Tintswalo Lodge is a huge hit with foreign tourists as the start their African adventure.  This amazing lodge is normally the starting point before they travel to Tintswalo’s game lodges further north.

Imagine marrying the love of your life surrounded by all this natural beauty.  There is so much more that this lodge offers.  It is nestled down below Chapmans Peak and is almost hidden from view and almost a secret from the locals.  The suites are all tastefull and luxuriously decorated and no one suite is the same.  The Bridal Suite is higher than the other suites and has spectacular views from all the rooms.  It is truly a treat to the senses ..a pure sense of escapism.  Imagine celebrating on a wooden deck with the sea lapping below and the stars twinkling in the starry night and the distant lights of Hout Bay twinkling in the distance …the finest wines and cuisine you could imagine …pure heaven ..tantalising all the senses …you couldnt dream anything better …and why would you …when reality was better than your dreams!

If you are looking for a perfect destination wedding venue, then search no further ..this has to be one of Cape Towns finest.  You will give your guests a treat that they could not imagine finding in one of the worlds finest destinations!

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