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Thanks for presiding over us on the day. We had a great wedding which was enjoyed by all.
Juan and Magali
Thank you so much for the lovely ceremony you performed for me and Jon last week.
Wendy & Jonathan
Just want to say thank you for last saturday. It all went smoothly and was short and sweet and lighthearted as we wanted it to be.
Don-Rico & Shinaaz
Marriage Checklist
We’ve put together a handy Getting Married Checklist to help you plan your wedding in South Africa. Before you download the checklist for your records, take a look at our top 10 things to consider and plan for when creating your marriage checklist.
Your wedding day is one of the most memorable days of your life but the months of planning leading up to it can be quite stressful if not planned out thoroughly. The best tip for wedding planning is to start early and have fun!
Choose a suitable Wedding Planner
Finding the right person to help plan your wedding day can be difficult but is very often worth the struggle and worth the cost involved. Start online by browsing through wedding portfolios and reviews to gain a sense of the person’s reputation and quality of work.
Find wedding planners that have created weddings with the same look and feel that you’re after. Speak to friends and family about anyone they may know personally as personal recommendations are highly valuable.
Depending on the type of wedding you’re planning, you might need a specific wedding planner. Destination Weddings for example need specific expertise and you wouldn’t want to hire someone who does not have the required experience for this mammoth task.
The second most important part of choosing a wedding planner besides experience is the personal connection you create with the planner. Make sure that you feel comfortable with the person before you hire them as your wedding planner. This is the person in charge of a large part of your big day, you’ll be paying them a substantial amount of money, the relationship needs to feel comfortable and the trust factor needs to be there too.
Find a Wedding Venue
Finding a beautiful wedding venue in South Africa is the easy part, finding a wedding venue that can accommodate your number of guests within your budget is the battle.
Before you even start venue hunting you need to nail down your preferences in terms of outdoor vs indoor wedding. Decide if you want a natural feel or more modern look. Are you planning on getting married in a church or at your reception venue?
Sit down with your partner and discuss your ideas for both the ceremony and the wedding reception. Make sure you are on the same page before speaking to wedding vendors.
Photo courtesy of Nooitgedacht Estate – Wedding Venue in Cape Town
Pick a Wedding Photographer
A good way to gauge the service delivery of a photographer is to book an engagement shoot. Engagement shoots are all about capturing love and special moments between you and your partner. Similar to a wedding planner, you need to get along with your photographer on a personal level as they will be spending an extended amount of time with you and around you.
Look through various portfolios to make sure that the photographer you choose has captured the look and feel that you’re looking for.
Personal referrals are great for this as this is another high-ticket item on your list and you want to ensure that it’s money well spent.
Photo courtesy of Shameen Photography based in Cape Town
The Wedding Dress
A huge focal point for the bride, this can be a challenge. With various styles to choose from such as ball gown, mermaid, sheath and A-line, you’ll be kept busy in the bridal shop looking for your perfect fit.
You may have a style in mind, but we suggest trying on one style of each as you might be surprised how different styled dresses fit your figure. Wedding Dress consultants do this for a living and see different body types every day. Don’t let their advice go over your head, be open to suggestion but stay true to your own style.
Give the wedding dress consultant something to work with by noting if you have any colour or fabric preferences. Take a close friend or two with you to get a trusted opinion on your choices but don’t bring too many or it could throw you off and get confusing.
Give yourself enough time for alterations and multiple fittings. If you are having a dress custom made, you will need even more time to prepare.
Getting the Groom’s Attire
One of the best options for the groom’s attire is to make use of a tailor to have a custom-made suit made. It may cost more but the groom can use the suit for years to come if the suit is made using a classic colour which will remain timeless.
Using a tie or pocket handkerchief that is similar to the bride’s dress is a nice way to match on the day. For the material choice, a blend of wool and silk works well. Linen, cotton and mohair blends are also popular. For summer, linen and cotton are better options for breathability, while a winter wedding might call for wool or a wool and mohair blend.
Hire a Wedding Officiant
Use your freedom of choice to select a wedding officiant that suits your needs. If you are religious you can hire a priest, rabbi or minister of your church. If you’re not particularly religious you can make use of a celebrant, interfaith minister or marriage officer. It’s really important to pick someone that makes you and your significant other feel comfortable on your wedding day.
Having performed over 3000 wedding ceremonies, we fully understand ALL the legalities, procedures and documentation required to officiate your marriage. Including marriages between SA citizens & Non-SA citizens.
We will come to your special venue or home or come to our home for a private ceremony. We can also arrange translators: German, French, etc). We perform weddings ceremonies for couples of any religious, non-religious or cultural backgrounds.
Get married in the ceremony of your choice, anywhere, anytime: On the beach, on Table Mountain, on a boat or your special setting.
Select a Wedding Florist
Flowers are a key aspect for any wedding as they add to the theme and overall style of the wedding. Before you speak to a florist, do some research online and find different styles and arrangements that speak to you.
We often stick to mainstream flowers such as roses but there are several beautiful flowers that can be used for weddings. Confirm the budget you have for the flower arrangements, take inspiration photos with you, and speak to your selected florist about what you’re looking for.
Decide on your flower arrangements and ask to have a small mock-up made so that you can see how your ideas translate in real life. Asking for a mock-up means you can see how the flowers will work with other aspects of the wedding such as the centrepieces and other table settings.
Wedding Rings
As with other parts of the wedding, there are several traditions when it comes to wedding rings. With modern design has come many changes and couples have started embracing their individuality and adapting traditions to suit their own personalities.
Custom jewellery designers can bring your design to life and create a unique wedding ring for you and your partner. If you are purchasing your wedding ring from a commercial jewellery store you can walk in, have it sized and pick up your ring when it is ready.
If you have a custom designed wedding ring in mind, you will need more time for the design and creating process. It is important that you’re happy with your ring as you’ll be wearing it for many years to come.
Photo courtesy of Blush Diamonds
Ordering your Wedding Cake
When meeting with a baker or caterer, be sure to sample different kinds of flavour profiles and icing. Ordering a cake with multiple tiers is a great idea if you have a lot of guests and if your cake is the dessert. Some couples chose to have a small cake with a separate dessert, while others serve the cake for dessert. This is a factor when deciding on the size of the cake you are ordering.
Besides the cake itself, the way you present the cake is just as important. You can get creative with cake stands and colours when displaying your wedding cake.
Traditionally the top tier of a wedding cake is kept for the first wedding anniversary. If you plan on doing this, make sure the cake is wrapped properly in airtight plastic packaging before being frozen. If this doesn’t appeal to you, consider ordering the same type of cake from the same baker a year later to celebrate your first wedding anniversary.
Photo courtesy of Lynn Glass
Marriage Certificate
An abridged marriage certificate contains your personal details and the date of the marriage. You should receive your written abridged marriage certificate from the marriage officer immediately after signing the marriage register on the day of your marriage.
Should you need a printed abridged marriage certificate, you’ll need to apply at the Department of Home Affairs. Your abridged certificate is issued on the same day that it is applied for.
An unabridged marriage certificate contains detailed information that is often required by government and financial institutions. Should you need to travel for an extended period, emigrate or obtain a foreign passport, you’ll need an unabridged marriage certificate to facilitate this.
If you are not a South African citizen, an unabridged marriage certificate is required to register your marriage in your home country. Having an unabridged certificate for both local and international purposes has huge advantages.
In theory, according to the Department of Home Affairs website, your application for an unabridged marriage certificate takes 6-8 weeks. But you could wait 20–40 weeks to obtain your unabridged marriage certificate.
Let Marriage Officer facilitate this process to obtain your unabridged marriage certificate. We will handle all document submissions, communication, and collection of your unabridged marriage certificate at SA Home Affairs. This service also includes apostille validation or embassy authentication. Final documents will be hand-delivered to your local or international address.
Good luck with the planning of your wedding. Feel free to download our handy Marriage Checklist and contact Marriage Officer if you are in need of a wedding officiant.
