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Casually Elegant South African Wedding at Hawksmoor House

August 11, 2017 | Junebug Weddings

You know those weddings that are so classic, elegant, and effortlessly flawless that you can’t help but fall in love with them? That’s exactly what we felt like when we saw Alistair and Michael’s wedding day at Hawksmoor House! This chic couple brought in the immensely talented planner Megan Kenney at Wedding Concepts to style every inch of their wedding to the nines while keeping it casual and approachable. Both grooms grew up in South Africa, so it was the perfect fit for them to return to their hometown to start the new phase of their life together! From the cozy farmhouse ceremony where they exchanged vows in front of an elegant fireplace to the al fresco reception that featured vibrant florals, vintage place settings, and a canopy of café lights, this wedding is full of dreamy summer wedding inspiration. Photographer Wesley Vorster did an incredible job capturing not only the beautiful details but the laid-back vibe of the entire day!

The Couple:

Alistair and Michael

The Wedding:

Hawksmoor House, Stellenbosch, South Africa

We had a very particular feeling that we were going for and it was important to us that we create that. We wanted something casually beautiful, elegant without being stuffy, so that the two of us and our friends and family could enjoy a relaxed but happy and magical day.

We live in New York but both grew up in and love South Africa and we wanted to celebrate that – so it was important to us to have al fresco dining, the character of an old Cape farmhouse in the Winelands, and South African wildflowers (fynbos) all around us in the bouquets and on the tables. All the other details flowed from that.

Our processional song was “Ho Hey” by The Lumineers and our recessional song was “Better Together” by Jack Johnson. Both of these struck the right chords for us because they’re romantic and upbeat and a little different. 

Since there was no bride, our bridesmaids got to wear white! Our color scheme was a classic palette of navy and white. Each of our bridesmaids wore a different, white, knee-length dress of her choice (relative choice: they were given our shortlist!), and the groomsmen wore navy pants, crisp white, open-collar shirts, and brown leather suspenders.

SHOP THIS LOOK

 

SHOP THIS LOOK

 

However much of a control freak you are, let the small things go on the day! So much thought and planning goes into the wedding that it can be difficult to transition into just enjoying the day, but that is the most important thing you can do. Also, get help! We were planning our wedding from a long way away and it would have been impossible without our amazing wedding planner, Megan from Wedding Concepts to help with ideas, logistics, suppliers, and just generally making the process stress-free and enjoyable!

SHOP THIS LOOK

 

We decided to give our speeches during cocktail hour between the service and dinner. It was an informal setting and really helped with our nerves! I could relax and really listen to what Michael was saying, and in my toast to him I could focus only on him. For all the joy of having our loved ones around us, when we toasted each other it was like we were the only two people in the world. I will never forget that feeling.

For our first dance we chose “Ngawe Mama” by Bongiziwe Mabandla. Bongiziwe is an up and coming South African musician who sings in Xhosa, so it was an unusual choice but we both absolutely love his music, the lyrics are beautiful, and this song was playing on the day we got engaged. We had to go for dance lessons in New York in the weeks before the wedding, and everyone in the dance studio ended up falling in love with his music, too!

The Wedding Team:

Photography – Wesley Vorster
Event Planning – Wedding Concepts
Venue – Hawksmoor House
Floral Design – Opus
Catering – Slippery Spoon Kitchen
Cake – Kanya Hunt
DJ – Tommy Gun
Live Music – Manouche
Invitations – Chandler House and Laura’s Designs
Makeup Artist and Hair Styling – Yolande du Toit
Bridesmaids’ Earrings – Famke
Grooms’ Apparel – Suit Supply and Country Road
Socks – Feat

 

Congratulations to Alistair and Michael, and an extra special thanks to Junebug member Wedding Concepts for sharing this delightful wedding with us! Want to see more wedding planning magic from this talented team? Check out this modern elegant wedding at Lourensford Wine Estate!

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Minimalist San Luis Obispo Wedding at Spreafico Farms

August 11, 2017 | Junebug Weddings

Whether you have an affinity for eclectic architecture or love rustic farm vibes, Blessing and Kaelan’s wedding day at Spreafico Farms has a little something for everyone! The couple started their day at the iconic Madonna Inn, where the bride and groom got some seriously gorgeous getting ready photos that took whimsical, vibrant, and enchanting to a whole new level! Then they headed out to the farm for their intimate ceremony surrounded by vineyards and rolling hills as far as the eye could see. They finished the evening with a lovely barn reception that featured minimal décor and a special musical surprise from the groom and his country band! Heirlume Photography did an incredible job capturing every beautiful detail that the couple and their family and friends created, as well as the super special, quiet moments of the couple throughout the day!

The Couple:

Blessing and Kaelan

The Wedding:

Spreafico Farms, San Luis Obispo, California

Kaelan is from Northern California and I (Blessing) am from Southern California. Kaelan loves the golden low rolling hills of central California and I love the coast. We both love the outdoors. A barn wedding in San Luis Obispo, which has great food, wine country, incredible hiking, and the coast, seemed like the perfect synthesis.

Our officiant, Megan, was one of my oldest friends who met with us many times and wrote an absolutely stunning ceremony script that brought us both to tears at the altar. Kaelan (who’s a writer) wrote a poem and blessing for the ceremony. Being both lovers of literature, we chose a couple readings that were meaningful to us. We had Jorge Luis Borges’ “You Learn,” read by one of Kaelan‘s oldest friends. My dad, who’s a lover of classic Chinese literature, searched the canons and found a beautiful love poem by a female painter that he read in both Chinese and English.

You’ll go over budget. There’s no such thing as too much wine. If you don’t pre-slice the bread, no one will eat it. Family-style requires so much more work than a buffet, but it’s worth it. If your bustle breaks, you can always tie your wedding dress in a knot. Literally no one will notice the details, including you, because you’ll be having too much fun. Wear Vans.

Processional – “God Only Knows” by The Beach Boys
Recessional – “Right Down The Line” by Gerry Rafferty
First Dance – “You Turn Me On I’m a Radio” by Joni Mitchell

Our wedding band was The Murderous Cowboys, which is a country band made up of Kaelan and our friends Bobby Halvorson, Laura Anderson, Ty Foster, and Brennan Kelleher. For party favors, we decided to record a little EP of the The Murderous Cowboys songs, which are all written by Bobby and Kaelan. I designed the album art, and we made CDs so that guests could pop them in their car for the drive home. We liked the idea that this would be entirely unique to us, showcase our friends’ talents, and that your car was probably the only place you could listen to the music!

The Wedding Team:

Photography – Heirlume Photography
Event Planning, Invitation Design, and Rentals – Blessing Yen
Getting Ready Site – Madonna Inn
Venue – Spreafico Farms
Floral Design – Tuesday’s Flowers
Catering – Old San Luis BBQ
Wedding Dress – Bride Boutique LA
Groom and Groomsmen’s Apparel – Suits by Charles
Rings – Esqueleto

 

Our biggest congratulations to Blessing and Kaelan, and a huge thanks to Heirlume Photography for sharing this incredible wedding with Junebug! Are you a minimalist at heart? Then we think you’ll love Cathy and Zach’s romantic minimalist wedding at One Eleven East!

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Keep Tradition With One of These Sweet First Look Alternatives

August 10, 2017 | Junebug Weddings

photo by Olivia Strohm Photography

While we’re major proponents for doing a first look at your wedding (seriously, we’re all about them!), we understand that some couples prefer to wait until the altar to see each other on the big day. However, there are still ways to connect pre-ceremony without having to break tradition!

There are a couple of reasons you might want to consider one of these first look alternatives. First, your wedding day goes by faster than you can say “I do,” so any time you get to spend alone becomes especially cherished. A first look alternative gives you the opportunity to take a deep breath and enjoy each other’s company, even if you aren’t seeing one another’s face. (P.S. Check out these tips for making time for yourselves in your wedding day timeline!)

The second reason has to do with your wedding photos. Having a first look provides your photographer with a chance to capture more portraits of you together without interrupting a rigid wedding day timeline. Whether you decide to do a full-on first look or one of these first look alternatives, those photos will likely be some of your all-time favorites due to the intimacy, emotion, and excitement you’ll remember every time you see them!

First Touch

Possibly the most intimate of these first look alternatives is the first touch. Since your sense of sight is not being utilized in the moment, your sense of touch is amplified, causing an explosion of emotion! Seeing each other as you walk down the aisle will be even more special after blindly holding each other’s hands before the ceremony.

photo by Love Hunters; see more from this wedding here!

photo by Cami Jane Photography; see more from this wedding here!

Private Prayer

For couples of faith, a private prayer can be incredibly special – and you don’t even have to see each other to make it happen! Stand on opposite sides of an open door or with another barrier between you as you share in a prayer for your wedding day and marriage together.

photo by The Shepards

photo by Sally O’Donnell Photography; see more from this wedding here!

Personal Vow Reading

Reading personal vows in front of your wedding guests might be a little anxiety-inducing, but that doesn’t mean you can’t share them with each other! A back-to-back reading of hand-written vows allows you to speak your heart to the one you want to hear it most, and without distraction of having anyone else around.

photo by Olivia Strohm Photography; see more from this wedding here!

Gift or Card Exchange

Similar to reading your vows, you may decide to exchange gifts or read cards you wrote to each other on your wedding day. Use this as a chance to share your excitement about spending the rest of your lives together while saving your vows for the ceremony.

photos by Finch Photography; see more from this wedding here!

photos by Il Mare Photography; see more from this wedding here!

Secluded Serenade

Are you or your fiancee musically-inclined? This secluded serenade, pictured below, got us right in the feels! The couple looks as if they’re the only people on Earth as they connect with each other via song before heading to their ceremony.

photo by Katch Silva; see more from this wedding here!

photos by Katch Silva; see more from this wedding here!

Which first look alternative is your favorite? Still not sure if you want a first look? Check out this post to help you decide if a first look is for you!

 

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