After planning and photographing weddings of other people i was finally able to prepare my own. We got engaged after nine years on February the 28th just one day before the total lockdown, where we were not able to even cross the region borders.
Mathew had it planned differently, but like to many others, his plans were ruined by covid.
Nonetheless we started planning petty much immediately and wanted to have wedding that year summer 2021, which some people found like rushing, but this is how we felt it and wanted it.
We both love outdoors, nature, rustic things and that like real life feeling of a small group of people just enjoying a pretty day and that is why a barn with a garden won our hearts.
The venue was pretty much ready to roll, we did not need much decor, because it was beautiful just the way it was, not far from Prague and with cozy rooms for our guests to see them the next day on a after wedding breakfast :)
(questions we got from our followers on Instagram)
I enjoyed planning and cake tasting and dress shopping, but i have to say that still stress got me hard, because our papers were not ready in time and we were constantly on a call with the priest, offices in Prague and offices in South Africa to get it all done and right for the wedding day.
The day it self was so nice and chilled. I though i would be nervous as a bride, but i was so calm and enjoying every minute. Just wish i could do it again :D My perfectionist me saw every imperfect detail .. like that i did not have enough candles, that the music did not play loud enough, that the person played a wrong song at a wrong time (if i had laser eyes they would have been dead!)
(created by our friend on a gropro camera)
The best moment was our first look .. with dad at first and then with Mathew. We did not want the typical see the bride only by the altar. I knew we would be nervous and i wanted this day to be about us, to enjoy every bit of it and i am glad we did this first look in the garden. Without anybody else, just us. We both cried, because this was it, this was the day we say to one another I DO.
After that we went to do our photoshoot, this way we had it done already before the official part and did not have to leave our guests mid-wedding. It also helped us to easy of the stress, to then just go and enjoy the ceremony itself.
People were asking about the traditions, if there were some we skipped and yes! We chose to do just those we liked and some other we changed a bit. Like the wedding bouquet toss. Instead of throwing it and have girls to embarrass themselves with jumping and fighting for it, we had a ribbon game. It was much more fun for everybody, there was a music and so much laughter.
Another thing was the garter. I really wanted to have it, but did not want to have Mathew to get under my skirt in front of people :D i mean .. leave it for the wedding night.
And so we did a little like James Bond dance, where we faked taking it off and then we played the musical chairs with guys to win the garter. Again .. much for fun and laughter.
And the little gifts .. i love love love to give gifts and so for sure i had to have some little things for my closest ones. Mom and sister got a golden necklace to match their outfit, of course wrapped in a little box with a touching note, that made them to drop a tear.
Mathew is an absolute fan for watches and so it was just so natural to gift him a new piece - this time from Daniel Wellington.
I am a romantic soul and so for dad i had a linen tie with a personal note from his daughter, which made him cry and that was so sweet to see it later on the photos.
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