Low mixed arrangements of hydrangeas, Bombay roses, lisianthus, garden roses, and elegant magenta orchids added incredible pops of colour to the chic table setting. Lighting on the tables comprising of cylindrical glass vases with floating candles, hurricane vases with purple pillar candles and low glass votives ensured a romantic ambience once the sun had set. A fun cluster of white and purple Chinese lanterns suspended above a classic white and black checkered dance floor by Something-Different, created the perfect mood for this South African and Irish group to dance until “the wee hours of the morning”.

Coordinated by: Kate Rawbone

Images by: Monica Dart

The style & design of the wedding was to be impressive but with a sense of understatement that would be brought through using original and personalised elements. It was important that the creative design and atmosphere was a true reflection of the couple’s personalities: elegant, charming, romantic, intimate and fun – and with some quirky traits here and there for good measure. With this in mind, the Wedding Concepts team ensured a luxurious outdoor ceremony followed with an opulent marquee reception that would house the festive and final countdown till the clock struck 12. The lake-front ceremony setting afforded the guests a 180 degree mountain view whilst they listened to The Soweto String Quartet, followed by the 14 piece Silapha Zulu Dancers who lead the couple & their guests in African tradition from the ceremony to the cocktail hour, where they were met by a vibrant Marimba Band and colourful signature cocktails that the Wedding Concepts team had created especially for the couple.

For a grand welcome to the reception, a peaked marquee with a dramatic floral creation, two luxe-sofas and cascading chandeliers welcomed the guests – along with a lavishly styled dessert table featuring 13 delicious desserts surrounding a magnificent wedding cake – in all in the soft colours of the wedding of course. Guest were met with a grand setting – featuring soft shades of cream, white and champagne contrasting carefully with handpicked golden elements, stylish amber glasses, fine silver plated charger plates and cutlery, and finished off with foiled, luxurious wedding stationery. The opulent floral creations by the talented Okasie team were a talking point in their very own right. Exquisite lighting – provided by Something-Different – was key too: with a total of 12 crystal chandeliers suspended inside the marquee, hundreds of candles providing a soft glow on the tables and fairy lights cascading from the trees outside. The gastronomic highlights were to reflect the diverse flavours of South Africa with guests casually sharing a culinary feast presented “platter style”. For dinner “Simply Four” performed dance classics culminating in a brilliant Michael Jackson cover just before midnight, with the dance party that lasting until 4am.

This dazzling celebration was the result of the combined effort and meticulous planning of the Wedding Concepts Team, the lovely Felicia Mabuza-Suttle and of course the new Mrs Zani Anderskou. We wish her all the best of luck as she launches her own line of children’s clothing in February, called Polkadot What. Also a big thank you to the valued support of the rest of Zani’s family, father Dr. Earl Suttle , who is a keynote speaker and author, and also to Lindiwe Suttle, talented singer & songwriter as well as fashion icon.

Then finally a big thank you to the very talented Chris Munton, who photographed Zani & Andreas’ wedding. Top Billing were on site to capture all the glitz and glamour for a dedicated TV feature. So be sure to watch this space for updates on the broadcast.

Located in the picturesque Constantia Valley, the Alphen Hotel has been one of the more famous and revered landmarks in this close knit community. Buried secrets, spies, pistol duels, cross-dressers and fiddlers are just a few elements that make for the fascinating, colourful stories in the history of The Alphen. An important player in Cape Hospitality since the 18th century, The Alphen has hosted parties and entertained guests for the past 300 years and though the times and the property have changed considerably, the tradition of fine cuisine, wine and hospitality remains. Always attracting men and women of influence, wealth and celebrity, The Alphen has played host to Mark Twain, Captain Cook, Cecil John Rhodes, Lord Charles Somerset, George Bernard Shaw, Jan Smuts, Sir Thomas Cullinan, royalty and international ambassadors.

Now, over 50 years later, a new and exciting era has arrived with the revamping of the Hotel to a 5-star chic, contemporary, classy and vibrant venue with a Café & Bakery, Restaurant, Spa, Conference & Business Centre and trendy Bars. The hotel now also boasts modern amenities, plush comforts and high-tech facilities. A playful twist has been added to the décor and design whilst preserving the tradition and rich backdrop of this historical estate in the Constantia Valley. Designer Adam Court from Antoni Associates explains the new look as “Hedonistic glamour – a little eccentric, somewhat bohemian, rather eclectic and casually elegant.”

The Alphen Boutique Hotel has been equipped to provide guests with an unforgettable experience set amongst beautiful and meticulously landscaped gardens. Combine these elements with Cape Town’s premium Wedding planning and management business, and you can ensure a handcrafted wedding of distinction at one of Cape Town’s most famous and historic landmarks. To contact us to book your exclusive celebration, click here. Alternatively, to book a stay at The Alphen Hotel as part of your personalised holiday itinerary, click here to contact the team from Travel Concepts.

2011 has been an amazingly busy and tremendously successful year for our team. We have managed to be an integral part of many lavish affairs and intimate soirees for over 50 bride and grooms – and what a joy it has been bringing their ideas to life! Our travel team has booked fabulous luxury African travel experiences for over 700 travellers, ensuring that their taste of Southern Africa was as unique and memorable as our amazing country.

With new staff members joining the fold, our new sister company due to launch early in the New Year, the launch of our Concepts Collection brand and exciting developments in our new look – 2012 promises to be spectacular one!

We’d like to wish all our clients, suppliers and readers the happiest of holidays.  May you enjoy your time off with your loved ones, spend time catching up on some much needed R & R and for those of you celebrating Christmas, may it be the merriest of days! May 2012 bring many blessings.

We’ll see you in the New Year and we look forward to unveiling our exciting new ventures and hopefully being a part of some of yours in 2012.

The Wedding Concepts and Travel Concepts Teams

Be it glamorous or simply chic, softly vintage or strikingly contemporary – we create bespoke designs down to every last detail and our striking and diverse designer table top creations often are the talk of town.

Today we let the visuals speak for themselves and share with you a selection of some of our most imaginative and stylish table top designs that are still pushing trends into 2012.

For more designer table top inspirations, be sure to visit our Pinterest Page

In true German style the day continued with canapés from the renowned La Colombe kitchen followed by wedding cake and coffee, complete with heart shaped sugar cubes. The wedding cake – another dazzling creation from Roxanne Floquet Cake Design was carefully matched to the design of the stationery. The striking contrast of the pink ribbon and black applique against the pearlescent white, meant there was a much anticipated “cutting of the cake” ceremony. During this time guests were also encouraged to write down their “Tips for Marital Bliss” on specially designed cards for the couple. No detail was forgotten. Even the napkins were decorated with little personalised tags that read, “Love, Laughter, Hope” and the watermelon cocktail straws had pink and clear Swarovski crystals all attached to them by hand.

Guests were given time to freshen up and change into formal wear for the latter part of the celebration. They reconvened in the Palm Room where they would experience a gourmet feast like no other! The first 4 courses were served in delicate canapé style as guests mingled and listened to speeches. The next 4 courses were served at the beautifully decorated dinner tables, after which the reception party kept guests dancing till early hours of the morning. Cigars were treats for the men which where personalised with the family crest of the bride, and candles placed in specially designed frosted cubes adorned the venue along with crystal chandeliers which only added to the romantic ambience.

The sheer attention to detail and inspired gifts for guests did not end at the wedding day. At the beginning of the week, personalised welcome bags were placed in guest rooms filled with wine from the estate and a hand-made African memento. The novel stationery design for the wedding was introduced 2 nights earlier at the combined hen and stag party with specially designed quiz cards, and then carried through to thank you cards and gifts guests received at the post wedding dinner.

This winelands celebration may have only been meticulously coordinated for an intimate guest list of 25 – however, not a thought was spared for the sheer amount of detail that brought every part of this wonderful celebration to life. And with one year on from this stunning wedding – its still on trend!

Images by Jan-Hendrik van der Westhuizen

Stationery by Lara’s Designs

Old fashioned porches, beautiful barns, ponds and meadows, vast gardens and indigenous flora create unlimited inspired photo opportunities, as well as providing the perfect natural backdrop for inventive and thoughtful décor and stationery concepts. And why stop there? Country themed BBQ’s, gourmet picnics, sumptuous rustic buffets and banquets under grand oak trees and delicate strings of fairy lights only add to the beautiful mix of informality and elegance.

Country weddings can be the most beautiful and imaginative of all. Let some of our favourite images from past Wedding Concepts Country and Farm weddings below, inspire you to dream up your perfect rural celebration.

For more country & farm inspirational images and more, be sure to view our Wedding Concepts Pinterest boards.

Confetti, for many a bride, constitutes one of the key moments of the wedding day. And truth be told, no ceremony is complete without it.  Making your exit in its absence is a bit like throwing a garter that gets stuck, mid-air, on a chandelier, three meters above the ground.  It leaves everyone yearning for a sense of closure.

The word “Confetti” is derived from the Italian ‘confectionery’ and relates to “sweetmeats” – the sugar coated grains and nuts that used to be thrown over the newlyweds.  This tradition dates back to a pagan wedding ritual which saw the couple showered with rice and grain as token of fertility, prosperity and continuity.  It was believed that the fertility of the seeds would be transferred to the couple on whom they fell.  In recent years, small pieces of coloured paper have replaced the sweetmeats as an inexpensive substitute but the intention remains unchanged – it allows couples to be showered symbolically by guests with their love and best wishes for a fruitful honeymoon and marriage.

The needs of the modern bride have largely transformed the appearance of confetti though.  The ‘showering’ action has been altered in accordance.  Coloured paper started making way for fresh flowers, with brightly coloured and fragrant rose petals leading the way. The naturally vibrant and romantic nature of roses has entrenched it as a timeless favourite when it comes to choosing confetti.  The fact that it looks great when displayed in glass vases and smaller individual containers alike has only added to its appeal.

While rose petals may look dreamy as they lie scattered across the ground in the aftermath of your recessional, they do tend to get very slippery when walked over en masse.  The aromatic qualities of herbs such as rosemary, lavender, thyme and eucalyptus leaves make for a sensory explosion but some argue that their down to earth organic charm falls short in the face of more upbeat alternatives such as soap bubbles (the non-toxic, non-stain variety available at most toy stores) which can be branded with personalised messages and ribbons; the tongue in cheek playfulness of paper streamers; or even the exotic option of spice sachets filled with a combination of vanilla pods, star anise, cloves, cardamom and dried juniper berries.  More daring brides can also consider folded paper planes, printed with special messages of love, or sparklers (these work equally well during day time or at night when you leave the reception).  At Wedding Concepts we love all things fittingly matched to the incredibly lightness that surrounds the confetti moment. For more confetti inspiration, see our Celebrating with Confetti Mood Board on Pinterest.

Here are our top tips for choosing confetti:

• Decide on a colour scheme that either complements the overall look of your wedding day – or keep it stylishly simple by opting for neutrals like white or cream.
• If you’re getting married in autumn, consider using leaves in the rich colours of fall: Red, copper, yellow and orange.  Most Oaks, Liquid Amber and Ash trees bear these rich colours.
• Choose confetti that is easy to shower – not too chunky, won’t get stuck in your hair or dress, and is kind to the environment.  Certain trees drop winged seeds and flowers that one could harvest, as does Bougainvillea shrubs.
• The packaging and presentation of confetti is really important.  Spend time considering the myriad of options available to you, and be sure to pull through design elements that are a part of your décor signature.  Mini-boxes, cones and sachets printed in line with other stationery elements on the day make a huge impact.
• Ideally, there needs to be one confetti serving per couple.  Ensure your guests have easy access to it, or that the confetti reaches them in time for your exit.
• Decide when you would like to be showered: As you walk back down the aisle (most likely at outdoor ceremonies); after you’ve signed the register; when you arrive at pre-dinner drinks; or as you leave the reception.
• Check with your venue what is allowed around the use of confetti as many have restrictions in place.
• For an amazing audible experience, get each guest a tiny bell which they can ring upon commencing your walk of fame.  This will create a magical, delicate sound resonating between you and your guests.
• Make sure to indulge the moment you are showered by guests as this is typically a great photo opportunity to capture the joy of your union.  Walk – don’t run!

The annual highlight on every decor lover’s calendar is undoubtedly the “Kamers vol Geskenke” market in the most beautiful month of October.  Always on the look-out for exciting new talents and trends, Kim and I set off to the lush Lourensford Wine Estate in Somerset West two weeks ago where – for the 9^th consecutive year and larger than ever before – the most desirable arts and craft by local designers, foodies and creative minds of every kind were on offer.

The name of this much loved initiative can be translated directly into “Rooms full of Gifts”.  This is, to be brutally honest, an understatement.   What we found at the foot of the majestic Hottentots Holland mountain range was nothing short of five marquee tents (Downings Marquee Hiring is one of the proud partners) filled to the brim with pure gorgeousness.

Upon arrival and with Sarie goodie bags in hand, we made our way to the largest of the tents – only to walk straight into Matblac Raw Design’s stand.  Poised for a busy day ahead, Mathew, the brother of former client Sara Nielson, masterminds strikingly simple yet sleek fashion apparel from imported pure wool felt and premium leather: Wallets, belts, phone covers – just about anything man’s heart can dream of.  Perfect for Christmas; even better as a gift for groomsmen.

The beauty bug had bitten…  In amongst shelves groaning under the weight of fine ceramics, rails full of fabulous frocks, vintage inspired pop art costume jewellery, kids wear, linen and second hand finds ranging from antique gems to Gemsbok embroidered doily runners, we lost each other and found ourselves.

Kim had trouble containing herself upon entering I Love Leroy ’s muted world of understated magnificence.  Needless to say, we shopped some more.  At the Rhubarb Room stand Kim acquired a coffee mug with a quirky message for a colleague’s birthday.

My eye caught something I had been forgetting to put on my own list for months: New lampshades for the living room.   They were the right colour, the right size, “not too frilly” (Kim assured me, not very convincingly) but, alas, the wrong price.  They also bore the initials “HM” which I thought were fittingly short for “His Majesty”.  Kim maintained that it would only confuse people, to which my suggestion was turning the shades around so that the letters face the wall.  When she eventually conceded, pre-purchase cognitive dissonance had nestled in my mind and we left empty handed.  I looked over my shoulder only once, fearing that I might turn into a salt pillar (of which fragments will be given away as a free gift with the herb racks at the stand next to the exit).   And besides, lunch awaited – who was I to argue?

Back outside, the sun was casting balmy leopard spots through the clouds.  We made our way along the “Kamers Kuierplek” tent from which surged the upbeat sounds of Zamar, and passed a coffee stand where the longest queue we had encountered all morning were patiently awaiting their caffeine fix.

At the Okasie stand Creative Director Lisa Carinus and, sporting a newly cropped bob, comrade Judy van Aswegen from their Gauteng branch were scurrying about…  The number of “Sold – to collect” stickers on displayed items bore quiet testimony to the beehive of activity they had enjoyed during the previous days.   Kim inspected coffee tables made out of tree trunks while I bargained R 100 off a striking purple orchid with air roots about a meter long.  Before we said our goodbyes, Lisa boasted with their new range of ‘Curiosity Boxes’.  “Not my cup of tea,” I remarked, studying each one’s intricacies individually, “but perhaps if you bought them all and put them on the same wall it would achieve the desired effect…”  A round of laughter ensued.  Talented but tough – that’s an apt description of what a friend recently dubbed the ‘Stellenbosch Flower Mafia’ – and the very reason they remain one of our favourite associates.

The last stop of the day was the “Kamers Kitchen”.  We bumped into Annari Nel from Nelle Cakes.  “The last two days weren’t too crowded – probably due to the weather – so we’re all hoping it will pick up over the weekend,” she commented as we admired her merchandise.  This appeared to be a sentiment shared between exhibitors.  “Look, being on your feet all day, running around, carrying stuff, prepping, serving, cleaning, smiling – it takes its toll.  At times I’m inclined to pop my handbag into the oven or offer customers my purse when they ask for a napkin,” mused Renee Booyens from Lavender & Lime Catering. “Things get crazy – but that suits us well.  We can never get enough of the people.”  Rina-Marie van Velden and Anneke MacKenzie, the two beauties behind Mamamac’s Confectionery, later reinforced this notion.  “It’s always a pleasure to see how happy or nostalgic our products make people.  Whenever someone says ‘This tastes just like my grandmother’s coffee cookies’ or ‘A packet of your rusks with a cup of coffee in bed is our weekend treat,’ we know it’s more than worth our while to stand here for a week.  You just don’t get to indulge the same experiences when people purchase your products in a shop.”

Kamers vol Geskenke is more than just a fancy flea market.  It celebrates life’s most beautiful treats and tokens; it nurtures craftsmanship and offers an escape from the air conditioned corridors of suburban malls.  It clearly connects people, plus it puts back into the community. The event pulled over 14 000 enthusiasts this year.  That’s a substantial injection of inspiration into the population of the special species out there who were born to give.  Consider yourself very fortunate if you find one of its rich pickings in your Christmas stocking this year.

PS: We just had to share these two novel finds.  Candelabra made entirely out of wax by the eccentric designers at Sobeit Studio in Muizenberg. They can make bespoke candles of all shapes and sizes.  Equally off beat, were these cute vanity cases and toiletry bags designed by Susan Didcott of Trip, as well as Pippa Pereira’s iconic black and white scatter cushions.

For more inspirational images, please visit our Wedding Concepts Pinterest page and view our “Eastern Mosaic” mood board.