Paula and Jonathan’s Real Life Wedding
Paula and Jonathan
05/03/2005 – St John’s Methodist Church, Port Elizabeth, South Africa
Sherwood Garden Centre, Port Elizabeth, South Africa
photos by Darren John, South Africa
How and when did you meet?
We met in South Africa through a mutual friend.
Where, when and how did he (or you!) propose?
He proposed along the Thames in Richmond on the 13th of March 2004 after a romantic evening.
Did you have hen and stag celebrations?
We both had hen and stag celebrations in London before we left to get married, and in South Africa.
Did your groom help you with the wedding planning?
Jonathan was amazing! As we got married back home (in South Africa), it was a lot of hard work sorting everything out from here, but Jonathan did as much as he possibly could to help.
Did you use confetti to plan your wedding? If so, how did the website help you?
Yes! I checked up on developments and new products almost every week!
Do you have a confetti web page?
Yes.
Did you buy any confetti products for your wedding? If so, did you visit a store, buy online or by mail order?
Yes, heaps! We mainly bought online.
– Tell us about your outfit, and where you bought it.
My gown was made by a bridal designer and close family friend in South Africa.
Did you have bridesmaids? If so, who did you choose and what did they wear?
I had two bridesmaids, Jonathan’s sister, Jayne and my best friend, Mary. They wore burgundy chiffon layered dresses with tiny sequins on.
Who did your groom choose for his best man and ushers, and what did they wear?
Jonathan’s best man was his brother-in-law, Graeme and his groomsman was my brother, Darren.
Did you have a civil or religious ceremony?
We had a religious ceremony with all our family and friends present.
Where did you hold your ceremony?
St John’s Methodist Church in Port Elizabeth, South Africa.
Where did you hold your reception?
The Khoisan in the Sherwood Garden Centre (absolutely gorgeous venue!).
Did you have any special wedding transport?
My sister-in-law organised wedding cars for us.
How many guests did you invite to your wedding, and did you have a separate evening guest list?
We had a small wedding with just under 70 guests. We did not have a separate evening guest list – the guests who attended the ceremony celebrated with us at the reception.
Did your reception have a particular theme in terms of colour or style?
We had an ‘autumn’ theme with rustic colours. Our main colours were burgundy and gold.
How did you incorporate this in to your table settings?
We had dried leaves as confetti and sprinkled them over the tables and floor of the reception. We used topiary trees with fruit and flowers in autumn shades as our table centrepieces.
What did you choose to have on your menu? Did you have an outside caterer or did your venue handle the catering?
Our venue handled the catering. We had a sumptuous four-course meal.
What did you choose for your wedding cake?
My mother-in-law made our wedding cake – it weighed 23 kilograms! It was a traditional fruit cake.
Did you have any entertainment during the day or evening?
We had a disco at the reception which kept us on the dance floor ALL night.
Did you have a gift list? If so, who did you have your list with?
We had gift lists in South Africa.
Where did you spend your first night and honeymoon? Who did you book your honeymoon with?
We spent our first night at a gorgeous hotel along the beachfront with stunning views. For our honeymoon, we spent a week travelling up the gorgeous Garden Route.
What was your most memorable moment of the day?
The whole day was so magical that I can’t possibly pin point one moment as the best, but it was thrilling being announced as "Mr and Mrs Button"!
Is there anything you would do differently, or any advice you would give to other brides?
Enjoy EVERY minute of your magical day! It flies by so quickly!