VINTAGE elegance was the theme of Bianca Vijoen’s July 2013 wedding with a neutral palette, rustic touches and self-grown succulents adding to its character.
Uitenhage couple Bianca van der Westhuizen and Tiaan Vijoen married at picturesque La Colline outside Port Elizabeth and their wedding photographs by Erna Loock feature on international wedding blog www.blovedweddings.com.
Riebeek College teacher Bianca, and Tiaan, a teacher at Otto du Plessis High School, embraced the vintage trend: “I wanted our wedding to be soft, timeless, romantic, classic and elegant with a definite modern twist here and there,” Bianca said. “The venue was classically elegant, romantic and modern at the same time ... with neutral shades of creams and browns, different textures and a fire place perfect for a winter wedding.” After the engagement, they planted succulents such as aloes and rock roses which grew and multiplied quickly. “We mainly used cream and coffee coloured roses to soften the look of all the succulents that we used for the centrepieces, decor and bouquets. Succulents grow so easily and with little effort, so we saved money by growing them in our parents’ back garden 10 months before the wedding. “We used broken sea shells on top of the soil of the wedding favours . . . it made them look so rustic.” The couple used family wedding photos in old frames and each guest received a “fill in the missing word” card as a name card. “Our families play such an important part in our lives. I used an old suitcase from the family to make the table plan, and Tiaan and I made a wedding sign to display outside the venue.” The wine-loving pair also recycled wine bottles to use as lanterns, and doilies to make rose-petal confetti cones and bunting. In 2012, Tiaan took Bianca to Vaalfontein, the family farm near Kirkwood where he grew up, to ask her to marry him. “We packed a picnic and climbed the mountain Tiaan had told me about. We found a spot with an amazing view and poured some wine. “He asked me if I knew what his best memory of the farm will be one day? He said: ‘My best memory will be that this is where I asked you to be my wife.’ “He reached into his pocket, opened a small box that revealed my beautiful ring and asked me to ‘spend forever’ with him. It gives me goosebumps every time I talk about it. “We had so many fun late nights drinking wine and working on DIY projects together for our wedding, and chatting about other wedding goodies or just catching up on how our week has been going.
“They might not say it in so many words, but men also have a ‘rough’ idea in their mind of what they want on their wedding day!”
-Octayvia Nance