Mari

We are so excited to share with you the wedding journey of our very own Real Bride Mari, the owner of The Wedding Collective and designer of our exclusive Wishbone & Ivory wedding dress brand.

How did you meet your husband and how did you get engaged?

We met through a mutual friend and it was basically love at first sight for us. We just instantly clicked. We went on a holiday in the winelands and whilst visiting the beautiful wine farms he popped the question. It was the most beautiful moment! He popped the question at the beautiful La Bri wine estate.

Where did you get married and why did you choose that venue and time of year for your wedding?

We chose Monate Game Lodge as it is such a stunning venue and we have only heard great things of them. They only had a few dates open for 2021 so we decided on the mid Winter one, which was actually amazing as there was basically zero chance for rain and the bushveld is really not cold in the winter.

What was the vibe of your wedding?

Formal Bushveld. Our wedding colours were black, white and gold which was such a dramatic look in the middle of the bush. It looked absolutely amazing.

How did you hear about The Wedding Collective?

I am the owner of The Wedding Collective and designer of Wishbone & Ivory and have always dreamed of designing and making my own wedding dress. It was not easy to chose only one style (if I had my way, and time, I would of worn 5 dresses!) so I went with 2 wedding dresses, one for the ceremony and one for the reception.

What made you choose your wedding dress?

I can be quite a dramatic dresser so I needed the drama in my dresses. For my ceremony dress I chose a fully beaded ivory fabric with feather detail on the bottom. Fitted dresses suit my body better than an A-line and because it was winter I wanted long sleeves. But not any long sleeves, they had to puff because it is just all the rage at the moment and added that final bit of drama. I also wanted my dress to be closed up to the neck at the front, I love the look! For my reception dress I wanted something very comfortable so I could dance in it, eat a lot and just not feel restricted. I went with our super comfortable Deena dress but with long mesh sleeves. The dropped frill of the skirt just gives it such a fun look whilst still being super stylish and classy. That dress was one of the most comfortable items I have ever worn in my life.

How was your wedding dress experience from fittings to the final product?

We only heard a week before our wedding that weddings would be allowed again with all the lockdowns and it was actual chaos during that week. We started my ceremony dress long before but the reception dress had to be made in record time. I tried it on once and only got it on the morning of the wedding as my superstar seamstress finished it that Friday afternoon when we were already at the venue.

Do you have any advice or tips for new The Wedding Collective Brides looking for their perfect wedding dress?

Do your research when going for wedding dress fittings. It’s really difficult to help someone find their dream dress if they expect something much cheaper or much more expensive than what a boutique offers. Also, what is the vibe of the boutique, is it more casual, formal, traditional, modern? Make sure that it fits in with the kind of dress you are looking for. Follow the boutiques you want to visit on Instagram, there you will get a very good feel for what they are all about. We do wedding Q&A’s once a week on our Instagram Stories, this way our futureThe Wedding Collective brides get to know us and we them before they even come for a fitting.

Who was your wedding photographer?

Megan & I, the absolute best photographers in the world!

Any other vendors you would like to recommend to new brides-to-be?

Canvas Makeup Artistry is absolutely amazing, she did a fabulous job with my makeup and hair. I recommend her to all my brides.

What was your most memorable part of your wedding day?

I just cannot single out any specific moment, the day exceeded my wildest dreams, it was absolutely amazing and everything worked out perfectly.

Do you have any advice regarding the overall planning of a wedding?

Almost nothing is such a big deal as you think it is whilst planning your wedding day. Relax and enjoy it the planning, it is such a big part of the whole process. And don’t be a Bridezilla, there’s no need.