Victoria
Our darling Real Bride Victoria got married recently in her gorgeous modern plain wedding dress Caroline designed and made by our own wedding dress brand, Wishbone & Ivory. She ordered additional satin covered buttons to go the length of the train of her wedding dress and asked us if we could add 2 of her mother’s pearl buttons from her wedding dress, of course we said yes! Look out for the pearl buttons in the photos! Here is Victoria and Tyler’s story:
How did you meet your husband and how did you get engaged?
My best friend introduced us when we 16, we started hanging out, I decided I’d hang out with him until I got bored. Turns out I never got bored. There’s something really special about getting to watch each other grow from only children to adults. I mean we studied for our Life Orientation exams together, we did our drivers licenses together, we helped each other through our degrees #tuksofniks. We decided when we started studying that we’d save up to go to Thailand when we graduated, and 4 years later, Ty proposed to me in Thailand. We actually got engaged in the beginning of our month long trip and we decided to keep it a secret until we got home. It was such an amazing trip, being engaged for a whole month with absolutely no one knowing (okay my dad knew, but he was sworn to secrecy) – just taking the moment in together. We got home on Christmas eve and Ty had planned to have both our families together, we told everyone then. PS – my best friend who introduced us is still my best friend and was one of my stunning bridesmaids.
Where did you get married and why did you choose that venue and time of year for your wedding?
We got married at Rosemary Hill, I actually did a lot of research online of different venues and decided to pick only 2 that we would go visit and pick between 1 of the 2. Planning a wedding is already so overwhelming, don’t torture yourself with too many options! We ultimately went with RH because they’re basically the all-in-one package, everything you need or want, they’ve got covered or can get covered for you. Caryn, the RH wedding coordinator, is spectacular! Anything we needed, any advice, she was always there making sure the preparations were going well and then made sure our wedding day was perfect. We got married on the 24th of September, we were engaged for just under 2 years, so we had plenty of time to plan everything. We chose September because the weather isn’t too hot yet, but it’s not cold, it’s also generally not raining yet. The 24th because now our anniversary is not only on a public holiday, but the best public holiday – Braai Day!
What was the vibe of your wedding?
HAPPY. We didn’t think too hard about what we wanted, if we saw something and it made us happy, that’s what we picked and then we never looked back.
How did you hear about The Wedding Collective?
What made you choose your modern plain wedding dress?
Again, like the venue, I did a ton of research online on which bridal studio I wanted to go to and I decided that I would only go to one and I’ll find the perfect dress there. And that’s exactly what happened. I did not want an imported dress and I only wanted dresses that were designed and made locally. The Wedding Collective fit that brief perfectly, and that’s not even to mention their absolutely stunning dresses! I did not pick a single dress out, I had no expectation for what my dress should look like, I asked Mari to pick for me, and I think it was the 3rd dress she picked, and I just felt so insanely happy in it, I knew it must be ‘the one’! Trust the pros – they know what they’re doing.
How was your wedding dress experience from fittings to the final product?
Perfect! Mari and her team were so attentive, and they truly just want you to be happy in and love your dress!
Do you have any advice or tips for new brides-to-be looking for their perfect wedding dress?
I touched on it in the question above, but have an open mind and trust the pros. Pinterest is not real, so don’t compare yourself to it. You are perfect and beautiful just the way you are – and Mari knows exactly how to make you feel that way.
Who was your wedding photographer?
Mighty Fine – they are AMAZING. You cannot go wrong with them!
Any other vendors you would like to recommend to new brides-to-be?
YES! All of mine! Tamaryn Pretorius did the bridal parties’ hair (she’s amazing at hair and makeup), Dominique Leonard did all our makeup – both absolutely amazing at what they do and are incredibly lovely human beings! Coreen from Love Be Loved for your flowers and décor, Chanelle Wright for bridesmaid dresses, Ryan Hogarth was an amazing officiant (if you’re not particularly religious) and Honeybee Baker for the most divine wedding cake.
What was your most memorable part of your wedding day?
We did a first look before our ceremony, to begin with I was completely against the idea but the more I thought about it, the better it sounded, so we eventually ended up doing it. I could not recommend it more! Honestly it was the best thing we did and definitely the most memorable part of our day. It was so lovely to see him before the ceremony, it calmed so many nerves, we said our own special vows to each and then we just hung out for 30 minutes. There isn’t really another time during your day that you’ll be alone together, so to be still for 30 minutes with your almost husband, taking in what you’re about to do, what you’re about to commit to each other – it was truly a beautiful moment.
Do you have any advice regarding the overall planning of a wedding?
FOLLOW The Wedding Collective on Instagram – the advice I got from all of Mari’s stories was honestly the best! Literally the reason I had a first look! Let the pros do their job, you’ve probably never planned a wedding, they do it for a living – so do your research and find a good vendor and then leave it up to them. We told Coreen what colours we liked and then told her to do whatever she wants for décor, and I could NOT have been happier with what she did. Nothing myself or Pinterest could have dreamed up, would have stood a chance to what she created with our budget. I could probably go on forever, but lastly and most importantly, don’t sweat the small stuff. You’re getting married! At the end of the day, as long as you got to marry the man of your dreams, the day had to have been perfect <3
