Yvonne
Our stunning Wishbone & Ivory Real Bride Yvonne got married in a beautiful beaded halter wedding dress with side cut outs. She paired it with our detachable Ally Satin Skirt to create 2 gorgeous wedding day looks. Read more about her beautiful love story here.
How did you meet your husband?
From Clicks to Cavalli to Cloete. From a random distance encounter at my brother’s place to the day I left Louis hanging on his one knee – love was literally out to get us.
I went to school with Louis’s sister, but never even knew her brother existed. One day, she saw me walking into Clicks and thought: “Yvonne is single. Louis is available. It’s a perfect match.” She came into the shop to greet me and the first thing I told her was that I had seen her brother eight months before at my brother’s place. That very same day Louis’s sister arranged our first date. And the rest, as they say, is history.
Where did you get engaged?
We got engaged on Wilderness beach while enjoying one of our early morning walks. We were surrounded by the most beautiful scenery and there was no one else around. Louis caught me completely off guard! I simply couldn’t get that all important “yes” out. I left him there, on his one knee, for what felt like ages. And then, somehow, eventually managed to give the word.
How did you choose your wedding venue?
From the moment things clicked at Clicks to right before I became a Cloete, the letter ‘C’ comes up a lot. I wish I could tell you that it was specially selected. Place, Cape Town. Wedding venue, Cavalli. But for the most part, I owe the story to serendipity and grace.
My surprise bachelorette weekend kicked off with a dinner at Cavalli’s restaurant.
It was my first visit to Cavalli and I fell in love with their architecture, their gardens, their wine, cuisine, and people. Unfortunately, the horses were already tucked in, but the rest of the beautiful surrounds more than made up for it. At the time, due to a last-minute cancellation, I did not have a wedding venue booked. That’s when I uttered the words: “I wish I could get married here.” Then COVID struck and the whole world went into lockdown…
What time of the year were your married?
In October my brother’s wife and one of my bridesmaids saw a Cavalli special for small weddings. Wasting no time, I reacted immediately and managed to secure a date for the wedding ceremony: 12 December 2020. Following eight months of lockdown, December was the perfect time of year to reunite family and friends at a joyous occasion.
How would you describe your wedding theme?
I would call it ‘modern romantic’. The décor colour palette was black, white and gold.
We had white, in-season flowers arranged in a romantic naturalistic style. Vanilla scented candles and fairy lights added to the love-filled ambiance.
How did you hear about The Wedding Collective?
I found them on Instagram.
How did you choose your wedding dress?
I knew I wanted a halter neck, contrasting textures (beads/sequence against smooth satin) and a big skirt. My wedding dress was a combination of the Aerglo tight-fitted dress with the Ally satin skirt. This way, I could change my look throughout the wedding by just removing the detachable skirt. It was a way to create a dynamic experience that would reinvigorate the mood (and photo’s) throughout the course of the day.
I chose the Aerglo dress because of its beaded bodice with a halter neck design.
The cut-outs on the sides provide an edgy feel, while giving the ‘illusion’ of a two-piece. The Ally satin skirt was made from scratch, fitted to my waist, underneath the cut-outs – and it had a long train. The dress and the skirt worked together like a unit. The guests were quite surprised when they realised the skirt was detachable.
To round everything off, I chose a modern short-pearl veil for extra glam. I love The Wedding Collective’s design styles and I chose from the Wishbone and Ivory collection. I could easily have taken eight wedding dresses. But with mine, at least I managed to get two.
How was your wedding dress experience from fittings to final product?
I was in love with my dress from the first fitting, even though it was not a final product and was clamped to my body. We made some changes and adjustments at my second fitting and at the third fitting – I did not want to take my dress off. Marie and Ora are masters of matrimony attire.
Do you have any tips for brides-to-be on choosing a wedding dress?
My beaded halter wedding dress found me. You do not really have to decide what you want prior to your fitting.
You will just know that you have found your dress when you are in it.
Actually, The Wedding Collective already found it – just make an appointment for a fitting!
Who was your wedding photographer?
The warm, fun and energetic Bronwyn Tod.
Any other vendors you would like to recommend to new brides-to-be?
Wedding Planning: Warren-Stone Weddings www.warrenstoneweddings.com
Music: Ricky H https://www.djrickyh.com
Hair and Makeup: Adri Hugo http://www.adrihugo.com
Bridesmaids dresses: Lola Wilde https://www.instagram.com/lovelolawilde/?hl=en
Flowers: Anna Bottany https://www.annabotany.com
What was the most memorable parts of your wedding day?
Best intangible part:
The absolute joy and gratitude I felt having most of my family and friends with us on our special day. Even the ones that could not be there were in my heart. My heart never felt so full.
Best tangible part:
When my mom walked me down the aisle, gave me to Louis (my groom) and then my dad married us with the most beautiful wedding sermon I have ever heard, surrounded by the beautiful view of the Helderberg Mountains, while a yellow-billed kite hovered above us.
Do you have any advice regarding the overall planning of a wedding?
Appoint a wedding planner. They usually have packages you can choose from that fits your budget. Having a wedding planner streamlines the entire process as they have suppliers they work with, which means you do not have to search for contractors and can deal with (mostly) only one person.
