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Samantha & Francois - A fabulous wedding

11/13/2014

Samantha and Francois wedding day had finally arrived after months of planning, and there was a lot of excitement in the air mixed with a few nerves. Their fabulous wedding which was both elegant and romantic was at Destiny Lodge, a beautiful wedding venue in Cullinan.

When we arrived at the venue, there was a flurry of last minute preparation being done by Sam's mom and grandmothers, who were the ladies responsible for the fabulous decor and flowers. The decor was a mix of silvers and whites with a hint of purple, which gave the reception a very chic and elegant look. The ever thoughtful Sam and Francois had made sure that the children had special packs that were packed full of cookies and sweets, while the adults had the most delicious chocolates as their thank you's.

The couple had gotten each other special wedding gifts for the day, and we were the lucky ones who got to deliver them. So we got some beautiful photographs of the Francois opening the boudoir album Sam had done for him, and of Sam unwrapping the stunning Thomas Sabo bracelet Francois had bought for her.

The ladies started to prepare for the main event by getting their makeup and hair done, while the men celebrated with a glass of champagne and cigars with Lee-Anne (my second photographer for ther day) and had a few photos taken. And then it was time, Sam looked magnificent in her gown, and was proudly walked down the aisle by her dad and gorgeous son Calvin. A short but beautiful ceremony later, Sam and Francois were finally husband and wife.

We had the perfect soft romantic light for their couple shoot, and these two look amazing on camera and their love really shines through. The reception started with a few speeches before Destiny Lodge served a delicous dinner. The highlight of the day for most, was when Calvin stood up and gave a speech welcoming Francois into his family and referred to him as Dad. He had the whole wedding party reaching for tissues when he said that he is glad Francois is part of his Mom's life, as when his Mom is happy, the hidings hurt less.

This was a beautiful and very memorable wedding, and I would like to thank Lee-Anne for working with me and helping to record the memories for this fabulous couple. Sam and Francois would also like to thank all of the awesome suppliers (listed below) that helped them plan and pull off this elegant wedding.

Lastly, I would like to thank Sam and Fafa for choosing me to be part of your wedding day. From the chats, to the frantic stressed out messages, I wouldn't change a single thing. Working with you was an absolute pleasure, and I wish you both a very happy future together. I hope that you are blessed soon with the twin baby girls you are trying for.

Love
Chantal
XXX

Sam & Francois Wedding - Destiny Lodge

Samantha and Francois would like to thank the following suppliers for being so awesome and for making their day so special:
Venue: Destiny Lodge Cullinan
Bridal Hair & Makeup: Mari Bridal
Cupcakes: Subcultcha
Wedding Stationary: Tanya

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Planning your Wedding Day - Wedding Cake Tips!

9/11/2014

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Reality TV shows, such as Cake Boss or our local Charlys Cake Angels, have changed the way we see, think and feel about wedding cakes. Especially the way they look and taste. These shows have led to an explosion of different and unique options, sizes, shapes, flavours, colours and decorating techniques – nothing is impossible or too much. As there is just so much choice out there, I have decided to try and give you a few tips to consider when choosing your bakery and wedding cake.

The first step, before even meeting with your decorator is to think about what colours you want your wedding to be. For some brides this is easy as they have been planning this day since they were 5, while for others it is a little harder. The best thing to do is to start gathering ideas and inspiration of the things you love. This can be done online (Pinterest is a fantastic tool) or by looking through magazines. If you have a Pinterest board, this will make it a lot easier for your decorator to get a feel of what you like and want for your wedding day.

Booking your cake decorator:

Fabric swatches - Image courtesy of Megperotti.com

To avoid disappointment, it is best to book your wedding cake decorate/bakery early. Like most things wedding, all the good decorators get booked months in advance and are therefore quickly fully booked. And specialist bakers will limit the number of cakes they make a week.

When you make an appointment to meet with your prospective cake decorators, be sure to bring along your Pinterest board, magazine pictures or any photos that can be used as a guideline. Also bring along a copy of your invite, table centre pieces and/or flowers. Think about the theme and colours you want on your cake: traditional white with splashes of colour or maybe something more fun and unusual.

A great thing to bring along is fabric swatches, as they can give the decorator a good idea of the colours, theme and general look and feel of your reception. Keep in mind that, your cake should match the theme of your wedding and can or should be the centre piece of your reception.

The size of your Wedding Cake:

Chart courtesy of www.cremecakery.com

The size of your cake is traditionally determined by the number of people that will be attending your wedding and when you are planning on serving it. You do not want to be left with three quarters of your cake after your wedding. Therefore, it is important to discuss this with your decorator.

In terms of when to cut your cake, it’s a new trend to cut it straight after the ceremony, as this gives your guests something to nibble on while you are having your photos. Another trend is to use your cake as part of your dessert table.

Hence, be sure to discuss the number of people and when you are planning to serve your cake with your decorator, so they can advise on the size of cake required for your wedding.

Type of Wedding Cake:

Tiered cake, cupcakes, mini cakes, cake pops or push pops? A tiered cake always has a wow factor and really forms a centre piece at your reception. However, cupcakes, mini cakes or cake pops are just as pretty and much easier to serve. Something to keep in mind is that people can easily take home their cupcake, meaning you are not left with additional cakes. However, with a slice of cake, unless you provide boxes, they are not easy to take home.

Cake design by Sugarbean Cakes

Cupcakes by Lil Delights

Cake pops - Courtesy of aweddingcakeblog.com

Push pops - Courtesy of ebonypeoples.com

Wedding Cake Flavours:

Cake Flavours - Image courtesy of cakesncupcakesng.com

Wedding cakes are no longer just plain fruit cakes; they now can come in whatever flavour you desire, whether it is vanilla sponge or red velvet. The options and choices are limitless. Therefore, it is best to decide between yourself and your fiancé what flavours you like and which you don’t like. This will make your choice a little easier. However, if you can’t choose, select a few flavours and ask your decorator if you can do a cake tasting. Often a cake tasting is an additional cost but it is worth it, as you want a delicious moist cake that you and your guests will enjoy on the day.

Overall look of your Wedding Cake:

Buttercream icing is delicious, but doesn’t give a beautiful smooth finish to a cake like fondant does. Also, fondant allows your cake decorator to be creative with your decorations and make beautiful trimmings for and on your cake, such as sugar flowers, piping and painting. Another trendy icing option is chocolate ganache, which is very rich and gives an almost smooth finish to your cake. If you like the look of fondant but not the taste, speak to your decorator about the possibility of icing your cake with buttercream or chocolate ganache and then covering it with fondant. This will mean that it looks great and tastes great too. Just remember elaborate decorations, sugar flowers, trimmings, etc will add to the cost of your cake.

An easy way to make your cake look fun and unique is to include cake toppers. A relatively inexpensive option is to purchase cute porcelain or plastic bride and groom toppers. Alternatively, you can order monogram letters. Otherwise, speak to your decorator about making sugar flowers or gum paste figurines to top your cake. These are edible but can also be kept for years.

Cake Design - Annicas Cakes

Cake Design - Casalinga Ristorante

Cake Design by Family member

Image courtsey of weddingtopic.com

Paying for a Wedding Cake:

Cake prices are usually based on the size of the cake, i.e. number of servings and the intricate, time consuming little details that need to be added to the cake. Be prepared to pay a deposit to secure your booking, as you are unlikely to find a decorator that will even start your cake without a deposit. The balance is usually payable 2 – 3 weeks before your wedding date.

It is important to find out if your cake decorator will deliver and set up your cake on the day. As well as, what the additional cost would be or if it is included in the cake cost. Finally, keep in mind that you will need a cake stand for the day of the wedding. A lot of cake decorators hire them out. You would need to find out if that is possible and what the cost would be. There are many hidden or forgotten costs when choosing a wedding cake, so be sure to ask all these questions and more upfront.

Shelley & Garith's Wedding - Cake Design by Charly's Bakery

Last thing to remember is "let them eat cake" and enjoy your wedding day!

A big THANK YOU needs to go to L’il Delights (www.lil-delights.com) for helping me gather and put all this info together, and for the increase in dress size as I am often used as the taste tester of all sorts of deliciousness!

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Morongoa & Basil's E-shoot

5/14/2014

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Morongoa and Basil are a beautiful couple with a stunning little family. The minute I met them in the little coffee shop in Brooklyn Mall to discuss their wedding day plans, it was an instant connection. I love the way they look at each other, the way they interact and of course how good they look together.

Their love story is pretty awesome, Basil saw Morongoa in a Mall and instantly knew that he wanted to know her better. I think for him it was love at first sight! A couple years later and a little girl who arrived to complete their family, they decided it was time to get married. As they both love nature and water, we decided the best place to do the shoot was at the Pretoria Botanical Gardens.

The afternoon arrived, it was perfect weather and the whole family including Morongoa's 2 daughters joined Chris and myself for this fun and fabulous shoot. Here is a peak at a few of our images from their E-shoot, I would like to thank Chris who was my second and ran around with the children for most of the afternoon.

To Mo and Basil ... words can't describe how much I love you guys!
XXX

Morongoa & Basil - E-shoot - PTA Botanical Gardens

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Rene & Tinus's Wedding at Casa Toscana Pretoria

11/17/2013

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Rene and Tinus are such a wonderful couple, incredibly loving and very camera shy! They planned their wedding in just a few short weeks after falling in love with the beautiful reception room at Casa Toscana Lodge in Pretoria.

From the exquiste gown designed by Ahmed, to the stunning decor this wedding was perfect ... well actually almost perfect! Thank goodness while photographing Tinus's details, I discovered his new shoes were both right shoes, and we had just enough time to buy him a new pair.

When Marcia and I were capturing this perfect couple getting ready, the only concern they had was for each other, and I know that this is a match made in heaven. What a beautiful wedding, the bride and groom look so happy together, and I would really like to thank the suppliers (listed below) for helping them pull off such a lovely day, and to Marcia, my friend and mentor for being my assistant for the day!

To Rene and Tinus, it was a pleasure meeting you and working with you. With such a spark and love between you two I know that you will have the best life together filled with great journeys and loads of happiness.

Love
Chantal and Marcia
XXX

Rene & Tinus Wedding - Casa Toscana

Venue:                     Casa Toscana Lodge Pretoria
Wedding Gown:    Ahmed
Make-up:                 Maralize van Wyk
Hair:                           Juan - 084 426 6420

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Samantha & Francois - A fabulous wedding

Planning your Wedding Day - Wedding Cake Tips!

Morongoa & Basil's E-shoot

Rene & Tinus's Wedding at Casa Toscana Pretoria

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