You all know how much I love colour and pattern in wedding design, but there's no denying the magical power of a classic. A little black dress, Chanel No. 5, Paris in the springtime, Casablanca... and of course, an elegant white wedding. Cristina and Richard's big day was a modern classic all the way, from the bride's cathedral length veil and white peony bouquet, to their romantic reception filled with mirrors, candlelight and more white peonies. (Oh, peonies, I love you so!) Louise Vorster 's pictures from beginning to end are just so gorgeous, they take my breath away - I especially love her portraits of Cristina as she was getting ready, capturing such a beautiful moment in time. Oh, and speaking of beautiful moments, I think Richard's proposal might be one of my all time favourites. Picnic on a mountaintop, 360 degree views, just the two of them... sigh.

Richard and I met at work and from the moment I laid eyes on him there was an instant attraction. At first it was nothing more than glancing looks from the canteen and at our company drinks social Richard worked up the courage to introduce himself. This then ignited light-hearted email debates on important topics such as coffee vs tea, places we would like to travel to and our love for computer games. The Proposal
Budget & DIY Elements
Advice for Future Brides & Grooms
Don't sweat the little things. You need to keep yourself grounded by reminding yourself that the purpose of this big day is to marry the love of your life. Keep reminding yourself of this, especially during the stressful times and it tends to put things into perspective.SERVICE PROVIDERS
Venue & catering: Toadbury Hall | Photography: Louise Vorster | Co-ordinator: Felicity from Toadbury Hall | Cake: Christine Smith (Sister in law) | Flowers & décor: Café Fleur | Stationery: Chrystalace | Bride's dress: Vonve Bridal | Bride's accessories: Forever New | Hair & makeup: Celeste at Hair Dynamics & MAC (Clearwater Mall) | Bridesmaids' dresses: YDE | Groom's attire: Dress and Tux Hire (Fourways) | Hiring: Lollipops and Jars
Be sure to set and stick to your budget. Weddings are expensive but it's only one day so you don't want to start your marriage off in debt. Be realistic and at the end of the day your friends and family are there to celebrate your love. You don't have to break the bank to showcase that.
Also brides, be sure to get your groom involved in everything. It is his big day too and you want your wedding to reflect your personalities and love as a couple. I think you would be surprised at what advice they can offer and just how fulfilling it is to see your ideas as a couple come into fruition. Our biggest DIY project for the wedding was creating our own wedding website. I have a passion for creating websites so this project was right up my alley. I think the guests enjoyed it too as they were able to RSVP online and find out important information about our big day. I tried to keep the DIY projects to a minimum especially with the décor. Planning such a big event is stressful enough and I had such amazing cost effective suppliers that provided a competitive edge as they have been in the industry so long. I hired out a lot of items that I would have no use for after the wedding and I think that saved a lot of costs. I think the biggest budget advice I can give to any bride and groom is to network within your wedding party, family and friends. My best friend and bridesmaid (who is a lawyer) draw up our wedding contract, my sister-in-law made our wedding cake and a family friend supplied our canapés! You would be surprised to find that you know someone who can add their special touch to your big day. Richard planned a surprise trip and after work he took me to my house with instructions to start packing a bag for a weekend away. Soon we were in the air on the way to the KZN North Coast. Saturday morning bright and early Richard blindfolded me and we drove down the coast to Virginia airport. The blindfold was removed and standing in front of us was a helicopter! (I suspected something was up at this point). We took off and flew south down the coast towards Durban and then up the Umgeni River Valley. We touched down on a flat top mountain overlooking Inanda Dam and the Valley of a Thousand Hills, where a blanket and picnic was set out for us. There, alone on top of a mountain with deafening silence and an endless view all around us, Richard went down on one knee and asked me to marry him. At first we didn't realise that these carefree conversions were building a bond rooted in our adventurous spirits and mutual appreciation for the finer things in life. Richard asked me out on New Year's Eve 2010 and we have been planning adventures around the world ever since then.

You can see more from this wedding on Louise Vorster's blog.