On the blog today we are honored to feature a wedding by one of our dear friends, Carolien and Ben from Carolien and Ben Photography. They recently captured the wedding of Esté and Meyer in the Eastern Free State. They had tremendous light to work with and the couple shoot came out stunning. Esté really had beautiful décor which complimented the venue and her photos perfectly. We wish this couple eternal happiness and thank them for sharing their special day with us. Enjoy!

I Propose | Elaborate on how the two of you met.

Meyer and I met while working on the same mining project back in 2010. The first time we were introduced we both noticed something different about each other, but it was only a few months later that we realised we had friends in common. One afternoon while franticly working on a deadline he came to my office and gave me a cupcake. Safe to say, he had my attention and soon after I found myself looking for reasons to go to his office. Eventually we went on our first date, and the rest was history!

I said Yes | How did the proposal go down.

It was my second holiday at Oyster Bay - a special holiday destination where Meyer and his family go every December for the past 23 years. On Christmas eve, between all the craziness of wrapping presents and preparing for dinner, we took a walk on the beach. Somewhere on a deserted dune he got down on one knee and told me how much he loves me, and how he wants to spend the rest of his life doing the same. It was the biggest moment of my life. Our engagement was such a true reflection of our relationship - authentic and down-to-earth. The best part was that both of our families were there to celebrate with us.

The Big Day | Tell us the most memorable moment of your wedding day.

We have three very special memories..
Our photographers - what an awesome team! The couple shoot was the most fun we had all day and the scenery of the Eastern Free State added to the magic. Another special moment was exchanging our vows in front of our friends and family. We felt the presence of God.... it was such a BIG moment! Lastly, the whole day was one big family effort. The invites, décor, flowers, make-up and cup-cakes were all done by friends and family, which made it extra special.

I Quote | Describe in one sentence your wedding day.

Laid back, authentic and sentimental - the best day of our lives!

Forever & Always | Any advice for future brides.

You invest a lot of time, effort and money into your wedding day, make sure the celebrations last as long as possible. Our venue was out of town and most of our guests made a weekend of it. We also did not have a curfew which allowed us to enjoy the company of our friends until after three in the morning. Rooms on the venue were kept for guests with kids and our hosts from the venue did an excellent job in catering for the little ones (they provided a jumping castle, candy floss and baby sitters). The time you have with your photographers are short and very valuable (the sun doesn't stay up forever, especially during winter). Kindly ask your guests beforehand not to interfere with the family shoot after the ceremony. You can also arrange for your family photos to be taken during the reception - by that time most of the formalities are done and the bridal couple much more relaxed.