Klarien and Diether

About the Bride

24 year old travel agent that lives in Hartbeespoortdam. Why I wanted to get married: it's because I have met my soul mate and I wanted to start our journey together….

About the Groom

26 year old researcher that lives in Hartbeespoortdam.  Why I wanted to get married:  As a young boy, I always wondered about who am I going to marry…  when I met Klarien and started to know her, I knew she will be my bride and wife, we completed each other from the beginning, and certain things you just know.

How did you meet?

One of our friends introduced us. And Klarien invited Diether to a family braai and things started to happen.

How long were you together before the wedding proposal?

3 Months

About the Proposal

It was at Diether's house, he took me outside and I saw a blanket and fire under the trees and stars…. We sat down and he poured us some juice and had snacks for us to eat… After a while he went behind a wall and said he had dessert, he came back with two boxes made out of chocolate, one with a ribbon and the other one plain.  I opened mine and between chocolate smarties I saw the most beautiful ring and he took it in his hand and asked me to be his wife…. And I said yes….

How far in advance did you choose to have your wedding after the proposal? And, why?

18 months, because Klarien went to work in Disney, Orlando Florida for a year as a Cultural Representative, where we didn't see each other for that period of time.

How did you go about the wedding planning process? Did you do it yourself? How long was the planning process? How did you find it?

The wedding planning was fun and exiting, but we started to soon with everything, because 2 weeks before the wedding we had nothing to do…. But that is also a good thing because we relaxed.  Diether helped me with everything.  We planned for almost a whole year.

Did you have a hen party / kitchen tea / stag night / bachelor / bachelorette party? If so, what did you do and what did you enjoy most about it?

Both of us had a party, I had a kitchen tea with family and friends, I had a wooden spoon and that was my microphone to sing, they asked me questions about Diehter and for every question I got wrong I had to sing a song….. that was embarrassing, but all in all I enjoyed to dance with a broom that had a picture of Diehter.

Diehter had a bachelor party, they dressed him up in lady's underwear over his pants with balloons inside his top, he had to ask for money at the shopping centres and all the stops and had to do everything his mates told him to do.

Wedding Details

It was a sunny day, we started early in the morning, the girls in the honeymoon suite and the boys on the farm.  We started to get ready and photo's was taken of everyone.  Then we heard a safari truck outside the bridal suite, he came to pick us up.  When we arrived at the garden chapel, I saw al the guests waiting, and all my flower girls standing in a line.  I stood next to my dad, very emotional but very exited, the wedding march started to play and we walked slowly and there he stood, the man of my dreams in his tux waiting for his bride… beginning of ceremony…. After the ceremony we took some photo's in the veld and we arrived at our reception entering with the song: because it's love (our song).  Everything was just amazing, the food, the speeches, the emotions that went along with the speeches, the opening of the dance floor with the song: "kom laat ons dans" (Kurt Darren).  Everything was just perfect, we ended our wedding day with a walk to our honeymoon suite.

Tips and / or advice for future bridal couples?

Let both be apart of the planning process.  Love each other while enjoying it. If family members and friends want to help, let them, even if it is something little, they also want to be apart of your wedding. And get a small book that you can write all your ideas in and do your planning in.

What was the most memorable part of your wedding day?

Walking down the isle seeing the man of my dreams and him looking back at me as if I am the only person there… That moment I will never forget.

Did you go on honeymoon? If so, where? And, why there?

Yes we did, we went to the Drakensberg for a week and then to St. Lucia for the last week.  Both of us always wanted to see these places and we decided that we want it to be the start of many travelling adventures.

Related Information

•  Gauteng Weddings
•  Gauteng Real Weddings
•  Gauteng Wedding Specials
•  Gauteng Wedding Competitions
•  Gauteng Videographers