Cathy and Jonathan

About the Bride

30 years old, live in London, Interior Designer.

About the Groom

34 years old, live in London, Channel Sales Manager.

How did you meet?

Met through mutual friends.

How long were you together before the wedding proposal?

3 years

About the Proposal

He invited me over to dinner and when I got there he had covered the whole flat in candles and was waiting for me at the end of the hall on bended knee.

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

We were relaxed about setting the wedding date. It was a group decision between us and our families, as Jon's family had to travel from England for the wedding.

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?

My mother and sister did most of the planning for me and enlisted the help of Michelle of Silver Linings to help them with the details. It took about 9 months to plan the wedding and it was quite a relaxed affair.

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?

I had two hen parties! One in London and one in Pretoria hosted by my sister and friends. Both were spent lounging in lovely bars, having gorgeous meals and finished off with spa treatments.

They were both lovely surprises.

Wedding Details

The day started with all the overseas guests gathering at the family home before we made our way to the church. There was such a good atmosphere from the start. In fact, we were having such a good time; we were a little late for the church! After an emotional church service, we all headed for the Sheraton Hotel where we enjoyed cocktails and champagne on the terrace and savoured the African sunset. This was followed by a sumptuous meal served in the glamorous ballroom, decorated with the help of Michelle. Not long after the guests were partying up a storm on the dance floor - Greek Style! We crawled to our rooms in the wee hours and enjoyed a final glass of champagne as we reflected on out memorable day.

Tips and / or advice for future bridal couples?

Make sure your dress is comfortable and fits well so that you're not constantly adjusting it.
ENJOY the day. Don't worry about the small insignificant details - the most important thing is the celebration of your union.  It all goes by so quickly - try to stop and take it all in during the festivities.

What was the most memorable part of your wedding day?

Sipping champagne with my new hubby after all the guests had left and talking about how wonderful the whole day had been.

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

Short trip to Cape Town before heading back to London.

Related Information

•  Gauteng Weddings
•  Gauteng Real Weddings
•  Gauteng Wedding Specials
•  Gauteng Wedding Competitions
•  Gauteng Wedding Planners