Melissa and Woody

Melissa and Woody met through tag rugby, a popular social summer sport in Ireland. As Melissa says, "I was looking for a team to join and I was put in touch with his work team, who were looking for female players. The rest is history!" Woody proposed in October 2007 while the couple were out walking.

"It was a sunny bright day and we had walked to a beautiful spot of his home village in Multyfarnham, Mullingar. On the lovely wet grassland he went down on one knee and asked me to be his wife!"

The couple celebrated their wedding at Webersburg Wine Estate, on a day filled with sunshine and blue skies. An outdoor reception was held on the venue's patio, shaded by a freeform tent and boasting lovely views of the surrounding countryside. Crisp white table linen was complemented by minimalistic flower decor that created a burst of colour - imagine exotic orchids and bold green leaves in clear vases. The food and drinks also added a dash of colour; pretty pink candy provided a sweet and quirky treat for guests, while colourful cocktails, chilled Rooibos tea and Guinness beer added to the colour palette. The dessert consisted of a trio of temptations, including candy floss, a major wedding trend for the upcoming season.

However, the absolute statement was the stack of cheeses that formed the wedding cake - guests couldn't believe their eyes!

When asked about their wedding day, Melissa and Woody are filled with emotion. "We are almost lost for words here - and that says something for an Irish couple! We had learned of Aleit's wizardry from an English couple who we met on a previous trip to Cape Town. Further glowing references from other Irish couples told us not to bypass the best planner in the Southern hemisphere."

The couple have many fond recollections of the day. For Melissa it was everything from arriving at Webersburg and seeing the venue being prepared to meeting the fantastic makeup artist Candice ("she was unbelievable at turning us all into models!"). But Melissa will always remember walking into the reception, escorted by Aleit , and walking past the logo on the dance floor ("a surprise from Aleit, I now know why he was speaking Afrikaans in the pre-wedding meetings!") with the most amazing song by U2 being played.

Indeed, the ambience was fantastic - not only did a full swing band play during reception, a disco after party ensured that the celebrations went on late into the night.

"Every last detail was special and unique - we could not of replicated this in any way without Aleit and Jaco. We presented the vision of our special day to the Aleit team and they delivered so professionally on every aspect.
Our pre-wedding experience meant that we had total confidence on the day.

The little things really do count. Getting the little things perfect counts even more. Combining them to meet our vision hit everything we dreamt of. We were totally blown away by the vibrancy and the brilliant seamlessness of our special day. Over one hundred of our friends and family travelled to enjoy the party and so many Irish eyes will be smiling for decades to come.

Watch this space for an anniversary party! Aleit's teams and the service providers he chooses purposely for each couple should be bottled and sent around the world to make every wedding more than you can ever wish for. They really do know everything and more about creating the most magical day."

The couple enjoyed a wonderful, relaxed honeymoon with family and friends.

"It involved eating out, having BBQs, taking in the spectacular views of Cape Town and watching 20/20 cricket and rugby! It was really like having a party every day!"

Their advice to other Brides and Grooms? "It's simple. Make sure Aleit and his team organise your wedding."

• Babysitters: Holiday Nannies
• Bar: Urban Tonic
• Beauty treatments and aromatherapy massage: Michelle Maree Food and wedding cake: Dish Food & Social
• Flooring: Event flooring
• Flowers: Flower Floral Design
• Freeform tent: Touareg Tents
• Hair and makeup: Candice-Leigh Arnott
• Hiring: Exclusive Hire & Top Table
• Honeymoon: Dream Destinations
• Lighting: Something Different Concepts and Shows
• Minister: Kevin Needham
• Music: Aleit Music and Entertainment
• Photography: Joe
• Stationery: Wedding Works
• Suit hire: Smart Men Suit Hire
• Transport: Wijnland Tours
• Venue: Webersburg Wine Estate
• Videography : Palace Productions
• Waitrons: Urban Tonic

Related Information

•  Cape Town Weddings
•  Cape Town Real Weddings
•  Cape Town Wedding Specials
•  Cape Town Wedding Competitions
•  Cape Town Wedding Planners