Who doesn’t enjoy a good love story? We know we do, which is why we’re excited to introduce our brand-new feature, Real Weddings! We have gone in search of newlyweds around the city to give us the deets of their happily ever after, from the moment they met and how he/she proposed to the day they said “I do”. This week, we spoke to Clayton and Ranlynne about their beautiful outdoor wedding. 
In The Beginning…
How did you meet?
We met in the middle of the dance floor at a music festival – but he was taken. Ten years later he was single, so he asked me out. We went to Jolly Cools for our first date and the rest is history.
What was the easiest and most difficult part of the wedding planning process?
We really didn’t have a difficult wedding planning process, we were both in tune with each other and everything ran smoothly. We decided from the beginning to have a relatively small and intimate wedding so that there were no stresses or difficult times. If we had to try and find something, I would say that trying to find our first dance song would have been the challenging – because music was such a big part of our relationship, we couldn’t quite choose one song to seal the deal.
Do you have any tips to make the most out of your planning (e.g. hiring a wedding coordinator, getting help from family and friends, DIY projects, budget saving tips, what to splurge on, what to not bother with, etc)?
We had a DIY wedding where everything was handmade by us. This took time, so we made sure that all the major elements were signed and sealed well in advance. We booked our venues, marriage officer, caterers (kosher and non-kosher), photographer first. We chose not to use a wedding venue and have an ‘out of the box’ packaged wedding. Instead, we wanted our own personal touch and that’s why we chose a DIY wedding. But it was by no means cheaper because all those little things add up.
About Your Special Day…
When and where was your wedding?
Our wedding was on the 29th of January 2017. We had two separate venues – one for the ceremony and one for the reception. The ceremony was in a family garden set on the mountain in Mountain View near Houghton with a beautiful view overlooking Johannesburg. The reception was at a beautiful 18th-century home in Upper Houghton, just five minutes from the ceremony. 
Did you have a specific theme/ambiance?
Small, intimate and rustic.
Tell us about any special details, ceremonies or moments.
Our ceremony was incredible. The ceremony script was created and written solely by my husband and me for our non-denominational officiant who delivered it exceptionally well. It was such a magical experience.
Looking back, is there anything you would’ve changed or done differently?
Yes, we would have changed the DJ and not trusted a friend who said they were good but weren’t. The music is really important! We were let down and not all our songs were played. 
How did your groom react when he saw you for the first time in your wedding dress/attire? Did he cry?
He cried, he tried very hard not to, but did.
Do you have any tips, words of wisdom, tricks or hacks to share with brides-to-be?
Make sure your make-up artist is by your side fixing your make-up until you are literally walking down the aisle, because there will be lots of tears and running mascara when your mother is by your side in the change room. Also, don’t forget to eat the food!
- Venue: Family garden set on the mountain in Mountain View and 18th-century home in Upper Houghton
- Gown/dress/attire: Brigitta, a private dressmaker from Sunninghill
- His suit: Zara
- Decor: Handmade, with various items from China City and Chamdor (we even made our own table cloths and napkins). We also used tins and items from tree fellers.
- Catering: Cuisine Bon Vivant for normal catering and Shelley Geffen for kosher catering
- Cake: Bianca Fleishman from Basil and Butter – www.basilandbutter.co.za
- Flowers: Multiflora
- Stationery: Paper Cafe and Clayton did all the design work
- Rings: Gary Mott (father of the groom)
- Photographer/videographer: Pieter Vosloo Photography
- Make-up/hair: Zia Tasha Knox for make-up and Kendra Hughes from Sculpt Hair
- Transport/accommodation: Uber Black (another good tip) and Rivonia bed and breakfast (we booked three nights here after the wedding – a great idea to just decompress
- Planner/Coordinator: Yours truly
- Wedding favours/gifts: We made our own – rosemary-infused olive oil for her and spice rub for him
Want to see your beautiful wedding and love story featured on Pretoria.co.za? Simply pop a mail to weddings@velocitymedia.co.za telling us about your magical day.