If you want to know how to pull off colour and cool, then stay tuned for today’s real wedding. School sweethearts Gera and Patrick planned their wedding on a shoestring budget, but that did not stop them from having a beautiful wedding. They just had to be creative, something that comes naturally to Patrick, a photographer and Gera, an art teacher.

The two had to move their couple session indoors a day before the wedding, as the weather wasn’t playing along, indoors into a factory that is. But the factory turned out to be an incredible backdrop. We can’t get enough of their gorgeous couple shots.

Perfect images by Peter van der Lingen

Tell us your love story?

We met for the first time at school. Patrick was a third-grader and running the introduction week while I was a first grader. We got to know each-other over the years and our relationship became more and more intense. After school we even worked for two years at the same school! I was an art teacher and Patrick as an teacher in Photography. After 10 years Patrick popped the question at the hair salon! He asked me while he was washing my hair and I did not know it was him!

What were the highlights of your wedding day?

We had a great photoshoot in an old factory. Patrick found this location one day before the wedding! We needed an inside location because of the rain.

Where did you get most of your ideas and inspiration from?

My dress was designed and made by a close friend Els van Doornen and her daughter Hannah Steendam. They got inspired by the fashion designer Azzedine Alia. Patrick and the master of ceremony Erik Karst are both Photographers and thought a great deal about the location for the wedding shoot and the place where the ceremony was held.

What was the biggest obstacle you had to overcome while organising your dream wedding?|

Our budget was small so we had to be creative. Which was no problem because we are both fond of design and had quite a few family members that helped out.