Jamie and Sarah said their vows on a perfect spring day in the beautiful Karoo. They wanted an honest and natural celebration to go with the peaceful, raw surroundings of Prince Albert.

Sarah says their wedding was one big DIY project. They did everything themselves except for the flowers. Sarah looked absolutely beautiful in her flowy ivory dress. We can’t get enough of her ballerina pumps, so romantic! We’re also adoring those dusty pink bridesmaids dresses.

The guys from Love Made Visible was there to capture all the loveliness.

Tell us your love story?

We met almost 6 years ago when I was doing a promotion at a new beach bar. He asked for my number that night and we pretty much started dating straight away. I remember having butterflies in my tummy when he first SMSd me – a feeling I have never lost.
We fell madly in love very quickly, and from early on in our relationship we spoke about our future together – we both just knew we belonged together and it was a given that we would get married.
On our 4 year Anniversary we went to my parents’ holiday house just out of town for the weekend. After a relaxed romantic dinner out, he dropped down on his knees just outside the front door to the house. I hadn’t seen it coming that night and it came as a complete surprise. Of course I said yes without a moment’s hesitation!

What were the highlights of your wedding day?

Jamie: Saying our vows to each other and our first moment alone as man and wife after signing the register.
Another highlight was our first dance. It was a quite a complex swing dance routine and we were very nervous for it. But once we were up there our mind’s went blank and when the music came on, the dance came naturally to us.

Sarah: Wow, I enjoyed having our photos done before the reception as I got to spend alone time with my man. Also the speeches!

Any advice for brides-to-be?

Do something that reflects who are individually, and as a couple. You can do things differently, don’t feel like you have to do what is traditional.
It really is YOUR day so you must be completely happy with every single part of it.

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

We trawled through wedding blogs (Such as The Pretty Blog!) and Pinterest finding ideas, and then making them our own.

Any time saving or organising tips?

We didn’t have a wedding co ordinator and did everything ourselves. We loved the feeling of being this hands-on in the planning, and we could do exactly what WE wanted. What made it work was having a good sense of what we wanted, and writing to-do list after to-do list so you can tackle one thing at a time. Also always give yourself enough time, you don’t want to be in a panic a few weeks before.

Any hints for other brides on how to keep your wedding budget friendly?

Our wedding was completely DIY so we could spend more on the areas we wanted. Do your homework and know what something should cost when reviewing a quote. Ask friends and family who are married, what they paid to know if yours is in the right ballpark. And always get more than one quote!

What song did you choose for your opening dance and why?

Ray Charles – Ain’t That Love. We wanted to do a swing dance for our first dance so listened to several songs and chose the one that made us both smile. It is also a really great love song.

Did your wedding preparations include any DIY projects?

Yes yes yes! All the decor was DIY except the flowers (which I was talked out of doing myself!). We bought, made and hired everything ourselves.
We went up to the venue several days before the wedding with an amazing group of family and friends to set everything up.
It is such a satisfying feeling to be that hands-on for your day.