Dear Libbie

I want an original really South African wedding theme. We will have quite a number of overseas guests who are kind of expecting ‘something African' but I do not want to do the leopard spots or zebra stripes or browns/blacks thing. I'd love a feminine wedding.  What can we do?

Jenna

Hi Jenna

We agree with you - African Cool is really much more than zebra stripes and footprints. We can be into pinks, greens and blues. too!

If you'd like to go pink, think proteas with their the many lovely shades of pinks which run from almost white to deep velvet. Combined with the satiny white-creams of our very African ostrich eggs you have a magnificent colour scheme and theme.

Another option? How about blue?  Take shiswe (‘sis') as your starting point. The lovely patterns of this midnight-blue African dress material match well with our miniature succulents. Perhaps make hand-made iron art like small African windmills or bicycles part of your table decor, and choose small drawstring bags with our famous rooibos tea or ground coffee as guest gifts. Enamel mugs is also very Africa - and come in lovely blue pastels that matches well with shiswe.

Or think ‘West Coast' and get inspired by the lovely pearly perlemoen (abalone) shells, white-white beaches and all the lovely sea-blues of the West Coast. While most of our West Coast veld flowers are far too delicate to use for table centerpieces the erikas are very hardy - and lovely with their pinks and mossy green foliage.

Enough ideas? How about the menu? how about an Afrcian breakfast menu?

Start with plain yoghurt flavoured  with brown sugar, nutmeg and elegantly-thin slices fresh guava. Muffins made from home-made yeast bread dough and baked in tuna tins smells really good - and tastes even better served with cottage cheese balls on basil leaves.

For the main course venison and/or guinea-fowl tartlets, pumpkin fritters (‘pampoenkoekies') with rosemary butter and slices fresh fruit like peaches, pie-apple or nectarines is just perfect.

And for dessert? How about makataan preserves, koeksisters and milktart (melktert)?

Serve after-dinner coffee in enamel or tin mugs (which the guests can keep for their next 4x4 veld trip)

And of course you'll have Hanepoot rather than sherry, and Simonsig Cap Classique (which is a real champagne, not sparkling wine) rather than imported champers. Hanepoot over cruched ice makes a cool welcoming drink. Decorate the glasses with quartered fresh grapes and vine leaves.

Have fun!

note

If you subscribe to for our newsletter you'll get a summary of how to develop a wedding theme, to tantalize your creative juices. If you subscribe for an OurWeddingPage.co.za personal wedding website you'll get the Wedding Planner that includes a complete workshop on developing a theme for your wedding, so you can really  get your inner creative juices flowing!