Wedding Friends are excited to be able to feature the wedding of Alicia and Matt on Wedding Friends today. This stunning wedding was captured by Howling Moon Photography and what a spectacular job they have done. Alicia and Matt presented a different kind of wedding to their guests, a wedding with a story behind it. The couple wanted to get married at The University of Pretoria because of the sentimental value it has to their relationship. TUKS was the meeting grounds for their relationship and we must admit, it is one of the most beautiful Universities in the country. With a wide variety of backgrounds this wedding came out stunning. Enjoy this post with us!

{I Propose} - Elaborate on how the two of you met or on how the proposal went down.

Matt and I met in our first year at the University of Pretoria. We both started studying Actuarial Science together and we met through a mutual friend (my bridesmaid). We became really good friends. Matt changed his degree during 2nd year because of his rowing career and he needed more time for this, after which we did not see each other that much anymore but remained friends. We met up for movies one night about 3 years later (which I arranged), which was the day Matt asked me completely unexpectedly to be his girlfriend. I had grown to like him, and we were both very excited for this new chapter in our lives. We dated for 3 years before getting engaged one special evening when Matt transformed our house into a love haven complete with fairy lights, draping, music and an amazing 3-course meal which he cooked himself. He had put up all the cards we had given each other for special occasions while seeing each other on a plaque on the wall which was really special. Our two Scottie dogs also joined in on the fun. We have been so happy together since day one as best friends and husband and wife.

{Bride & Prejudice} - Express some memorable experiences you had during the planning.

During the planning process we made a lot of the things for the wedding ourselves. From invitations, decor items, boutonnieres to the candy table, guest book, stationary and much more. I like making things and this was an awesome way to involve everyone that wanted to help. It was quite fun too and we loved the look of everything when it all came together on the wedding day. Our parents were amazing in helping us plan this special day. Writing our speeches was very emotional. Both Matt and I did it the morning of the wedding and afterwards when talking about it found out that we both got quite emotional and took quite some time to find the right words while writing them. Matt's speech reinforced my choice to marry him, and saying my own speech was different to the norm but also very memorable. The best man's (Matt's brother) speech had everyone laughing and the MC's (Matt's brother and uncle) had everyone's undivided attention. My bridesmaids (sisters and friend) were very helpful on the day, thinking of things I didn't even think of and helping getting everything arranged at the venue. So were the groomsmen, helping to set up the chapel and making the evening fun. Matt's aunt sang "The Rose" during our ceremony which brought most of us to tears. I had the flower girl give Matt a little note when she arrived at the front of the aisle, I did not see it then but the photographer captured the moment and it is really special seeing it afterwards. It was awesome that we could incorporate all our family members in our wedding day; everyone had something special to do.

{My Fair Wedding} - Describe an event that you feel was unique or even funny.

We wanted our wedding to be in Pretoria/Johannesburg (where we live) so it would be close enough for all our family and friends as it was important to us to share this special day with the people we love. Our ceremony was held in the Chapel on Tuks' campus which is where we met and where we shared many memories. It was the most amazing moment when I walked down the aisle and saw Matt, it was so special to see how amazingly happy and handsome he looked, complete with tears in his eyes. We had our post-ceremony photographs taken on the University grounds; it was so beautiful with the stunning gardens and the different buildings displaying architecture through the ages and changing times. We wanted a more urban feel to our photos and that is exactly what we got with the awesome help of Henriette, our photographer. This was very special to us as it was where the rest of our lives together, started. We were very worried about the rain however it all worked out great. It was actually quite hot and resulted in our cake melting a bit before we cut it (we did the cake cutting soon after the ceremony in the Tuks gardens.) Our theme on the day was just for everyone there to have a great time, which was important to us. And we had a great party indeed. We had amazing food, lots of wine, and most importantly all our friends and family making the day memorable and one that was over too soon. There were some sad moments as we missed my late father, but I kept him close by having photo's on my bouquet.

{Don't Tell The Bride} - Reveal something that happened behind the scenes

The day before the wedding I had to buy a new pair of shoes as my initial pair didn't work out the way I planned. Luckily I found a great new pair. On the day there were also a few things that did not turn out as planned, but this just makes the memories and wedding day so much more special. When walking down the aisle, my granddad and I walked in the wrong way around and the priest then walked to us and swapped us around half way down the aisle. At the time this felt quite stressful but now we are able to laugh about it as not everything will ever be perfect. During our reception we were having such a great time with our friends and family that when the bouquet and garter time came, we mixed up bouquet and garter by trying to throw it at the opposite crowds. Luckily we realized this before actually throwing the garter to all the ladies. All the guests had a good laugh. Our theme on the day was just for everyone there to have a great time, which was important to us. And we had a great party indeed. We had amazing food, lots of wine, and most importantly all our friends and family making the day memorable and one that was over too soon. There were some sad moments as we missed my late father, but I kept him close by having photo's on my bouquet.

{No More Wedding Woes} - Share your wedding advice for future brides.

I loved looking through this blog and photographer's websites for ideas and inspirations before the wedding, but remember to not always compare your wedding to others - they are all unique in their own way and not one is perfect. We only had a few dance lessons prior, and hey, our dance was perfect. We enjoyed it so much and could improvise at the time. Not having a dance routine helped us to not forget any steps which so often happens to other couples. Some things will not go as planned on the day, try to not stress too much about it and to not let it get you down. Make enough time and extra for everything as the program will probably run late. The day is too short to not enjoy every moment. When it's over it doesn't matter that the fairy lights were tangled or the program didn't go as planned, it will still be a special day. If there is one thing to spend a bit extra on, do this for your photo's/video - it is all that's left after the wedding and captures all the memories, it is definitely worth it. Take a pair of flat shoes along too. The week before the wedding is very busy, try leaving as much time available as possible.

{Service Providers

Photographer: Howlingmoon Photography | Venue: Lombardy Boutique Hotel | Chapel: University of Pretoria | Printing: Wetink