Today we are very excited to share the work of Joe from Joe Photography. Joe is not a new face to the industry and it can be seen in his work, crafted till perfection and simply spectacular. Joe captured the day of Corné and Monique at Langkloof Roses just outside of Wellington. Monique had her stationery done by Susan Brandt Designs and wore a dress she designed herself. This wedding might have been in the Western Cape but sure wasn't your everyday vineyard wedding. Have a look at this stunning feature and enjoy pure talent with us!

I Propose | Elaborate on how the two of you met or on how the proposal went down.

Corné's simple, yet absolutely perfect proposal atop Table Mountain in November 2012 was an escalation of a process set into motion by an unplanned (early!) morning encounter on a hill in Bloemfontein, October 2010...everything coming full circle, on elevated planes on both occasions! The sun was settling gently into the quiet ocean; one could feel barely a breath of wind...pure serenity...bliss....and most importantly: the all important Question came as a complete surprise. Everything I had ever dreamed about!

Back then the odds were certainly stacked against us and we often reminisce about how close we came to not finding into each other again that morning on the hill, after having met each other only briefly in Cape Town, through a mutual friend, about 18 months before. My studies in the City of Roses and Corné's in Stellenbosch separated us by 1000km's, but by Grace we were able to make a somewhat unconventional, long-distance start to our relationship work in the long run. Graduation and then internship afforded the opportunity for relocation and...ahem...as they say, the rest is history. We look back on all this with much fondness and gratitude.

Bride & Prejudice | Express some memorable experiences you had during the planning.

Corné was one very-involved-groom-to-be from the start and it was such a joy to be able to share every step of the planning with him. We had so much fun bouncing ideas off each other, that in the end we could hardly remember who came up with what exactly, we just knew that our collective effort bore much more fruit than our individual attempts... which was a delightful realization! Furthermore, the event itself was very much a family affair and I will always cherish the late nights with our loved ones, pushing into the wee hours of the morning to get everything done. Eventually seeing everything come together, even better than you dreamed it would be, and knowing that we as a family did it all together, was extremely satisfying.

My Fair Wedding | Describe an event that you feel was unique or even funny.

So many special memories come to mind, but some do stand out. My 93 year old grandmother being able to attend our wedding - what an honour!! Having such dear and talented friends leading the praise and worship during the ceremony was a dream come true. Mr. Pietersen and the Guys playing up a absolute storm of local-flavoured tunes at the reception. Having all three Koegelenberg brothers on the same dance floor for the first time EVER! Seeing our friends dancing spontaneously beneath a romantically lit oak tree late into the night.... I could go on and on and on....

Don't Tell The Bride | Reveal something that happened behind the scenes.

I was peacefully unaware that said band (who, by the way, consist of a group of totally awesome, but somewhat elderly gentlemen from Cape Town who do not favour maps and GPS's above their own navigational ability) had apparently lost their way to the venue and Corné was already at the church when he received the "distress call"... My now father-in-law luckily stepped in and saved the day (who knows how?!), otherwise we very nearly had one less special memory to recall!

No More Wedding Woes | Share your wedding advice for future brides.

First and foremost: you wedding day will be one of the most important days of your entire life and you both should enjoy it to the full, but bear in mind that your future marriage is infinitely more important than your wedding day. Make sure that you spend time preparing yourselves spiritually and emotionally for the lifelong commitment that you are about to make. Undertaking this journey is not to be taken lightly and it is so easy to get sidetracked by all the bells and whistles of wedding planning, that the actual point can very easily be missed.

Be comfortable with the suppliers that you do select: you need to feel free to speak openly to them about your expectations as you need on the same page when agreements are met.

This is going to be random, but seriously consider videography to supplement the traditional photography to document your wedding: this is really money well spent. (We were quite hesitant at first, but we could not be happier that we opted for a videographer in the end!

Getting to know your photographer/videographer/hairdresser/make-up artist beforehand if possible is a fantastic way to break the ice and will make for more relaxed wedding day!
Lastly... Corné and I reckoned that if a reception ticks the following boxes, you will probably be good to go: good food, good music, a generally "pretty" setting and a relaxed, warm atmosphere ... most guests won't notice/remember all the painstaking detail, but you can have fun putting the detail in place and enjoying the "almost secret" knowledge of its presence... What we mean is: don't sweat the small stuff, no one else does - just enjoy the celebration of your love!