Cavalli Estate is one of the Cape Winelands most cherished estates… and an incredible wedding venue! With its rolling vineyards, hectares of natural fynbos, and contemporary architecture, it’s no wonder Cavalli Estate is consistently voted one of South Africa’s top wedding venues in the Cape Town Winelands.

Cavalli Estate was Tayla and Will’s top choice to host their classic wedding. The Cape Town weather put on an incredible display for their early March wedding. As the autumn sun warmed them, they promised themselves to each other in Cavalli’s sunken garden, surrounded by majestic mountains and fynbos gardens.

Tayla and Will had a bunch of info to give to other nearlyweds who are considering getting married in Cape Town – so what better than to share it all in a blog post?

Choosing Cavalli Estate as a Wedding Venue

We chose Cavalli because the estate’s look and feel matched our personal style. The sunken garden was particularly special to us! This was the first venue of the ten we viewed, and we knew from the start that ‘this is our venue’. None of the other venues compared. The bonus was that the Cavalli staff were absolutely incredible, and our day wouldn’t have been the same without them!

Our wedding day really was the happiest and best day of our lives. And our favourite moments? Marrying our best friend in front of our closest friends and family, and EVERY moment in between! We are so happy and proud that our special day really reflected our love.

Our main priority was to slow down, be present, and appreciate every moment. We are so glad that we did! Our wedding day went by really, really fast.

Tayla and Will’s Top Tips for Nearlyweds

Plan your wedding together

It is a beautiful service to each other and a demonstration of your unwavering teamwork. Your wedding is most likely the first important “project” that you will work on together and an opportunity to learn more about each other. It is something that we’re very grateful to have done! Standing next to each other on your wedding day, taking in the results of months of planning together is truly special.

Get a wedding planner

Even if it is an on-the-day coordinator. It ensures that you enjoy your wedding day, instead of having coordination at the top of your mind. We are grateful for all that Cavalli Estate’s team and Trunk Events did for us! They really made our day what it was and we can’t thank them enough.

Do the things that you want to do

Your day is about you and your best friend. Don’t feel pressured by others. It’s your special day!

Consider cutting your cake right after the ceremony

Serve your cake with champagne at cocktail hour! This ensures that your guests get a chance to eat the cake, and it doesn’t compete with dessert later in the day. It also kicks off the celebration…Who doesn’t want cake and champagne?

Embrace a weekend of celebrations

You’re not limited to only one day. This also helps guests be present with you, instead of having to catch up or reacquaint themselves.

Wedding Photos at Cavalli Wine Estate

Our final piece of advice would be to book Niki as your wedding photographer!

Niki was absolutely fantastic! She was really easy to work with, and her communication style ensured that we always knew what was going on. Niki is extremely talented at what she does, and she is efficient in gcapturing fantastic photos within a short period of time. She matched our energy and personalities, which meant she captured authentic and happy moments beautifully. We are grateful that she captured all these photos that we will treasure for a lifetime!

A note from Niki: Awwwww! Thank you for including this, Tay and Will! It really means so much to me! I loved spending some quiet time wandering through the fynbos gardens with both of you. Looking back at your wedding photos still makes me smile! Go team 🙂

Hosting a Wedding at Cavalli Wine Estate

Choosing a Cavalli wedding means you’ll be surrounded by beauty all day long.

From the sunken garden to the beautiful fynbos areas and mountains, Cavalli has it all! The owners and team at Cavalli have always been driven to conserve the endangered ecological zones of the Cape Floral Kingdom. This makes the venue so much more than just a vineyard and Cape Town wedding venue. I (Niki) love that they actively nurture the land around them AND have built a sustainable, Green Star rated restaurant and exhibition space… the first in South Africa. If you know me, you know my passion for growing things, and I’ll always be first to support people who are trying to make a difference.

An Epic Cavalli Wedding Reception

Beyond that, though, the Cavalli wedding reception room is a beautiful blank canvas. Having a well lit, neat space means that you and your wedding team can dream up anything in terms of decor! Tayla and Will chose classic floral elements in white and blush, with garden roses and orchids taking centre stage. Jeanette from Paramithi Floral Design is incredibly talented and I really loved all of her floral creations, especially the bouquets!

And whilst the roof of fairy lights twinkled, Tayla and Will danced the night away with all of their favourite people. What a privilege it was to photograph their wedding! Two of the gentlest hearts that are completely in love and were finally taking the next step after years of long-distancing. My heart was so happy that just a few short weeks after the wedding they would both be settling into a new life, together.

The suppliers who created this beautiful wedding:

• Bride and Grooms Prep Venue: African Leisure Hotel
• Venue and Catering: Cavalli Estate, Stellenbosch
• Coordinator: Trunk Events
• Decor Supplier: N Concepts
• Cake: Sheena Henry
• Florist: Paramithi
• DJ: Music 2 The Max
• Hair and Make-Up: Evelyn Francis
• Bride’s Dress: Allora Bridal
• Bridesmaid’s Dresses: Forever New
• Parent’s Gifts: Kary M Designs

If you adored Tayla and Will’s Cavalli Estate wedding and are looking for more Cape Town wedding venues, here are some links you’ll love: