I’m going to put it out there: there is something uniquely intense about a Drakensberg wedding. The Drakensberg and Swartberg Mountain Ranges are some of the highest in South Africa. At that height, in the crisp air with the wind circling around the peaks and canyons, it is as if you could reach up and touch the sky. Everything is elevated: the experience, the emotions, the gratitude, the grounding.
Drakensberg weddings are my all time favourites. The Berg is truly right at the top of my list of top wedding destinations for the adventurers, the nature lovers and the brave souls who choose to embrace the rawness of this gorgeous landscape.
Destinations weddings like these obviously have their own challenges. For Emma and Fourie, though, a mountaintop micro-wedding was the perfect answer.. read on to see why!
ABOUT THE PHOTOGRAPHER:
Hi, I’m Niki M – a destination wedding photographer based in Durban, South Africa. My work is filled with emotion, unposed moments and true-to-life colour. Unique outdoor weddings and elopements are my jam. For that reason I usually find myself photographing weddings and elopements in the Drakensberg, the Midlands, the Garden Route and Cape Town. However, no wedding is too far and I travel absolutely anywhere!
Getting Hitched? Check out my work and reach out to learn more.
Drakensberg Wedding Magic
A few words from the bride, Emma…
After having to cancel two weddings due to Covid restrictions we decided to reimagine how our day could be. We decided to elope somewhere MAGICAL with just parents and siblings present, and Lake St Bernard ticked all of the boxes.
We absolutely loved the intimacy, the adventure and the uniqueness of our wedding! My advice to couples planning their weddings is to not be afraid to do it your own way. Nothing else really matters but the two of you.
If there was one person who was non-negotiable for our wedding it was you Niki! I was so at peace with letting everything and everyone go, except you. Thank you for being so gracious during the uncertainty of all the Covid protocols, for calming the nerves and then totally understanding and celebrating our new perspective. It is crazy to think that one phone call with you led us on this beautiful wedding adventure and connected us with the most special people!
The one thing we had to plan around was the actual location.. being in the middle of nowhere. We were guided to experts in their respective fields and they made it happen for us (supplier list at the end of the article).
The Path to Emma and Fourie’s Drakensberg Wedding
Words from the Pop-Up Weddings SA Team:
Emma and Fourie were one of the many couples who had to change the direction of their wedding day because of the 2021 Covid pandemic. The journey from traditional big wedding to this intimate Drakensberg mountain wedding, had its fair share of ‘bruises’, disappointment and lost deposits.
I truly believe Emma and Fourie are an example of how when in wedding planning, but more importantly in your married life together, things don’t go how you planned…you have a choice. A choice to change perspectives. To find a new way of doing things… a way that holds tight to the essence of your beliefs, ideals and love. To be hurt but then rise up braver together.
As we stood on the mountain top at their Drakensberg wedding, watching a storm roll through the valley, a praise and worship song played, lightning struck, and two people who never thought they would be excited about their wedding day again…experienced pure magic.”
Drakensberg Wedding Suppliers
The suppliers who created this beautiful wedding:
- Southern Drakensberg Wedding Venue: St Bernards Lake
- Flowers + Coordination: Pop Up Weddings SA
- Hair + Make-Up: Blush Make-Up
- Dress: Meliza Meyer
- Videographer: Dirk Moggee
- Cake: Emma’s Mom
- 4×4 Vehicle: Major Adventures
- Catering: SJ from Lake St Bernard
If you adored Emma and Fourie’s unique wedding and are looking for more Drakensberg wedding venues and advice, here are some links you’ll love:
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