Today we are sharing with you Keagan + Nicki’s wedding held at the gorgeous The Venue Fontana. We love this wedding for all it’s cute details – a Photo Booth van, donuts and cornettos for desert – but also because the couple had to contend with freak weather and handled it like champs. Not many couples would manage to stay cool and collected when told that a cyclone was headed their way and we High 5 them for that. We chat to Nicki & Keagan about their contingency plans, their emotions and what they would have done differently on their special day.
Pics by the talented Michigan Behn Photography
Hooray: So Nicki, tell us how you and Keagan met?
Nicki: Haha he challenged me to a game of beerpong! –Bron (the preggie bridesmaid) and I were playing beerpong when we were challenged to a game by Keag and a friend. Little did they know we were (self pro-claimed) beer pong champs. So of course we won, and (of course) Keag later told me that he let us win 
Hooray: When did Keagan propose? Give us ALL the details!
Nicki: He proposed earlier this year in March on the public holiday. We had decided to take a walk up Krantzkloof on the day off.
The day started with a surprise massage on the way up at Makaranga which for anyone who knows me, knows I love a massage! We then went for our hike. It was so hot and humid, so you can imagine not very glam (!) After a bit of a hike, we stopped at a spot above a waterfall where Keag brought out a picnic with all my favourite goodies from Woolies. I had one job and that was to remember the very important vino for our picnic, which I completely forgot. While we were picnicking Keag very casually brought out some champagne glasses to which I responded that we didn’t need them because I forgot the wine. He then said, “well we might need them if you say yes” and was holding a bottle of champagne and a ring!
Hooray: Sjoe, you had quite a short engagement! How was it planning a wedding in 6 months? Did you have any help?
Nicki: I really found it more than enough time and wouldn’t have done it any differently. My bridesmaids and mom were a huge help, but I also just picked suppliers that I could trust them and their judgment completely so I didn’t really panic over the minor details and left it up to them J
Hooray: What drew you to The Venue Fontana?
Nicki: I had decided that I wanted an outdoor wedding (which clearly the Weatherman had a very different plan!). I loved that at The Venue there were just so many different options as to where to have both the ceremony and canapes. But I especially loved the Forest. I loved the rustic and simplicity to it.
To be honest, I knew from the second I stepped out of my car that The Venue would be THE Venue. I had been to a few other venues, but this one just gave me the feeling!
Hooray: Did your wedding live up to your ‘Childhood dreams?’
Nicki: I was never really one of those girls that dreamt about my wedding. I change my mind so often that what I like last year, I may not this year so I never had a picture of what my wedding day would look like. But it was honestly the best day of my life – everyone always says that – but it truly was. I loved every second of it.
Hooray: Your dress is just sensational, please tell us more!
Nicki: Ah thank you, I love it too I actually wanted a fully lace dress – from head to toe. At my second meeting with the amazing Julia Ferrandi, she showed me sketches and some materials which were exactly what I had asked for – beautiful laces. She then holds this other sketch to her and says, I’ve got a wild card which I think would look amazing. And she shows me the sketch of something totally different… and then she showed me the beaded material! I fell in love with it! I said I would give it some thought as I was worried I may regret not going with my initial thoughts, but looking back now I am SO happy I went with Julia on it! I felt it was just so different to dresses I had been seeing lately all over Pinterest and I wanted something a little different.
Julia was just honestly amazing and I felt completely comfortable knowing my dress was in her hands.
Hooray: And that red lip! Girl, you gave us all kinds of goosebumps. Did you always want to wear red lips?
Nicki: Actually no – I was going to go with a nude, but then before my make up trial I thought I would try it and decided to stick with it to give a little extra pop!
Hooray: We love that your bridesmaids are mismatched. Who made their dresses?
Nicki: Chanelle Wright. I had initially wanted blush pinks and neutral colours but after not finding material anywhere, I stumbled upon the floral material and just loved it. Only problem was there wasn’t much left of it and no other shop had it anywhere! So we decided to match it with the olive green and Chanelle made it work perfectly. Having a preggie bridesmaid and 2 twins included in my mix, I wanted everyone to feel comfortable and happy so they all chose their own styles for the day.
Hooray: Tell us about your favourite part of the day?
Nicki: That is such a hard one! I loved the speeches (I actually always love speeches at weddings so for me, it was surreal that these were speeches at MY wedding)
But I also loved the dancing after – I think then everyone is fed, relaxed and just ready to have a good time. Its also when you can properly chat to everyone and just having all your favourite people around you whichever way you look, I loved that.
Hooray: Keag, tell us about your favourite part of the day?
Keagan: I had 2 favorite parts:
- When I realized that we were about to receive freak show weather and Nix smiled all the way through.
- Getting through my speech and being able to stand back and appreciate that the day was for us.
Hooray: What thoughts went through your mind when you saw Nicki for the first time. Could you have imagined what she would have been wearing? Or did she surprise you with her dress?
Keagan: I was nervous during the build up and surprised by her dress, she baited me that it was going to be quite unconventional. My first thoughts were – don’t pop a tear! One of the groomsman was sobbing but nobody knows that. When I turned around to face Porky (who was facilitating), that was my weakest point.
all together now – aaaaah!
Hooray: Lets talk about that cyclone…it pretty much broke all the records! How were your emotions? What were the contingency plans?
Nicki: Haha, yip! Mara at The Venue let me know on about the Wednesday that the weather was not looking great, so we needed to make a plan by the Thursday morning. Initially, I was a little devastated that I couldn’t have it in the forest, but Mara really pulled out all the stops in the Brewery to still give me the most beautiful ceremony – she even got a branch from the forest to use for my draping so I could still have a little bit of the forest with me
Hooray: Since you love speeches, did you say a speech? If so, would you give some encouragement to to other brides too?
Nicki: Haha no no no no. I love listening to speeches, but the thought of standing up in front of that many people sends me into a cold sweat!
Hooray: Tell us about your wedding song.
Nicki: Keag and I don’t really have “a song”, so we were both just trying to find something that we both liked that suites us. We had actually chosen a different song and then were watching TV when Justin Timberlake “I got this feeling” came on, and we both just said, lets do that one.
Hooray: Do you have a favourite wedding supplier?
Nicki: Rowena from Buds in a Ro was really amazing. She 100% hit the nail on the head with what I asked for. As I was doing most of the décor myself (months of collecting consol and jam jars!) she was also just so helpful in lending me anything that I needed to complete it all on the day.
Hooray: If you had to do one thing different, what would it be?
Maybe choose a different time of year that isn’t prone to cyclones!
Nicki and Keagan, thank you so much for sharing with us! Your wedding was truly spectacular and no doubt because of your relaxed attitudes towards the weather. I think we all dream of the perfect weather for our weddings days, but you guys just prove that no matter what the weather brings, your day is all about your attitude.
And of course, how can you be sad, when you are marrying your best friends!
If you would like to get in touch with any of Keagan and Nicki’s service providers, you can see them listed below:
Food – Andrew Draper – www.andrewdraper.co.za
Cutlery – House of Hudson – www.houseofhudson.co.za
Flowers- Buds in a Ro – @budsinaro
Bar/Crockery – Barserve – www.barserve.co.za
Hair & Makeup – Nixon (Laura Halgreen) – www.nixonmakeup.co.za
Placemats and candelabras – Homestead décor – www.homestead-decor.co.za
Photography – Michigan Behn Photography – www.michiganbehn.com
Videography – Wavecrest Pictures – @wavecrest_pictures / www.vanillaphotography.co.za
Photo Booth – Aisle Hire It / www.aislehireit.co.za