THE VENUE: SUIKERBOSSIE, HOUT BAY
As we sat planning the day’s shots, having calamari at Chapman’s Peak hotel we mused over how nice it was not to be rushed and to be fully prepared for the wedding ahead. In this case, though, it applied only to us!
We arrived at Tintswalo Atlantic Lodge(http://www.tintswalo.com/Atlantic/about_hotel.html) to find that the bride was running late coming back from her hair and make-up appointment in town, and when she finally bustled through the door we were caught up in a bit of a bridal frenzy! The bride was relatively calm – her main concern not leaving her husband-to-be waiting longer than necessary - it was her bridesmaids that were flitting about her! The boutique hotel had magnificent views over the bay – if we had more time it would have been ideal for a few pics of the bride, but we still managed to snap away as the bride got ready in the flurry that surrounded her. Before we knew it we were winging our way back over Chapman’s Peak, headed for Suikerbossie!
The ceremony was set up outside but the chilly wind did little to dampen the spirits of the guests, forty of which had flown in from France. The bride walked down the aisle to the beat of a live Marimba band – putting an authentic African spin on the wedding. One thing that stood out for this couple was their great ‘you may kiss the bride’ kiss – you know what they say about French men! It lasted long enough for all budding photographers in the congregation to get a decent shot! The Marimba band kept the atmosphere upbeat and the guests entertained with dances and face painting while we got underway with the group photos! These proved harder to organise than expected, for one the girls were all screeching as cold gusts of wind blew their skirts up, and for another there was a slight language barrier – which was an added obstacle, however entertaining! 
Just before dusk we left the guests to get started on the impressive champagne fountain and stole the bridal couple away in their chauffeured Volvo for a photo shoot on Llandudno beach. The bride took a tumble on the rocky steps but hubby had his arm around her within seconds. Her main concern was a) to save her champagne which, miraculously, she did; and b) whether or not we got it on camera, which sadly, we didn’t!
The couple were in their element in the fading sun and we got some great pics, including one of Paul whisking her bride up and away from the surging tide.
When we returned to the reception we were glad we had already got the shots of the champagne fountain as it was all but evaporated, the evidence of it in the liveliness of the guests. And things only got more spirited as the night progressed. The table shots the bride wanted were out of the question as most of the wedding party were on the dance floor for the majority of the evening, some even before their dinner plates had been cleared! We did, however, get some brilliant action shots of people doing the twist, girls vying for the limelight lining up for photos with their friends and once the formalities were over, we left the bridal couple to dance the night away with their very entertaining guests!
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