Making vows on the road less travelled

TALI FEINBERG

In the spirit of the month of love, we sought couples who have taken their vows in off-the-beaten-track places, and without breaking the bank.

From a beach to a house, a campsite to a train station, they show that a wedding is possible wherever you want it to be, and that it’s not the flowers, décor, or food that are most important, but the marriage itself.

CARLA AND JARED STEIN: BAREFOOT ON THE BEACH

“One of the main reasons we wanted a small wedding was that we had both lost someone we loved. Jared had lost his mom, and I had lost my sister. The thought of a huge wedding was overwhelming,” says Carla. She and Jared have a daughter, and live in Cape Town.

“I always wanted to get married barefoot. I wanted to be with nature and feel relaxed, so we chose Bakoven beach. I had grown up there, so it had great memories for me – and the beach is free!”

After getting the go-ahead from the neighbourhood, the wedding was a simple chuppah on the beach, then tea and champagne at a friend’s house nearby. “We were lucky we had good weather. We told everyone to dress for the beach.”

The cake was made by a friend of Carla’s late sister, and the “sandy toes, salty kisses” sign was made by her dad. Her wedding dress was a kaftan that she had bought in Spain on holiday. A hairstylist by profession, Carla did her own hair and make-up.

ALEXANDRA AND THOMAS: HOME IS WHERE THE HEART IS

Photo: Tabitha Mee (Illuminate Photography)

“I had always dreamed of a small wedding at my parents’ house, and we realised this dream,” says Alexandra, who lives in Cape Town with her husband, Thomas. They are expecting their first child.

“Instead of seated tables, we had white tables and couches spread all around the house and garden. Our aisle was created by the guests, so I could walk out of my mom’s bedroom to the chuppah. We didn’t have the space to do Israeli dancing, so we decided to do that in the street, and it was the absolute highlight. The whole neighbourhood came out to watch and were dancing along!

Waiters walked around serving finger food, which saved on costs and space. The family owns a local bakery, so it was here that they went all out, making seven wedding cakes ranging in size.

“We didn’t have flowers, and just used greenery from the garden, but we did spend more on what was important to us, like the photographer and videographer,” says Alexandra.

She and her sisters have a tradition of making each other’s chuppahs which they then keep as a family heirloom – the perfect touch to a wedding that has home at its heart.

KELLI AND BENJY: GOING BACK TO WHERE IT ALL BEGAN

“Our romance began in December 2002 on the hallowed turf of the Habonim campsite in Onrust. So for us, getting married at the campsite was a ‘no-brainer’. It is the soil where our roots are buried, and from where we have grown. The paths and trails of this beautiful place are imprinted on us,” says Kelli, who is married to Benjy. They have two children.

“There were so many things that made our campsite wedding extraordinary. Our ceremony was handcrafted and officiated by the best man. Every member of the ‘team’ – the photographer, DJ, and person who sang while we walked down the aisle – were part of our Habonim journey in some way. We said our own vows, and seven special people wrote their own brachot (blessings), which were our sheva brachot (seven blessings).”

They selected, bought, and created every tiny detail of decor themselves, including making the invitations by hand. The caterer came up from Cape Town, and the main meal was a braai and salads, because they wanted a relaxed vibe and it was cost effective.

“We worked on a tight budget, so we made sure our love was what shone rather than fancy decor. We went to the campsite two days before, and set everything up ourselves. Most guests slept over in cabins, and some chose to sleep under the stars.

“How many people get to stand under the chuppah in their most precious, sacred place, with all of their loved ones surrounding them?” asks Kelli. “It was our most meaningful peulah (activity) at the campsite to date!”

LEIGH AND WAYNE: MAKING TRACKS LESS TRAVELLED

Photo: Mario Sales

“We had our wedding at the Grand Concourse at Park Station in Johannesburg. There has never been a wedding in the venue before or since,” says Leigh, who lives in Johannesburg with her husband Wayne and their two children.

“For us, the venue was meaningful. Wayne and I did a lot of exploring of Joburg during our courtship. One of things we did was attend the Night of 1 000 Drawings at the Grand Concourse [an inner city art exhibition]. I thought to myself on that night – and this was way before any discussion about marriage – that this was where I want to get married.”

Both have an interest in Joburg’s inner-city heritage and culture. “Our wedding at this venue was part of exploring and sharing a hidden inner-city gem,” says Leigh.

Unlike the other weddings featured in this story, this wedding was “oversized” in every way. “The horahs (Israeli dancing) were insane. The speeches were epic. The food was lavish. I played the saxophone in my wedding dress,” remembers Leigh. “The venue was the catalyst for this gargantuan vibe. Because the space is so big, it pushed everybody, including the guests, to do more and go bigger.

“What was really important to us is that many of our guests, who were a combination of Jewish Joburgers and out-of-towners, were forced to take ownership of the city,” says Leigh.

“We all witnessed this neglected, gigantic inner-city space transform into something really beautiful, and could all then value it as a place with so much history and grace. I feel really proud that we managed to push people out of their comfort zones.”

Indeed, the venue was the cheapest part of their wedding. “But the costs rose because we had to bring in absolutely everything, including two generators. We had nearly 500 people at our wedding, and everything had to be big because of this monster-sized space.”