South Africa has plenty of picture-perfect options to make your big moment memorable with your family and friends.
The bonus is you don’t have to splurge on international travel and accommodation costs either.
Internationally, South Africa is known for culinary mastery, top class designers and bespoke luxury accommodation.
To add to this, the country has some of the best vineyards, awesome beaches, romantic wildlife reserves, and friendly service, making it the perfect place for a destination wedding, even for locals.
With different backdrops to choose from for your special day, it’s no wonder the country is becoming a top destination aside from just hosting weddings.
If you’re looking for the perfect place to exchange your vows, here are some of the best bespoke wedding destinations to consider.
1. Cathedral Peak Hotel – Drakensberg/ Ukhahlamba Mountain, KwaZulu-Natal
Cathedral Peak Hotel is perfect for the couple looking to start their forever in the backdrop of scenic mountains. The couple and guests will be treated to breathtaking panoramic views of the Drakensberg Mountains, which is also a World Heritage Site.
The venue has a beautiful stone-and-thatch chapel with panoramic windows behind the pulpit offering awe-inspiring views of the mountain range where the couple can exchange their nuptials.
When it comes to service, the Cathedral Hotel has over 80 years of experience in providing personalised service and warm hospitality to make your wedding day or wedding weekend a memory that will last forever.
The hotel also offers a variety of rehearsal dinner options, reception venues, superb buffet-style menus, and a helicopter service for unforgettable photographs.
It also promises that its on-site, experienced, and professional banqueting team will ensure your wedding and reception runs smoothly and flawlessly.
When it comes to accommodation, the hotel has a variety of options, from standard rooms to the luxurious Mponjwane Presidential Suite.
2. Oakfield Farm Muldersdrift, Gauteng
Oakfield Farm is a country venue of distinction in Muldersdrift, near both Johannesburg and Pretoria.
This destination is perfect because of its convenience and will be a delight for a couple looking for an earthy, rustic and elegant aesthetic that comes with farm-styled weddings.
Oakfield Farm is set on 72 acres gardens and field, manicured lawns, floral borders, neatly cropped hedge rows and statuesque trees and offers three bespoke wedding venues: Homestead, Summer House and Dairy.
The Homestead, once called the “Lapa”, is a venue tucked away in an indigenous forest, and its Forest Chapel overlooks a pond that is fed with a natural spring bubbling up from the groundwater.
The Summerhouse, paired with Conservatory Chapel, is Oakfield Farms most popular venue and is surrounded by roses, which are in full bloom during spring & summer, making way for Arum Lilies in late July/early August, when the roses are pruned.
The Dairy venue, built in 1940 by Italian prisoners of war, was an actual dairy with the feeding troughs still embedded in the floor and overlooks the feeding fields of the Nguni cows that, on occasion, pops in to see the festivities.
This elegant farm also has a guest house for accommodation and promises a unique, easy-going vibe complemented by magnificent grounds, exceptional cuisine and excellent service provided by its friendly staff.
3. Tintswalo Atlantic Lodge, Western Cape
A short scenic drive from the City of Cape Town, Tintswalo Atlantic’s unique and magnificent location offers an idyllic retreat for weddings and special locations.
The 5-star graded boutique hotel is perfect for the couple wanting a beach wedding with the added bonus of mountain views.
This hidden gem in Cape Town offers an exclusive, romantic, and private experience on a pebbled beach at the base of Chapman’s Peak in Table Mountain National Park as it is set between the looming Chapman’s Peak mountainside and the Atlantic Ocean, offering a dramatic backdrop for unforgettable experiences.
The lodge has a wooden deck where the nuptials can take place on the waterside with waves crashing at your feet, and the couple and guests do not have to worry about being buried in sand, giving a Tintswalo Atlantic Lodge wedding an elegant touch.
This waterside venue on the Atlantic Ocean is also a world-class hotel with eight luxury suites and one impressive two-bedroom lavish suite with exquisite ocean views, and also offers a range of wedding packages to meet your expectations and make your wedding unforgettable.
4. Thornybush Safari Logde: Greater Kruger Mpumalanga
Thornybush is the perfect destination for the couple looking to start their ‘happily ever after’ with the spirit of adventure and in the backdrop of the African bush.
Safari weddings are one of the most popular types of wedding available on offer in South Africa, and these weddings take intimacy to another level for both guests and the couple.
Thornybush as a safari wedding destination, is set in the Kruger National Park, the most prime location in the country for safari adventures where Big 5 sightings are possible.
With daily airline connections from major South African cities and just over a five-hour drive from Johannesburg, Thornybush is an easy wedding destination for local and international guests to reach.
The luxury safari lodge offers the opportunity for viewing vast diversity of wildlife and promises to provide guests with an immersive and unforgettable bush experience, whether it’s a romantic getaway or a wedding.
The Thornybush family is passionate about Africa and celebrating safari, and Thornybush’s luxury safari lodges can accommodate up to 60 guests.
Depending on the size of your wedding party, each one of their safari lodges can be used exclusively, setting the scene for an intimate and unforgettable reception.
List sourced from travelbuddieslifestyle.com
