The last lovely wedding I photographed at Willowvale exactly 5 years ago to the day from Mel and Dayn’s wedding date – it absolutely bucketed down with rain!! Fast forward 5 years and it was the most beautiful and warm sunshiny day in the midlands <3 Mel and Dayn were as easy-going as could be – they weren’t into formalities and kept things as relaxed as possible. The ceremony was held down by the pretty river and lasted all of 8 minutes, short and sweet! There was a popcorn machine, jenga, croquet and a Hello kitty cake. The day felt like a family get together with no drama and instead only happiness for Dayn and Mel.
Now Willowvale seems to attract the brave and adventurous couples (my first wedding there, the couple went out in torrential rain for their creative session) and Mel and Dayn were no different! They were only too happy to hike through a forest and then scale over a barb wire fence to get to a gorgeous field for their location session – you guys totally rock! Thank you for picking me to document your day, I loved every minute of it!
Tell us about your dress.
“I was very determined to have a red dress with a black sash of sorts, I looked everywhere for this magical red phantom dress. I was staring to give up on the dress hunt then I found this awesome blush vintage feel dress in durban and loved it. My friend Kirsten Jane then altered it and made me an awesome black sash.”
A word from Mel:
How you met? “We met out at a club in durban, back when we were wild party animals (not really) but according to dayn we had met twice before that and he just stalked me haha”
Proposal story? “We had spoken about it and my only request was that I wanted it to be a surprise…. I came home from work one day to scattered flower petals and candles. Dayn had got me a jewelry box I I had my eye on and hid the ring inside it.”
Why you picked the venue you did?
“We wanted something with a laid back chilled vibe. When we went to view willovale we just loved the gardens and trees.”
Most memorable parts of your day?
Mel: Honestly it all went by so fast but there was a moment when we where doing our shoot in the field when we both looked at each other and felt so calm like the world was on pause.
Dayn: Watching Mel walk down the Isle toward me, she was a vision in a moment I will never forget.
Incredible as always Alexis! Beautiful photos and such a lovely wedding so glad we could share it with you lal and dayn.
Mel and dayn ;)
Lex, your talent!!!!!! Stunning, beautiful, amazing!!! :-D
Stunning pictures! Its just as I remember it on the wedding day. The moments come alive going through the pictures, feeling the joy that we experienced on that day ;)
Wow wow wow! These are the best wedding photos I have ever seen! It does help to have an amazingly good looking loved-up couple to photograph… but the artistry in these photographs is brilliant. Mel and Dayn… words cannot describe how magnificent you both look.
Stunning pictures xx we were heart broken not to be able to be there and this pictures are such a beautiful memento of what was clearly a magical day.