Vrede en Lust Wedding in the Cape Winelands

Wedding Preparations at Vrede en Lust

The wedding day started with the bridal and groom preparations taking place at Vrede en Lust.

We photographed the quieter moments of the morning as everyone got ready, from hair and make-up and the wedding dress to the final details before the ceremony.

The preparation part of a wedding is always a lovely part of the story. There is excitement, a little nervous energy and plenty of anticipation as the ceremony gets closer.

Having both preparations on the estate also made the day much more relaxed and allowed us to move easily between the two sides of the wedding.

The Cape Dutch architecture, established gardens and old trees also meant that the photography already had a strong sense of the Winelands setting from the beginning of the day.

Outdoor Wedding Ceremony at Vrede en Lust

The ceremony was held on the lawn behind the historic Manor House, one of the most beautiful locations on the estate.

Kylie and Peet exchanged their vows with vineyards and mountains forming the backdrop behind them.

The combination of green lawns, white Cape Dutch buildings, vineyard views and surrounding mountains is quintessentially Cape Winelands and makes this such a striking location for an outdoor wedding ceremony.

It is one of those settings where very little additional decoration is needed. The landscape itself creates most of the atmosphere.

After the ceremony, guests were able to remain outdoors and enjoy the gardens and views while the celebrations continued.

Craft Beer, Bubbly and Canapés in the Gardens

Following the ceremony, guests were treated to craft beer on tap, bubbly and sumptuous canapés.

The gardens created a relaxed setting for everyone to mingle, enjoy something to eat and drink and take in the surroundings.

Meanwhile, we headed off with the couple for their wedding photoshoot.

One of the major advantages of a Vrede en Lust wedding is that there is no need to travel elsewhere for photographs. Beautiful locations are available throughout the estate, which means more time can be spent enjoying the wedding and less time driving between locations.

Vrede en Lust Wedding Photoshoot

For the couple photoshoot, we made full use of the grounds at Vrede en Lust.

One of our favourite features of the estate is the giant old oak trees.

These trees are especially useful during the hot Cape Winelands summer months. Their enormous canopies provide beautiful shade and create soft, flattering light for wedding portraits.

They also add wonderful character and scale to the photographs.

From the oak trees, we could move through the gardens and open areas of the farm, making use of the vineyards, historic buildings and mountain scenery.

This variety is one of the reasons we enjoy photographing weddings at Vrede en Lust so much.

Within a relatively short distance, it is possible to create photographs beneath mature trees, beside the vineyards, around the historic Cape Dutch buildings and with the surrounding mountains forming the backdrop.

It gives couples a varied collection of wedding photographs without taking them away from their guests for too long.

Wedding Reception at Vrede en Lust

After the photoshoot, everyone moved on to the reception.

The celebration was held in Vrede en Lust’s permanent glass-enclosed reception structure, which offers an almost 270-degree view across the grounds, vineyards and surrounding mountains.

This is one of the standout features of the venue.

Even though the reception moves indoors, the surrounding Cape Winelands landscape still feels like part of the celebration.

The reception was beautifully decorated by Authentic Planning, creating a warm and welcoming atmosphere for the evening.

The styling worked beautifully with the venue while still allowing the views and natural surroundings to remain a major part of the setting.

With delicious food, award-winning Vrede en Lust wines and a room filled with family and friends, the atmosphere quickly became festive.

As daylight disappeared over the vineyards, the evening continued with speeches, laughter, dancing and plenty of celebration.

A Vrede en Lust Wedding to Remember

This wedding showed exactly why Vrede en Lust is such a beautiful Cape Winelands wedding venue.

The day moved naturally from the preparations on the estate to the outdoor ceremony behind the Manor House, followed by drinks and canapés in the gardens, a couple photoshoot around the grounds and finally the reception overlooking the vineyards.

Everything took place on the same estate, yet each part of the wedding had its own distinctive atmosphere.

For us as wedding photographers, this is one of the biggest attractions of Vrede en Lust. There is no need to leave the venue to find beautiful photography locations.

The historic architecture, vineyards, landscaped gardens, old oak trees and mountain views provide an incredible variety of backgrounds throughout the day.

Most importantly, the couple could spend more of their wedding day celebrating with family and friends instead of losing valuable time travelling between locations.

It was a beautiful and relaxed Vrede en Lust wedding in the Cape Winelands, and a wonderful example of just how much this estate has to offer.