jacaranda time

the jacaranda season might just be my favourite time of year in Jo'burg.  the purple lined streets are a perfect send off.

maybe this isn't the first time i've blogged about them.

wedding blogs

now that i'm an old married woman i've removed some wedding blogs from my reading list. miss them i shall. but i'm looking ahead to nesting with my new husband, discovering my new home town, dealing with the second winter this year. also, to be honest as much as i loved planning my wedding and making all kinds of lovely things i'm thankful for this now coming to an end. thank you to these fantastic blogs that fanned the flame of putting together an unique wedding, true to us. thank you for the inspiration and keeping me up way  past bridal beauty sleep requirements.

a south african favourite:

the pretty blog.

my favorite american blogs:

ruffled.
green wedding shoes.

7 days left

i've spent many a hour dreaming, working, sewing, talking, and so about the wedding. and the wedding didn't dissapoint.
i've worked and stressed and cried and toiled with getting my K1 visa. and it's in the ,er, passport ready for entry.
honeymoon, what a pleasure to spend so much time, alone, with the my favourite person in the world. it was dreamlike and went by just as fast.

but here i am with one week left of living in south africa. this strange piece of time i didn't really think about.  so in between, so almost final, but not.  i've focused so on being ready to get off that 4th plane in Spokane WA, but haven't found my heart prepared for getting on that plane at O.R Tambo, Johannesburg. i'm getting there... i have to.

in the mean time, just a few recent pictures taken of my country (note: when i say 'my country' it always comes out russian accent sounding, with no reason...)

the knysna forest, i'm yet to find those fairies and those elephants

taken at the congo wildlife ranch, because when it rains on your honeymoon, you go to places like this

camps bay, western cape

driving on the N2 from Jefferys bay to Cape Town is officially my favourite drive in all the land

as long as this guy shows up at the airport next week i know i'll be just fine

when an african marries an american...

... this obviously happens,

meet our cake toppers. wedding is over, cake long eaten, but these cake toppers are still a source of great excitement and pride. i love them, and will keep them forever.

ingrid marais photography

diy bride: how i customized my dress

ingrid marais photography

now that the wedding is over and my handsome husband has seen the dress i can go ahead and tell you all about how I made an off the rack Davids Bridal dress my own.

all that was required of me was:

(for part one)

-the bravery to start doing something to my dress with no guarantee that it will work out.

-the patience of almost a trillion hours, or, evenings spent working on my dress as i watched the entire Mad Men series from 1-5.

-a pack of glass beads... and they cost only R10 (just over a dollar). damn i love china town!

-white thread, fine needle, steady hands.

(part two)

-a fresh and organic African 'veld' to attach itself to my dress.

these are obviously from 'the day after'. i really enjoy the dirt on the dress, like a token of a celebration in nature. proof of the most amazing day.

 

 

married

i'm a married woman!

success.