A Wedding Under African Skies

By Genevieve Richards - While many can only dream of getting married in Africa with its vibrant colors and exotic flora and fauna for some South African friends of mine — Jo and Darren — who live in London this turned into a reality. Not only did they want to hold their wedding under African skies but wanted a real “African wedding” that incorporated the sounds and smells of our country along with elements of the African culture and ethnic designs (usually based on animal hides). They didn’t like the idea of a church wedding with country club reception, or even a beach or garden wedding; they had their hearts set on getting married surrounded by friends, family and local wildlife…in the middle of the African bush! The biggest dilemma was where to actually have the wedding — the date was set, the photographer and minister booked and they had yet to decide on a venue.

African Wedding Suite, by Genevieve Richards

Eventually, the couple settled on Tala Private Game Reserve. Tala is a 7,000-acre privately-owned wildlife conservancy and game reserve 45 minutes from Durban, on South Africa’s east coast. In addition to hosting weddings and conferences, Tala offers several outdoor activities including game drives, bass fishing and bird-watching. The styles of accommodation range from rustic A-frame huts with communal bathrooms, to middle-of-the-range rondavels (a traditional round African mud hut with a thatched roof) with an indoor bathroom and shared kitchen, to luxury lodges with all modern conveniences, excluding electricity; gas is used instead. The game reserve seemed to be the perfect venue.

The day of the February wedding arrived awash with sunshine and high temperatures. February is Durban’s hottest month, with temperatures constantly hovering around the 28°C mark and an average humidity of 80 percent!

The wedding ceremony was held on the deck of the Acacia venue, overlooking a dam and two rhinoceroses in the adjoining grassland. Many a nervous glance was cast their way and after a while they thankfully wandered off in the opposite direction.

After the ceremony, the wedding party went off for photographs, and the other guests mingled on the terrace over sundowners before moving inside for the reception. Decorated in a truly African fashion with brown mock zebra-print table cloths and napkins; an enormous wooden chandelier covered in fairy lights; and colourful wild flowers the room was beautiful. For many of us South Africans the true colors of home are brown (the earth), blue (the sky), and green (the grass) and these were the colors Jo and Darren chose for their wedding.

Following the toasts and a delicious supper, the dancing carried on until the small hours of the morning, when those who were not staying the night at the reserve began to leave and make their way home. For the roughly 30 of us who were staying over, the party carried on until there were only a handful of people left, the bride and groom included.

Tala staff informed us that when we wanted to return to our accommodations, rangers would be on hand to drive us back. This was a sensible idea because not only were the different lodges and cottages a fair distance from the wedding venue, there were no streetlights or even streets to help us find our way. Intent on making it home ourselves we decided to forgo the recommendation of a guide, and hopped into our cars. An hour later, after passing signs saying “Deliveries Only,” we finally agreed that we were well and truly lost. Still in convoy, we backtracked only to find the rangers patiently sitting outside the wedding venue waiting for us. Something told me that this happened frequently.

Jo and Darren were escorted to their luxurious lodgings at the Paperbark Lodge, where they slept in a four-poster bed and enjoyed a level of luxury not often found out in the bush and in the middle of nowhere.

Finally, we made it to our respective campsites, lodges and rondavels. After a very long and bumpy ride down a dirt track, I promptly fell asleep only to be woken for breakfast minutes later, so it seemed. A quick shower, and I ventured outside where the rain was falling from a dark sky.

While we were all having breakfast, the rain cleared and the sun peeked through the clouds. By the time we were ready to leave Tala, it was another gorgeous African day perfect for a drive around the reserve. We were fortunate to see some kudu, giraffe and zebra; and, as always, it was a great thrill to see them in their natural habitat and to know that we share our “home” with such amazing and beautiful creatures.