Pieter and Tara, who met in South Africa, wanted to get married traditionally in a Colorado church, but they also hoped for an “elegant South African bush” feel. Tying together South Africa and Colorado was a bold choice that required ingenuity, creative details and a whole lot of floral drama.

Tara and Pieter chose to use a tree in their invitation design, but not just any tree – a baobab tree. The baobab is an iconic symbol of Africa and has a sturdy trunk, a good foundation for building a marriage and family on.

The invitations were designed to be classy and traditional but still reflect the South African roots Tara and Pieter valued. A dark brown ink printed on ecru paper with classic and beautiful fonts was accented by a subtle background image of a baobab tree. The classy invitations introduced the formal feel of the occasion without losing the African theme.

One of Tara’s favorite aspects was that so many guests and members of the bridal party traveled to be a part of the celebration. Four out of the five bridesmaids and both the groomsmen were from outside the country! People traveled from all over, ranging from South Africa, New Zealand, Germany and Costa Rica.

Vows were declared in a traditional church ceremony with tile floors and giant wooden beams overlooking the event. Dark blue bridesmaid dresses added an elegant understatement to the exotic floral arrangements they carried down the aisle.

It wouldn’t be a Colorado wedding without photographs of the bride and groom in the mountains and among trees, and with the photogenic fall foliage a photo shoot was impossible to resist. The bright and sculptural bouquets stood out amongst the golden aspens and the couple was able to showcase the Colorado side of their relationship. They also offered bison as a meat choice.

Pieter and Tara chose a formal ballroom for their reception and flooded it with flower arrangements and smiling guests. Each floral piece was unique to cater to the couple’s desire to maintain a more natural and less arranged feel. The baobab tree from their invitations found itself on the groom’s cake, table & escort cards (also designed by yours truly), table runners made by Pieter’s mom and it was even made into an ice sculpture!  Soapstone animal carvings were brought from Africa and given as favors while a wishing tree where guests could hang sentiments was placed on a side table. Unique African desserts such as Melkterts and Malva Pudding were served to end the meal on an African note.

The fusion of South Africa and Colorado created an elegant and unexpected theme that we were excited to be a part of.

Tara and Pieter planned most of their wedding from South Africa(!) with the help of parents and vendors.

The following vendors made this event incredible:
Wedding Coordinator: Heather from Calluna Events
Photographers: Jason and Gina Grubb
Videographer: Neil from 303Motion
Invitations: SWEET letterpress & design
Flowers: Sturtz & Copeland
Cake:Tee & Cakes
DJ: George from Get Up and Dance
Dress: Little White Dress
Bridesmaids dresses, alterations, groom’s and groomsmen’s tux: Boulder Bridal
Ceremony Site: St. Mary Magdalene Church
Reception Venue: Omni Interlocken Resort