Mandy & Ditiro

Mandy and Ditiro met at a church conference and have been inseparable ever since. He surprised her with a very romantic proposal. “He took me out for a romantic candlelit dinner and organised that the chef bring the ring in a covered serving dish. When the chef arrived, he told me he had prepared a new dish that he wanted me to taste. When I lifted the cover of the dish, I found a beautiful ring with the words ‘Will you marry me?’ written in chocolate sauce next to it. Right at that moment, waiters arrived, carrying flowers and chocolates!”

The couple were married at The Finches Nest in Hammanskraal, a beautiful venue not far from the groom’s home. As the wedding was during lockdown, the celebration was an intimate one with close family and friends.

“Our theme was white, gold and emerald,” Mandy says. “We were inspired by the time of year we were getting married, which was spring, and we wanted some elegance in this leafy venue. “We also needed something that would complement our traditional blue and white Tswana colours, and it worked perfectly.”

Mandy chose the design of her wedding gown. “I knew that my dressmaker, Thuli from Roster Bridal Boutique, would bring it to life – and she did exactly that,” she says with a smile.

The couple included their cultural heritage in their wedding day. Mandy and her family arrived at the Maubane home with gifts. She was traditionally welcomed to the family and given a blanket as well as new clothes to wear. A cow was slaughtered – the head (Tlhogo) was given to Malome and the back of the cow (Setlhana) was given to Rakgadi. According to tradition, as bakgatla they each got to celebrate with their families. “We had a brass band, which is customary in Setswana wedding celebrations,” Mandy explains.

Both Mandy and Ditiro say that the highlight of their day was when they changed from formal attire into their traditional clothes and danced, accompanied by the brass band. “The band was on fire. The guests went absolutely wild during those moments,” Mandy remembers.

“Another highlight was when our friends and parents came to share words of wisdom and encouragement for our journey ahead. It was a beautiful experience.”

“I would definitely have loved to have more family and friends celebrate with us”

Mandy describes how the couple felt standing next to each other for the first time as husband and wife, “It was an amazing feeling – finally we had done it. It was a very emotional moment; God has really carried us.”

Mandy and Ditiro say their wedding day was “amazing and eventful”. “The weather was beautiful and everybody danced to a live band,” Mandy remembers.

Would she change anything about her Big Day? “Yes,” Mandy says emphatically. “I’d change the fact that we had Covid-19 restrictions. I would definitely have loved to have more family and friends celebrate with us.” Despite restrictions, they did manage to explore the Garden Route on honeymoon.

Advice for a bride-to-be? “Only use reputable suppliers. And if you are not good at planning, get someone to help you. It is a stressful time and you want it to be your perfect wedding,” Mandy says. “On the day, focus on the moment and enjoy it!” she adds.

Photography Kwanda Photography | www.kwandaphotography.com Venue The Finches Nest | www.thefinchesnest.co.za Wedding gown Thuli from Roster Bridal Boutique | +27 79 033 4403 Flowers Randy Ngwenya, The Scarlet Events | ngwenyarandy@gmail.com Cake Jacky Skosana | www.facebook.com/jacky.skosana