Hot chocolate with marshmallows, piping hot soups, full-bodied red wines – what’s not to love about winter? While not the first season to spring to mind when planning your special day, there are plenty of reasons why couples should opt for a winter wedding. This magical time of the year is ripe with cosy, intimate ideas for a memorable event. And when you think about it, winters in South Africa, especially along the coast of KZN, aren’t cold at all, but rather mild, moderate and humidity-free. The afternoons, in particular, are pleasantly warm, providing a comfortable temperature for your big day. Here are our top four reasons to consider tying the knot in winter:

1. The romantic ambience

Is there anything more romantic than cuddling on a chilly day? A winter wedding lends itself to an intimate atmosphere, dripping with romance. Think fairy lights everywhere, an abundance of candles and open fires to congregate around. You could even provide cosy blankets for your guests to huddle under later in the evening when it’s a bit cooler. When it comes to colour palettes and warm, little touches, you can really ramp up the romance for a winter wedding. It will be a whimsical affair from the moment the sun starts to set.

2. Comfort food

Ask anyone who’s ever attended a wedding what they remember most. The food. It’s usually (always) the food. Luckily, when it comes to a winter wedding menu, the doorways wide open for hearty, crowd-pleasing comfort foods. Soups, fall-off-the-bone roasts, mashed potatoes, warm puddings – the opportunities are endless. (At Collisheen, we can tailor-make your perfect winter menu.)

3. The best photo opportunities

It’s no secret – winter has the most amazing lighting. The sun is further away, offering soft, warm rays and a gorgeous orange glow in the afternoons. It’s the perfect time of the year for a magical creative shoot with romantic natural lighting. The afternoon lighting at Collisheen will be sure to leave you with wedding photographs you’ll cherish for years.

4. It’s a perfect time for black tie

Suit up! If you’ve set your heart on an elegant wedding with a formal dress code, winter is the time to host it. The chilly season is by far more fitting for black tie attire. It’s also the ideal occasion for a sophisticated long-sleeve dress and full, floor-length bridesmaid’s gowns.

The Collisheen Winter Wedding experience…

There’s no better place than KZN’s dolphin coast for those planning a winter wedding. After all, Durban is the warmest place to be in South Africa during the chilly season, and Collisheen Estate epitomises warmth. Once winter sets in, the weather settles, offering pleasant sunny days and cool (but not freezing) evenings. While winter is the ideal time to create the perfect indoor wedding, our picturesque gardens remain attractively green for those with a vision of saying their “I do’s” out in the open. And there’s no doubt you’ll have the best photo opportunities, especially with the golden afternoon glow through the sugar cane fields. With two gorgeous venues to choose from, our outstanding kitchen feeding your guests and the option to adorn the trees (and everything else) with twinkling fairy lights, your Collisheen winter wedding will be nothing short of spectacular.

Are you ready to book your winter wedding? Give us a call to schedule a viewing of our venues. And in the meantime, while you’re waiting to come and visit us, take a peek at our wedding packages.

You’ve just gotten engaged to the man or woman of your dreams, and simply can’t wait a year (or more) to put that wedding band on. Can you plan your wedding in six months? The answer is yes – you can plan it all, and still enjoy a beautiful ceremony that reflects the efforts of a wedding that takes a year to plan. All you need to do is stick to a few essential jobs per month to get everything done in time – and we’ve got it all planned out for you.

6 MONTHS TO GO:

1. Determine your budget

First and foremost, you need to determine your budget. Is anyone contributing, and if so, how much? Once you’ve settled on a rough figure, sit down with your partner and make a list of your priority items and hires for your wedding day, so you know where the majority of your funds will go. For example, to your wedding venue, cake, photographer, and wedding band.

2. Plan your guest list

Now’s the time to plan who’s coming, who’s bringing a plus one, and who’s unlikely to attend. It would also make sense to sit down with your parents and ask if there is anyone significant they would like to invite. Once you’ve roughly worked out how many guests will attend, you can start discussing the size and style of your wedding venue.

3. Choose your venue

Yes, it’s true that most traditional wedding venues do get booked out a year (or more) in advance. But if you consider alternative dates, like Fridays and Sundays, you are likely to find a suitable venue for your ceremony. Our two beautiful wedding venues, the Boma and Orchid House, have affordable wedding packages on Fridays and Sundays – take a look.

4. Secure your priority vendors

Not only do venues get booked up in advance, but popular vendors do too. So now is the time to lock in that photographer you’re interested in, and favourite wedding band or DJ. It would be a good idea to secure a florist too, if you’ve got a specific wedding day flower fantasy in mind.

5. Choose your dress

Now, the urgency of your wedding dress really depends on whether you are opting for store-bought or custom-made. Choosing a store-bought dress will free you up a lot of time, especially if it doesn’t need many (or any) alterations. If you go the custom-made route, it’s important to pay that rush fee to guarantee it will be ready in time. It would also be wise to pre-book your fittings close to your wedding so your dress fits perfectly on the day.

6. Book a nearby hotel for your guests

If you’re planning a destination wedding, or have a lot of guests coming from out of town, it’s important to secure hotel rooms in advance, so that your wedding guests have the option of spending the night. If you book a Collisheen wedding venue, finding accommodation for your guests should be easy, as we are conveniently situated on the doorstep of Ballito.

7. Schedule your engagement shoot

Once you’ve established your photographer, you’ll want to schedule your engagement shoot as soon as possible. Why? So you can use the photos on your wedding website and save-the-dates, of course!

5 MONTHS TO GO:

1. Hire a wedding coordinator

If you’re interested in hiring a wedding coordinator, now would be the time to do so. A coordinator can be very useful when you have only six months to plan your wedding. So if you’re overwhelmed by the seemingly endless detail, why not leave it all to a pro? A huge perk of our wedding venues is that they come with a coordinator as part of the deal – only the best for your special day! Read more about our 2020 wedding package.

2. Establish your wedding party

If you’ve chosen which family members or friends you would like at your side at the altar, ask them if they’re up for the task early on. Remember that you might need to order or rent bridesmaids dresses and tuxedos, so start arranging outfits as soon as possible.

3. Send out your save-the-dates

Whether you’ve opted for digital save-the-dates or printed cards, send them out at this stage. Now would also be a good time to start planning the design of your official wedding invitations.

4 MONTHS TO GO:

1. Hire any additional vendors

If there are any vendors left to hire for your big day, like hairdressers and make-up artists, now would be the time to secure them.

2. Order your wedding bands

A lot of love and care goes into making a wedding ring, so naturally, it is a time-consuming process. Wedding bands can take up to 90 days to get delivered, so it’s important to leave the ordering of them no later than this.

3 MONTHS TO GO:

1. Decide on your wedding cake and menu

You’re halfway there! So it’s time for a little treat – go cake tasting and menu sampling, and settle on a wedding spread you both love. We offer a broad menu selection as part of our wedding packages, and if you have any special requests we would only be too happy to make them happen for you. If you’re interested in using one of our venues for your wedding, have a look at our menus.

2. Plan your honeymoon

It’s time to pick a destination, book flights, and a hotel. This part is also a lot of fun!

3. Send out your invitations

By this stage, you should have printed your invitations so they are ready to go. Now all that’s left to do is send them off. If you have opted to create a wedding website instead, head online to send out your digital invites.

2 MONTHS TO GO:

1. Enjoy your pre-wedding celebrations

Time to let loose and party! You and your partner can celebrate your union with loved ones at a bridal shower, bachelor and bachelorette party.

2. Do a hair and make-up trial

No bride wants a surprising hairdo on her wedding day. It must be exactly as she imagined. So with just over a month to go, schedule a hair and make-up trial to make sure your hair will be exactly as you want it at your ceremony.

1 MONTH TO GO:

1. Pack your bags for your honeymoon

There are only a few weeks left until your wedding day, and then you and your special somebody will be off on your aromatic adventure. Be sure to pack your bags around this time so you don’t need to worry about packing the night before your wedding.

2. Confirm your wedding day details

This is an important step, and it’s all about communication. Get in touch with your vendors and bridal party members to run through wedding times and details. You’ll want your wedding to run smoothly, so make sure you properly communicate your expectations to the people who need to know them. A wedding rehearsal would be a good idea to schedule in a few weeks before your wedding, so you can make sure everyone is on the same page on the day.

3. Finalise your seating chart

With your wedding day around the corner, your RSVPs should all be in. So now you can finalise your seating chart and print out your escort cards. And you’re done! All that’s left to do is live in the moment and enjoy your big day.

Keen to plan your wedding in 6 months?

If you’re ready to take the plunge and plan your wedding in six months, we say “go for it”! You know what to do – just check our list from time to time to make sure you are on track. And for more information about our wedding venues, don’t hesitate to get in touch with us.