This trip in South Africa really offers everything, including a fantastic Swedish-African wedding. It was Peter's son's friend who got married, and we were lucky enough to be invited to the wedding as well. Happy Friday!
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Why weddings in South Africa?
Peter's son Robin and his wife Alexandra are also in South Africa right now because they were invited to a wedding in George. It's their good friend Erik who would be marrying his Elizabeth, who is originally from Zambia, and also has family in South Africa. We knew neither Erik nor Elizabeth before this week, but they were generous enough to invite us to the wedding as well. And who says no to a lovely wedding?
A week of pre-wedding activities
Erik and Elizabeth invited family and friends from Sweden, Zambia and South Africa. Many rented houses in George for a whole week, and during this week daily activities were organised for those who wanted to participate. A very fun way to get to know the other wedding guests before the wedding!
Day 1: The sport of bowls at the Outeniqua Bowling Club in George. Fun! A bit like boule, but on grass and with balls of uneven weight.
Day 2: Gin production at the Cape Saint Blaze Distillery in Mossel Bay. Exciting! You had to make your own gin, with the flavour of your choice, and then name and take home the product.
Day 3: Safari at Botlierskop. Peter and I, however, were satisfied with the safari after our six days in the Kruger Park, so we chose to kayak at Kaaimans Adventures in Wilderness instead. A cosy little paddle to a "hidden" waterfall!
Day 4: Swedish-South African seafood disc at De Vette Mossel Grootbrak, outside Mossel Bay. There was a lovely feet-in-the-sand atmosphere, as well as seafood and other goodies. The hats were Swedish!
Day 5: Free day before the wedding. Robin was feeling a bit under the weather and we took Alexandra on a hike in Robberg Nature Reserve and on a small turn to see the view in the city centre. Knysna. A great day!
Time for a wedding - and a night in a hotel
Then came the day of the wedding! The bride and groom had chosen The Hawthorn Boutique Hotel, a very nice and charming hotel in George. Here almost all guests checked in for the night and it was a fantastic afternoon and evening.
Fantastic wedding in South Africa
The wedding was very well planned, and even though we only knew the bride and groom superficially, we too were caught up in the emotions of a wedding.
The groom's family and friends sat on one side of the aisle and the bride's on the other. The former had all travelled from Sweden. Some of the bride's family and friends live in George, while others had travelled here from Sweden. Johannesburg or Zambia.
Peter had dressed up in a pink suit for the occasion, and Robin and Alexandra looked beautiful in their fancy party clothes.
During the ceremony, there was a ban on photography, except for the specifically hired photographer, which meant that all the guests could focus on being in the moment. Afterwards, however, there was a lot of posing with family and friends. Fantastically nice!
There was also a mingle with drinks and canapés in the lovely garden, before it was time for dinner.
The dining room was beautifully decorated and we were served a very good wedding dinner with beetroot carpaccio for starters, lamb shank for the main course and wedding cake for dessert. In addition, the bride's sister entertained as a wonderful toastmaster, and there was a long series of fine speeches, before it was time to dance.
A memorable and special evening! We thank you for having us and we wish the bride and groom, Erik and Elizabeth, all the happiness in life!
Best this week
Best thing this week? The fantastic wedding of course, which we got the chance to attend! The week has also continued, at high speed, with a trip to Cape Town together with Robin and Alexandra. It has also offered highlights, we can promise. So, what a trip this is!
Your turn! How has your week been? What can you highlight as positive?
The week ahead
For our part, the journey has continued, and continues, in Cape Town. And after that, adventure awaits at Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe! We don't have time to tell you quite as fast as we are travelling, but please follow us on Instagram at @freedomtravelnews.
Here on freedomtravel.se you can expect more reports from "Garden Route" in South Africa mixed with guest reports and more. Have a great Friday and weekend!
Did you miss the last Happy Friday? Read the Flight to George - we've got travelling companions in South Africa
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Ditte says:
What an experience! Fantastic! I think it's good to have a photo ban because sometimes there is more focus on pictures than on the situation at hand.
Wishing you continued good days.
08 March 2024 - 10:44
Helena says:
There was a point to the photo ban really, I agree! Otherwise everyone would have been running around focusing on their own photography...!
09 March 2024 - 19:42
bmlarstravellingblog says:
What an incredible experience to be part of this wedding, it looks fantastic. You have really had a lot of time during your weeks in South Africa and it gets more with all the places around Cape Town and the cool Victoria Falls. Then you will come home just in time to pick up Freedom and go out in a springy Sweden, not wrong either....
08 March 2024 - 16:59
Helena says:
Truly amazing! And yes, the trip has been very varied! Hope you get to experience a little more spring in Sweden soon!!!
09 March 2024 - 19:43
BP says:
An absolutely marvellous wedding. How lucky you were invited too. Love the clothes and the women's hats. The bridal gown was magnificent as was Alexandra's beautiful dress.
And finally a mix of white and black people. First time during your trip. Just one of those things:-)
08 March 2024 - 20:43
Helena says:
Yes, we were indeed lucky to be invited! And yes, now it was finally really completely mixed, both black and white participants, I must also say that it generally feels slightly less segregated in this part of South Africa, ie in the Western Cape (although there are also townships and so on).
09 March 2024 - 19:46
Lena - good for the soul says:
But what fun! Fantastic experience I can imagine. And how handsome you were! So fun to keep up with your "inventions".
Hug Lena
09 March 2024 - 8:16
Helena says:
Thank you very much! And what fun that you "hang out"! 🙂 Nice weekend Lena!!!
09 March 2024 - 19:47
Monica says:
What a nice wedding and what a great experience to be part of. I also think it is fun to see the mix of people here and Alexandra's dress I especially thought of, she is so nice, both herself and the dress so nice.
And all the men with their hands in their trouser pockets, that's been discussed in Sweden recently, haha, I know that in the past they wouldn't do that, I don't think the king, for example, was ever caught in a picture with that, but I don't know what they came up with now.
09 March 2024 - 15:30
Helena says:
Surely Alexandra was nice in the dress! I'll tell her that 🙂 Ah, the thing about the men with their hands in their trouser pockets, interesting, I have missed that discussion!
09 March 2024 - 19:49
Göran and Christina Larsson says:
Am in Cape Town now. What a great tourist city.
To Stellenbosh today and Simonstown tomorrow.
10 March 2024 - 8:03