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You are here: Home / Travel / South Africa / I still do – renewing our marriage vows at the Cape St Francis resort

I still do – renewing our marriage vows at the Cape St Francis resort

by Jeanne Horak on May 10, 2011 46 Comments in South Africa

StFrancisWedding © J Horak-Druiff 2011

 

Some people have addictive personalities.  They take one tentative drag on a cigarette and within a week or two they have a 40-a-day habit.  Or they take up jogging to lose a little weight and a year later they are doing the Comrades Marathon.  Or they routinely spend their kids’ lunch money on their eBay habit.  Some people have even said that I have an addictive personality – but only in one very specific way.  Nope, it’s not that I’m addicted to cigarettes, alcohol, narcotics, exercise (surely you jest!), food, television or even shopping.

I’m addicted to getting married.

My first time was in the very, umm… interesting surroundings of the Home Affairs office in Port Elizabeth, right next door to a queue of political asylum seekers, with me in a sun dress on an afternoon off from work and the groom in shorts and flip flops.  My second time was in the coastal town of Knysna in the garden of the very beautiful Belvidere manor, in a long white frock with a veil.  My third time was in Las Vegas, in a turquoise sequinned cocktail dress with only two guests and a poolside daiquiri celebration at the Flamingo Hotel later.  In fact, the only constants throughout all this was the groom (who happened to be the same on all three occasions, you will no doubt be relieved to hear!) and one of the guests – my dear friend Bronwyn.  Given my enthusiastic track record in the wedding department, it will come as no surprise that when our tenth anniversary rolled around this year, I could think of only one suitable way to celebrate it:  by renewing our vows yet again.

At our reception in Knysna in 2001 I declared that in ten years time we would renew our vows on a beach in ten years time, in the same dress.  So when 2011 arrived, I already knew who I was going to be marrying and what I was going to be wearing (provided it still fit me!) – the only decision to be made was which beach.  In the end we settled on having our ceremony on the beach at the Cape St Francis resort, a place we have come to love since my brother bought a holiday home there – and we could not have made a better choice.  Not only was the venue spectacular and the catering excellent, but from start to finish the staff arranged everything on my behalf and went out of their way to accommodate our every request.  They made us feel like movie stars on the day.

We stayed at the largest of the three Beach Break villas, three luxury homes right on the dunes with direct access to the beach.  With five double bedrooms and a huge open plan living area, deck and garden it was perfect for accommodating us and many of our guests, as well as providing a venue for drinks and canapés after the ceremony. Oh, and did I mention that there were 2 swimming pools?  Not for the complex but for our villa, one heated and one not!  My young nephews thought they’d arrived in heaven.  Each of the (huge!) bedrooms was individually decorated and our master suite was in a “wing” of its own, with a private upstairs lounge, its own small balcony, and a gorgeous four-poster bed.  The bedrooms under thatch, meaning that you go to sleep surrounded by the wonderful clean scent that only thatch can provide.

StFrancisVillaDay

StFrancisVillaLiving1l

StFrancisVillaLiving2

StFrancisPools

StFrancisBedrooms

StFrancisVillaNight

The day before the ceremony was near-perfect, with the sun lingering until the last moment and flooding all my pictures with golden, late-afternoon light; and the day of the renewal dawned much the same… until shortly after lunch, that is.  The first hint that things were a-changing was a subtle change in the temperature of the breeze – a new chill that was not there an hour earlier.  The next rather broader hint was a sonorous blast from the foghorn at the lighthouse on Seal Point.  A quick scan of the horizon confirmed everybody’s suspicions:  the thick mist was rolling on across the peninsula and along the beach to where the resort had already set up our beautiful driftwood arch and deckchairs for the ceremony.   My friends still marvel at the fact that I planned our late-Autumn wedding in Knysna to be poolside with no covering AND no Plan B if it rained.  Every time somebody said: “But what if it rains?” I simply smiled and said: “It’s not going to”.  And it didn’t.  Could it be that my celebrated luck with weather had run out this time? Undeterred, I simply shut the curtains, forgot about the fog, and threw myself into hair, beauty and dress preparations with two of my dearest friends and a bottle of bubbly. And would you believe, when I opened the curtains an hour later there was not a wisp of mist to be seen.

When I was ready, I simply walked to the end of the garden where my nephews were waiting for me, and then we made our way down the dune path to the beach where the guests (and Nick!) were waiting barefoot in the glorious sunshine(!).  The service was conducted by a good friend whom I have known since I was about 13 years old; the sun shone; the kids played Star Wars in the dunes behind us during the service; and after we’d said I do, I got to kiss my husband and hug my dad. Perfect.

 

StFrancisMyarrival

StFrancisServive

StFrancisService2

StFrancisService3

StFrancisAfterService

StFrancisWeddingCollage

StFrancisJeanne

StFrancisFamily

With Nick’s mom, my dad, my brother, my sister-in-law and my 2 gorgeous nephews

StFrancisAllGuests

With all our guests

StFrancisBackFromBeach

After the ceremony and the many, many photos were was all over we simply walked hand in hand back up the dunes again to the house, where the fairies had paid us a visit, cleaned our room again and laid out fresh towels.  And I’m sorry, but nothing says “you are a princess” better than fresh towels twice in one day. Through the resort restaurant I had ordered canapés and champagne to be served in the villa, so as soon as we got back to the house, waiters started circulating with glasses and trays.  I had chosen four canapés from their menu, namely:  tomato and basil bruschetta; smoked salmon and cream cheese blinis; fillet steak and wasabi mayonnaise phyllo baskets; and roasted vegetable and Brie tartlets.  Although all were good, I have to say that the fillet steak phyllo baskets actually blew me away – not only gorgeous to look at but even better to eat, with perfectly pink meat and wonderful textural contrasts. Nick and I both made speeches, my brother Anton made a speech about us, and I got to celebrate with my two original bridesmaids Andréa and Bronwyn who have only grown more gorgeous and generally fabulous over the past ten years 🙂

StFrancisCanapeCollage

StFrancisBridesmaids

And from there, we strolled into the warm night and over to the resort’s restaurant, Joe Fish, where our beautifully-laid long table by the swimming pool awaited us.  As we had already had copious canapés, I figured we could skip the starters and had ordered seafood platters for the whole table and large bowls of Greek salad to share.  I had eaten the Joe Fish seafoof platters before, so I was prepared for their size and quality – but I think it is fair to say the guests were astonished, in a good way.  Each platter consisted of generous portions of fish, mussels, calamari and prawns, as well as rice and fries.  They are meant to serve 2 people each, but easily stretch to three and the quality of all the seafood was excellent – fresh and tasty.  And once the plates had been cleared, we stayed on until late into the night, talking, laughing and enjoying each other’s company.  It was everything I had hoped for.

StFrancisTable

StFrancisDinner

To all my married readers – I urge you to renew your marriage vows, even just once.  It truly is the most fun you can have with your clothes on 😉 And if anybody reading this is remotely considering a beach wedding in South Africa (or a renewal of their vows!) I cannot recommend the Cape St Francis resort highly enough – it is a beautiful setting, good value for money, and has professional staff who will go out of their way to help you and accommodate your wishes (Danni in particular was a total star!).  I also have to thank our friends good Kate, Richard and Cara who did a spectacular job (on very short notice) of photographing the day and putting up with my frustrated photographer suggestions 😉

The only questions that remain now are how soon can I persuade Nick to renew our vows again… and whether I will STILL fit into my wedding dress the next time we do this!

StFrancisFinal

Cape St Francis Resort
Da Gama Way
Cape St Francis
6313
SOUTH AFRICA

Tel. +27 (0)42 298 0054
Fax  +27 (0)42 298 0157
e-mail  [email protected]

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  1. Baglady says

    May 10, 2011 at 2:10 pm

    Wow you are stunning. Love this.

    Reply
  2. Colleen says

    May 10, 2011 at 2:16 pm

    Beautiful beautiful beautiful! I have been waiting for this post to go up. Thank you for sharing and I have to say that you and Nick are an absolute inspiration to other young folk. We renewed our vows way back in 19 whatever to celebrate 20years. We missed 30 years…now on our way to 40 haha! My dress long gone….my figure too 🙂 Love you beyond the stars and very proud of you xx

    Reply
  3. Cindy Taylor says

    May 10, 2011 at 2:16 pm

    Congratulations, it looks memorable indeed.
    *runs off to try on wedding dress*

    Reply
  4. Sam says

    May 10, 2011 at 2:34 pm

    What a stunning setting for your 4th wedding…Im still keen for my first.
    Congrats!

    Reply
  5. Charlotte says

    May 10, 2011 at 2:37 pm

    Glorious! You two look extremely glamorous and very, very happy. And so glad your dad was with you for your special renewal day.

    Reply
  6. Leigh says

    May 10, 2011 at 2:53 pm

    Hi! firstly, congrats! Secondly, those fish platters looks awesome; they are one of my favourite dishes erver. Remind me of holidaying in Greece, where hot calamari and freshly squeezed lemon make up 50% of my diet. Lovely.

    Reply
  7. Marianna says

    May 10, 2011 at 4:02 pm

    Looks wonderful! Congrats Jeanne!

    Reply
  8. CherylK says

    May 10, 2011 at 4:06 pm

    I think this is my very favorite post of yours. You look simply radiant and your darling husband is gorgeous, too. Your dress is beautiful…Love the shots that include your dad. My favorite photo, though, is the first. It just captures so much joy.

    Reply
  9. Anna says

    May 10, 2011 at 4:16 pm

    Congratulations! Everything looks beautiful and I really like your dress 😀

    Reply
  10. Meeta says

    May 10, 2011 at 4:27 pm

    Awesome – the beautiful bride looks awesome. I really wish we could have been there. Barefooted in the sand and that lovely dress – oh Jeanne this is what fairy tales are about!

    Reply
  11. Linda says

    May 10, 2011 at 5:02 pm

    Truly, truly gorgeous – congratulations on such a beautiful event! It looked magical… love the pictures! Stunning!

    Reply
  12. Krista says

    May 10, 2011 at 5:04 pm

    You look FANTASTIC!!! 🙂 WOOHOO! What a fabulous way to celebrate your relationship. If you’ve got to have an addiction, I’d say this is a pretty darn good one. 🙂

    Reply
  13. keiko says

    May 10, 2011 at 5:13 pm

    How wonderful Jeanne – many congratulations! xxx

    Reply
  14. Pascale says

    May 10, 2011 at 5:40 pm

    Jeanne, I loved reading this gorgeous post. You look beautiful, the dress is lovely and the setting amazing too. Congrats and here’s to many more happy anniversaries and ‘weddings’! Pascale xxx

    Reply
  15. Ken⏐hungry rabbit says

    May 10, 2011 at 5:50 pm

    What a beautiful ceremony and you are quite the sassy bride.

    Reply
  16. Erin says

    May 10, 2011 at 6:20 pm

    You my tweepster, are simply gorgeous. This looks like a wonderful way to celebrate.I think Phil and I will have to do this in a couple of years for our tenth. Although first, I need a new pair of running shoes to get back into that dress. 🙂

    Reply
  17. Diane says

    May 10, 2011 at 7:27 pm

    Lovely!

    Reply
  18. Ash says

    May 10, 2011 at 8:24 pm

    Jeanne, this was lovely to read and I am so impressed you still fit into your dress, but not quite as much as that the groom has remained a constant! Very nice!

    Reply
  19. Kim says

    May 10, 2011 at 9:00 pm

    I’m impressed taht you can still fit into your dress!
    My husband and I decided on a Tuesday last summer to elope the following Friday. After a quickie ceremony at the Courthouse, we flew to San Francisco for the weekend. Since friends and family were not in attendance, we’re now “having a party” at the end of this summer (after our kitchen remodel is complete), and I suspect that the party will look quite like yours – friends, family, food, wine, and fun. And my husband’s best friend from college will be playing the role of faux-officiant. Isn’t that what it’s all about???
    Congrats again!!!
    [K]

    Reply
  20. Karen says

    May 10, 2011 at 9:27 pm

    Omg, Cape beaches surely put all others to shame! This is the most perfect setting I could possibly imagine for a wedding. I’m a longtime follower of your blog and lover of your recipes, a fellow south african in London. Thank you for a truly great blog and for this inspiring post in particular.

    Reply
  21. Jaynerly says

    May 10, 2011 at 9:56 pm

    Such beautiful photos! What a lovely thing to do! Congratulations!

    Reply
  22. [email protected] says

    May 11, 2011 at 12:24 am

    Simply fabulous!! and happy anniversary….LOVE IT!!

    Reply
  23. Celia says

    May 11, 2011 at 12:40 am

    Congratulations, now I just have to convince my husband to do it!

    Reply
  24. Sally - My Custard Pie says

    May 11, 2011 at 4:40 am

    Congratulations. Fab dress btw. South Africa trip has moved up the wish list.

    Reply
  25. Candice says

    May 11, 2011 at 6:55 am

    Congrats (again!) What an awesome idea…

    Reply
  26. barbara says

    May 11, 2011 at 8:03 am

    Jeanne how wonderful your Dad was there. Lovely photos. We renewed our wedding vows in 2008. Wewere married on 29th February so only have the opportunity every 4 years. But there is no way I could fit into my original dress.

    Reply
  27. Jamie says

    May 11, 2011 at 9:10 am

    I am so sorry I missed this fabulous event! You look so beautiful and everything is stunning and perfect! I have long wanted to renew our vows and just don’t get around to planning it. These gorgeous photos and your beautiful words inspire me! Lovely! xo Congratulations!

    Reply
  28. Thekla Schwager says

    May 11, 2011 at 9:24 am

    Can’t think of a better addiction! So gorgeous!

    Reply
  29. The Food Fox - Ilse van der Merwe says

    May 11, 2011 at 9:39 am

    I will be married for 8 years next hear Feb, and I cannot think of a better place to celebrate than at Keurboomstrand (just around the corner of your venue). My parents live there, and it is simply the most beautiful place in the world.
    Your story is an inspiration! It is so rare to find people who still value their relationship as much as you guys do. I am very blessed to be in a truly happy marriage with my best friend and lover, who also happens to be the most handsome man I know. We’ll have to follow your lead and get married again soon. xx

    Reply
  30. Sylvie @ Gourmande in the Kitchen says

    May 11, 2011 at 10:32 am

    What a fun idea! Is there going to be another wedding in 10 years? You should make it a tradition. You looked radiant, it’s wonderful your dad was there to see it too.

    Reply
  31. Miami eye doctors says

    May 11, 2011 at 11:13 am

    Magnifique!! This so gorgeous I don’t have the words to express it, I am getting married next year and I hope that will last for 100 years 🙂 and celebrate every decade like you, celebrate love and happiness.

    Reply
  32. Nanette says

    May 11, 2011 at 11:14 am

    Congratulations darling, so glad your papa was there to see you in that stunning white dress, again!
    You’ve inspired me xx

    Reply
  33. catty says

    May 11, 2011 at 11:29 am

    i loved this post 🙂 loved that you fit into your dress from 10 years ago and LOVE that you wore sunnies at your wedding (well, you’re at the beach afterall!) – congratulations again to you and Nick. xx

    Reply
  34. Marisa says

    May 11, 2011 at 11:58 am

    Love the post Jeanne – you’ve brought a (couple of) tear(s) to my eyes! Have never thought about renewing our vows, but you’ve sparked something. We’ve got about 6 years to go to plan that 10 year vow renewal then. Oh and to diet to fit into the dress again. Eish. 🙂

    Reply
  35. Lyn says

    May 11, 2011 at 12:19 pm

    A beautiful account of a beautiful day! Precious memories and photographs sustain us when we feel sad and you’ve got lovely ones Jeanne. Thank you for sharing.

    Reply
  36. Charlie says

    May 11, 2011 at 12:42 pm

    I couldn’t help smiling as I read this. It’s a wonderfully happy story and how great to see your dad looking on so proudly

    Reply
  37. Firefly says

    May 12, 2011 at 8:39 am

    Cape St Francis is the ideal spot for such an occation and there probably isn’t a better spot next to tbe beach to stay there than Beach Break> I have’nt had the opportunity to stay there, but I’ve been inside to have a look and its stunning.

    Reply
  38. Ishay says

    May 12, 2011 at 1:54 pm

    I’ve been waiting to read this, as you know. Congratulations! Thank you for sharing your day with us- everything looks so beautiful. And as for the fitting into the wedding dress, mine couldn’t zip up after the first year. I won’t even try it now, 3 years down the line. Both of you look so relaxed and happy!

    Reply
  39. Mary says

    May 13, 2011 at 1:50 am

    Beautiful pictures and beautiful occasion! Congratulations on ten years together!

    Reply
  40. Gillian says

    May 13, 2011 at 11:14 am

    Aw, you made me cry and I don’t even believe in marriage. Wonderful post.

    Reply
  41. norma says

    May 13, 2011 at 2:06 pm

    Dear Jeanne:
    Congratulations! You make such a handsome couple. Hey I would continue to renew my vows with that hunk of a man. Really, you are so blessed and I wish you many, many years of happiness.
    By the way I am back and my blog is live with WordPress

    Reply
  42. Jean says

    May 14, 2011 at 12:47 am

    Amazing locale Jeanne.. thanks for the posting.. nothing beats renewal of the most precious vowels.. think I must suggest this to my man.. we’re coming up for our 40th!! And he still holds my hand like we’re teenagers. Love him!

    Reply
  43. Donnie says

    May 14, 2011 at 12:37 pm

    Drol, you look as gorgeous as ever.
    Liefies,
    Ek

    Reply
  44. Lisa-Jane Adams says

    May 18, 2011 at 6:49 am

    Congrats for keeping love alive Jeanne. One day we will have to swap notes! My hubby and i are doing our 4th ‘full wedding’ as we renew our vows every 7 years to stop the itch:) We have a full wedding ceremony and all our guests have to be married and the ladies have to wear their wedding dresses. Nowadays there is never a dry eye..This year is our 21st wedding anniversary (no pressure as I have 8kg to loose to fit into the very out of fashion dress)
    Lovely idea…do it as often as you can..our guest list is getting smaller and smaller as couples part ways – it is so sad to see.
    Love your blog as always
    Lisa-Jane (Marmite on Toast)

    Reply
  45. PinkPolkaDot says

    May 18, 2011 at 3:25 pm

    I just looooved this!! Congratulations and I am sure that the next 10 years of marrige will be even better than the previous 10! I really enjoyed this!

    Reply
  46. Kit says

    May 30, 2011 at 8:18 pm

    What a wonderful celebration – and you still look great in that dress! We’ve never had a renewal ceremony but you’re giving us ideas!

    Reply
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[AD] Blood oranges are a small obsession of mine - from blood orange posset to blood orange and halloumi salad to blood orange & Cointreau upside down cake, I am always looking for new ways to make the most of their short season. Barbecuing them with salmon, capers and dill is a perfect match in terms of flavour as well as colour (or you can oven bake the salmon if it's not barbecue weather where you are!)

When @grahambeckuk asked me to suggest some recipes to match their wonderful Graham Beck Brut Rosé NV sparkling wine from South Africa, this was a pairing made in heaven, and wonderfully colour co-ordinated with their silver-pink bubbly. Get the full recipe and find out more about Graham Beck's sparkling wines, made using the same methods as Champagne, on my blog - link in my bio above. 

What do you like to do with blood oranges? I'd love to hear in the comments!
💘"Love yourself first and everything falls into 💘"Love yourself first and everything falls into line. You really have to love yourself to get anything done in this world." - Lucille Ball

Whether you are celebrating with a partner, with friends, or by yourself today, I hope most of all that you love yourself, love your body, love your strengths, love your weaknesses, and love who you are (or are becoming). Because... you're worth it!

Are you doing anything celebratory today? Let me know in the comments 💘💘💘

(The beautiful street art is London Hearts by @akajimmyc)
📸: @girl_travelsworld
Would you believe me if I told you this is NOT a p Would you believe me if I told you this is NOT a picture of a Moorish palace, a castle or a cathedral? And that you can get to it from central London in under an hour?

This is Crossness Pumping Station @crossnesset , a Grade I listed heritage site and one of London's last remaining magnificent Victorian sewage (!) pumping stations in Abbey Wood near Rainham. 

Did you know that...

💩 You can visit the building on monthly open days - the next one is Sun 20 Feb. Book at www.crossness.org.uk

💩  It was only in 1856, after 3 major cholera outbreaks in 30 years and the Big Stink when the stench of London's sewage finally reached Parliament, that construction of an intercepting sewer system for the city was approved.  The system (parts of which are still in use today) was designed by Sir Joseph Bazalgette, Chief Engineer of London's Board of Metropolitan Works at the time.

💩  At Crossness, all London's sewage from south of the river was was raised by 9-12 metres to large reservoirs so that gravity would cause it to flow further east and into the Thames estuary. (Yes, until the 1880s, raw sewage was simply pumped into the Thames!)

💩 The incoming liquid was raised by the four enormous steam driven pumps, built to Joseph Bazalgette's design. The pumps were named Victoria, Prince Consort, Albert Edward, and Alexandra. They are thought to be the largest remaining rotative beam engines in the world, with 52-ton flywheels and 47-ton beams. 

💩 The pumping station was decommissioned and abandoned in the 1950s but declared a listed building in 1970.  Although all 4 beam engines remain in place, they were so damaged that today (thanks to the efforts of the Crossness Engines Trust) only Prince Consort has been restored to working condition and can be seen in action on open days.

💩 The exuberant and colourful wrought ironwork inside is the amazing work of architect Charles Henry Driver. My favourite detail is the fact that the pillars in the central atrium are topped with stylised figs and senna pods... two of nature's greatest natural laxatives 🤣
*NEW RECIPE* Roasted Brussels sprouts with feta ch *NEW RECIPE* Roasted Brussels sprouts with feta cheese, pomegranate and pine nuts

Ever noticed how you are affected by colours? 🌈

Maybe some colours make you agitated and some make you relaxed. Or maybe you find yourself inexplicably attracted to a particular colour (oh, hi teal and aqua!💙). On the basis that all colours have a wavelength, and that those outside the visible spectrum can affect us, it makes sense that the colours we see can affect our mood or even our physiology. Did you know for instance that exposure to red light can increase your blood pressure and heart rate? Are there any colours that you find yourself particularly attracted to or affected by?

The pretty colours of these roasted Brussels sprouts with feta cheese, pomegranate and pine nuts will be the first things that attract you to this dish - but it is the delicious combination of flavours and textures that will keep you coming back for more!

The recipe (and more about how colour affects us mentally and physically) is now live on my blog - click the live link in my profile and remember to like and bookmark this post to see more Cooksister in your Instagram feed ❤️
Perspective: a particular attitude towards or way Perspective: a particular attitude towards or way of regarding something.

Perspective is the one thing that the Covid-19 pandemic has given us plenty of. It has certainly made us re-evaluate what is truly important, and also what we did and didn't enjoy about our lives  before the pandemic and its associated lockdowns. It made me appreciate how much happiness my house, my job, my friends, my own company and my running bring to my life (and how fortunate I am to have all these things). But it also brought home how much I enjoy and miss travel, the theatre, and the luxury of reataurant visits at the drop of a hat. I don't think words can describe my joy at sipping the first coffee purchased from a coffee shop in summer 2020 as lockdown eased. It's the little things...

One of the things I have enjoyed and will not miss as the world creeps back to normality is the absence of crowds in what is usually a crowded city. On the occasions that I have been in central London since the start of the pandemic, streets have been blissfully empty and it has felt as if I were discovering my city anew. This glorious perspective (hah!) of St Paul's Cathedral normally requires a long wait while a queue of tourists and "influencers" ahead of you pose for photos - but on this glorious day last Spring it was almost deserted. I will miss that...

Is there anything you will miss as Covid-19 restrictions start to be lifted?
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Jeanne Horak is a freelance food and travel writer; recipe developer and photographer. South African by birth and Londoner by choice, Jeanne has been writing about food and travel on Cooksister since 2004. She is a popular speaker on food photography and writing has also contributed articles, recipes and photos to a number of online and print publications. Jeanne has also worked with a number of destination marketers to promote their city or region. Please get in touch to work with her Read More…

Latest Recipes

Salmon with blood oranges dill and capers
Brussels sprouts with feta and pomegranate
Roast lamb with pomegranate glaze
Blood orange & pistachio galettes
Cauliflower topped steak with melted cheese
Plate of potted smoked salmon with slaw and a glass of champagne
bowls of pistachio pomegranate bircher muesli
Brussels sprouts with chorizo & hazelnuts

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