Elrie and Frikkie got married at the historic Ramblers Club in Bloemfontein. Their wedding was a mixture of musical highlights and true love. I absolutely LOVED taking photos of this wonderful event.
Q&A with Elrie & Frikkie
How did you meet?
We met at the University choir but only started talking after about 4 months when we were on a choir tour to Jeffrey's Bay.
Elrie, what made you choose Frikkie?
I am absolutely in love with his intellect and he has such a kind an caring heart.
Frikkie, what aspect of Elrie do you love the most?
I love the fact that Elrie has a gentle heart and she loves animals and music.
Tell us more about your dress?
Initially I wanted to wear my mothers wedding dress. We had already started to make alterations. One week she came to visit me in Johannesburg and we decided to have the "say yes to the dress" experience just for fun. What started out to be an innocent day of fun turned out to be the day that I found THE dress. And sadly my mother's dress did not make the cut. My wedding dress had a lot of beading and lace and of course I wanted a big dress and so, it was indeed a big dress. I felt like a queen in this dress. I had not bought the dress immediately as I did not want to hurt my mothers feelings. She went back to Bloemfontein and that evening I phoned her and asked for her blessing. She agreed that this was THE dress and that there were no hard feelings.
Why did you choose your venue?
We were looking for a venue that would compliment our Phantom of the Opera theme. We had a very dramatic feel in mind and there were no other venues in Bloemfontein that had the 'it' factor. Ramblers was the obvious perfect choice.
What inspired your decor?
We are both musicians and we wanted to incorporate music into our wedding as we are bound by music. I suggested that we have a Phantom of the Opera theme because it has the most beautiful music and we liked the drama of the musical. That's why we had lots of dramatic elements such as candelabras and candles.
What was you "best" memory of your wedding?
Elrie: for me it was the moment I stood at the entrance of the church door and Frikkie caught his first glimpse at me. I will never forget his smile.
Frikkie: for me the highlight was having a quiet moment sitting on the steps with my new bride just before entering the reception hall.
What would you have done differently?
I would have reminded the guy driving the car that our wedding was on a Thursday... Haha! (He forgot)
Meraci expert tips to brides-to-be:
Do follow up with your suppliers - With my own wedding I sent out a whatsapp reminder to all of my suppliers. People are sometimes human and they sometimes forget. From the bride's side a quick check-in before the wedding works well.
Perfect lighting: Ambient lighting in the evening does enhance the ambient atmosphere of a wedding. I would suggest that any bride use more lights than provided by the venue. Pictured above is Elrie's niece with some fantastic strings of fairy lights at their reception. They had the most beautiful lighting.
Family photo list: Remember to write out a list of the family photos. I suggest that all of my brides do this. It really makes the family photos easier for everyone involved. Type it out and send it to your photographer.
Live music: Elrie and Frikkie had some beautiful live music moments incorporated into their wedding programme and it really does set the tone at a wedding. It is also great for entertaining guests after the ceremony.
Pictured above is a wonderful moment where Elrie's dad surprised them with a song after the ceremony.
Their reaction.
Elrie | Mrs Deaf SA Competition | Our Bride
My name is Elrie Schoombie and I am 70% deaf. I was diagnosed at the age of 9 and the cause of my hearing loss is somewhat unknown though we suspect it is due to certain medications that I have used as I had many allergies. My audiologist suggested that we stimulate my hearing as much as possible and therefore he suggested that I be exposed to as much music as possible. Thus, despite my hearing loss I have managed to learn to play various instruments and developed a devotion to music.
I have decided to enter the Mrs Deaf SA 2020 competition for fun but also to lobby for Deaf people in South Africa. There are still much that the general public can learn from Deaf people and I would like to be the ambassador for this. People do not always realize how difficult it is for a Deaf person to go about daily life. Having to ask someone to repeat a question 5 times is humiliating and usually the person you are talking to gets irritated by having to repeat themselves. This is but one example of a common thing that happens almost daily. I would also like to use the title for other projects of mine such as the Bunny Tales Rabbit Rescue in Johannesburg. I have a bunny of my own and have developed a love for these clever little creatures. Another project that I am involved in is the Alzheimer'S Association of South Africa. I have been volunteering for them since 2011 and I will continue to do so well after the competition. I have such a Passion for people living with Dementia. Every year the number of people diagnosed grows and there is still no cure. There are many families out there that needs help and support and that I why I enjoy volunteering for them
During the competition year I am hoping to bring about change in my community and will continue with this after the competition. I am hoping to learn from my fellow contestants and take as much out of this journey as possible and grow as a human being.
To support Elrie, visit her Facebook page:
Elrie Schoombie - Ms Deaf SA 2020 Finalist
For more tips read Meraci's stories on the blog. We post daily content to inspire the best weddings.
With love,
Meraci
For more information regarding photography contact Carine on:
info@meraciphotography.co.za
All the photos are taken by Meraci Photography. Remember to visit the website regularly to read more insightful blog posts. An informed bride is a happy bride. The website also lists the wedding photography packages available.