Mouse and Karabo waited twelve years to get married, so when the time came, they wanted the celebration to feel big in every sense. Colour became the starting point, and as a florist in a previous life, the bride wanted lots of bright florals.

“Karabo and I waited a long time to get married,” Mouse explained. “So I wanted the day to be a big, bold celebration of our love, our journey and our favourite people.”

The couple planned two ceremonies across two cities, honouring both of their cultures. One took place at Karabo’s family home in Johannesburg, followed a week later by a second celebration at Nooitgedacht Estate, a wine farm near Cape Town. While having two weddings is familiar within South African Black culture, Mouse and Karabo approached their ceremony in their own way. Religion took a back seat to storytelling and personal connection.

They worked with an officiant who focused entirely on their relationship. During the ceremony, the couple took part in a binding ritual where their hands were tied together with ribbons, ropes and pendants while a blessing was spoken over them. “She intertwined our story so beautifully into our ceremony, we felt so surrounded by love and support,” they said.

Their reception was all about celebrating. Mouse’s sister handmade pom poms for the backs of the chairs from her home in England, while the team at Oh Happy Day handled the venue styling. Daniell Jordaan Studios created watercolour portraits of every guest as wedding favours, something that quickly became one of the most talked about details from the day. “Every person that attended the wedding has sent me a photo of their portrait hanging in their home,” Mouse said. “We even have ours framed on our art wall in our lounge.”

After speeches, the formalities quickly disappeared. The couple opened the dance floor with LMFAO’s Shots while waiters passed around springbok shooters. From there, they partied until the venue closed for the night.

“We wanted fun, we wanted a celebration and we wanted it to be a night to remember,” they said. “In our 14-year relationship we have only ever had one night where everyone we love and cherish have been together and that was our wedding. Every moment of planning and every cent of the budget were worth the special celebration we all got to have.”

Looking back, there is only one thing they wish they had done differently. They skipped hiring a videographer because it felt unnecessary at the time. Since the wedding, they have lost both Karabo’s best friend and groomsman, Banele, and Mouse’s mother, Rowena Moir. “We are now left feeling like we wish we had video evidence of our beautiful day to replay over and over,” they admitted. “It’s really one of those things you don’t realise the value of until you lose someone.”