Pretoria Wedding Venue: Real Weddings – Travel Odyssey

Jan-Harm & Mariette – 11 January 2014

Once we’ve seen Intundla Game Lodge at their Wedding Expo our minds were made up!

As only girls would do and a flatmate getting married 4 months earlier, I could scan quite a few wedding magazines for ideas. However when it came to choosing the venue, I only saw one photo! I looked at the website and I was convinced that this is the perfect venue and everything I dreamt of! Now I only needed to convince my fiancé. Well it didn’t take much as he also fell in love with this place on our 1^st visit. Still today we believe we had the most beautiful wedding at the most beautiful venue. Thanks to Vanessa van Niekerk, the wedding coordinator everything worked out perfect. I wasn’t stressed about anything. They did everything in their power to meet my demands and made our day perfect! And so it was! Intundla will forever have a special place in our hearts, we feel like family!

Our Story ~

15 years ago we were introduced by mutual friends while studying in Bloemfontein. Although I thought he was quite a nice guy, I wasn’t ready for a relationship and Jan-Harm was only interested in partying with the boys. As all the friends went their own direction we all grew apart during our varsity years. 7 years later we both relocated to Johannesburg without knowing the whereabouts of the other. Not knowing too many people I was quite keen when my best friend invited me for dinner with friends while visiting her boyfriend for the weekend. Her exact words were: “Don’t worry at least you’ll know Jan-Harm”. When I got to the restaurant and it was only my friend, her boyfriend and Jan-harm I just knew… this was the plan all along! Even though we haven’t seen each other for years there was never an awkward moment, we just clicked! We partied till early the next morning! Later that week he phoned and asked if he could take me to dinner and… the rest is history!

Engagement ~

After dating for 6 years it was about time! Jan-Harm always said he would never ask the big question on a special day as he wants it to be a surprise. True to his decision he asked me when I least expected it and even phoned my parents for their blessing. We always go away for my Birthday and when Jan-Harm said we are going to Hazyview for the weekend I did not expect him to pop the question (although I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t hoping).

On Saturday 15th June Jan-Harm took me to a small waterfall with a big rock at High Grove House. He very romantically took out Champagne and “wine glasses” that he wrapped in a hand towel and asked me to hold the glass, with the idea that he could get down on his knee to propose. Instead I went to sit down next to him and spoiled it all. But I had to wait 6 years, he can’ have it that easy! He popped the question and I said YES!