The end of 2018 was a special time for an incredible couple, Nicola and Lloyd Dreyer, who hosted a select group of close family and friends at Mnarani Club Hotel, Kilifi, when they tied the knot in December. One of their guests, Eloise Badenhorst, shared with us her reasons to love a destination wedding at Mnarani Club:
SANDY-TOES AND GOLDEN TANS
First and foremost, and our favourite reason of all, a destination wedding at Mnarani Beach Club means getting married on the beach! The romance of soft white sand underfoot, the gentle waves lapping on the shore, the beach/Kenya-style décor and flowers, the gentle, salty sea breeze, candle and firelight and many other special touches set the scene for a romantic, intimate and unique wedding location.
CELEBRATING WITH LOVED ONES
Hosting a destination wedding at a location like Mnarani means you can focus on inviting and spending quality time with, those closest to you. As one of the latest wedding trends to surface, intimate small gatherings are a wonderful way to ensure that you share this most precious day with those you really care about and can invest the necessary time with each individual who makes an appearance, rather than a flurry of quick “congratulations” and “how are you’s” while still trying to enjoy the day together.
SPECIAL MOMENTS LEADING UP TO “I DO”
As a follow-on from the previous reason: having all your favourite people in one remote location means you can build hype and excitement around your big day! Most attendees will want to make a mini-getaway or vacation out of the event so will arrive earlier than the set day, and head home a few days after the fact. This is the perfect opportunity to set-up fun events for your guests to get to know one another, bond and forge happy holiday memories with you at the centre! Think; high energy volleyball tournaments, meet-and-greet bonfire gatherings, water sport lessons, and more.
FORGET-ME-NOT
Eloise mentioned that one of her favourite things about this destination wedding is the bonds which were forged between family and friends; before Nicola and Lloyd had walked down the aisle she had made good friends with one of the cousins and was capturing fun videos with everyone in attendance. Setting some time aside to mingle moves the whole event from a formal gathering to a relaxed celebration. At a traditional ‘home’ wedding, you may find that certain members of your family don’t gel well with certain of your friends, and vice versa; destination weddings diffuse tension and allow these individuals to learn more about one another and ultimately thoroughly enjoy their time together and with you.
FUN-TABULOUS
Once the pre-wedding planning is out of the way: days before your big wedding, guests can unwind and really begin to enjoy themselves. Friends and family alike will: cheer the bridal couple’s arrival at reception, dance the night away together and when the ‘dignified’ bridal party members have turned in for the night, the fun and laughter can be taken up a notch!
Not only will the celebrations be fantastic, but this leaves room for adding sweet and seriously fun elements for everyone to enjoy. Eloise thinks back fondly to when Nicola arrived at the ceremony in her chosen transport, “She arrived in a decorated tuk-tuk with a trail of cans. Funbox – checked!”
A LIFETIME OF MEMORIES
The moment’s guests celebrate together to honour you, the bridal couple, are worth the effort, planning and dedication – from mothers and bridesmaids or groomsmen – to turn your wedding into the best possible version it can be, as you deserve. Guests will forever treasure these memories and think back fondly on your very special day: the excitement of arriving to enjoy a holiday together, brunches and lunches meeting the other important people in your life, jam-packed itineraries laughing and enjoying Kenya and then, of course, witnessing the pairing of two incredible people in their lives: you.
One comment