Clinton and Leigh-Anne's Wedding

Every since I started planning parties and designing weddings I’ve always dreamed about doing a family wedding. Having spent the last 20 years making brides dreams and fantasies come true, my dream came true when my niece Leigh-Anne married the most fantastic gentleman, Clinton, on an estate in Port Elizabeth, South Africa. They chose a very special day that’s close to my heart, my mothers birthday. It was a weekend of family, fun, celebration, and love. A weekend I’ll never forget.

When I first got the phone call that Clinton and Leigh-Anne were engaged we started planning immediately. Leigh-Anne wanted a summery, colorful wedding so we decided on a color scheme of saffron and fuchsia against a palette of oatmeal. We needed to find a location, locate the caterer, identify a florist, and start to paint a picture with a thread of style that seamlessly worked its way throughout: from invitations onwards.

As soon as they found the beautiful Estate Deo Volente just outside Port Elizabeth where the wedding would be held we started a series of weekly conference calls to keep us all on the same page. Hundreds of emails started coming through, DHL packages were being sent back and forth with fabric samples, floor plans and schedules were generated and refined. We were in full wedding swing at 120 miles an hour. With the help of my sister, Janet, Leigh-Anne’s mother (she’s uber- efficient, entertains all the time and proved to be my South African counter part), our plans took shape quickly and our joint vision came together seamlessly.

As it turned out, it was a very hot and humid African summer day. The wedding ceremony started at 6:00 PM, well before sunset. As guests arrived they were asked to write a wish on a silk ribbon that was to be attached to the arch at the top of the aisle so when Clinton and Leigh-Anne walked down the aisle they’d be surrounded by the collective blessings of their entire family and friends. I was the proudest uncle on earth as I walked my niece down the aisle; I now know what it feels like!!!

Dressed in a white silk gown with a full skirt and thousands of Swarovski crystal beads, Leigh-Anne glowed from within like a light bulb. As part of the ceremony, each guest had a candle wrapped in a leaf and just before exchanging their vows Leigh-Anne and Clinton lit a unity candle, the light from their candle was passed onto the bridesmaids and groomsmen who in turn passed the light to every single guest in the room. When the room was completely candle lit, Leigh-Anne and Clinton exchanged their vows. It was a magical and romantic moment no one will ever forget.

The estates rolling lawn was the ideal backdrop for guests to enjoy cocktails and appetizers before heading into the dinner marquee. Magnums of Veuve Clicquot were popped while waiters passed light appetizers including some of the freshest oysters I have ever tasted. A trio of musicians on the terrace played light background jazz for everyone to enjoy while a group of family photographs were taken. I could hear laughter and conversation around me as the anticipation was building; everyone was expecting a full Colin Cowie production and I certainly wasn’t going to let them down.

To keep the momentum going, forty-five minutes later, almost to the minute, (I believe in short cocktail receptions, an hour maximum) we made our way to the dinner marquee. It was breathtakingly beautiful, sexy and elegant. Friends were seated at two long banquet tables under a Bedouin style tent made from stretch fabric held up by large tent poles. The interior was lit in saturated pink with hundreds of glowing candles to make it even warmer and more inviting.

Swathed firstly in an oatmeal linen underlay, the tables had runners on top made from fuchsia organza and square paillettes. The runner was lined with a silk dupioni lining and border. At each place setting was a silver charger and a very handsome saffron and fuchsia linen dupioni silk napkin. A personalized dinner menu was tucked into each napkin fold accented with a chartreuse green spider Mum flower. For the centerpieces I designed a geometrical installation with dozens of different sized square and rectangular containers packed with bright pink and orange Gerbera daisies, mini daisies and roses in the same colors. Some of the containers were covered in fuchsia silk and some in saffron silk, and others were clear glass filled with saffron colored gel. To add a sense of rhythm to our geometric installation, the table was studded with pomanders of roses placed randomly from end to end. In order to keep the look contemporary only one type of flower, of one color, was used in each vase. Same for the pomanders. Finally, just one more touch of romance, hundreds of lime green votives snaked their way down the table runners bringing the whole table alive.

As master of ceremonies I was so proud to invite for the first time into the room as husband and wife, in front of all my family and friends, Mr. and Mrs. Clinton Sebba. We dined on chilled tomato gazpacho, followed by a crayfish salad (South African spiny lobster) followed by fillet mignon with a Madagascar green peppercorn sauce, crispy roasted potatoes and summer vegetables; all washed down by two of my favorite South African wines, Klein Constancia Sauvignon Blanc and Meerlust Cabernet Sauvignon. For dessert, a light summer favorite, coconut meringue with tropical fruit and mango sorbet.

Somehow we still had the strength to party, and party we did, dancing all night long. We are a family who love to get together and have fun. To everyone’s surprise, while dinner was taking place, the ceremony site previously draped in white fabric was magically transformed into ‘Club Sebba’. The white drapes came down, the disco lights switched on, the volume turned up, sofas and lounge furniture placed in the room and before the ‘after dinner’ cocktails were served, we cut and enjoyed a multi-tiered wedding cake. We danced and danced and danced all night. It was at least 3:00 AM before my mother and I, the last two on the dance floor, called it a night.

I left with a heart full of happiness and a big dose of family love.