Fantastic Swedish-African wedding in South Africa

This trip in South Africa really offers everything, including a fantastic Swedish-African wedding. It was Peter's son's friend who got married, and we were lucky enough to be invited to the wedding as well. Happy Friday!

Why weddings in South Africa?

Peter's son Robin and his wife Alexandra are also in South Africa right now because they were invited to a wedding in George. It's their good friend Erik who would be marrying his Elizabeth, who is originally from Zambia, and also has family in South Africa. We knew neither Erik nor Elizabeth before this week, but they were generous enough to invite us to the wedding as well. And who says no to a lovely wedding?

A week of pre-wedding activities

Erik and Elizabeth invited family and friends from Sweden, Zambia and South Africa. Many rented houses in George for a whole week, and during this week daily activities were organised for those who wanted to participate. A very fun way to get to know the other wedding guests before the wedding!

Day 1: The sport of bowls at the Outeniqua Bowling Club in George. Fun! A bit like boule, but on grass and with balls of uneven weight.

Day 2: Gin production at the Cape Saint Blaze Distillery in Mossel Bay. Exciting! You had to make your own gin, with the flavour of your choice, and then name and take home the product.

Day 3: Safari at Botlierskop. Peter and I, however, were satisfied with the safari after our six days in the Kruger Park, so we chose to kayak at Kaaimans Adventures in Wilderness instead. A cosy little paddle to a "hidden" waterfall!

Day 4: Swedish-South African seafood disc at De Vette Mossel Grootbrak, outside Mossel Bay. There was a lovely feet-in-the-sand atmosphere, as well as seafood and other goodies. The hats were Swedish!

Day 5: Free day before the wedding. Robin was feeling a bit under the weather and we took Alexandra on a hike in Robberg Nature Reserve and on a small turn to see the view in the city centre. Knysna. A great day!

Time for a wedding - and a night in a hotel

Then came the day of the wedding! The bride and groom had chosen The Hawthorn Boutique Hotel, a very nice and charming hotel in George. Here almost all guests checked in for the night and it was a fantastic afternoon and evening.

Fantastic wedding in South Africa

The wedding was very well planned, and even though we only knew the bride and groom superficially, we too were caught up in the emotions of a wedding.

The groom's family and friends sat on one side of the aisle and the bride's on the other. The former had all travelled from Sweden. Some of the bride's family and friends live in George, while others had travelled here from Sweden. Johannesburg or Zambia.

Peter had dressed up in a pink suit for the occasion, and Robin and Alexandra looked beautiful in their fancy party clothes.

During the ceremony, there was a ban on photography, except for the specifically hired photographer, which meant that all the guests could focus on being in the moment. Afterwards, however, there was a lot of posing with family and friends. Fantastically nice!

There was also a mingle with drinks and canapés in the lovely garden, before it was time for dinner.

The dining room was beautifully decorated and we were served a very good wedding dinner with beetroot carpaccio for starters, lamb shank for the main course and wedding cake for dessert. In addition, the bride's sister entertained as a wonderful toastmaster, and there was a long series of fine speeches, before it was time to dance.

A memorable and special evening! We thank you for having us and we wish the bride and groom, Erik and Elizabeth, all the happiness in life!

Best this week

Best thing this week? The fantastic wedding of course, which we got the chance to attend! The week has also continued, at high speed, with a trip to Cape Town together with Robin and Alexandra. It has also offered highlights, we can promise. So, what a trip this is!

Your turn! How has your week been? What can you highlight as positive?

The week ahead

För vår del har resan fortsatt, och fortsätter, i Cape Town. Och efter det väntar äventyr vid Victoria Falls i Zimbabwe! Vi hinnerinte berätta riktigt i samma hastighet som vi reser, men följ gärna på Instagram på @freedomtravelnews.

Here at freedomtravel.se you can expect more reports from the "Garden Route" in South Africa mixed with guest reports and more. Now we wish you a nice Friday and weekend!

Did you miss the last Happy Friday? Read the Flight to George - we've got travelling companions in South Africa