SPOILT FOR CHOICE

An abundance of wedding venues and vibes are on offer in KwaZulu-Natal — from rustic farms to palm-fringed beaches to safari lodges, writes Herb Payne

Choosing the right venue for one’s wedding is difficult, with the province offering a wide range of dedicated facilities and open-air options. Wedding planners Joelene Botha, the founder and creative director of Oh Happy Day, and Kate Bain, who runs the Wedding Company SA, have no shortage of suggestions, ranging from the beach to game reserves.

Bain says the Midlands is the wedding capital of the province, with a host of dedicated venues: “Before the pandemic, we had about 63 dedicated venues. I am not sure how many there are now, but they are a major driver of the area’s economy in terms of filling restaurants, food preparation and creating employment. Now, there must be between 30 and 40 weddings taking place in the area every weekend.”

There are a variety of venues in the Drakensberg, but many have not yet reopened after the pandemic.

Of those available, the planners single out Champagne Castle hotel and resort, nestled below SA’s third-highest peak. With easy access from both Joburg and Durban, the hotel offers a full package, including a 50-seat chapel reception venue and luxurious accommodation. In the same region is Cathedral Peak Hotel, which offers superior honeymoon accommodation for weddings and other events and a host of activities, including a nine-hole golf course.

Game reserves and safari lodges are growing in popularity as nuptial venues, particularly for smaller, getaway weddings. Among the facilities identified by the two wedding planners was Nambiti Private Game Reserve. It is a Big Five wilderness sanctuary, and its Cheetah Ridge Lodge is particularly suitable for weddings.

Another Big Five destination is the Bayala Private Safari Lodge, set in a 12,000ha reserve, which is claimed to be a welcoming and affordable facility just three hours north of Durban. It provides an outstanding wildlife experience and offers customised weddings.

Turning to the Midlands, the two wedding planners believe people are spoilt for choice there.

They highlight Netherwood Farm —a working farm in the Nottingham Road area that not only supports a craft brewery, a restaurant and a cafe, but also has a dedicated wedding venue. Couples can tie the knot in a refurbished missionary church, and there’s a purpose-built wedding function facility as well as expansive farmhouse accommodation. The Netherwood wedding venue was designed to be contemporary and neutral — to allow nature to flow indoors through the surrounding glass doors and windows.

Also in Nottingham Road, the Hemyock Farm venue offers the flavour of quaint, rural England with avenues of trees and green pastures, and a farmhouse dating back to 1929 that forms the basis of wedding gatherings. Close by is Bosch

Hoek, which offers both a large venue and a clubhouse for weddings providing a “blank canvas” on which couples can create the wedding of their dreams.

Another is the Groves, with which Bain is associated, an elegant venue with a manor house along with a wooden chapel and barn-style reception area. Then, describing itself as a picture-perfect wedding venue on the doorstep of the Midlands Meander is Brahman Hills, which provides on-site accommodation various reception venues and a wedding-planning service.

Similarly, Haycroft Farm offers a wedding in a pine forest farm chapel, welcome celebrations on the deck where canapés or starters can be served, and a wedding reception area that can accommodate dinner and dancing for up to 140 guests. The Providence prides itself on its cuisine and provides a garden setting for weddings and an ivy-covered chapel.

Turning to the coast, Bain says there are few, if any, beach wedding sites. The closest to an authentic dedicated beach wedding venue would be Umtamvuna River Lodge at Port Edward. It has a private river beach and tranquil garden. Complementing this the facility offers luxury accommodation. Other activities include river cruises, wakeboarding and skateboarding.

Then, much closer to Durban on the Dolphin Coast is the popular Salt Rock Hotel beach resort, 20 minutes’ drive from King Shaka International Airport, which offers a “uniquely South African experience” on the tropical palm-fringed, golden shore of the Indian Ocean without losing that homeaway-from-home feel. The hotel offers a variety of wedding venues and options.

Also in Salt Rock is the Canelands Beach Club & Spa that provides a “spectacular” backdrop for weddings. Ceremonies can take place on the beach or a grassy area overlooking the sea and the restaurant area can accommodate 60 to 70 guests.

Back to the south coast, the wedding planners say another favourite is the Venue Fontana on a family farm along the Umkomaas River. It offers an elegant, rustic barn wedding reception for up to 120 seated guests. It also offers a variety of photo settings near dams, along the river, in the forest or on the hills overlooking the sea.

Then, just outside Durban at Botha’s Hill, is Talloula, which provides a stylish, contemporary venue with a garden conservatory that’s an ideal setting for that “I do” moment. And in nearby Kloof, at Barker Manor, 150 guests can attend a “country-chic wedding”, ensuring a celebration both “modern and timeless”.

And in Durban itself, on the newly revitalised Point Waterfront development, Botha and Bain say a great choice is the refurbished historic Bond Shed. It promises a warm atmosphere and rustic charm for weddings that can accommodate up to 100 guests or 150 cocktail style. There is also an option to extend the venue into the courtyard.