Dianne and Noel met each other in Boston, USA where they were both enjoying a holiday. As they recall, “we were going to the same concert with mutual friends and got talking to each other in the queue. Dianne was living in London and Noel was living in Dublin at the time, so for almost a year we travelled back and forth between the two cities until Noel moved to London.”

The proposal took place in the idyllic surroundings of the Caribbean island, Bequia. “We were sitting on the edge of a pier, sipping beers while watching the sunset over the Caribbean sea when Noel asked, ‘so, Dianne Gordon, will you marry me?’ to which Dianne's initial shocked response was ‘really?!’ before saying yes.”

With the ethereal beauty of Clouds Estate creating a dreamy setting, the wedding day was pure romance.  Shades of green formed part of the colour palette, looking particularly striking in flower arrangements that consisted of daisies, white roses and exotic lilies. The ceremony was held outside, where views of the Stellenbosch winelands stretched into the distance as far as the eye could see. “We still sometimes can't believe that it's actually happened. It was so close to what we had pictured in our minds for so long. The organisation, staff and suppliers were fantastic – friendly and professional – and with Hayley and her team taking care of everything, we were left to enjoy a perfect day.”

The couple don’t hesitate to mention their favourite moments of the occasion. For Noel it was watching Dianne walk down the aisle towards him with her father, while Dianne treasures the moment when they were pronounced as husband and wife, then exiting the ceremony to walk through the vineyards and enter into the reception for dinner. However, almost dropping Noel's ring during the ceremony runs a close second, as it produced one of the best photos of the day!

Having a team of coordinators to keep things running smoothly on the wedding day itself is something that the couple really appreciated. “The Aleit team are worth their weight in gold on the day! We didn't have to worry about a thing, leaving us to enjoy the day without the stress of worrying whether everything was ready or done correctly.”

The newlyweds enjoyed a honeymoon that was filled with unforgettable South African experiences, from shark-diving in Gansbaai and spending two nights in Blaauwbosch Game Reserve, to surfing in Jeffrey's Bay and partying with friends and family in Cape Town.

Advice for other Brides and Grooms

• Try to take in as much of the day in as possible, as it goes by all too quickly. Try take a few moments together alone as well; it's so easy to get distracted trying to see and talk to everyone. One of
• Dianne's most treasured moments of the day was the five minutes that she and Noel spent together before going into the reception. 
• When Aleit and his team are planning your wedding, there’s no need to worry about a thing. 
• Noel's advice to grooms is to turn and watch the bride walking down the aisle. “It's something you'll never forget. Furthermore, don’t worry about the speech. Just say what you feel on the day.”
  
• Take some time before you start the planning to separately write down what kind of wedding you want, then compare notes and discuss what you agree on and what you're willing to compromise on.
• The best advice, of course, is to hire wedding planners, particularly if you're having a destination wedding. It really takes a lot of stress out of the whole thing and means that you both are able to enjoy the run-up to your special day. We wanted our wedding to be something our international guests would always remember and Aleit succeeded in that, as all our guests have said it's the best wedding they've ever been to.

Venue: Clouds Estate
Minister: Kevin Needham
Catering: Zest Catering
Cake: Wade’s Cakes
Bar: Urban Tonic
Music: Aleit Music and Entertainment
Decor: Flower Floral Design
Lighting: Something Different Concepts and Shows
Photographer: Jean-Pierre Uys
Staff: Urban Tonic
Hair and Make-up: Candice-Leigh
Hiring: Exclusive Hiring
Flooring: Event Flooring