Zophanie & Mauricio Phillips | De Ouwe Klok Wedding
“We loved with a love that was more than love.”
Some weddings stay with me because of the people. Some because of the venue. Some because something completely unexpected happens that turns an ordinary photograph into one of those images you never forget.
Zophanie and Mauricio’s wedding at De Ouwe Klok wedding venue in Stellenbosch had a little bit of all three.
There was something so beautiful about this wedding from the moment I arrived. The gold bridesmaid dresses, the maroon suit worn by Mauricio, the simple white shirts and bow ties of the groomsmen and the soft pink and rose gold details all came together beautifully. Then there was the venue itself, which immediately reminded me why De Ouwe Klok wedding venue is definitely one of my top ten wedding venues.
And then there was the horse.
I’ll get to that part because honestly, it is one of my favourite memories from this wedding.
A De Ouwe Klok Wedding in Stellenbosch
De Ouwe Klok wedding venue is one of those venues that has a character of its own. There is something about being surrounded by the farm atmosphere and the Stellenbosch landscape that makes the whole wedding experience feel different from a city venue.
As a photographer, I love venues where I can move around and find different settings for photographs. A wedding day naturally gives you so many opportunities to create different images, from the quiet moments while everyone is getting ready to the portraits of the couple and the celebrations later in the day.
For Zophanie and Mauricio, the setting was perfect.
This was my kind of De Ouwe Klok wedding because there were beautiful surroundings to work with but the photographs still felt centred around the couple. The venue didn’t overpower their story. Instead, it became part of it.
And Stellenbosch really does give you some incredible wedding photography opportunities.
Zophanie’s Beautiful Mermaid Wedding Dress
Zophanie looked absolutely beautiful in her white mermaid wedding dress.
The fitted silhouette created such an elegant shape and suited her perfectly. There is something timeless about a classic white wedding dress and hers had that beautiful bridal feeling without needing to be overly complicated.
Her bridesmaids wore gold dresses which worked beautifully against the softer colours used throughout the wedding. The gold brought warmth into the photographs and tied in perfectly with the reception decor.
Mauricio went in a completely different direction with a maroon suit which I absolutely loved. It was bold without being over the top and gave the bridal portraits a really rich colour.
The groomsmen kept things more relaxed with white shirts, black pants and bow ties. It created a really nice balance between the strong maroon of Mauricio’s suit and the gold dresses of the bridesmaids.
When photographing a wedding, I always love seeing how couples put their own personalities into the clothing and styling. You can learn a lot about a couple from the little choices they make.
Gold, Soft Pink and Rose Gold Wedding Decor
The reception styling was absolutely gorgeous.
There were gold bird cages used as part of the centrepieces with candles glowing inside them alongside soft pink flowers. Rose gold details were added throughout the decor which brought everything together without making it feel too heavy.
I loved the combination of gold, soft pink and rose gold because it created a romantic atmosphere while still feeling elegant.
The flowers added another soft layer to the tables and the candlelight gave everything that lovely warm feeling that photographs so beautifully.
This is one of those weddings where the details really mattered.
When I photograph receptions, I always like to capture the little things before the guests arrive. Once everyone is seated and the celebration begins, those details can easily disappear into the background.
But when you look back through your wedding gallery years later, those photographs help you remember exactly how everything looked.
And Then We Found a Horse
Now for one of my favourite parts of this De Ouwe Klok wedding.
There was a horse on the farm and somehow we ended up getting the opportunity to include it in the photographs.
One of the ladies who had the horse on the farm was incredibly kind and allowed us to borrow the horse for some photographs.
How could we say no?
This was such an unexpected little moment and it gave us something completely different from the usual wedding portraits.
I absolutely love when something spontaneous like this happens during a wedding. You can plan your timeline down to the smallest detail but you can never plan every little thing that will happen during the day.
Sometimes those unplanned moments become the photographs you remember most.
And photographing Zophanie and Mauricio with the horse on the farm was definitely one of those moments for me.
It also made the gallery feel so connected to the venue itself. Instead of simply taking the couple away from the venue for a standard portrait session, we were able to use something that was actually part of the farm.
That is one of the reasons I love photographing weddings at places like De Ouwe Klok wedding venue.
The Cake Was Almost Too Pretty to Eat
The wedding cake was created by The Velvet Cake Company and it fitted the colour palette beautifully.
The cake had rich maroon and red tones on the outside with pink inside. I loved that the colours connected back to Mauricio’s maroon suit while still working with the softer pink elements throughout the wedding.
Cake photographs might seem like a small part of a wedding gallery but I think they are worth capturing.
There is so much thought that goes into wedding cakes. Couples choose flavours, colours, decorations and designs that fit their wedding. It becomes another little piece of the story.
And of course, there is always the moment when everyone finally gets to eat it.
The Couple at the Centre of It All
For me, beautiful styling and a stunning venue are wonderful to photograph but the couple will always be the most important part of the gallery.
Zophanie and Mauricio had such a lovely presence together.
When I photograph couples, I don’t want every image to look like they have been placed into the exact same pose. I want to see their relationship.
Some couples are naturally affectionate. Some are more playful. Some are quiet together. Some spend the entire portrait session laughing.
Every couple is different.
That is why I like to mix natural candid photographs with gentle direction when needed. I want couples to feel comfortable rather than feel like they have suddenly become models for the day.
A De Ouwe Klok wedding gives you so many beautiful surroundings to work with but ultimately the photographs are about the two people who are getting married.
Why De Ouwe Klok wedding venue Is in My Top Ten
After photographing more than 100 weddings over the years, I have had the opportunity to work at quite a few different venues.
Some become favourites because of the people who run them. Some because of the scenery. Some because of the atmosphere. Some simply make photographing a wedding feel easy and enjoyable.
De Ouwe Klok wedding venue is definitely one that made my personal top ten.
I love venues that give me room to tell the story of the day rather than making every photograph feel like it has to happen in one particular spot.
The farm setting, the surroundings and the character of the venue give you plenty to work with. Then when you add a couple like Zophanie and Mauricio, beautiful styling and a very cooperative horse, you have all the ingredients for a gallery that I genuinely enjoyed creating.
The Details Behind Zophanie & Mauricio’s Wedding
Every wedding has a team of people working behind the scenes to make the day happen. I always like to include them because they deserve to be remembered too.
Venue: De Ouwe Klok, Stellenbosch
Photographer: Poplap Photography
Bride’s Dress: Michelle Erasmus
Bridesmaid Dresses: Darren de Waal
Suits: Smart Men Suit Hire
Cake: The Velvet Cake Company
Flowers & Bouquets: Elaine Swigelaar, Millions Flower Boutique
DJ: Dean de Wet, DJ The Hood
Decorations: The Love Affair
Make-up: Zonia Maans
Hair: Anne de Bruyn, Perfectly Styles Hair Salon
Every person involved contributes something to the final story. From the dress and flowers to the music, hair, make-up and decor, all those details come together to create the wedding that the couple will remember.
Looking Back at This De Ouwe Klok Wedding
Looking back at Zophanie and Mauricio’s wedding, there are so many things I love about their gallery.
The gold bridesmaid dresses.
The maroon suit.
The soft pink flowers.
The candlelit bird cages.
The rose gold details.
The beautiful surroundings of De Ouwe Klok wedding venue.
And yes, definitely the horse.
But more than anything, I love that the photographs tell the story of their day.
That is what I am always trying to create when I photograph a wedding. I don’t want to give couples a collection of disconnected pretty photographs. I want to create a gallery that lets them walk back through their wedding day.
I want them to remember what they wore and how everything looked but also who was there, what happened and how they felt.
Years from now, those photographs become even more valuable.
The flowers won’t be there anymore. The cake will be gone. The candles will have burned out. The dress will be packed away.
But the photographs remain.
And that is why I love what I do.
Final Thoughts
Zophanie and Mauricio’s De Ouwe Klok wedding was one of those weddings where everything came together in such a beautiful way.
The venue was stunning. The styling was romantic and elegant. Their outfits worked perfectly together and the little surprise of having a horse available for photographs gave us something completely unexpected.
Those are the weddings I love photographing.
Not because everything has to be perfectly planned but because there is always a story waiting to happen.
And sometimes the best photographs are the ones you never planned for.
Thank you, Zophanie and Mauricio, for allowing me to be part of your wedding day and for trusting me to capture these memories for you.
It was an absolute pleasure being your photographer.
And I still think that horse deserves an honourable mention in the wedding album.
