Stunning Joostenberg Lapa Wedding

“Walking with your hands in mine and mine in yours, that’s exactly where I want to be always.”

Some weddings stay with me because of the people, some because of the venue and others because of all those little details that make the day completely unique to the couple. Luché and Francois’ Joostenberg Lapa wedding is one I remember for all of those reasons. It was colourful, warm and full of personality, with beautiful floral details, rose gold touches and a groom who definitely wasn’t afraid to make a statement with his suit!

There is also something quite special about looking back at this wedding Joostenberg Lapa wedding venue now because the Joostenberg Lapa wedding venue no longer exists. At the time it was a beautiful wedding venue just outside Cape Town and I had the privilege of photographing Luché and Francois there. Knowing that the Joostenberg Lapa wedding venue is no longer around makes these photographs feel like a little piece of its history. The building and setting may have disappeared but the memories created there are still here in their wedding gallery.

Luché & Francois at Joostenberg Lapa wedding

From the beginning, this Joostenberg Lapa wedding had such a lovely sense of personality. Luché looked absolutely beautiful in her white wedding dress from Connie Bailey. She wore her hair in an elegant updo which suited the classic feel of her dress perfectly and her bouquet brought in some wonderful pops of colour with orange roses and vet plant. I loved the combination because it had that beautiful natural South African feel while still being romantic and bridal.

Francois, on the other hand, decided that a traditional black or navy suit simply wasn’t going to do. He wore a gorgeous pink suit with a floral tie and then added one of my favourite little details of the entire day, light blue socks with pink flamingos! I remember noticing those and thinking that this was exactly the kind of personal detail that makes a wedding memorable. The bridal party continued the colour palette with blue suits for the men and blue dresses with gold details for the ladies, creating a lovely combination of blue, pink and gold throughout the wedding.

A Wedding Filled With Flowers and Rose Gold

The decor was another highlight of this Joostenberg Lapa wedding. There was a beautiful combination of pink, white and rose gold throughout the reception which gave everything a soft and romantic feeling. Flowers and candles were used throughout the space and the rose gold details added just enough sparkle without taking away from the natural beauty of the flowers.

The proteas were particularly beautiful. Some of them had been arranged inside jars in a way that almost looked like little nests holding the flowers. I loved how creative this was because it gave the floral arrangements something different and added texture to the tables. It was the kind of detail that made you want to stop and look properly rather than simply walking past the decor.

The wedding cake continued the same elegant colour palette. It was a beautiful two-tier cake with a rose gold bottom tier and a white top tier, finished with delicate rose details. It wasn’t overloaded with decoration and that simplicity made it feel timeless. Everything seemed to work together without looking like every single element had to match perfectly.

The Food Was Definitely Worth Remembering

I also have to mention the food because this is one of those things I still remember about the day! It had that wonderful home-cooked feeling that makes everyone want to sit down and eat. There was chicken, chops and salads and plenty for everyone to enjoy. My personal favourite was the green salad with strawberries and blueberries added to it. I love when food at a wedding feels generous and comforting rather than simply being there to look pretty, and this really did look like the kind of meal you would happily sit down to at a family gathering.

Those are the memories that often make a wedding gallery feel more real to me. Yes, I want the beautiful portraits and the stunning decor but I also want to remember the things that made the day feel like their day. The food, the funny socks, the flowers, the little conversations and all the things that happen between the big moments are what turn a collection of photographs into a story.

Their Joostenberg Lapa wedding Was Featured on Pasgetroud

There was another exciting part of Luché and Francois’ wedding story that made this day even more memorable. Their Joostenberg Lapa wedding was featured on Pasgetroud on VIA and a preview of their episode was shared before it aired.

The preview introduced their wedding with the words: “In hierdie week se episode van #Pasgetroud: By die Joostenberg-lapa net buite Kaapstad is Luché en Francois reg vir hulle troumakietie. Die bruid het groot planne vir die dekor en die bruidegom vir sy pak.” It was a lovely little teaser of what was to come and, looking at their wedding now, the description couldn’t have been more fitting. Luché really did have big plans for the decor and Francois certainly had big plans for his suit!

I am going to include the Pasgetroud preview on the website alongside their photographs so you can see a little more of their wedding story. It isn’t the full episode but it is a lovely glimpse into their celebration and something special to have alongside the photographs.

Photographing Their Wedding as a Cape Town Wedding Photographer

As a Cape Town wedding photographer, I have photographed many different types of weddings over the years and one of the things I love most is seeing how differently every couple approaches their day. There is no single way a wedding has to look and I don’t want every wedding gallery I create to look the same either. My job is to capture what makes your wedding yours.

With Luché and Francois, there was so much personality to work with. Their colours were beautiful, the flowers had character, the decor had plenty of little details and Francois’ pink suit made sure there was never going to be a boring photograph of him! Those details give me so much to work with as a photographer because they become part of the story rather than simply being background decoration.

I also love the balance between the planned photographs and everything that happens naturally around them. The portraits are important because they give you those beautiful photographs of the two of you but I always want the gallery to have movement and emotion as well. I want you to see the people who were there, the expressions, the laughter and all those little moments you might have missed while you were busy getting married.

A Special Joostenberg Lapa wedding venue That Lives On in Photographs

The Joostenberg Lapa wedding is unfortunately no longer a wedding venue, which makes photographing this wedding feel even more meaningful to me now. A Joostenberg Lapa wedding photographer today can’t simply send a couple there to recreate the same experience because the venue is no longer there, but these photographs allow us to remember what it once was.

That is one of the things I love about wedding photography. Venues change, dresses get packed away and flowers eventually fade but photographs give us the ability to return to a moment that would otherwise only exist in someone’s memory. Looking through this gallery now, you can still see the way the venue looked, the way the reception was decorated and the people who gathered there to celebrate Luché and Francois.

For me, that is much more valuable than simply having another wedding added to my portfolio. These photographs are a record of a real day in a couple’s life and, in this case, they also happen to preserve memories of a wedding venue that is no longer around.

Browse Through Luché & Francois’ Wedding Gallery

Now I want you to experience the day for yourself. Browse through Luché and Francois’ wedding photographs and take a little journey back to their Joostenberg Lapa wedding. Look out for all those details that made their day so personal, from Luché’s orange rose bouquet and the proteas to the rose gold decor, the beautiful cake and of course Francois’ pink suit and flamingo socks.

Once you’ve made your way through the photographs, take a moment to watch the Pasgetroud preview as well. It is only a glimpse rather than the full episode but it gives you another little window into their wedding day and the excitement surrounding their celebration.

This is why I love creating complete wedding galleries. You don’t just get one beautiful photograph of the bride and groom. You get the dress, the flowers, the people, the food, the little details, the laughter and all those moments that together tell the story of the day.

Luché & Francois’ Wedding Suppliers

Photographer: Poplap Photography
Videographers: Pasgetroud Team
Television Feature: Pasgetroud on VIA
Bride’s Dress: Connie Bailey
Bridesmaids’ Dresses: Exclusive Evening Wear
Suits: Smart Men Suit Hire, Parow
Cake: We Bake Stuff
Flowers: Rosina Hickley
Bouquets: Rosina Hickley
DJ: Joey Martin
Decorations: Arkyt Solutions
Makeup: La-Isla Hartzenberg
Hair: Allenor Landsman
Invitations: Paper Baby
Stationery: Epro Product Laser Cut Decor
Venue: Joostenberg Lapa wedding venue (the venue no longer exists)

Looking Back at Their Joostenberg Lapa Wedding

When I think back to Luché and Francois’ wedding, I remember a day that had so much character. I remember the beautiful white dress and orange roses, the proteas arranged in their little nest-like displays, the rose gold details and the warmth of the reception. I remember the food that looked and tasted like a proper home-cooked celebration and, of course, I remember Francois walking around in that fantastic pink suit with his floral tie and flamingo socks.

But underneath all those details was the simplest part of the day — two people promising to walk through life together.

“Walking with your hands in mine and mine in yours, that’s exactly where I want to be always.”

That really is what a wedding is about.

The venue may no longer exist but Luché and Francois’ Joostenberg Lapa wedding lives on through these photographs, their memories and that little piece of their story captured for Pasgetroud.

I am so grateful that I got to be there to photograph it.

Luché and Francois, thank you for trusting me to capture your beautiful day. I hope these photographs always take you back to the beginning of your happily ever after.