Will & Mason: Mardi Gras Wedding in Cape Town

Photography — Wesley Vorster Photography

“Where do I begin? We had the most magical wedding that exceeded all of our expectations. We are two grooms from Dallas, Texas (Will is originally from New Orleans), and we had over 65 guests travel from the United States to South Africa right before the pandemic really hit the U.S. I say a prayer to God every single day thanking Him for allowing us to have our dream with friends and family. We never imagined this day would happen when we met 7 years ago.”

Will and Mason planned an incredibly unique New Orleans-themed celebration which included Emerald Green suits, acrylic save-the-dates with hand-dyed envelopes, multiple musical acts, custom handkerchiefs, floating florals and a fantastic champagne wall among other unique details.

Will began working with his wedding planner, The Mosaic Wedding Company, in South Africa for 9 months before the Big Day to ensure everything was perfect. To say the least, Will had some wild and wonderful ideas. “We ultimately settled on the stunning Tintswalo Atlantic for our wedding day taking over the entire resort for 3 days.”

From the time the guests arrived in South Africa, Will had everything planned. “We began with a Yacht party on Valentine’s Day so that we could all celebrate together. After the Yacht party, we had another event on the beach to watch the sun go down. The day went better than we could imagine.”

The wedding day itself was elegant. A sophisticated ceremony and dinner moved into a lively dance. The guests arrived in Hout Bay overlooking Chapman’s Peak where the ceremony took place. Kirya Kuti and his band provided entertainment while the guests chose refreshments from a champagne truck and vodka-soda station. The grooms were impeccably attired by Harper and Jones - @harperandjones in stunning custom-made, emerald green suits. “Once we said ‘I Do’, we passed custom made handkerchiefs around and the brass band played our guests down to the pool area for the cocktail-hour because we needed to bring some New Orleans to South Africa with a Second Line. Guests were surprised, though they knew our love for New Orleans, and followed us behind the brass band. We danced to music with handkerchiefs and parasols to the cocktail-hour.” Shen FM, the couple’s second musical act of the night greeted everyone poolside at Tintswalo Atlantic. The newlyweds even featured a signature cocktail named after their dog, The Brees!, which was a Moscow Mule in copper mugs.

After sunset, the guests found their seats via a champagne wall that held personalized glasses, and they enjoyed a musical performance by Tons of Fun. Following toasts and speeches, the party moved to the dance floor.

New Orleans themed gay wedding in Cape Town South Africa

“During that moment, we turned on the lights that we had installed under the venue that made a rainbow in the sea. It was so beautiful to watch the waves crashing into the colours. It was truly incredible. From there, we had fire-dancers come out while everyone was dancing for another surprise. We went onto the boulders while guest looked down to receive a fire blessing.” The party continued with a tarot card reader making an appearance around the tables, and Mardi Gras beads were passed around to contribute to the New Orleans flair. The wedding was supposed to end at 2AM however the venue allowed the party to keep the fun going until the early hours of the morning. The night closed with Mason serenading Will on the guitar, a perfect end to the celebration for the new husbands.

Following the wedding, the grooms carried on for another week in the Winelands around Cape Town, then off to the North East of South Africa for a 4 day Safari!

Sunset in Cape Town South Africa
k376_mv_signatures_v1_20150714-e1436911470727.jpg
Featured WeddingsMatthew Schuellergay wedding, cape town, south africa, mardi gras, new orleans, Dallas, gay coupleComment