A Family Wedding in Zimbabwe

Beth and Séan, the Bride and Groom

We were so thrilled to be able to fly to Zimbabwe for the wedding of our nephew, Séan, and his beautiful bride, Beth. The wedding was held at Ryelands, Harare, among the msasa trees. On the invitation, the bride had requested that all guests should only wear shades of cream, and no other colour. Everyone made a special effort to comply, with the result that everything looked amazing!

The groomsmen and the celebrant, waiting for the ceremony to begin

All the guest were seated on bales of hay, as this was truly a bush wedding...

...then the choir began to sing...

...as the bridesmaids, and flower girls, came along the path

Then came the beautiful bride, supported by her father,

an award-winning safari guide, also known as the "Elephant Whisperer"

Beth and Séan made their vows, in front of Mark, the celebrant

As they walked through the lines of guests, everyone threw rose petals over them...

...while a sweet little flower girl peeped out from behind a bridesmaid's dress

Cocktails and snacks were served among the msasa trees, 

while we checked the seating plans, hanging from a branch

The dining tables were set out in a clearing in the woods

As night-time fell, lights strung among the trees gave everything a romantic glow

Then the dancing began, and we all partied well into the night

What a beautiful wedding, and one we will always remember. We were so privileged to be part of this wonderful day.

Elizabeth Coughlan