It is with the greatest of pleasure that we introduce the first of our Real Brides of Bridal & Tuxedo. Lindi is a bride who came to our bridal boutique to find the wedding dress of her dreams, and find it she did! On the 2nd of June 2018, Lindi said “I do” to Clinton, her dashing groom, in a ceremony fit for a fairy tale at The Munro Boutique Hotel.
Lindi and Clinton met in 2010 as first year students at North West University Potchefstroom campus. Since finding each other, they’ve hardly spent more than 3 weeks apart at any given time.
The proposal was one to put romance novels to shame (kudos to Clinton!). They got engaged during a family holiday in Mauritius where everything was so perfectly put together by the groom to be, unbeknownst to Lindi. As she ventured downstairs for dinner it all became apparent when standing at the top of the stairs she saw the most amazing view: a pathway of 100 lit candles, some flowers scattered on the balcony and an infinity pool overlooking the most beautiful view of the beach. There in the middle of it all was Clinton, down on one knee, ready to propose. How positively divine?
From there, the plans started coming to fruition, which included finding the ultimate wedding dress.
Finding Her Dream Wedding Dress
There is so much truth in the statement “you will know it when you see it”. Lindi tried on a multitude of dresses before finding her dream wedding dress, and we’re not just saying that to boost our egos. In short, she went to three bridal stores and tried on a total of 17 dresses in her first weekend of shopping. None of them were right for her or for the theme she was going for.
Lindi and Clinton decided to have a winter wedding, and the venue was then decided upon. Once she knew where she was getting married, she had a better idea of what she wanted to wear. She went to a different store and tried on another six dresses, but only one kind of spoke to her… but it wasn’t screaming her name! She went to a bridal expo and tried on a few dresses at a pop-up sale, but none were right. That was when she called us and made an appointment for a wedding dress fitting for the following day.
Lindi and her mom came to visit our boutique and as they walked in, her mom whispered to her: “This is where you’re going to find your dress.” She tried on four dresses and they all fit really well, but she still hadn’t been hit with the “this is it” feeling. That was until she tried on the last dress that had been set aside for her. Lindi encapsulated the feeling so perfectly:
“When I walked out, my mother had tears in her eyes. I did not want to take it off, I knew it was the one. No dress could ever make me feel like that again. It was not a pure white ballgown, it was not covered in bling or pure white lace, but it was me. I knew that every girl only gets one chance to wear a ballgown dress and I did not want to lose out on that. I got a princess ballgown skirt to wear during the ceremony that matched my dress perfectly with my dream dress underneath. Both looks were perfect for our special day.”
Lindi’s Advice For Brides-To-Be
When it comes to finding your perfect wedding dress: “Choose the dress you love, not the one that fits best with your venue, not the one your mother or mother in-law loves, not the one that your groom will like. Choose the one YOU love, even if it means trying on 30 or more dresses.”
Stay hydrated and full of energy on your wedding day by drinking water and eating when you can. With so much happening, you will be exhausted if you don’t look after yourself.
Most importantly, don’t sweat the small stuff. Your dress will get dirty as you walk, people will stand on the hem and it might even rip before the night is over. You don’t want to let that get to you, because it happens to every bride and it’s just something you need to roll with. Don’t ruin the moment. Enjoy it and soak it all in, because it will be over before you know it!
Lindi and Clinton, we are so in love with your story and we wish you all the happiness in the world on your journey through life together! Thank you for sharing your magic with us and for letting us play a part in your “happily ever after”!
