Plan a Wedding in Cape Town
South Africa
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Getting married in the magical Mother City of Cape Town? Well-known as the gateway to South Africa, Cape Town is an extraordinary city that holds many beautiful places to tie the knot.
Knowing the in’s and out’s of when, where and how to get married in Cape Town is essential to ease you into planning a Cape Town wedding. With the guidance provided by our collection of handy tips, learn how to plan and pull off your dream wedding in any of the city’s seasons or locations!
Image: Joanne Markland as seen in this Pale Yellow, White & Coral Winelands Destination Wedding
Getting Married in Cape Town
Cape Town is one of the top wedding destinations in the world for good reason, says Nicolette from Nicolette Weddings Planning and Co-ordination. Not to mention the bright African sunshine and amazing weather, there’s plenty that Cape Town has to offer as a wedding destination that sets it apart from others. Check out our Cape Town Wedding Directory for details of Cape Town wedding professionals.
Beautiful Variety of Cape Town Wedding Venues
There are so many stunning wedding venues in Cape Town, that you will be spoilt for choice! According to Margaux and Sunelle from Blank Canvas Event Design, there are Winelands venues nestled in the hearts of vineyards, venues overlooking the ocean and beautiful beaches, modern venues with lots of glass and concrete, venues overlooking magnificent mountain ranges or situated in the heart of a plantation, rustic venues with that homely feel or vintage vibe and venues ranging from the smallest, to the biggest capacities. Barry from Event and Design adds that not only does Cape Town offer some of the top venues in the world, but it is all accessible within a half an hour’s drive.
Cape Town is a Wedding Photographer’s Paradise
Izandi from I DO 4 U Weddings and Events believes that Cape Town offers a background and setting to die for and it would be any photographer’s dream to shoot a wedding in the Winelands, the beach, or Cape Town itself.
Cape Town Boasts Top-Class Wedding Suppliers
Being one of the top wedding destinations in the world, Cape Town is also able to offer engaged couples top class wedding suppliers such as award winning wedding photographers, chefs, stationery designers and cake suppliers, says Nicolette from Nicolette Weddings Planning and Co-ordination. Marle and Willem from Someday Soon Weddings & Events add that, “Cape Town service providers offer a super-personal touch and that’s important when you’re planning your biggest, most beautiful day yet”.
You can’t Beat the Mothercity Magic
There’s such a unique vibe and atmosphere in this city and the team from Someday Soon Weddings & Events truly believe it’s like no place on earth. Again and again, couples gush about the beautiful surroundings, but the one thing they truly remember is the friendliness and all-around-smiles that are so true to Capetonians. Cara from The Mosaic Wedding Company tells us that her couples from overseas absolutely love flying here to say their vows, while their guests get to enjoy what Cape Town has to offer as they make it a mini holiday.
When to get married in Cape Town
Regardless of the time of year, rain, wind or sunshine – a gorgeous Cape Town wedding can be held during any season.
Summer Weddings in Cape Town
November – February
Beginning as early as November and lasting well into February, the Cape Town’s summer months are perfect for outdoor weddings. Although the summertime boasts the warmest weather and endlessly long days, it is also the busiest and most expensive time of the year to wed, requiring you to book your venue and vendors way in advance.
Autumn Weddings in Cape Town
March – April
Cape Town during the Autumn season in March and April may be less warm than Summer, but it is also privy to less wind in the Mother City. The city is amass with autumn colours of reds, browns, yellows and oranges – offering a stunning backdrop for weddings especially in the Cape Winelands at an ‘off-season’ price.
Winter Weddings in Cape Town
May – August
Between May and August, Cape Town plays host to greenery galore owing to the winter rainfalls. Referred to as the “secret season”, rain, wind and sunshine can be expected, which makes it a great season for cosy indoor weddings. More choice of available venues also allows you to confirm bookings closer to your wedding date.
Spring Weddings in Cape Town
September – November
Springtime is a time for new beginnings and celebration of love seems fit during this flowerful season that starts in September before welcoming the Summer in November. A pleasant mix of rain and sunshine creates a blanket of flowers especially across the popular West Coast Spring flower route.
Where To Get Married in Cape Town
With its diverse landscape and scenery, Cape Town has a marvellous mix of wedding venues on offer.
Get Married on the Beach in Cape Town
(Above) Strandkombuis Wedding Venue, Yzerfontein | Shot by: Just Judy Photography
Cape Town is bordered with several world-class beaches from the warm Langebaan, Arniston and Paternoster beaches found along the West Coastline, the glamorous white sand beaches of Camps Bay, Clifton and Hout Bay stretching across the Atlantic Seaboard, to the more laid-back Boulders Beach, Simon’s Town and Fish Hoek beaches nestled along the False Bay coastline. Having a beach wedding sounds like it could be the most romantic place to exchange your vows. However, if you’re eager for a beach wedding, be sure to consider the following:
Cape Town Beach Weddings are great for:
- The beach can play host to romantic and relaxed tented or alfresco weddings that allow you to kick back and enjoy your wedding with the sand between your toes.
- Great surroundings for photos, especially during the late afternoons and sunset is a sure bet!
- If you’re lucky, you could also enjoy some privacy if the beach is secluded.
Things to keep in mind:
- Cape Town is know for its rain and wind throughout the seasons, so selecting the right wedding date is crucial. Beach weddings are best held from late October until early April, with the late summer offering less wind. If the weather is unfavourable, you will need a Plan B – either an indoor beach wedding venue or a beach canopy, gazebo or tent.
- Licensing is essential if you’re having a wedding on a public beach. A wedding permit can be arranged by your wedding planner (if you have one). Be sure to allow for enough time in advance for your beach wedding permit to be issued.
- There is a lack of guaranteed privacy on public beaches, as they are open to other beach-goers and their pets.
To find out what your wedding venue style is, take our Quiz: Discover Your Wedding Venue Style {Wedding Planning Series}.
Get Married at a Hotel in Cape Town
Many of Cape Town’s hotel wedding venues are situated near to or in the city centre, which offers beautiful views of the world-renowned Table Mountain.
Cape Town Hotel Weddings are great for:
- Most hotels have an in-house wedding co-ordinator who is available to assist you in planning your wedding.
- With on-site chef and catering services available at most hotels, you may be able to personalise your wedding menu with the hotel’s chef.
- It may be possible to secure special rates for accommodation for the bridal couple and your guests, if the venue is booked far in advance.
Things to keep in mind:
- Hotels have rules and these may include their approved list of vendors, party cut-off times and noise-limits, which requires you to consider the guests staying at the hotel during that time.
- Unless you’re happy with the hotel’s current decor, you may have to spend more to transform the existing decor of the venue to add your personal touch.
- There may be other weddings or events taking place on the same day in another venue at the hotel, which may stretch the hotel’s resources in handling multiple weddings or cause conflict between the different wedding programs.
Get Married in a Forest, Garden or Outdoors in Cape Town
Other outdoor wedding venues in Cape Town can include forests, gardens and ‘glamping’ (camping in style!).
Cape Town Forest, Garden or Outdoor Weddings are great for:
- Outdoor weddings can be incredibly beautiful when set amongst nature and it is this surrounding scenery that can be used as part of your wedding venue.
Things to keep in mind:
- The logistics of hosting a wedding outdoors where amenities such as running water, electricity for sufficient lighting and sound and access to the wedding site may be a challenge and end up being more costly.
- It is essential to devise a contingency plan for your wedding location in advance in case the weather does not play along.
- Uninvited wedding guests such as pesky bugs need to be anticipated and prepared for with fans and insect repellents, especially during the summer months.
Get Married on a Wine Farm in Cape Town
Home to several wine countries, Cape Town’s wine routes include towns such as Constantia Valley, Stellenbosch, the Helderberg, Durbanville Valley and Franschhoek.
Cape Town Wine Farm Weddings are great for:
- Wine farms are perfect venues for both indoor and outdoor celebrations. Indoor wedding venues can include beautiful buildings, old cellars and generally a venue that is filled with style and charm.
- Open spaces filled with vineyards, farmlands, the estate’s gardens, surrounding green pastures and mountainous landscapes create a beautiful backdrop for your wedding.
- Many wine farm wedding venues offer wedding facilities and delicious catering. Of course, there is also the benefit of enjoying the wine farm’s own wine if you please.
- Several farms offer on-site accommodation, which makes for a truly enjoyable wedding experience.
Things to keep in mind:
- Consider how your guests will be travelling to your wedding as some of your guests may not be able to travel to a wine farm in a remote area.
- For religious reasons, certain guests may not be able to attend a wine farm wedding where alcohol is present.
How to Get Married in Cape Town
If only getting hitched was as easy and romantic as saying your “I do’s”! However less romantic the legal and technical information required by the South African government in order for a marriage to be legal may be, they are essential to adhere to, to ensure that you have truly tied the knot! Here we share a few important guidelines on how to enter into a legally binding union in Cape Town.
- Once your have been married, your marriage officer is required to submit the marriage register to be recorded at the nearest Home Affairs office. Once it has been recorded, an abridged or shortened version of your marriage certificate, which costs approximately ZAR75.00, is issued on the same day. It may take between 6-8 weeks from the date of application for an abridged or complete marriage certificate to be issued at a cost of ZAR20.00
- Unless you have entered into a valid pre-nuptial contract prior to marrying, all legal marriages in Cape Town are in community of property.
- Although you may conduct your wedding ceremony anywhere in South Africa – be it the beach, a wine farm, hotel or the great outdoors, it is legally required that the marriage contract or register be signed indoors, beneath a proper roof and in the presence of at least two witnesses who will also be required to sign the marriage register.
- If you are not a South African citizen, then you should find out whether your home country acknowledges South African marriages as legally valid.
- Only legally authorised marriage officers may perform your wedding ceremony. To learn more about how to select the right marriage officer for your wedding, take a look at our Selecting a Marriage Officer {Wedding Planning Series} feature, which explains the different types of officers and shares great tips on how to choose the right one for you.
Remember that these are only a few of the key requirements for entering into a legal marriage. To find out more, it is best to seek legal counsel prior to entering into a marriage and to confirm the complete and updated details from a South African Home Affairs office or by visiting www.home-affairs.gov.za.
Tips for Planning A Cape Town Wedding
There are so many tips and tricks for planning a wedding in Cape Town, but these are few that come up more often than not. Here are a few expert tips for planning a wedding in the Mothercity of Cape Town:
- Choose your date carefully as Cape Town hosts many sporting events and gets congested during these periods, which may affect your guests and suppliers from reaching your wedding venue.
- Choose your season carefully as some weeks in the summer months could be too hot for your guests’ comfort so look at the weeks before or after the hottest time of year; February.
- Have a Winter wedding for less as many Cape Town wedding venues and other suppliers offer great discounts for weddings during the winter months
- ALWAYS have a Plan B if some parts of your wedding is set to take place outside. Start checking the weather at least a month before the big day as the weather in Cape Town is very temperamental.
- Book early to avoid disappointment as some venues and suppliers are booked a year in advance, so when you’ve got your heart set on a specific photographer or venue, make sure you book then first!
- Save some of the décor and flower budget by relying on the natural beauty of the Cape Town surroundings.
- Choose your suppliers carefully for each aspect of the wedding by viewing their work online and checking their references before booking them, to make sure you are making the right decision.
- Consider the many unique places to get married that are off the beaten track. Keep an open mind as these gems can save money and be very special and unique.
- Restaurant venues are often much more cost effective since caterers, furniture, waiters and more are already taken care of.
- Embrace your surroundings and introduce your guests to the Mother City, especially if you have a lot of overseas guests. Include pre and post wedding outings, such as wine tours, hikes and a trip to the beach in your save the date or invite.
Cape Town Wedding Planning Resources
From wedding venues, dress designers, photographers and heaven-sent wedding planners, dig through our wonderful stash of wedding resources, specifically put together for brides planning a Cape Town wedding.
- Check out our Cape Town Wedding Directory for Cape Town wedding professionals.
- Check out the Ultimate Wedding Venue Checklist to help make your wedding venue decision
- 20 Garden & Outdoor Wedding Venues, Cape Town
- 30+ Wedding Photographers in Cape Town
- South African Wedding Dresses
- 7 Fab Wedding Planners & Coordinators {Cape Town}
- 9 Fabulous Cape Town Beach Wedding Venues
- Wedding Venues with Chapel & Reception Areas {Cape Town}
- See latest real wedding in South Africa
- See latest real weddings in Cape Town
As a future Cape Town bride-to-be, we hope that these wedding tips and resources will help you plan your magical Mother City marriage! For wedding planning gems that will help you every step of the way, be sure to check out our weekly Wedding Planning Series for regular expert wedding planning advice.
View all real weddings | Read wedding planning advice
Not forgetting, thank you! Much love and thanks to all of the fab Cape Town wedding experts for sharing their pearls of wisdom and insight in creation of this Ultimate Guide for Planning a Wedding in Cape Town:
Margaux and Sunelle from Blank Canvas Event Design | Barry from Event and Design | Izandi from I DO 4 U Weddings and Events | Nicolette from Nicolette Weddings Planning and Co-ordination | Marle and Willem from Someday Soon Weddings & Events| Cara from The Mosaic Wedding Company
Please note that while the information published is accurate to the best of our knowledge at the time of publishing, prices and information is subject to change and it is advised to contact each planner directly for the most recent information and to confirm details.