Wedding Date: 20 October 2007
Venue:Mount Edgecombe Country Club
Theme: Butterflies - Pink and burnt orange

Name of bride:  Amy Irwin
Name of groom:  Ryan Faile

Wedding planner:  Amy and her mom did all the planning
Photographer:  Simon Maritz
Flowers by:  Amy and her mom did all the flowers
Cake by:  Penny’s Chocolates
Brides dress by:  Amy’s friend Doreen made her dress
Groom dressed by:  Classic Tux Hire
Bridesmaids dressed by:  Also by Doreen

The engagement
It was Easter & my husband (boyfriend at the time) came to me & asked me if I want my Easter egg that he got for me & I said no thanks, not now. He kept bugging me to take the egg so eventually I said fine just give me the egg.

When he brought me the egg he was shaking it & he said sorry but it’s broken now you have to eat all the little pieces so I opened my hand for him to pour them into my hand & out came the ring to which he took out my hand & got on his knee & asked me to marry him to which I said yes.

The wedding
We got married almost exactly 2 years after we got engaged at Mount Edgecombe Country Club, Durban North.  The night before both maids of honor, my bridesmaids, mom, Ryan’s mom (our hairdresser), aunt, make-up artist, flower girl and I slept at my friends B & B doing our nails and watching soppy romance movies. (just us girls).

Ryan slept at my parents house with his 2 best men – my dad, 2 uncles, the best men & my husband went out for a one more time as single man – so I guess all they did was drink…

I didn’t sleep at all, so at 5am I got up to wake everyone one up , we had our hair and make-up done. Then went down for a light breakfast.  Then the photographer arrived to do the interviews and to take some shots of me getting dressed. I was so relaxed during the whole thing until the photographer said that we need to hurry a little. We went to the venue in a Toyota Avansa, as soon as I stepped out the car , I was shaking with excitement…

We went & stood in a little room waiting for the pastor to come tell us he was ready, when he came to me & said Amy I am ready are you. . . that’s when the tears started. . .  The ceremony was wonderful  – it all felt like a dream. After the ceremony we had our stunning photo’s taken by Simon who captured every small little detail. The photo’s came together so nicely, it looked amazing.

The reception was a blast, we had breakfast, speeches & our first dance & everything went without a hitch – all our hard work and planning paid off. I think it was & still is the best wedding I have been to (but I suppose every couple will feel that their wedding is better).

Once everyone had left we went back to my parents place & opened all our gifts until about 4 that afternoon. We then packed the car & made our way to a friends B & B in Nottingham Road where we then unpacked & got back into the car to go watch the rugby at the local pub. South Africa then won the World Cup Final which put the cherry on top for us. It was wonderful.

The honeymoon
After the 2 nights at the B&B in Nottingham Road we packed the car on Monday Morning & made our way to Mpumalanga where we stayed in Hazeyview at a place called Hazeyview Cabanas. We went to the Kruger, we to an animal rehab centre where we got to feed Vulture & touch a Leopard. We also went to a Chimp rehab centre where the chimps where flown in from all over the world because they where being treated badly.

It was the best time our our lives.

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