The wedding was to take place over a long weekend in February 2019. The first aspect they planned was the location. They found Inimitable, a new venue encased in the hills of Muldersdrift, just outside of Johannesburg.
“Inimitable is a brand-new venue,” Romy says, “but when we chose it in April 2018 it was a just building site. The definition of inimitable is ‘so good or unusual as to be impossible to copy’ and that is exactly what this venue is. From the moment you set foot in the venue, you know there is something special here. The venue flows from the beautiful chupah area to the glass reception hall, which glowed with the most gorgeous African sunset behind it. Could I have asked for anything better? It makes me tear up with happiness when I think about it. I want to do it all over again.
Around 60 friends and family arrived from the UK and around the world, joining those already in South Africa. The celebrations started with a welcome party in Johannesburg. Each family put on their own Friday-night dinners for overseas guests, close friends and family. The following morning, guests joined the families for Adam’s aufruf at West Street Shul, Houghton, followed by kiddush.
“It was important to me that the wedding day was spiritual,” says Adam. “I am not religious but on the morning of the wedding I went to synagogue, where I put on tefillin and took time for myself to reflect.” Afterwards, he went to the mikvah. “This was a special experience and one that I would recommend to any man before he gets married,” he says. “I had also decided that I would fast on the day up until we were married, which is customary. Although it sounds difficult, it allowed me to focus and direct my energy to what was important on the day.”
The mikvah was also one of the most special moments for Romy: “I went with my mum and it was the most beautiful yet overwhelmingly emotional feeling I had ever experienced,” she says.With the help of White Dossier, a bridal styling concierge company in London, Romy had found her dress at the Wedding Gallery. It was a white Vera Wang fishtail off-the-shoulder design.
“I went for something more classic and tight-fitting; it had gorgeous detail on the top which gave it a more modern look and feel. I felt like myself in the dress and that for me was so important,” she says. “For the chupah I had a stunning soft, high-neck cape made, which worked beautifully with my dress. My wedding look was completed by an elegant but simple long veil. My shoes were silver Charlotte Olympia, which I absolutely adored and were so comfortable I managed to keep them on the entire night.” Adam wore a black-tie suit from Gieves & Hawkes, braces and patent shoes from Paul Smith. “I felt the best I had ever felt in a suit,” he says.
“From the tisch, to the bedecken to the ceremony itself, they were all so spiritual, each with different levels of emotion,” continues Adam. “To be surrounded by the people you love, watching you marry the person you love most, was truly unforgettable. A big shout out to Rabbi David Shaw from Sandton Shul who helped guide us on the day and made it even more spiritual.”
Romy had 14 bridesmaids, who wore three complementary shades of pink — the bridesmaids’ dresses were made in South Africa and each bridesmaid could pick the style of dress that suited her best. The reception hall at Inimitable was filled with hanging arrangements in soft pinks to match the colour scheme of the bridesmaids; the tables were covered in candles and the ceiling in fairy lights.
After the chupah, guests enjoyed canapés – hot pass-rounds of sesame chicken strips, spring rolls, burgers and more, plus a “harvest table” laden with salmon, poke bowls, platters and meze and antipasti boards. The main meal was “lazy” aged scotch fillet medallions with a red wine and rosemary jus, flame-grilled lemon and herb spring chicken, served with chef’s vegetables, accompaniments and table salads. This was followed by a dessert buffet.
“No one can prepare you for how you are going to feel on the day,” says Adam. “It was the most magical and spiritual day we could have asked for. To be surrounded by so much love from family and friends made it even that more special.” Romy agrees: “What made this day so special was having two sets of family and friends from separate parts of the world under one roof, to come together and share in our simchah — we were so blessed to be surrounded by so much love and support and we couldn’t have asked for a better start to our new lives together. The day was magical.”
Asked to choose an outstanding memory, Adam selects: “the moment I saw Romy for the first time during the bedecken. Even though we only had a few days apart, not seeing or speaking with one another, and having been so calm and relaxed prior to the bedecken, as soon as I walked into that room to greet Romy, emotion got the better of me. I felt a sense of total euphoria and a feeling I will never forget.”
Romy selects the same moment. “The thing I most remember about the wedding was seeing my Adam for the first time after what felt like forever. I couldn’t wait to see his smile and him walk towards me at the bedecken. I remember his face and the way his eyes lit up and how he put a huge smile on my face and made me feel like the happiest person in the world. I got to see my Adam for the first time surrounded by everyone that we loved. It was beyond anything I could have imagined, from the singing when he walked through those doors to the blessings from both our parents…
“Walking towards the chupah with my parents and nieces on either side of me made my heart full. I couldn’t wait to join Adam. Walking around him seven times, thinking of all that we could accomplish together in this lifetime made me so excited to start this journey with him.” c
