When the word "quirky" comes to mind, a direct association can be made with Carolien and Ben Photography. Today's feature on Wedding Friends is a typical Carolien and Ben piece of art. The Wedding of Marina and Zander is a loving sight and really a feel good post. They got married at the Snowflake Building in Potchefstroom, not a well known wedding venue, but certainly one to keep an eye on. Zander and Marina are sharing their story with us.

{I Propose} - Elaborate on how the two of you met or on how the proposal went down.

Two students out of 24, we met on an outreach in Gobabis, Namibia. Zander did not seem to notice me, but I was quite determined, for I truly believed that I had met my knight in shining armour. Back at University I did everything I possibly could to catch his eye and fortunately after a couple of months I succeeded. By the time we started dating, a series of unfortunate events left him with quite an interesting hairdo. Men trying too dye each other's hair was never a good idea, leaving Zander with a very PINK head of hair. Thus I nicknamed him Bimbo.

{Bride & Prejudice} - Express some memorable experiences you had during the planning.

I was born into a family where if you saw something you liked, you went home and made the best replica you can manage. Creative is not a big enough word to describe my siblings. My mother asked if she could make my wedding dress, as a mother's prerogative, and what a great honour it was for me too, for my mother is possibly the best seamstress in the world. Planning a wedding on a student's budget is not an easy task, but by cutting here and squeezing there we managed to have the perfect wedding. We spent almost 8 months working on my dress and by the end of the project it was not only my mother and I who had a hand in it, but my sister, 3 of my aunts and even my brother took part. On the morning of our wedding my dress stood on the dining room table, unfinished. I was away getting pretty for the big day while everybody at home scattered around trying to finish the gown in time. A mere two hours before the big event my sister came running down the hall, wedding dress in hand. But even that didn't get me to the church on time ...

{My Fair Wedding} - Describe an event that you feel was unique or even funny.

It is true what people say: enjoy the planning, because the day is over in the blink of an eye. The week before the wedding all the bridesmaids and groomsmen worked from dawn until dusk to make our day absolutely perfect. Getting married is something everybody is excited about, but having your reception in an old flour mill is not every grandparent's dream. For me, the venue was a dream come true, an ugly duckling turned into a beautiful swan. Everybody was speechless at the inside of this crumpled old building and the feeling of love and happiness roamed the air. Promising my heart, my love, my life to someone else was overwhelming, but seeing the tears in my husband to be's eyes when I walked down the isle made me realize I was blessed beyond belief.

{Don't Tell The Bride} - Reveal something that happened behind the scenes.

Planning the wedding, I didn't give Zander a lot of say, he just had to be there to swipe the card or sign the document. My eldest brother, being my go-to- person with every idea I had, saw that his poor brother-in-law was being left out of his own wedding and here is where the plot thickens. We had a beautiful wedding service, led by my father-in-law, and afterwards I waited for everybody to clear out of the church so that we can sign the wedding contract. The organ started playing and Zander began shaking, I saw that there were quite a few people laughing behind their programs and that's when I knew something was up. I looked straight into my brother's eyes and saw that he was laughing the loudest. To my dismay and my new husband's delight, my brother arranged for the organist to play the theme song of Zander's favourite movie, Star Wars. I must admit I found it delightful to see the men in my life team up against me and everybody present enjoying it to the extent of tears.

{ No More Wedding Woes} - Share your wedding advice for future brides.

Having a DIY wedding meant a lot of time and a lot of work, but I do believe that I have found the perfect recipe: Bridesmaids + groomsman. The week before the wedding we all came together and worked as hard as we possibly could, sharing ideas, lending a hand and having the time of our lives. My sister had a cracked elbow, thus she was in charge of the flowers, but not just any flowers, paper ones. Every single rose on our wedding day was handmade with love. Those who did not have the creativity-bone was set under someone else's charge to do a bit of hard labour. Having everybody help and be part of the big day was the best gift anyone could have given us. They know us, they know who we are and what we like, and by the way, they need to do something to earn those beautiful dresses and ties don't they?

{Your Service Providers}

Photographer: Carolien and Ben Photography | Venue: Snowflake Building