Monday, May 2, 2016

My daughter Kate marries Chris

What a stunning day .. gorgeous bride, handsome prince, snow on the Berg, freezing weather and the rain stopped as the ceremony in the Midlands of South Africa started and the sun came shining through the trees. My little girl, my princess, married her prince today.

The new Mr and Mrs Severino in the woods where they married
photo credit African Bear Photography

A rural rustic setting for the wedding
photo credit African Bear Photography

The wedding took place in the forest at Mulberry Hill guest lodge near Howick and the reception took place at FernHill Hotel near Midmar Dam in the KwaZulu-Natal Midlands of South Africa.


Bringing tears to my eyes, this is the embroidered hanky my daughter gave me on the morning of her wedding. Love you so much too precious. 
Proud Dad walks Kate down the "isle" in the forest for
the wedding ceremony

Dad gets a preview of his daughter's dress and selfie-time

Kate's stunning wedding dress she designed herself


Car selfie driving the bride and bridesmaids 
 to the top of the forest
The groom and groomsmen, Connor Left and Marcus (best man) right

The bridesmaids and mother of the bride

Groomsman and brother Mark sings a worship song with the bridal couple

You may kiss the bride

Groomsman brother Connor with best man Marcus

Mother and Father of the groom - Janet and Jeff



Chris and Kate brave the cold

Llew and the kids get ready to throw paper aeroplanes at the married couple

The married couple walk through the arch to a flurry of paper aeroplanes

Dave, Llew and the kids with the ceremony flags

Dad and son in the forest where the ceremony took place

The wedding gate and arch

Mark, Dave, Connor and Janet with the married couple and the kids in the background

We're about to sign the marriage register

Mom Lynn baked the wedding carrot cakes - yummy

In order of size and age - the siblings of the bride

Anton, Connor, Travis and Llew

Llew with Tracey

Ready to cut the cake

Cutting the cake together

Llew and his kids Caitlin, Lauren and Calvin

A game of Croquet shall we - Justin, Anton, Yasmin and Travis
Best Man Marcus and Meg who flew out from Washington DC
 for the wedding

Dave and Llew with Janet, mother of the groom

Table settings

Travis, Lynn (mother of the bride) and Leoni


Granny, Lauren and Calvin


Daddy's princess got married


Maid of Honour, Nikki


The place settings - slice of wood from the forest, with rock for Dad and hand-made luggage tag for each traveller guest


The menus - all stationery made by Kate

Cheers from bridesmaid Leoni

More selfie-time

Dad with his daughter and new son-in-law

Dad and mom with the bride

Cheers from the dad and step-father of the bride

It's lantern time

Up and away we go

The first dance
Having taken a few videos at this stage my phone memory was now full. The next day...

The married couple off on their honeymoon up the north coast of South Africa, before Chris returns back to his Airforce base in America, to be joined by Kate only once her spousal visa is approved by their Immigration Department - 6 months!!!! - and you thought our Home Affairs Dept was bad!

Here's the link to more photos in the album set Wedding in SA on Facebook

and on Facebook and Instagram look for the hashtag #severinowedding

Wednesday, December 30, 2015

Kate and Chris engaged

Congratulations to my daughter Kate-Lynn and my prospective son-in-law Chris on their engagement today.

It makes it a dramatic finish to 2015 with my son having married Lisa earlier this month and they are presently still on honeymoon in Thailand.

Kate's fiancé Chris hails from Ohio and serves as a fighter pilot in the US Airforce, having met Chris in Busan South Korea while on leave there in the city Kate was living and teaching in at the time. She's my darling, my princess, and he's one lucky guy, although they both make an awesome couple.

Chris' posting in South Korea has come to an end and he is presently visiting South Africa on a tour here with Kate. The proposal took place on Lions Head, Cape Town, after the couple spent Christmas with me in Durban and also enjoyed a trip to the Hluhluwe Game Reserve. After Kate's locum job here in Durban Feb/March she will relocate to Georgia USA where Chris will be stationed for the next 3 years. The excitement for me has been building since Chris asked for my permission to marry Kate during a flight over Durban with him in my Sling airplane. Chris flies an A-10 fighter jet for the Airforce and it will be great to have another pilot in the family. Although my daughter will be lost to the States, we are overjoyed for them both and wish them everything of the best in their new home.

Here's the link to the Facebook photo album of Chris' visit to South Africa for Christmas, Kate and more..

Chris and Kate in Cape Town this week before the engagement

Engaged on Lion's Head, Cape Town

The happy couple seal the deal

The ring on a protea bush on top of Lion's Head

Chris (right) with the A-10 aircraft he flies
Chris and myself fly my Sling airplane over Durban

Myself, Chris and Kate in Hluhluwe Game Reserve earlier this week