LET’S ELOPE

South African elopement photographer

modern
love

true &
authentic

modern
love

true &
authentic

modern
love

true &
authentic

Does an elopement capture your fancy?

Do you consider taking a walk on the wild side by getting married surrounded by bushveld and wildlife or exchanging vows in the serene mountains of the Drakensberg? erhaps you imagine saying your I do’s on a pristine beach with the iconic Table Mountain as your backdrop. Does your adventurous spirit shout a wedding in South Africa?

You’ve come to the right place.

LET’S START PLANNING TOGETHER →

You’re taking the first step towards planning an elopement to SOUTH AFRICA, and by scrolling and scrolling, you landed here!

YAY, AND WELCOME!

Hi there, I’m Kim

South Africa Elopement Photographer

I am crazy about the Bushveld and all the wild animals.
I adore the ocean and mountains of the Western Cape.
And I love getting to be there and tell your story!

Specialising in small weddings and elopements to South Africa, I would love to be the one that can help you get the ball rolling on this crazy adventure you’re embarking on. Unfiltered, raw emotions and beauty spark me. I want every photo to feel just like you felt on the day. My three favourite places are the Bushveld, Cape Town and Drakensburg. Anywhere where nature is just doing a big show-off.

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So often, we fall into a forward motion of history repeating itself and, for blending in, simply copying and pasting from pre-existing weddings. However, curating a day that is unique to you takes time and reflection, and your values and priorities are key. Don’t just consider this one day; think about the following days. What do you treasure and wish to look back on paging through your wedding album in the future?

Nowadays, I meet so many people that feel overwhelmed by the idea of hosting a big and perfect day to tie the knot. Planning becomes a stressful activity instead of an exciting and joyful one leading to decision fatigue. Then, the wedding day is designed around what guests want, rather than what the two of you want.

Planning a smaller wedding like an elopement is not necessarily less work, but what it can be is an opportunity to create something so unique and special to you that it does not feel like work. Channelling your energy into a joyful project is much more rewarding.

Also, a South African elopement need not be just the two of you; it can also include your nearest and dearest. Ultimately, the goal is to dream a little, be mindful of what brings you and your betrothed joy and spend your money where it really counts!

From my perspective, couples that have chosen a South African elopement have never been short of options.

LET’S CHAT →

Let me share with you my top reasons why South Africa must be on your wedding destination “heck-yeah” list:

01
South Africa is a fantastic place to combine a wedding and a honeymoon.

Name it, SA has everything: food, culture, friendly people and extraordinary places to go. From safari to beaches to mountain ranges and even wine and spice routes, to name a few. The opportunities are endless. Here’s your chance to explore a bustling country as newlyweds. What an adventure!

02
With our exchange rate, you get plenty of bang for your buck.

With more money, you have better access to incredible venues and suppliers that would be totally out of your budget back home. And since you are saving money by not hosting a lavish South African elopement, you have the option of putting more cash towards an unforgettable honeymoon by spoiling yourselves with VIP treatment.

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03
You have access to amazing wedding suppliers, venues and accommodation.

With so much diversity comes so much creativity. Here is a list of my top recommendations for Cape Town, Drakensburg and the Kruger National Park region:

CAPE TOWN

Planning: Kraak – an absolute yes to having a wedding not only about the curated event but also about hospitality.
Hair and Make-Up: Anna Pepper – a hair and make-up specialist who has done work in the fashion and wedding industry.
Blazing Beauty – she is a beauty therapist by trade who has equipped Elscha with experience and skill to highlight and accentuate your best features.
Florals: Kadou – Amanda is a master at what she does and considers everything carefully, and nothing is copied and pasted.
Officiants: I Do Weddings
Favourite venues:

KRUGER NATIONAL PARK & SURROUNDS

Planning & Florals: Dekinstyl – Natasha has always been on par with the trends, and she can design and plan something as unique as you are.
Nova – fresh and new are what I would use to describe Nova Events. They keep up with fashion trends but always stay in line with your taste.
Hair and Make-Up: Beauty Box – Cindy and Caromie specialise in hair and make-up. They are very good at putting together a look that will tie into the theme you have dreamed of for the day.
Officiants: Alicia Whitting
Favourite venues:
- Areas near Sabie

DRAKENSBERG
Locating top-notch vendors in these surroundings will depend on your stay, and I am happy to assist you in sourcing them.

LET’S CHAT →

04
English is our default.

South Africa has eleven official languages, but English is the most widely spoken and understood here. It makes travelling, wedding preparations and other logistics a lot more manageable.

For the fun of it, you could try and master a few essential other spoken words as it could come in handy, especially in smaller towns. Locals are always up for a laugh, so even if you get it wrong, our people appreciate it if you have a go at their language.

05
Be weather-wise

CAPE TOWN

Navigate your visit to the Western Cape in the most favourable months, March to May and then September to November. With winter rainfalls, temperatures can drop and then soar during the summer. So these in-between months can make your visit worth it. Outdoors is where you want to be in Cape Town, and its diversity has no limits.
Jewish Wedding At Belair | Charmé & Jed

https://weather-and-climate.com/average-monthly-Rainfall-Temperature-Sunshine,Cape_town,South-Africa

KRUGER NATIONAL PARK & SURROUNDS

Nothing in the world can compare to the African wildlife. Although any visit to the Kruger National Park is magical, the best time to go is during the dry season between May and October, when game viewing and walking safaris are at their best. Travellers entering South Africa’s National Parks must obtain entry and exit permits for visitors and vehicles and pay daily conservation fees. They accept credit cards at all entry gates. Consider gate hours as main and camp gates open and closing times vary and are season dependent.
Selati Game Reserve Katherine and Steyn’s Wedding Day

https://weather-and-climate.com/average-monthly-Rainfall-Temperature-Sunshine,skukuza-mpumalanga-za,South-Africa

DRAKENSBERG

Another hidden South African gem is the Drakensburg mountains that rise to more than 3 400 meters and stretch from the Eastern Cape in the south to Limpopo in the north for 1125 kilometres. Here the weather can range from hot to freezing, but picking the right time of the year can be magic. The best recommendation is to visit from April to May, with mild temperatures and less rainfall. Evenings can be cool, but you’re all snuggled indoors with a roaring fire by then.
Deanne and Jonas’ Midlands Wedding

https://weather-and-climate.com/average-monthly-Rainfall-Temperature-Sunshine,winterton-kwazulu-natal-za,South-Africa

LET’S START PLANNING TOGETHER →

06
Making it official with marriage licenses

The exact requirements will be dependent on your country of origin. Contact your marriage officer to determine what paperwork you need to validate your South African elopement and your country of origin.

South Africa is also a lot more culturally diverse and open-minded today. Although we are far from perfect, our people practice love and faith through many different beliefs and religious views. Same-sex marriages are legally recognised here and have been since November 2006.

Another great option is to do all the legal stuff at home before or after the celebratory day. No fuss.

07
Time is of the essence

Although in Africa, we cannot fall into the step of slow African time with your ceremony as this will impact your photos. Ceremony times are always best scheduled 2-3 hours before sunset, allowing for the best lighting for photos. We can discuss specific times depending on where you want to get married.

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What to know before you go

Before jet-setting to any new destination, you should plan adequately, research, and get a better idea of its customs. South Africa tops the list as one of the best countries to visit for cultural diversity, dream destinations and the friendliest people on the planet. But, as with many countries, you should be savvy, especially regarding safety.

Please ensure you are in the loop by reading about them here.

Couples have their say

You made us feel relaxed about being in front of the camera (I think the warm-up shoot helped so much, so I’m glad we decided to go ahead with that in the end!) but even at the wedding, the time we had for photos was so easy and you made everyone feel like it was just natural – which resulted in beautiful ‘snap shot’ style photos which we loved!

Katherine & Steyn // Selati Game Reserve

You ticked all the boxes for us – a little bit unconventional paired with your editing style that simply spoke to us. We were hooked.

Deanne & Jonas // Drakensburg

Your passion for photography and for capturing the story shines through in everything that you do. This was the best decision that we could have ever made and we are looking forward to having you capture all our future moments. You have such a calming nature and really take interest in the people that you are shooting.

Charmé & Jed // Cape Town

For me, her biggest talent is capturing the “unnoticed” moments and turns it into the most beautiful and majestic picture! She does not stick to the social norm – she brings something unique!!

Unity & Lionel

Kim, I honestly have no words. These photos are my favourite of Christo and I have ever taken. I can not put into words how special these are to us. All we can say is thank you.

Christo & Kyla

I never imagined that someone could capture our wedding day as beautiful as you did. I never felt uncomfortable, I also never thought it would be so easy to be in front of the camera. Even Michael whom I could never get to smile for a photo was so relaxed with you.

Imke & Michael

You made our shoots with you so much fun and so easy…we could literally be ourselves and for us farm bumpkins who are so not used to being in photos it was great! We didn’t feel awkward or uncomfortable at all and we love that you captured who we are and what we love.

Katie & Steyn

We were looking for someone who was a little bit out of the ordinary, someone who really managed to capture love and intimacy and butterflies and all those things in between. You ticked all the boxes for us.

Deanne & Jonas

Kim is the most incredible photographer. From the first time we met her, to the day of our wedding it was just perfect. She is meticulous, thorough, creative and her pictures are beyond what we could have asked for. She made our day perfect and captured that too. Thank you Kim and also to your husband for being the assistant 😊😊

Nastassja

I highly recommend using Kim Tracey as your photographer! She is such a stunning, passionate, down to earth person who listens to you. Kim really captured the joy and love we felt in our newborn shoot, as well as the essence of our wedding. She went above and beyond on both shoots and I can’t thank her enough for the exquisite photos we received!

Tammy Smal

Thank you soooo much for our photos they are so special and beautiful we can’t stop going through them! 😍 We really appreciate you for capturing our day so timelessly..! 🤩 All those candid moments of the guest are just amazing, really managed to capture all the emotion! These photos will forever take us back to our very special (very cold) day!

Vicky-Lee Henning

Having the opportunity to shoot with Kim is nothing short of a magical and intimate experience. I really recommend working with her to capture any important events you want to remember forever. I assure you that you won’t be let down in any way.

Savannah Du Toit

We were absolutely blown away by the moments and emotions Kim managed to capture. We now have the most beautiful images that we will forever look back on. Not only did she capture the beautiful moments of our love but also the scenery. I would highly recommend Kim as a photographer to any couple planning to get married.

Mica Domenica Chieppa