Seven years ago, I tied the knot to this incredible man Ferdinand Gernandt.
20 August of 2007, the two of us got married in a beautiful little chapel at the
Makiti wedding venue near the Sterkfontein Caves. It was winter, but the day was sunny and gorgeous, perfect.
I wasn't a fussy bride, I only had a few things I had my heart completely set on having... our pastor
Johan Geyser to deliver our message, who agreed even though he didn't really do wedding services anymore; a 10 piece brass band who played wonderful swing, jazz and big band music through out the evening, who were also all wonderful friends we made during the run of
Chicago the Musical (which was the show that brought Ferdi and I together in the first place) and Ferdinand himself of course!
Ferdi and I even performed a specially choreographed tango (thanks to our talented friend
Timothy Le Roux who created it for us) - what? we're performers, what else do you expect? We opted for large and decadent chocolate fountains as our wedding 'cake', because during our Chicago 'courtship' we had many conversations over chocolate fountain 'massacres' at the Chicago-inspired show events and it became something of a symbolic memory for us.
It was a magical day. I had so much fun, everything was wonderfully perfect and special and I wouldn't have changed a thing.
During our 7 years together as a married couple we have seen and done some crazy, beautiful and exciting things... rode elephants and jet-skis, practiced archery and trapeze and met lady-men in Thailand; visited hot springs, bungee jumped and ate way too much Burger Fuel and Tim-Tams in New Zealand, gone horseback riding on Noordhoek beach (I fell off mine, but that's a story for another day), fueled our Starbucks addictions and networked with industry VIP's in Orlando; saw shows on Broadway,
shopped and froze our tushes off in New York; road-tripped it and stayed with an amazing family of 10 in Alabama; shopped and explored in Dallas with a fun visit to the AT&T Dallas Cowboys Stadium; saw dolphins, whales and lightning storms from our porthole aboard the Coral Princess; gone zip-lining in Costa Rica, lived it up celeb-style in LA; drank cocktails on the beach in Jamaica; watched sunsets in Aruba and Barbados; visited quaint old fishermen towns and saw the dancing moonlight on giant glaciers in Scag-way.
We have lived in Eldoraigne, Wilgeheuwel, Melville, Durban, Santa Clarita, Seapoint, Hout Bay, Fairland and Florida. We have performed in, written, directed, choreographed and produced over 50 productions together.
We have raised a parrot and a golden retriever together. We have built a business and a home together. We have traveled together and been apart. We have dreamed together, we have worried together, we have planned together and failed together.
We have cried from laughter and laughed through the pain. We have changed together and grown together, we have suffered together and prayed together. We have compromised together, we have celebrated together and we have stuck together.. as a married couple for seven years and counting...
But mostly we have loved, unconditionally, wholeheartedly and passionately because we were given to each other as a gift, a promise, a bond encircled with Love and Grace and Goodness.
May you each find happiness equal to mine,
Much Love.
