Love, Lekker Food & Laughter: Our South African Wedding Feast

Hi there—it’s been a while (okay, a long while). Life got wonderfully chaotic, and I pressed pause to soak it all in.

Since my last post, I became a first-time mom. Now I’m the beautifully exhausted mama of a snack-loving, belly-laughing toddler who keeps us on our toes—and out of snacks.

Between toddler wrangling, the return to work, and trying to look and smell semi-human, I realized I never shared one of the most meaningful chapters of our lives: our wedding celebration in South Africa.

So here it is—a love letter to that day. A celebration of food, family, and South African culture, where two worlds—South Africa and Toronto, tradition and today—came together in the most delicious way.

Grab something warm (my hot chocolate recipe is calling 👀) or pour something bubbly—it’s a celebration, after all.

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Where Food Meets Family

We had our wedding celebration in South Africa. Even though we live in Toronto now, we’re both proudly South African, and our families are still there. It just felt right to go home—to celebrate where it all began, with the people (and food) who raised us.

It wasn’t just about vows and rings. It was about sharing joy, culture, and incredible food with the people we love—around a table that felt like home.

The Grazing Game Was Strong

We kicked things off with *not one*, but two gorgeous charcuterie-style harvest tables—one halaal and one non-halaal. Some of our family and friends are from the Muslim faith, so it was really important to us that everyone felt seen, included, and well-fed from the very first bite.

Both tables were piled high with all the good stuff—crackers, biltong (that’s air-dried, cured meat for the uninitiated), grapes, strawberries, toasted nuts, pickled green figs, and waatlemoen konfyt (aka makataan—a wild watermelon native to South Africa), just to name a few. Guests swarmed in (pre-drinks in hand), and let’s just say… nothing stayed on the table for long.

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Main Event: Plates Full of Soul

Now this was my husband’s domain—he’s the real foodie in our house, and he took the main meal *very* seriously (and by seriously, I mean joyfully and obsessively).

After reading what felt like a hundred Google reviews, he finally found a catering company whose core business is spitbraai, and Mr. Spitbraai did not disappoint. I can still taste that lamb on my lips, years later. No lies.

The star of the show was a traditional South African lamb spitbraai—a type of barbecue where meat, often lamb, is slow-roasted on a spit over an open fire. The smell alone had people hovering long before we served.

It was paired with lovely little garlic-roasted potatoes, beautifully roasted veggies, and a fresh, zesty green salad that balanced all that smoky richness just right.

To top it all off, we served the most delicious wine, straight from the estate where we held our celebration. Sipping that smooth local South African red with spitbraai lamb? A pairing made in culinary heaven.

It was the kind of meal that makes people unbutton their pants and go in for seconds. Everyone found a favourite, and no one left hungry—especially not my husband, who always says, “If the food ain’t right, nothing will be right.” Well… he ain’t wrong.

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Sweet Endings & Some Homemade Magic

Dessert, baby oh dessert and did not hold back!

The real magic came from the homemade treats. My amazing mother-in-law baked a batch of hertzoggies—also known as hertzogkoekies if you’re going full Afrikaans. They’re sweet little tartlets filled with jam and topped with golden coconut, all nestled in buttery pastry cups. She also made the dreamiest shortbread biscuits that basically melted in your mouth.

Her lovely (and equally talented) friend brought in reinforcements: a huge stash of lamingtons, a South African fan favourite and then the South African classic, mini milktarts, that disappeared faster than you can say, “net nog ‘n enetjie” (in english just one more.) We wrapped things up with chocolate éclairs and fudgy brownies, served with your choice of tea or coffee.

And oh, how could I forget our wedding cake? It was a two-layer, gluten-free carrot naked cake with cream cheese icing or frosting, made by my very talented mother-in-law. It was her recipe, and she absolutely nailed it. (I have a similar carrot cake recipe I’d love to share sometime—trust me, it’s worth a slice or three.)

It was dessert heaven. The kind of sweet ending that felt like a warm hug from the people who love you most.

Together at the Table

Our wedding day was full of beauty, but the real magic happened around the table. Two families, two cultures, sharing food, laughter, and love. Every dish told a story. Every bite carried memory and meaning. And I’m so glad we got to share our love of food and all the other goodness we enjoyed—with the people who mean the most to us.

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A Taste of South Africa, A Celebration of Us

Now that we’re back in Toronto and life has been lifing, our hearts are still full. I may be busy figuring out this new title of “mom,” chasing a toddler instead of dancing the night away—but that day lives on in every bite of lamb, every sip of cab-sav, and every moment that feels like home.

Thanks for coming back to the blog with me. Here’s to more stories, more snacks, and more sweet moments worth sharing.

But after the last slice of cake and glass of champagne… we weren’t done just yet.
Our mini-moon took us to the quiet beauty of the Karoo—where we traded the wedding buzz for mountain silence and a sizzling braai.

👉🏽 Mini-Moon in the Karoo: Food, Nature & Quiet at Drie Kuilen