Beautiful on a Budget: 5 Real Weddings That Prove Less Is More

In a world of flower walls and five-figure budgets, these five Southern African couples reminded us that simplicity can be stunning. With clever choices, personal touches, and some seriously creative hacks, they showed that love (not luxury) is what makes a wedding truly unforgettable.

🌸 1. Tinashe & Michelle – Garden Glow-Up in Bulawayo

With only 50 guests and a backyard full of bougainvillea, this couple leaned into the natural beauty around them. They hung glass jars filled with wildflowers from tree branches, used wooden crates as decor, and lit the garden with solar lanterns as the sun set.

Decor Vibe: Rustic romance with a Zimbabwean spring feel.
Hero Detail: Guests each brought a flower from their garden to contribute to the centrepieces. Talk about personal!

🕯️ 2. Naledi & Thabo – Candlelight Dreams in the Free State

Instead of lavish floral arrangements, this duo went for candles—lots of them. Floating candles in bowls, taper candles in mismatched holders, and lanterns on every table created a moody, magical vibe for their evening ceremony.

Decor Vibe: Minimalist elegance with major glow.
Hero Detail: The sweetheart table was lit by over 30 candles and cost less than R500 to set up.

🌾 3. Aisha & Musa – Chic Safari Vibes on a Shoestring

Hosting their wedding near Hwange, Aisha and Musa styled their venue with dried grass, eucalyptus branches, and handmade paper fans. Their colour palette was earthy and warm, perfect for their open-air celebration.

Decor Vibe: #SafariChic meets budget brilliance.
Hero Detail: Guests were gifted custom bookmarks made from local bark paper with love quotes—affordable and meaningful.

🎨 4. Jade & Dylan – Township Colour Pop Wedding in Cape Town

This creative couple embraced boldness over budget. Using recycled bottles as vases, shweshwe bunting, and paper flowers crafted by their nieces and nephews, their decor exploded with joy.

Decor Vibe: Afro-urban flair with DIY realness.
Hero Detail: They spray-painted old wine bottles in neon colours and used them as both table numbers and vases.

🌿 5. Nomsa & Sipho – Mountainside Minimalism in Chimanimani

With views of the Eastern Highlands as their backdrop, this couple kept it clean and serene. White fabric draping, woven grass mats, and a single protea bloom per table made for an effortlessly chic scene.

Decor Vibe: Mountain Magic with soul.
Hero Detail: The couple used fruit from a neighbour’s orchard for their grazing table—and saved big while staying local.