🌆 Black Tie, Bright Lights: A Rooftop Reception That Wowed

They could have had a ballroom wedding.
They were offered vineyards, mansions, and gold-draped banquet halls. But Nokuthula and Brandon had another idea.

They wanted a night that felt like them: bold, modern, electric, and just a little bit rebellious.
They didn’t want chandeliers hanging from ceilings — they wanted stars overhead. And that’s how their black tie rooftop wedding in Johannesburg came to life.

🌇 “We Didn’t Want Pretty. We Wanted Powerful.”

From the very first moodboard Nokuthula created on the Plan My Wedding Africa App, the tone was clear: deep tones, dramatic lighting, luxe textures, and city lights everywhere.

They chose Levelthree in Kramerville, perched above the Joburg skyline, where an open terrace wrapped around an industrial-glam space with huge windows and polished concrete floors.

“We fell in love with the view. It felt like the city was going to witness our love story,” Nokuthula said.

🖤 Dressed to Impress (and Then Some)

This wasn’t a maybe-wear-heels kind of affair.
Their invite included a custom-designed Black Tie Glam Guide — floor-length gowns, tuxedos, velvet, gold accessories, silk wraps and no excuses.

Brandon wore a black velvet tuxedo with an Ankara print lining sewn in for his grandfather. Nokuthula changed outfits three times: a cathedral-length veil for the ceremony, a satin reception gown with a high slit for the speeches, and a final sparkle-drenched dance dress for the afterparty

The Decor: City Meets Ceremony

As guests arrived, golden hour poured across the rooftop, and the ceremony space came alive.

Tall floral pillars framed the skyline in ivory roses, orchids, and pampas

A mirrored aisle reflected the clouds

Guests sat on ghost chairs draped with mini love letters from the couple

The reception that followed was everything they’d dreamed of — black tables with gold trim, candlelight dancing in crystal glassware, velvet napkins tied with gold cord, and a dramatic floral chandelier floating over the dancefloor.

“It felt like the Met Gala… if the Met Gala was thrown in Jozi,” one guest whispered as the couple took the floor.

🎷 A Night of Music, Magic & Meaning

Nokuthula walked down the aisle to a live sax version of Beyoncé’s “Halo”.
Later, the cocktail hour turned into a rooftop vibe session — saxophone meets DJ as the skyline turned to glitter.

Their first dance was “Essence” by Wizkid, choreographed and dramatic. As the beat dropped, guests were handed sparklers, and the lights dimmed to full city glow.

Then came the surprises:

A champagne tower pour with gold-stemmed coupes

A 360-video booth on the edge of the rooftop with a city backdrop

Custom cocktails — The Rooftop Royale and The Bride’s Fizz

A silent disco afterparty under fairy lights