Choosing a wedding spot can be exhausting. It holds everything together, and as soon as you find the venue everything else falls into place, the menu, the style of the dress, the theme… and all of that. So, to do our part, we’ve select a few top venues in the Cape Winelands to get you started.

Vrede en Lust in Simonstown
You get married here for the old charm and the Simonsberg views. The Cape Dutch buildings are not a cheap regurgitation, they were first built in 1688 by French Huguenot Jacques de Savoye. He had a long name and exquisite taste. Besides the views, the great winery and all that, the best thing about this venue is the flexibility. The wedding area can hold anything from 10 to 160 guests.

Boschenmeer Estate Lodges in Paarl
You don’t have to turn into bride-zilla when it finally dawns on you that you will have to invite more than three hundred people to your wedding. Breathe gently and think of Boschenmeer Estate Lodges in Paarl. Their function area can hold up to 350 guests. In case it’s a really large wedding and you have even more people coming, the function area flows onto a terrace that can hold 80 more people. Before we forget, there are great views here too, created by the Hottentots Holland Mountains and the great Paarl Rock, but that’s just extra.

33 Stellenbosch
If you can’t afford a wedding in Italy, it’s all good. You can do it at 33 Stellenbosch. They’ve got an Italian-styled piazza where a romantic marquee stands, indulging your fantasies. And if you never thought about it before you can now - they offer internet broadcasting facilities, just in case you want the occasion broadcast on the net to important people who might be missing the big event.  

Rusthuiz Guesthouse Stellenbosch
In case you’re not into crowds and prefer your wedding small and intimate, Rusthuiz is good place to check out. Invite 30 of your closest friends and family and when anyone else complains you can just tell them there was nothing you could do. You can always say the formal Victorian style garden they have on site was just perfect for your theme and you had to have it.

Le-Manoir-de-Brendel Estate Franschoek
If you really want a big church wedding but you’re pining for something French and sophisticated you might just fall in love with the Le-Manoir-de-Brendel. It offers religious and civil ceremonies in a small chapel just by the lake. Remember to pose with the horse-drawn carriage or the Rolls Royce available for hire.

Palmiet Valley Estate
The Palmiet valley Estate is one of the better known wedding venues in the winelads, very popular with international tourists. It’s great for a medium sized wedding holding about 70 guests. If you want beach shots, the peninsula beaches are just 30km away.

De Oude Paarl Hotel in Paarl
For a different, more eclectic wedding you can’t do better than De Oude Paarl Hotel. It’s drenched with the history of Paarl, the third oldest town in South Africa. There’s a rich mix of Cape Dutch, Indian, Indonesian and Cape Malay culture and you can borrow from any of these for a unique wedding. Your guests can also indulge a sweet tooth at the chocolate deli. Try the famous Chilli chocolate… but perhaps not on your wedding cake.

Le Franschoek
All agree that Le Franschoek is the most romantic spot in the Cape Winelands. It’s the place you want to go to when all you want is impeccable luxury and sophistication. It’s very exclusive and perfect for a small wedding where only the closest of your friends are invited. Le Franschoek also offers some wedding packages, which ought to save you from the headache of indecision.

Diemersfontein Wine and Country Estate
This is for a big cosy wedding that just goes on for days. Diemersfontein is known for its award-winning red wines, comfy accommodation and majestic vineyards. Let everyone stay to enjoy the Pinotage and wake up to more celebration for a weekend-long wedding.