Under the African Sun

One of my oldest and dearest friends Lisa got married at the end of May, and I was so grateful to attend her gorgeous wedding in South Africa. They decided to get married at Tau Game Lodge, in the Madike Game Reserve, about a 4.5hour drive from Johannesburg, close to Botswana. Some of the guests decided to travel early on the Friday morning to make the most of the weekend at the lodge, so we arrived on Friday to a delicious lunch set out on the deck of the lodge overlooking the waterhole. Lunch was followed by afternoon tea and a game drive complete with sun downers and snacks. In the evening we enjoyed a delicious dinner outside with blankets and fires to keep us warm. After breakfast on Saturday morning there was an option to go on another game drive, but I chose instead to enjoy the sun on the deck of the lodge overlooking the waterhole, chatting with friends. After yet another delicious meal (eating great food together was definitely a theme of this weekend!) all the guests got ready for the wedding. We were all taken for a 20 minute drive on the landrovers through the bush to the location of the ceremony, a clearing in the reserve. It is still in the middle of the bush, so there are wild animals around, and potentially they could come and visit us, so the rangers were on guard. Chairs covered in white were set up under a tree - so simple yet gorgeous. We waited for the bride with anticipation, grateful that we had brought our umbrellas from the room as it was roasting hot. Lisa arrived looking exceptionally gorgeous and radiant, and the ceremony that followed was so touching  - so personal and a testament to their faithfulness in the Lord for waiting for Him to bring them together. Drinks and snacks followed before we returned to the resort for the most wonderful reception. This time the location was the elegantly decorated outdoor boma, complete with fires again to keep us warm (it was "winter" after all, with the evening a little chilly). Dinner was amazing - a real South African feast that I so enjoyed! The reception that followed was an edifying celebration that honored Lisa and Ralph and their families. Their story is inspiring and encouraging, and I was so grateful to be a part of their celebrations. Before driving home on Sunday, we enjoyed yet another delicious meal and game drive. Being away for the weekend meant there was so much time with friends, both old and new, and this was a time that I will treasure.