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Weddings

Makanyane is the ideal venue for the ultimate intimate and romantic wedding. As the lodge is booked on an exclusive-use basis only, the entire lodge is reserved only for you and your party to savour this unforgettable experience.

Imagine the romance of your wedding deep in the African bush, surrounded by the peace and tranquillity of a truly wild place. Here, secluded from the pressure and stress of city life, you can relax, unwind and truly enjoy your most important day in the company of your family and friends.

The staff at Makanyane understand how precious this day is to you both, and how everything, from the setting to the service, must be as you want it to be. We will go out of our way to ensure that your wedding is a fairy tale come true. Let us worry about the details of the catering, the flowers, the decorations, the photographer and the minister. All you have to do is enjoy your special day!

Makanyane is ideally situated for a dramatic, unforgettable ceremony, with stunning views of the surrounding bush. Wedding photographs can be taken around the lodge, in the bush against the backdrop of wide African plains, or in the cool romance of the forest.

With just eight luxury suites, each secluded in the forest on the bank of the river, privacy and exclusivity are assured.

To give you an idea of what you can experience at Makanyane, here is a proposed itinerary:

DAY 1

Arrive at Makanyane in time for lunch on the main deck, overlooking the waterhole where animals regularly come down to drink. After lunch, unpack and then relax by the swimming pool.

After afternoon tea it’s time for a game drive to head out and explore. While the rest of the party will be taken on drives together, the wedding couple will experience a private game drive, giving them a chance to enjoy a romantic exploration of the Madikwe Game Reserve and its “Big 5”. At sunset, the drives stop for sundowners. Sparkling wine and snacks are enjoyed in the quiet of the bush before the vehicles make their way back to the lodge after dark. A delicious gourmet dinner is served in the riverside boma, surrounded by flickering lanterns, next to a roaring fire under the broad African sky.

DAY 2

At sunrise the wedding party departs on an early morning game drive, followed by a hearty breakfast. After breakfast, the wedding couple enjoy a complimentary spa or beauty treatment of their choice on the privacy of their own suite.

Following a delicious lunch, the wedding party prepares for the wedding. The ceremony can take place anywhere that suits the wedding couple. This could be on the lodge’s main deck with its dramatic view over the waterhole, or at the lookout point against a backdrop of vast open plains. After an unforgettable ceremony and photographs, the group is driven out to a specially selected site in the bush, to toast the couple as the sun sets.

Back at the lodge, dinner is served on the main deck; the tables beautifully decorated for a sumptuous celebratory four-course meal.

DAY 3

The wedding couple are served a private brunch in their suite, while the rest of the wedding party is taken on a morning game drive and then returns to the lodge for brunch.

The rest of the day can be spent at leisure in the company of the family and friends gathered for this special occasion.

After a delicious high tea later in the afternoon, the afternoon game drives depart, all meeting to enjoy sundowners together.

After the game drive, it is time for another delicious dinner, this time served out in the bush, the tables lit by lanterns and a roaring fire, surrounded by the African bush.

DAY 4

The wedding couple and the rest of the party enjoy a morning game drive and return to the lodge for a delectable brunch before departure.

The ceremony

The Minister who will perform the ceremony can perform either a Christian (Non-denominational) Wedding Ceremony or a Civil (Non-Religious) Ceremony, whichever is preferred. The minister will register your marriage at South African Home Affairs and apply for your Unabridged Marriage. Once Unabridged Marriage Certificate is received from the SA Home Affairs, the minister will also apply for an Apostil at the Department Foreign Affairs for the couple. To discuss weddings with us, please contact reservations@makanyane.com