Your ideal safari wedding destination

Are you busy planning your wedding? Do you want it to be an elegant, yet extraordinary affair? Then you need to have a luxury safari wedding at one of the most exclusive destinations in the Eastern Cape and South Africa: Shamwari Private Game Reserve. Read on to learn more about our Bush Wedding Package and why your special day should happen at our reserve.

Celebrate Your Special Day in the Heart of the African Bush

Whether you’re a South African or a foreigner looking into destination wedding locations, we assure you that you can’t go wrong with Shamwari Private Game Reserve. It can be seen as the crown jewel of Eastern Cape game reserves.

Home to the prized Big Five and luxurious getaway experiences, Shamwari is a private game reserve that allows guests to grow closer to nature, appreciate the scenic beauty of the local fauna and flora while staying in some of the finest safari lodges on the African continent. On our reserve, you will encounter five of our country’s seven biomes. This not only makes Shamwari unique amongst other reserves but it also ensures that we can sustain a healthy variety of plant and wildlife.

Shamwari possesses one of the highest wildlife concentrations in the entire Eastern and Southern Cape Provinces. If you need even more proof of our reserve’s natural beauty, then you’ll be pleased to know that it also forms a natural extension of the Garden Route – a region widely-celebrated for its scenery.

Just imagine your wedding ceremony held against such an idyllic backdrop. Neither you, nor your guests will ever forget such a unique, yet tasteful, wedding celebration. We extend our invitation to you: come and experience luxury inspired by nature at Shamwari, for a special wedding day unlike any other.

What to Expect from Your Safari Wedding at Shamwari

The bride and groom looking to celebrate their special wedding with all of their nearest and dearest in tow will be happy to hear that the reserve includes several five-star safari lodges. We can accommodate wedding parties consisting of as many as 70 guests. The reserve also includes a variety of distinct and gorgeous venues that will help set the tone of your wedding ceremony and reception.

Some of these splendid settings include our new Long Lee Manor indoor banqueting venue, our Long Lee Manor and Riverdene bomas, as well as the Old Elephant Boma, which is situated in heart of the bush. There is a venue to suit every couple’s taste.

What’s Included in the Safari Wedding Package?

Shamwari’s Bush Wedding Package offers the bridal couple the following:

• Access to a dedicated wedding coordinator, to help you with planning the finer points of your Shamwari wedding
• Use of our secluded bush wedding venue for the wedding ceremony
• Use of our designated Christian Minister, to officiate your ceremony and oversee the exchanging of vows (if you belong to a different faith and require another religious ceremony, you will have to cover the cost)
• Coverage of all legal documents/fees, which includes applying for an unabridged wedding certificate along with its collection
• Sophisticated wedding venue setup, which includes a Bedouin tent, as well as cream and white tablecloths and overlays
• Meetup with our Chef to discuss the creation and preparation of your wedding reception’s three-course meal, which includes cocktails and canapés served at your ceremony venue
• Sundowner refreshments and nibbles during the wedding party’s game drive
• Wedding cake (two-tiered), prepared for you by our pastry chefs
• Congratulatory glass of méthode cap classique for the bride and groom’s wedding toast
• Private breakfast served in-room to the bride and groom the morning after their wedding
  In-room spa treatment for the bride and groom, courtesy of Shamwari Private Game Reserve
• Exclusive use of a game viewing vehicle for the bride and groom on their wedding day, as well as the morning afterwards
• Romantic turndown service for you and your new spouse
• Flower arrangement for the ceremony
• Bridal bouquet for both the bride and one of her bridesmaids
• Boutonnière for both the groom and best man
• Access to a professional photographer to commemorate the special occasion
• Exclusive access to a make-up artist and hairdresser for both the bride and bridesmaid

For more information on celebrating a wedding at Shamwari, including optional extras and the terms and conditions that apply, please either download our Wedding Package brochure or visit the Bush Wedding Package page.

Accommodation Options for the Happy Couple and their Guests

After the ceremony, you and your guests can retire to one of several luxurious South African safari lodges. Every lodge is unique and features its own distinguishing characteristics and atmosphere. Discover which safari lodge is the perfect accommodation option for you and your guests.

All the Luxurious Shamwari Safari Lodges to Get Acquainted With

• Eagles Crag – Hidden away in the reserve’s valleys and surrounded by striking mountain cliffs, sits this safari lodge. Staying at Eagles Crag ensures a romantic, private getaway featuring awe-inspiring scenery.
• Bayethe – For upmarket, tented safari living, book your stay in the splendid Bayethe Tented Lodge. You’ll be able to immerse yourself fully in the tranquillity of nature.
• Lobengula – With amazing views of its surrounding valleys and mountains, Lobengula Safari Lodge offers guests plenty of privacy and is perfect for honeymooners.
• Riverdene – The ideal luxury safari lodge for wedding guests with children, Riverdene Family Lodge offers various extra activities to keep kids of all ages entertained.
• Long Lee Manor – Surrounded by an air of romance of a bygone era, Long Lee Manor is the reserve’s historic manor house. It has recently been renovated plus the adjoining accommodation largely rebuilt.
• Sindile – The reserve’s newest tented camp offers a luxurious tented safari experience without equal. It makes for the ideal wilderness retreat.

Don’t delay: say ‘I do’ under the African sky and celebrate with loved ones in style. For more information on holding your South African safari wedding at Shamwari, get in touch with our Reservations Department.