Two days, twenty guests

A wedding the bush has seen before, properly

Bush weddings sound romantic on a brochure and complicated in practice. Licenses, catering, fly-in logistics, the morning-after lunch. We design the whole shape with lodges who have run this before, not lodges learning on you.

Where this trip starts

Sole-use lodges, real coordinators

The version that works is sole-use of a small lodge, eight to twenty guests, two to three nights at the venue. Ceremony at golden hour in front of one specific tree, bend in the river, or rock outcrop the lodge has used before. Dinner that night under canvas. The next morning is a long brunch, then a game drive for those who want it. Everyone leaves on day three.

South Africa makes the legal side easiest. Botswana, Zambia, and Mozambique are all workable with proper paperwork. Kenya and Tanzania take longer to organise legally but produce extraordinary venues. We work with two specialist wedding coordinators on the ground who handle the licenses, the rentals, the florists, and the logistics. We handle the safari itself.

Private villa and estate take-overs

Eight to thirty guests works best in a property taken over entirely. No strangers at adjacent tables, no public spaces to negotiate, and a staff team focused on one event. We use private estates in Madikwe, the Cape Winelands and along the Mozambique coast that are designed for exclusive-use bookings.

Legal clarity from the start

South Africa has the most accessible legal framework for destination weddings in Africa: a civil marriage officer, the right paperwork, and the ceremony is fully binding. For couples who want the event symbolic and the legal handled at home, we are clear about which countries that works in and which ones it does not.

A bush week for the guests

The ceremony is one day. The other days matter as much to your guests as to you. We build the full week around the event: game drives, wine tastings, a coast extension, or a day trip from the estate. The guests who leave saying it was the best trip of their lives had a programme, not just a ceremony.

Ceremony locations that stand alone

A riverbed at sunset in Madikwe, a fynbos hillside in Franschhoek, a dhow on a Quirimbas lagoon, a clifftop above the Cape Peninsula. These are not decoration. They are the reason people fly twelve hours to get married outside.

South Africa, ten nights

Cape Winelands ceremony and Sabi Sand bush week. 10 to 24 guests.

Three nights in the Cape Winelands for the ceremony and welcome dinner at an exclusive-use estate in Franschhoek or Stellenbosch, then seven nights in the Sabi Sand split across two lodges on a private concession. The Cape Winelands give you a vineyard setting, a proper kitchen team, and access to Cape Town for guests who want to extend. The Sabi Sand leg moves the group into the bush for the week after, which tends to be the part guests remember as vividly as the day itself.

Mozambique, eight nights

Quirimbas Archipelago island elopement or small ceremony. 2 to 12 guests.

Eight nights on a private island in the Quirimbas Archipelago, with the ceremony on the beach or on the water at low tide. The Quirimbas suits couples who want maximum seclusion and a setting that is as remote as the continent gets. Private island take-overs in Mozambique allow small groups full use of the property, the dhow, and a dedicated event manager from the lodge team. Legally binding ceremonies in Mozambique require advance preparation, which we coordinate directly.

South Africa, twelve nights

Private game reserve take-over and Cape Town extension. 8 to 30 guests.

Seven nights in an exclusive-use game reserve property in Madikwe or the Greater Kruger area, then five nights in Cape Town. The malaria-free reserves in Madikwe make this accessible to guests who cannot take prophylaxis, and the exclusive-use format means all activities are run for your group alone. Cape Town adds a city programme for guests who want to extend, a farewell dinner in Stellenbosch, or a whale-watching morning on the peninsula in season.

From a recent journey

★★★★★

We had the most incredible experience planning our bush wedding with Marula Hill. Their ability to find the perfect venue, one that could accommodate all 89 of our guests and meet our needs for a family-friendly game reserve, was exceptional. Their attention to detail, communication, and care made the entire planning process stress-free.

Caileigh-Jayne D., bush wedding for 89, November 2025

176 five-star Google Reviews read them →

The process

Safari planning, done properly

There is no algorithm picking your lodges. From the first message to the day you fly home, you deal with real people who care about this as deeply as you do.

A real conversation first

We start with a call or a long message. No commitment, no quote forms. We want to understand the trip you are imagining, your travel history, your budget, and what you have always quietly wanted Africa to give you.

A proposal that surprises you

We do not just suggest the obvious. We bring options you would not have found on your own: the newly reopened concession, the off-peak rate at the lodge that is usually full, the combination of regions that works for your dates.

We refine until it is right

We iterate together. There is no pressure. Some clients take three conversations to land a trip, others take two weeks. We only confirm the booking when you are completely certain.

We are with you the whole way

Pre-trip prep, packing notes, what to expect on the ground. A direct line to us while you are travelling. If anything changes on the trip, we handle it before you have to think about it.

Ready to start?

The safari you have quietly been thinking about

No commitment. No quote forms. Just a conversation with people who know the continent and know how to get you there in style.

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Common questions

Can we have a legally binding wedding ceremony in Africa?

Yes, in South Africa. A civil marriage officer can perform a fully legally binding ceremony for any couple. The paperwork requirements are clear and we coordinate them in advance. Seychelles also allows legally binding ceremonies for overseas couples with the right preparation. In other countries, symbolic ceremonies are common and the legal marriage happens at home before or after the trip.

How many guests can a destination wedding in Africa accommodate?

The most common range is 8 to 30. Below eight, many exclusive-use properties still require a minimum spend rather than a minimum headcount. Above thirty, the options narrow significantly because most of the properties we use for exclusive-use events are not built for large groups. We have planned events outside that range, and it is always worth the conversation.

What is the best time of year for a Cape Winelands wedding?

September through November and February through April. The Winelands are at their most photogenic in spring when the vines are flowering and in autumn during harvest. December and January can be very hot. Winter (June to August) is cool and clear, with the risk of rain, and some couples prefer the quieter season.

Do we need a separate wedding planner or do you handle everything?

We handle the travel and accommodation logistics, the guest coordination, and the lodge or estate liaison. For larger events we work alongside a dedicated ceremony planner who covers flowers, catering upgrades, and the ceremony itself. We can recommend planners we have worked with across all the destinations we use.

Can same-sex couples have a legally binding ceremony in Africa?

Yes, in South Africa, which has recognised same-sex marriage since 2006. This is the most secure legal framework for a same-sex destination wedding on the continent. We cover the LGBTQ+ detail more fully on our LGBTQ+ safaris page.

176 Five-star Google Reviews

SATSA Member, Bonded

Owner-led A planner, not a call centre

On the ground Twenty years on the continent

Plan it properly

Tell us what you are imagining

Three ways to begin. Pick whichever feels easiest.

By note

Start with a note

Tell us roughly what you are thinking. We come back within a working day, often sooner.

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By email

Send us an email

Write to Sian directly, with Vikki copied. Same working-day response, no forms in between.

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By WhatsApp

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Quickest if you have a short question. We answer between game drives and meetings, usually within the hour.

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