The Joy of a Secret Wedding in the South African Bush

23.02.2024 - 19:49 / cntraveler.com

In the early days of our relationship, my now husband and I gave up our jobs, packed our harem pants into oversized backpacks, and set off on a six-month sojourn around Southeast Asia. Those carefree, whirlwind months set the bar for every trip we've taken since, including Christmas in Oman's desolate Al Hajar Mountains. So when the time came for us to get married last year, we decided to head into the bush on our first safari—with a guest list that stopped at the two of us.

Initially we thought we'd do a three-week honeymoon in South Africa, but as our post-nuptial plans got bigger, our wedding plans got smaller, until the ceremony became almost incidental. Finally we scrapped any notion of saying “I do” in a farmhouse in Tuscany surrounded by loved ones and decided to elope in secret to Sabi Sands, a 160,000-acre game reserve adjacent to the Kruger National Park. Our wedding budget instead financed the trip of a lifetime.

Sabi Sands is a magical place. At Dulini Moya lodge, six secluded thatched-roofed suites hug the Mabrak riverbed. My wedding planning consisted of picking out a serene spot by the river under a soaring marula tree for the ceremony. Sue Garratt, who runs Dulini Moya and its sister lodges with her husband, Iain, took care of everything else, from my flower crown to the cake and the menu for our wedding dinner, weaving in meaningful touches and local customs. What made it even better was knowing that a portion of the money we were spending would be funneled back into the conservation of the park and a campaign to support local girls.

Our wedding day began with a morning game drive. We then headed to separate lodges to get dressed. Later, as I approached the marula tree, soulful voices echoed through the wilderness. A troupe of women had gathered to sing celebratory songs. When I caught sight of my husband-to-be waiting barefoot on the river's edge, I knew that we were right to do things our way. A local pastor conducted the ceremony and midway through, a herd of giraffes ambled into view. We celebrated with our second game drive of the day, spotting lions and a leopard in the treetops before the heavens opened and soaked us in what locals assured us was a great blessing.

We spent the following weeks climbing Table Mountain in Cape Town, wine tasting in Franschhoek, and hiking around the Cape of Good Hope. As our honeymoon unfurled, I fell as much in love with South Africa as I did with married life, our intimate, adventure-filled beginning setting the tone for all that was to come.

Three new safari camps feel wonderfully remote while offering adventurous couples plenty to do. The Bushcamp Company's KuKaya in Zambia's wildlife-packed South Luangwa National Park opened last summer with