MUCH excitement was created by the opening of Woodstock and Willow, the new décor shop in the Hope Street Hub in Bedford.
There were balloons to pop for prizes at Sandy Bishop’s Art of Hair salon; the Art Lab gallery opened its new premises and Twigg fashion boutique was heavily patronised.
The Bedford Arms pub was open but the hotel was closed in preparation for the big wedding on Saturday.
Kim Grenfell and Stefanus Janse van Rensburg had chosen the total package offered by the Duke of Bedford Inn for their spring wedding. Photos were taken at Maasström farm garden before the ceremony and the bride was transported by local farmer Grey King in his 1947 Chevrolet.
The service took place in the Duke Chapel (which serves as a gym during the working week). The elegant 120m2 building, with its tall windows and high ceilings, could accommodate far more than the 110 guests at this wedding. After the service, canapés and bubbly wine were served around the pool, followed by a lavish buffet dinner in the ballroom.
The hotel’s generator kicked in when Eskom went off at about 16:00.
Down van Riebeeck Street, another generator lit up Eagle Hout for a lively celebration of Lana and Ben Blom’s 20 years in business.
More than 100 locals attended and were treated to live music and a superb lamb spitbraai. Logs blazed in the two outsized fireplaces and the spacious restaurant area meant that all was undercover and protected from the weather.
Heavy rains on Sunday and Monday completed an upbeat start to the spring season. Many voted this a perfect curtain-raiser for the Bedford Garden Festival (October 19 to 21). A festival soirée will be held on the evening of October 19. This was confirmed by soirée organiser Lean-Marie Alberts this week.