Planning a wedding often begins with a single spark—a late-night scroll through Pinterest. From dreamy candlelit aisles to long banquet tables under the stars, vision boards become a digital scrapbook of everything a couple hopes to see on their special day. But when it’s time to move from pinning to planning, reality sets in. Can any wedding venue truly match the mood, aesthetic, and layout couples have spent months curating online?
For couples getting married in Pretoria, the answer might just be yes. Simbali – Lodge & Function Venue, located just a short drive from the city, stands out as a venue that transforms Pinterest dreams into real-world elegance. With a natural bushveld backdrop, versatile event spaces, and a team focused on personalization, Simbali offers the flexibility and atmosphere to turn inspiration into execution.
Here, we compare some of the most popular wedding vision board trends to the actual features offered by Simbali, revealing how this venue goes beyond expectation to bring each detail to life.
Pinterest Trend 1: Outdoor Ceremonies with Organic Elements
The Vision: A ceremony nestled in nature, with wooden accents, leafy arches, and ambient lighting. Guests are seated in open air, surrounded by greenery, as the couple says “I do” in front of a scenic backdrop.
Simbali Delivers: The Covered Bush Chapel at Simbali is a favorite among couples who love the idea of an outdoor ceremony without sacrificing comfort. With its open timber trusses, natural finishes, and elevated views of the surrounding valley, it captures the essence of a Pinterest-worthy setting. The open sides allow for air flow and connection to the outdoors, while the structure provides shelter and stability.
Couples can incorporate floral arches, pampas grass, or minimalist greenery to bring their exact vision to life. The chapel is a blank canvas—but with a stunning frame already in place.
Pinterest Trend 2: Cocktail Hour Under Festoon Lights
The Vision: Soft lighting, signature drinks, and casual mingling under the early evening sky. Think wooden harvest tables, charcuterie spreads, and relaxed elegance.
Simbali Delivers: The Bush Bar and Alfresco Lounge is made for this. This outdoor space, lined with festoon string lights and surrounded by bushveld landscape, is the ideal transition space between ceremony and reception.
Here, guests can enjoy welcome drinks while lounging in comfortable seating areas, sampling small bites from styled grazing tables. It’s informal, stylish, and designed to make the most of golden hour in a relaxed, photogenic environment.
Whether couples want live acoustic music, a gin bar station, or custom signage, the alfresco lounge can be styled to match any aesthetic.
Pinterest Trend 3: Statement Reception Halls with Natural Light
The Vision: A reception space filled with light and character—think high ceilings, wooden beams, and floor-to-ceiling windows. The goal is to blend interior elegance with exterior views.
Simbali Delivers: The Main Reception Hall at Simbali offers exactly that. With double-volume ceilings, exposed timber trusses, and two large stone-clad fireplaces, the space feels spacious yet warm. The folding glass doors open onto a large deck that overlooks the Bronberg mountain range, offering natural light and a seamless connection to the outdoors.
This space adapts well to various decor themes, from rustic elegance to minimalist modern. Long tables with greenery runners, round tables with elevated florals, or even moody candlelit setups all find a perfect home here.
Pinterest Trend 4: Lounge Seating & Chill-Out Zones
The Vision: Soft sofas, vintage armchairs, and side tables arranged into lounge zones for guests to relax between dancing and dessert. These corners add both comfort and style.
Simbali Delivers: The layout of Simbali’s alfresco lounge area makes this trend easy to execute. With its open concept and ample space, couples can create custom seating arrangements using vintage rentals, boho accents, or minimalist setups.
Inside the reception hall, there’s also flexibility to build out these corners, either near the fireplaces or along the deck. It allows for varied experiences throughout the evening—not everyone wants to be on the dance floor all night, and Simbali respects that.
Pinterest Trend 5: Banquet Tables & Statement Floral Runners
The Vision: Long tables dressed with single runners of eucalyptus, white roses, and tapered candles. Overhead installations of foliage or string lighting add even more drama.
Simbali Delivers: The Main Reception Hall is ideal for long banquet-style seating. Its width and open ceiling height make it perfect for full table rows with eye-catching decor. With the right vendor team, it’s easy to bring floral installations, hanging features, or curated lighting into the space.
Simbali’s coordination team works with couples to ensure spatial planning supports both style and service. Whether opting for minimalist runners or full floral cascades, the setup shines within the venue’s design.
Pinterest Trend 6: Sunset Couple Portraits
The Vision: Candid, romantic photos of the couple walking into the sunset, holding hands or dancing under pink skies.
Simbali Delivers: Simbali’s natural surroundings provide more than one ideal backdrop for these golden hour portraits. The deck that extends from the reception hall offers views of the mountains. Open fields and tree-lined paths nearby allow photographers to capture depth, movement, and that all-important sunset glow.
Photographers consistently comment on the versatility and natural light offered by the venue. It’s easy to get several different looks in one session, from mountain views to rustic terrain.
Pinterest Trend 7: Intimate First Looks
The Vision: A quiet moment between the couple before the ceremony. Set in a garden or quiet corner of the venue, these photos feel personal and cinematic.
Simbali Delivers: With multiple tucked-away areas and a natural landscape that provides privacy, Simbali offers ideal locations for a first look. Couples can choose to meet on the chapel path, near the lodge gardens, or along one of the venue’s walking routes.
These moments are often filled with emotion, and having a beautiful, quiet backdrop makes them even more special.
Pinterest Trend 8: Personalised Reception Details
The Vision: Custom name cards, monogrammed signage, guest welcome stations, and thoughtful decor that reflects the couple’s story.
Simbali Delivers: With its neutral color palette and natural finishes, Simbali makes it easy for couples to introduce personalized elements without visual clutter. Custom signage looks elevated against stone and wood. Guestbooks, seating charts, and welcome tables can be styled to match the day’s design without interfering with flow.
The team is also happy to help coordinate logistics for delivery and setup, reducing stress for couples on the day.
Pinterest Trend 9: All-in-One Wedding Day Convenience
The Vision: No travel between venues. Ceremony, cocktail hour, photos, and reception all happen in one location for a seamless experience.
Simbali Delivers: This is where Simbali excels. The layout has been intentionally designed to support a natural, flowing experience from ceremony to late-night dancing. Guests stay onsite, parking is available and convenient, and the energy of the day is never interrupted.
Many couples cite this as one of their favorite features, especially when planning for guests from out of town.
Pinterest Trend 10: A Wedding That Feels Like You
The Vision: Not just a beautiful event, but one that feels personal, intimate, and joyful. A celebration that reflects the couple and creates lasting memories.
Simbali Delivers: More than anything else, this is what Simbali is known for. It’s not a cookie-cutter venue. It’s a space that respects individual taste, supports creative vision, and prioritizes connection.
From first meeting to final send-off, the team at Simbali works with intention. Couples aren’t just booking a location—they’re choosing a partner in planning, a space that adapts to them, and a setting that elevates their story.
Turning Pins Into Wedding Venue Plans
It’s easy to feel overwhelmed when trying to match Pinterest perfection to practical reality. But the right venue makes all the difference.
For Pretoria couples looking to bring their wedding day vision to life, Simbali – Lodge & Function Venue offers more than just aesthetics. It provides the foundation, the flexibility, and the support to make each element come alive.
If your vision board is filled with elegance, nature, and meaningful celebration, Simbali just might be the place to turn your digital dreams into a wedding day worth remembering.