The Johannesburg Botanic Gardens has opened its own wedding venue, the Chapel Garden, which has been revamped to provide a beautiful setting for nuptials.

Luther Williamson, the MD of City Parks, was a guests at the 'wedding' to launch the Chapel Garden

ON a gloomy, rainy Friday afternoon the Johannesburg Botanic Gardens was abuzz with wedding bells; people were singing and dancing and cars were hooting, for Mr City and Miss Parks were getting married.

But after the pastor pronounced them Mr and Mrs City Parks, the overwhelmed bride was somewhat reluctant to kiss the groom.

Mr City (Sydney Nkosi) and Miss Parks (Lucretia Beukes) were the main characters in a simulated wedding held to unveil the revamped Chapel Garden at the Johannesburg Botanic Gardens on Friday, 5 October. Present at the ceremony were Luther Williamson, the managing director of Johannesburg City Parks, and businesses and event organisers in the wedding industry.

Williamson said City Parks had developed the garden to accommodate at least 80 bridal parties on a weekend. It contains indigenous trees and flowers, and had benches, footpaths and an altar. It will complement the Sima Eliovson Floreum, where receptions can be held, and the Rose Garden, a picturesque venue for photographs.

The bride - gamefully played by Lucretia Beukes - and her entourage

Designed to accommodate weddings from all cultures, the Chapel Garden is the most affordable venue, he noted, inviting Joburgers to tie the knot there. A structure will also be built for when it rained. "The garden is going to be bigger."

Williamson called on people to consider the environment when planning their weddings, saying an environmentally friendly ceremony could contribute to the fight against global warming.

The Johannesburg Botanic Gardens is home to some of the finest plant collections in the world, including succulents, indigenous and exotic trees. Its Rose Garden has more than 4 500 different hybrids of roses, while the Herb Garden contains a collection of culinary, cosmetic and medicinal herbs.