Maryke in a nutshell
This is me. I quietly work in the background alongside my dedicated team on the brand and making our bride’s wedding dress dreams come true. So to capture me in a moment such as this photo is a rare one.
Sewing was my first love and at the age of 19 I dressed my first bride – bless her heart for trusting my very young, but capable self to do that! Fast forward 25+ years of passionately following my childhood dream, to the bridal brand it has grown into today.
Maryke brides get to experience the energy of love and passion poured into each dress, resulting in an individually crafted gown, suited to each bride’s personal taste and requirements.
At our KZN Showroom you are treated to the full selection of our designs as well as the option of custom (bespoke) design. In recent years we have also helped numerous international / out-of-town brides realize their dress dreams.
We also have various stockists nation wide (see our Collections page for more) and will soon be spreading our wings internationally.
A Maryke Wedding Dress cannot be described, it can only be felt.
Our Why?
The One
”There is something that lights up in a bride when she steps into her wedding dress. Most times it is a subtle shift, other times it is a wave of emotion.
So often I observe this from the side line, before she even sees herself in the mirror. It truly is one of the most beautiful and rewarding moments as a designer, when a bride looks at her reflection and see her true, inner beauty ignited.”
Maryke – Owner and Head designer
Love
”My personal life philosophy is that being yourself is the ultimate form of living love.”
And few things measure up to the feeling of your wedding dress being ‘so You’.
Treasured memories
Your wedding dress experience should be one of your favourite memories, in a dress that make you feel like you can take on the world.
It is our primary goal to make each bride’s experience as seamless and memorable as possible.
Our How?
Handmade
Your Maryke wedding dress is individually hand crafted, made-to-order, especially for you according to your personal measurements.
A Maryke bridal gown is authentic in design, superior in quality and handmade in our South African studio by our dedicated team of specialists.
Time & Skill
Maryke herself has more than 33+ years of experience in sewing and has surrounded herself with a dedicated team of specialists.
Each gown is designed & sewn through a thoughtful process of applied skill and time.
Art
Each piece of lace is individually cut, pinned and sewn by hand.
It is a form of art where the pieces are puzzled together and re-worked into a unique design.
With heart
The Maryke brand follows a philosophy of supporting local business where ever possible. All processes from design & manufacturing to dispatch happens in-house. As each garment is individually created on a made-to-order basis, it is not mass produced.
Our team members are from local communities around us and we work closely with local, South African suppliers as much as possible.
Our off-cuts are either re-purposed into garters and accessories or donated to local community sewing projects.
