WHO WE ARE
Khali de Villiers
Khali de Villiers’ event planning career spans more than two decades. She founded and established her name as The Wedding Specialist, and has hosted some of South Africa’s most prestigious occasions, including the 2020 wedding of the worlds No1 celebrity wedding planner, Colin Cowie. In 2022 was awarded Female-owned Events Company of the Year. Her talent and passion for creating and sharing memorable experience led her to found the SA School of Weddings in 2009.
The SA School of Weddings is the first Wedding & Events school in Africa, filling an important niche in the market by offering a range of part time and full time skills-based wedding and event planning courses. Students are trained utilizing a unique and exciting practical approach. All of the courses are taught by seasoned professionals with years of experience and a passion for the industry.
Kholisa Thomas
Kholisa Thomas brings over 15 years of global experience in marketing, luxury goods, high-end art entrepreneurship, and philanthropy. She began her career working for the British High Commission as a political analyst and planning high level bi-lateral events. She then joined L’Oreal to help launch their first brand targeting the South African market.
Kholisa is passionate about championing African art. She is an industry thought leader, and in 2016, left the corporate world to found an independent art advisory firm as well as The Art Talks, a series of events offering a unique art experience to emerging collectors. In August 2021, she joined Aspire Art, where she is responsible for managing client relationships and creating an annual program of exceptionally curated art events.
Kholisa sits on the board of Ubuntu Pathways. She helped to launch the Ubuntu Gala and has chaired this annual fundraiser since its inception.
Ubuntu Pathways
Ubuntu Pathways (formerly Ubuntu Education Fund) is a nonprofit organization that provides an integrated support system of health, education, and social support in the townships of Gqeberha. Over the past 23 years, what began as a fortuitous meeting between two strangers has grown into an internationally-recognized blueprint for community transformation.
Shifting away from traditional development models that fail to address the compounding burdens of poverty, Ubuntu has developed a holistic pathway that takes children and families from vulnerability to stability and success. Ubuntu’s team is now placing 2,000 vulnerable children and their families on pathways out of poverty––from cradle to career.
SASOW Event Services proudly partners with The South African School of Weddings.