Angelic Wonders was established in 1994 by Gail Henstock, still a partner in the business today. The company’s original core business was manufacturing angels in soft pastel colours from a range of materials, including plaster of paris. Working from her garage, Gail’s niche marketed pastel coloured angels ensured that she enjoyed huge success and business boomed.

She then began producing beautiful, unusual décor for friends’ weddings and functions and before long, extended this to the draping of venues, also for friends and family. She then met the late Alan Wilson, who she still regards as her original mentor. His belief that there was enough business for everybody made a deep impression on her and in particular, his favourite saying: ‘We all have a place in the sun’.

In 2000, Angelic Wonders moved to premises at Drostdy Park in Uitenhage and the following year, Gail’s daughter Judith joined her in the business. The mother-daughter team identified their own unique niche in the market and, thanks to Judith’s own special brand of creative flair they soon gained a reputation for gorgeous, unique room and table décor, with particular focus on weddings. While they originally formed close long-term partnerships with the Uitenhage-based Flower & Gift Shop and Aneen’s Florist, today they also work closely with a range of other florists.

Thanks to their increasing success, Angelic Wonders began to expand, particularly within the draping arena, as clients began requesting extensive, complex draping, with particular demand for draped roofs within venues. 

While the bridal market remained a strong focus of the business, their reputation also began to attract the attention of a number of prestigious corporate clients.