Inspiration Board: Autumn Botanical

I think it’s time for me to finally admit defeat and acknowledge that autumn is here (actually, winter really, but at least we’re always a little bit behind in Durban, weather-wise!). And while I’m always super sad to let summer go, I do love the coziness of the colder months, cuddling up with my spaniel under a warm blanket, hot chocolate and cookies, hot baths, etc. And of course, the rich autumn colour palettes! As you know, I love a fresh take on a classic palette, so for today’s inspiration board, I’ve turned to one of this year’s quiet heroes: dusty blue. Millennial Pink and Ultra Violet might be getting all the press, but the more soft and subtle blue is everywhere, making a beautiful cool base for so many other lovely shades. And while it’s more closely associated with the other seasons, it works just as well for fall, especially when paired with other muted shades like a matte forest green and a very soft mustard, as I have here, for a fine art, botanical feel that’s a gorgeously fresh take on the autumn look. What do you think?
*Links in bold denote affiliate links. The cost to you remains the same, but SBB may receive a commission for any sales made.

Top row (l-r): Elegant Autumn Bride (Heather Burris Photography/Amanda Blair by Design/Sweet Caroline Styles) | Tablescape (Sawyer Baird/TOAST Santa Barbara) | Semi-naked Drip Donut Cake (Tiffaney Childs Photography)
Row 2: Autumn Couple (Moira West) | Dusty Blue Botanical Wedding Invitation (Minted) | Blue Tweed Suit (ASOS)
Row 3: Centrepiece (Hannah Duffy Photography/Louise Beukes of BLOVED Blog/Bo Boutique) | Escort Cards with Flowers (Joey Kennedy Photography/Lora Kelley/Mallory Joyce) | Dusty Blue Bridesmaid Dresses (Erin Stubblefield Weddings and Portraiture/Magnolias)

Dusty Blue Autumn Botanical Wedding Inspiration Board | SouthBound Bride

Row 1: Norma J Skirt in Slate by Sweet Caroline Styles | Row 2: ASOS Slim Suit in Blue Mini Check (left); floral noir Wedding Invitation from Minted (right) | Row 3: Gray Blue Silk Ribbon by Krasnova Silk | Row 4: Dusty Blue Gauze Napkins by Linen Lark (top left); Dusty Blue Printable Table Numbers by Heaven and Fifth Studio (bottom left); LAICIGO Womens Cross Wrap Off The Shoulder Sweater (top right); Dusty Blue Flower Comb by Marolsha (centre right); Elegant Navy Blue Dripless Taper Candles (bottom right)

 

Pantone Colour of the Year 2018: Ultra Violet

So this month, our editorial theme is ‘Cosmic Love’, and we’ll be using it to explore all things celestial wedding, but linking it at the same time to the latest development in the Pantone Color of the Year universe: Ultra Violet? Why, well, as Pantone themselves say: “Ultra Violet suggests the mysteries of the cosmos, the intrigue of what lies ahead, and the discoveries beyond where we are now… the vast and limitless night sky is symbolic of what is possible and continues to inspire the desire to pursue a world beyond our own”. I also love how Ultra Violet links to some otherworldly design elements, most notably iridescence, set to be a huge trend for 2018 (so expect to see some of that this month too, yay!). I think one of the key things about Ultra Violet is that it’s one of those colours that on its own can be… well, a little too much. It’s a great purple, but it’s still a bold colour and you don’t want to let it take over your wedding. But it combines beautifully with so many other shades: blues and greens, pinks, softer purples (maybe one of my favourite ways to use it), neutrals, pastels and berry shades alike. It lends itself to the current trend of having several colours (or tones) in your wedding palette, instead of playing mix and match. Plus, since you’ll find this shade in many flowers, I’m hoping that we’ll be seeing it in abundant florals the way Greenery did. Today we’re breaking down just a few of the options: a unicorn iridescent board suitable that is bang on trend, a softer country boho palette, a moody purple and grey number which I am loving, and a juxtaposition of purple versus bright red that really pops! Links in bold denote affiliate links. SBB may make a commission on any sales made.

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How to Choose Your Wedding Style & Colours

How to Choose Your Wedding Style & Colours | SouthBound Bride

As I mentioned earlier this week, January is the time when lots of new brides join the SBB family, and so we like to tailor our advice content to help you out in those early days of planning, which let’s face it, can be overwhelming. Especially when the first question after “how did he ask?” and “have you set a date?” is “what colours have you chosen?” Or if you’ve ever been on Pinterest, where the sheer volume of styles and colours is terrifying. And sure, some of you will already have your colours figured out. But even if you’ve been in love with Blush & Bashful since high school (actually, ESPECIALLY if you’ve been in love with your palette since high school), there is a process that can help you figure out a basic design template for your wedding – one that is totally you, and that you’ll be able to build on instead of panicking about and (worst case scenario) throwing out and changing a couple of months down the line. So close down Pinterest for a minute, put aside your preconceptions, and follow these five steps to choose your perfect wedding style.

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10 Bright Wedding Colour Palettes

This month has been all about bright colours (and we’ll actually be carrying on with this through the end of the week) – it’s been the perfect way for me personally to welcome in summer! And since it’s all about the colour, I just had to go through our archives and pull together 10 palettes that use bright shades of orange, yellow, coral, blue, green and pink to show you just how gorgeous colour can be! Every one of these makes me feel super happy, and for me that’s the best reason to use bright hues on your big day – they reflect the sheer joy of the occasion and get everyone in a celebratory mood! So… which is your fave? (Links in bold denote affiliate links. SouthBound Bride may make a commission if a sale is made.)

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Inspiration Board: Summer Citrus

OMG seriously, how is October rushing past so fast, dammit? I have so much more bright and colourful inspiration to share before the month is out, and it’s high time we did some palette play. I’ve always had a bit of a fascination with citrus as a wedding element, and I’ve made a few boards using oranges and lemons before, but for today’s board it is citrus turned up to LOUD. Lemon, orange, tangerine, grapefruit acid brights. And yet, with a backdrop of soft blue and romantic details, it still manages to be elegant. This might be my fave summer board ever!

Top row (l-r): Place setting (Michael Radford Photography/Tinge) | Centrepiece (Tony Gigov/Lovely Weddings/A Very Beloved Wedding/Evelyn Kühr) | Citrus invitation suite (Melissa Jill Photography/Copper + Cotton/Lola Lee Invitations)
Row 2: Ring boxes (Jose Villa/The Mrs. Box) | Table number (Mike Larson/Reed + James/Loop Flowers) | Orlando Wedding Dress by JuLee Collections (Image: Rahel Menig Photography)*
Row 3: Bouquet (Adrienne Gunde/Valley Flora/Amy Kaneko Events) | Bright bridesmaid dresses (Cassie Loree Photography/Petals Couture Floral & Event Design/Bella Bridesmaids) | Cake with kumquats (Michael Radford Photography/Tinge/Pippa Cakery)
*Affiliate link. SBB may receive a commission on any sales.

Summer Citrus Wedding Inspiration Board | SouthBound Bride

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Inspiration Board: Le Jardin de Monet

Turning from the jewel tones of today’s real wedding, this board is ALL about the pastels. As I mentioned yesterday, the fine art look in weddings isn’t necessarily consciously ‘artistic’, more like curated of soft fabrics and romantic details, but when I started putting this look together, I couldn’t help but drift towards the Impressionist style of one of my favourite artists, Monet. Taking a loose collection of peaches, blues, greens and greys as a base, it’s like taking a splash from Monet’s paintbrush and turning it into a wedding (if that even makes sense). Lovely, no?

Top (l-r): Couple in boat (Kay English Photography) | Watercolour cake (Michelle Leo Events/Layers Cake) | Calligraphy stationery & silk ribbon (Silk & Willow)
Row 2: Shoes (Jillian Mitchell) | Grey candles (Feather And Stone/Victoria Cameron) | Bouquet (Anna Tereshina Photography/Oh My Love Wedding/Sweet William Wedding)
Row 3: Place setting (Emily March Photography/Rebecca Rose Creative) | Bridesmaids in tulle (Katie Kett) | Bride (Feather & Stone/Pearl & Godiva)

 

Monet Fine Art Wedding Inspiration Board | SouthBound Bride

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Inspiration Board: White Agate

It’s been a while since I did an inspiration board, but I have to say, I am loving this one! The geode and mineral trend is going strong at the moment, and agate slices make for a super pretty table addition, but instead of the bright purple or blue agate geodes that you see most often, I adore the soft taupe and lavender colours of white agate. Mix them with pale blush, rose quartz pink and a bit of gold, and wow! Romantic and modern – done! Links in bold denote affiliate links. The cost to you remains the same, but SBB may receive a commission for any sales made.

Top row (l-r): Geode cake (Carrie’s Cakes/Emilie Ann Photography) | Geode sash (Abigail Grace Photography) | White agate escorts (inLoft Calligraphy)
Row 2: Pink shoes (KT Merry Photography) | Blush bridesmaids (Vanilla Photography) | Place setting (Lisa Catherine Photography)
Row 3: Blush bouquet (Fallen Photography/Blu Event Design) | Geode invitation suite (Minted) | Champagne with rock crystal decoration (Shannon Skloss Photography/The Novel Planner)

I’ve featured this invitation suite from Kaydi Bishop on Minted before (here), but I swear I love it even more now! It comes in loads of colours and with foiling option, and this pink shade is absolutely perfect for our inspiration board!

White Agate Geology Wedding Inspiration Board | SouthBound Bride

I’m also loving the geode belt and white agate escort/place card slices. You can find both on Etsy!

10 Rustic Wedding Colour Palettes

We’re coming to the end of our month of rustic elegance, and it’s been such a pleasure to revisit this style in depth and see how things have moved from a rougher, shabby chic ‘burlap and lace’ look to a more organic, natural style that relies on rustic textures, beautiful flowers and romantic details. Even so, I thought it was time I took a look back through the archives for rustic inspiration as well, and I found ten gorgeous boards that are as pretty now as when I first created them. So pick your palette, because every one of these is a beauty! (Links in bold denote affiliate links. SouthBound Bride may make a commission if a sale is made.)

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Inspiration Board: Stylish Simplicity

I love fancy. After all, Baz Luhrmann is my favourite director and that guy does nothing understated. But there’s a special kind of pleasure in diving into a wedding style that’s pared back and elegant and minimalist, a style that lets nature speak for itself through natural textures like wood and foliage, enhancing them ever so slightly with a glimmer of gold here and a swish of tulle there. That’s what today’s inspiration is all about – and when it comes to rustic weddings, it just shows that simple can be the most beautiful of all. (Links in bold denote affiliate links – the cost to you remains the same, but SBB may receive a commission on any sales.)

Top row (l-r): Place setting (Steve Steinhardt/Modern Dame) | Painted Leaf Wedding Invitation (Minted) | Bridesmaids bouquet (Kate Preftakes Photography/Events by Sorrell/Apotheca Flowers)
Row 2: Ceremony setting (Virgil Bunao Photography/Easton Events) | Bride with simple floral crown (JoPhoto/MOD Events Charleston) | White tiered cake (Jemma Keech/The Cake & I)
Row 3: Bride on farm (Tom Ravenshear) | Greenery & foliage bouquet (Craig & Eva Sanders) | Chair decor with greenery (Taylor Lord/The Nouveau Romantics)

How fabulous is that watercolour foliage invitation from Minted? Plus it has rose gold foiling, which I adore and comes in two other colours. Perfect for an elegant organic bride!

 

Stylish Simplicity Wedding Inspiration Board | SouthBound Bride

Inspiration Board: Silver Leaf

Ah, I had such fun with this board! I think I forgot how much I love rustic weddings, and those that have a little touch of glitter and elegance… oh my! So much up the Gaby street. I also loved working with silver when I’m used to going with gold, copper or rose gold. And you guys, doesn’t it look lovely? Paired with a nice emerald and a lighter mint, it could be a winter palette but here instead makes for the perfect light and tranquil rustic summer or spring country wedding inspiration. And for an extra touch of the trendy, add in that tiny touch of marble, as in the cake below. Gorgeous!

Top (l-r): Bride with updo (Heather Hawkins/Makeup Santa Fe) | Invitations (Kaitlin Maree Photography/Wedding Playbook/Love Notes Australia) | Silver bridesmaids (Bryce Covey Photography)
Row 2: Bouquet (Dana Fernandez Photography/Flower Power Productions) | Engagement ring (Harwell Photography/Alise Taggart) | Greenery chandelier (Liz Morrow)
Row 3: Greenery confetti (Michelle du Toit/Blooming Wonderful) | Cutlery (Aline Photography/Flower Fantasy) | Silver & marble wedding cake (Mallory Dawn Photography/Just a Kiss Weddings and Events/Elise Cakes)

Silver Leaf Wedding Inspiration Board | SouthBound Bride

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