Inspiration Board: V is for Violet

Good morning, SouthBound Brides, and a special welcome to all the new readers with Valentine’s Day proposals! You know, as you all start planning, some of you will find that you have a clear vision – a palette you’ve always loved, a style that’s distinctly your own, a venue that dictates where you go with your decor. But for others, it’s harder. You like some of this, some of that. I get the feeling that the bride who requested today’s pretty board falls into this category (and if you do too, worry not – it’s completely normal!) In her mail, Shylet asked for a board for her summer Zimbabwean wedding. She wanted it to be chic and contemporary, but she also wanted it to be vintage. She wanted extravagant centrepieces and a cake, but she also wanted DIY. It could be a bit of a mishmash, but I think I know what Shylet is after. See, what many brides now think of as vintage – lacey, girly, prettiness – doesn’t have to be old fashioned at all. And items can be DIY without looking crafty. It all starts with a great palette, and Shylet definitely has that covered – with purple, yellow and grey as her colours (I opted for a pretty violet that goes so nicely with a fresh lemon zest yellow!). In putting the board together, I immediately thought of this SBB wedding – notice how the tables have dramatic tall arrangements (made of baby’s breath, which saves a ton) as well as lower arrangements for colour. It’s a very effective look. The bride also chose an amazing cake, which was a replica of the stunning Peggy Porschen creation below. Team this with soft bouquets and frosted lemons on platters for a really elegant look. I’d limit DIYs to things like this pretty wall of table plan frames, or maybe to interesting favours (Martha Stewart’s Good Things are the perfect place to look for this sort of idea) – that way you can feel that you’ve made your personal mark without changing the overall sophistication of the look. Hope you like your board Shylet!

Colours: African violet, lemon zest, grey

Top row (l-r): Table setting {Adene Photography/Marina Moorcroft}; bouquet {Lavender & Twine Photography/Flowers By Roni}; cake {Nick Tucker/Peggy Porschen}; bridesmaids {Alejandra Vidal at Imaginale Design/Lettie Peterson at Rust and Lace}; dress with sash {Christian Oth Studio}
Row 2: Sugared lemons {Martha Stewart}; boutonnieres {Martha Stewart}; letterpress thumbprint invitations {Essie Letterpress}; peony centrepiece {Kate Preftakes Photography/Flowers by Fancy}; lemons {Jessica Schilling Photography}
Row 3: Bridesmaid’s bouquet {Jackie Wonders/Kristen Tencer}; shoes {Veil and Bow/Salt Harbor Designs}; table plan frame wall {Martha Stewart}; lavender champagne {Debra McClinton}; flower girl {NK Photography}.

 

Inspiration Board: Lovelier Than Lilacs

It’s Monday, and Mondays mean one thing here on SBB, and that’s inspiration boards. Yay! So to kick off the week, I have a reader’s request that I’ve been looking forward to getting to. Georgie sent me a request before Christmas for her Johannesburg wedding – she said that with so many themed weddings around, she and her fiance wanted to bring their focus back to what was traditional, classic and elegant. Their venue in Parktown has a gorgeous view of the city, so they’d like that to be central, and will include lots of ambient light in the form of candles and fairy lights. Their palette is clean white with dove grey, lilac and celadon (a green very much like Pantone’s current Greyed Jade). Georgie had just one more request, and that was to include orchids, since they will remind them of India and Singapore – two places that are meaningful to the couple. So that was the brief, and that’s what we’ve got. No themes, no motifs, no gimmicks – just classical elements and a gorgeous set of colours. As with all weddings where white forms a big part of the canvas, texture is important, so I’ve included lots of it – feathery tulle in the bride’s dress, crisp linens on the tables, even a little touch of velvet ribbon, which I really like (especially since this is an autumn wedding). The orchids are there – nice, simple and soft, but I think roses on the table are a classically romantic statement so I’d probably stick to orchids in bouquets and in other special places like on the cake. Chandeliers and a twinkle light curtain add a festive touch, and I’d bring in the colour accents in soft ways – bridesmaid’s dresses, shoes and (my best) invitations with a subtle touch of celadon on the edges. Add a pretty hairpiece, updos for the bridal party, a touch of calligraphy and signature cocktails for while guests enjoy that magnificent view. Et voila. A return to elegance. Hope you like your board, Georgie!

Colours: White, lilac, dove grey & celadon

Top row (l-r): Orchid {Anouschka Rokebrand}; bride {Beth Helmstetter/Samuel Lippke Studios}; pale lilac shoes {SH Weddings/Hanle Productions}; calligraphy table number {Jose Villa}; chandelier {Tea Olive Photography}
Row 2: Invitations with celadon edging {Lucky Luxe Couture Correspondence}; elegant updo {Easton Events/Patricia Lyons Photography}; orchid and rose bouquet; lilac velvet ribbon; cake with white orchids {Jenna Walker Photographers/Creative Weddings}
Row 3: Bride and groom with fairy light curtain {Cory Ryan Photography/CLINK }; lilac cocktail with ribbon tags {Samm Blake}; diamond ring {KT Merry}; table setting {Kate Preftakes Photography}; lilac bridesmaid dresses {Samm Blake}.

 

Inspiration Board: An Autumn Romance

Good morning friends! Sorry for a bit of a disruption last week, but everything should be sorted now for a brand new week packed full of inspiration – just wait until you see some of the loveliness I have lined up for you. Starting with today’s inspiration board, which is a request from reader Jessica, who’s planning a cold weather wedding in a little church in the country with a palette of soft purples. Jessica isn’t a fan of roses and wants simple flowers, and actually this works really well with a purple colour scheme, since there are so many pretty purple flowers in a range of rustic hues. A sprig of lavender at each place setting is fragrant and easy to do, and why not mix and match bouquets for a more relaxed look? Cut out leaf shapes from purple card and string on branches for a fun autumn escort card idea, and bag a cute colour co-ordinated cardigan. Then just add gorgeous stationery and lots of fairy lights, and you have all the makings of a romantic autumn wedding. Good luck with the rest of your planning Jessica – hope you like your board!

Colours: Shades of purple, taupe and mocha

Top row (l-r): Bride; Shimmer wedding invitation {Minted}; bouquet {Elizabeth Messina/Lisa Gorjestani}; chapel {Mario Testino for Vogue}
Row 2: Buds; bridesmaids {Sylvie Gil Photography/Kristi Amoroso}; leaf escort cards {What Shanni Saw}
Row 3: Cork heart; bride in cardigan {Kim & Niki, Photographers}; blackberry swizzle sticks {The Nichols Photography/The Nouveau Romantics}; fairy lights {Feather + Stone/The Little White Wedding Company}

Inspiration Board: An Autumn Romance | SouthBound Bride

Inspiration Board: Denim & Berry

I’ve been focusing on reader requested boards for a while, but today I wanted to do one of my own that’s been brewing in my mind for a few weeks now. South Africans might be celebrating spring, but here in London it’s gone straight into winter, with casserole weather pretty much all of last week, boo. With that chill in the air, my thoughts begin to turn to rich cold season colours, particularly beautiful winter berries, and I’ve paired them here with dusky blue denim. I absolutely adore the idea of denim runners or napkins (ever since I featured this amazing wedding that did it), plus it’s a very of-the-moment colour (see the latest Pantone report, for example), so there’s really no better time for denim to smarten itself up a bit and have a wedding style revival. I’ve softened it up with some whimsical letterpress and charcoal accents, as well as the fresh berries and a tiny touch of gold. Doesn’t it look surprisingly spectacular?

Colours: Monaco blue, dusk blue, plum, violet & gold

Top row (l-r): Rings & denim {Levi Strauss}; bride with bridesmaids {Erin Hearts Court}; bowtie escort cards {Martha Stewart}
Row 2: Purple shoes {Lillian & Leonard}; letterpress invitation {S: Cynthia Warren}; cocktails with fresh berries {P: The Nichols Photography; S: The Nouveau Romantics}; chalkboard menu {P: Lauren Wakefield Photography}; groom in demin suit {P: Tec Petaja}
Row 3: Outdoor table with strings of lights {P: Jimena Roquero Weddings; C: KOMODO Producciones}; bride and groom with bougainvillea {P: Tec Petaja}; denim-style napkin {P: Olivia Leigh Photographie}

Inspiration Board: Colour Burst

Never let it be said that I don’t love my readers! I know how sometimes planning can be overwhelming (especially bringing all your ideas together as the big day approaches), so when I got a wedding 911 from SouthBound Bride Stephanie, I put together this little board for her quick sharp. Stephanie had chosen a lovely deep purple as her main colour, with beautiful bridesmaid dresses for her girls. However, Stephanie was also in love with colour and fun, but was having a tough time convincing everyone else involved with her wedding that she could be vibrant and still classic and beautiful. Her dream palette – purple combined with coral, yellow and pink – was certainly unusual, so I immediately started looking for florals in this combo. As I suggested to Stephanie, if you’re working with bright colours but you want to make sure they don’t become too much, the best thing to do is keep everything else simple and let the flowers really pop. Because flowers are colours from nature, they have natural tones to them, so you don’t get the same hard colour block effect that you might with something synthetic. It’s a softer and more classic look. Luckily I didn’t have to look too long before I found the perfect inspiration shoot, and all I can say is WOW. Isn’t this palette stunning? I’m such a convert. Paired with simple place settings and classic stationery, the florals really do the talking (and they say “hello, I’m gorgeous”). You’ll notice there are a lot of peonies in the board – and yes, peonies are incredible, but they’re also hard for a South African bride to find. However, chat to your florist about other options, as there are many lush colourful flowers (ranunculus or carnations, for example) that will do a great job here. Another tip I gave Stephanie was not to try to bring all four colours into everything – combine two here, two there, and the result is cumulative.
So, what do you think? Stunning, no? Good luck with the rest of your planning Stephanie! I’m sure it will be amazing.

Colours: Deep purple, violet, coral, yellow & pink

Top row (l-r): Bouquet {P: Sara Gray Photography; S: Elizabeth Anne Designs}; purple shoes {P: Simply Jessie Photography}; centrepiece {}; colourful sweet favours {Martha Stewart}
Row 2: Deep purple bridesmaid dress {Bride & Co.}; purple and coral stationery suite {P: KT Merry; D: The Right Side Design}; purple paper straws; centrepieces {P: Sara Gray Photography; S: Elizabeth Anne Designs}
Row 3: Elbeth Gillis wedding dress {P: Cari Photography; D: Elbeth Gillis}; flowers {P: Sara Gray Photography; S: Elizabeth Anne Designs}; purple chalkboard {generated by reader}; cocktail {P: Matthew Morgan; C: Tammy Mitchell}

 

Inspiration Board: La Petit Lavande

I’m very excited about today’s reader request inspiration board, since not only is it a pretty way to start off the week, but it was created for someone I know. Natalie is a university friend of mine – a fellow Minervianer – who got in touch last week to tell me about her wedding. She and her fiance are getting married in the late summer, and want a sophisticated, elegant wedding that still lends itself to being very relaxed and informal. I couldn’t have chosen a better venue for them than La Petite Dauphine near Franschhoek, or in fact, a better colour scheme to suit the venue than the one Natalie has picked: lavender, silver, and a fresh, silvery green. I could immediately picture it – the kind of romantically simple wedding that would be perfectly at home in Jose Villa‘s portfolio or on the pages of Style Me Pretty. We’re certainly looking at a French country influence, so lavender makes not just the perfect colour but a beautiful motif, and Natalie could choose to use it in her stationery as well as to add texture and whimsy (as well as fragrance) on the day. I’d have bridesmaids in lovely long dresses, and the groom with a lavender boutonniere and a stylish grey suit. Long tables, either indoor or out, would have white cotton linen, simple country-style arrangements and bread rolls wrapped in muslin and twine, with a little sprig of lavender tucked into them, at each place setting. All the best things about the French lifestyle would be represented: champagne, cheese, wine (these wine bottle table numbers are a classic, and so easy to DIY), macarons. Have guests write sweet notes to the couple and ‘post’ them in a set of little rustic ‘postboxes’, and at the end of the night take home a little bag of dried lavender to put amongst their clothes and remember the occasion whenever they smell that wonderful fragrance (Natalie could also scatter some along the aisle, as stepping on it would release the aroma). Mix together, add friends and family and some late summer sunshine, and then serve. Congrats again, honey – I can’t wait to follow along with your planning!

Colours: Lavender, silver & green

Top row (l-r): Bride & bridesmaids {P: Samm Blake}; lavender in champagne; lavender boutonniere {P: Jen Huang; D: Lee Vazquez Floral Design}; cheese under bell jar {P: Missy Cochran}; silver frame with cocktail name {P: Samm Blake}; outdoor tables at La Petite Dauphine {welovepictures}
Row 2: Macaroons; post boxes with bird {P: Elizabeth Messina}; lavender invitation suite {Hello Lucky!}; lavender sprigs {P: Kate Grewal}
Row 3: Bride & groom {P: Jose Villa}; wine bottles {P: Missy Cochran}; bread rolls with lavender {P: KT Merry; C: Sara Jean Events: D: Dreamy Whites}; table setting {P: Elisa B. Photography; C: Beehive Events}; ‘love’ bags {P: Harwell Photography; C: Ashley Baber Weddings; D: Gloriosa}

 

Inspiration Board: Country Elegance

There’s nothing I love better than when I get a request for an inspiration board using a fresh theme or colour combination, and this might be one of my all-time favourites! When reader Vanessa (who is getting married all the way over in the Rocky Mountains of Canada – you don’t have to be in South Africa to request a board!) wrote in with her coral, green, purple and grey colour scheme I immediately knew she was on to a winner. She and her husband-to-be have a theme of ‘simple elegance, wedding in the woods’ – doesn’t it sound beautiful! They’ll be using burlap and lace accents, and combined with these colours, I think that will be beautiful. I would really let the colour combo speak for itself wherever possible – in mismatched bridesmaid dresses, florals, and stationery – either in a four colour display or in mini combinations of one or two of the shades. Add classic touches for elegance – beautiful chairs, anemones, a lavender wreath. Simple tables with burlap and lace runners (and maybe a single sprig of lace-tied lavender at each place setting) complete the look. Hope you like your board, Vanessa – I loved putting it together!

Colours: Mint, coral, lavender & grey

Top row (l-r): Dress {S: Joy Thigpen for Once Wed}; bouquet {P: Leo Patrone Photography; C: Bluebird Events}; bridesmaids {P: Paula O’Hara Photography; D: Laurens Norton}; table setting {P: Elizabeth Messina; S: Canvas and Canopy Events}
Row 2: Purple bottles {Dreamy Whites}; coral shoes {P: Cameron + Kelly Studios; C: Peak Events/KD Event Designs}; coral and grey letterpress invitations {Coral Pheasant}; lavender wedding cake {D: Bash, Please C: Susie Cakes; P: Amy and Stuart Photography}
Row 3: Couple in row boat {P: {oh, darling!}}; lavender wreath {P: Paula O’Hara Photography D: Laurens Norton}; coral, white and purple flowers {P: Summer Street Photography; F: Dogwood Floral Design}; pods in bark vases {Jaden Rai Inspired on Etsy}; coral ombre escort cards {P: onelove photography; S: La Boheme Events; D: Prim and Pixie}.

 

Inspiration Board: Spring Pastels

Good morning, friends! I hope you had a great weekend, and for those of you in SA, I know you will have been celebrating the official start of spring. I’ll try to ignore the fact that it means the end of summer for me here in the UK, and concentrate on a palette that is just perfect for a romantic spring wedding. It’s been a while since I played with lavender, and here I’ve paired it with one of last year’s hottest couples: aqua and rose. Don’t they make a lovely threesome? The purple really adds depth, and I love the little touch of vintage here as well. I’m imagining this in a garden, or at a beautiful farm, with clean white standing out against the soft colours. Dreamy.

Colours: Lavender, pink, aqua and white

Top row (l-r): Ian Stuart wedding dress; pink rose bouquet {F: Michele Tallent & Co.; P: Kate Connolly Photography}; aqua tie {F: Michele Tallent & Co.; P: Kate Connolly Photography}; lavender in vintage bottles {P: KT Merry; C: Sara Jean Events}; cake {P: Closer to Love Photography; C: Creamery}
Row 2: Mismatched bridesmaids {P: White Linen Photographers; F: Flowers by Antonella}; pink ribbon shoes {P: Elizabeth Messina; S: Catherine Sheppard of The Life Styled}; table in lavender field {P: KT Merry; C: Sara Jean Events}; necklace {Sora Designs on Etsy}
Row 3: ‘Love is a doing word’ {Karl Kwasny}; bride {P: Bumble & Bloom}; rose {P: Simply Bloom Photography, LLC; S: Simply Charming Socials}; pink tea glasses {P: Elisabeth Millay Photography}; lavender vintage bed.

 

Inspiration Board: Pretty in Purple

Happy 4th of July to all my American readers! Today’s board is another reader request (I’m loving how many requests I’m getting these days!) – this time from the lovely Ingrid – and I have to admit, it was a bit of a challenge. I knew exactly what I was looking for, but it wasn’t easy to find in the right colours. I’m so excited with how it turned out though, and I hope you are too, Ingrid!

When Ingrid emailed me, she knew exactly the sort of colour palette she was after for her Kleinevalleij wedding. She’d also fallen in love with the table arrangements for this unbelievable Style Me Pretty wedding, which pretty much inspired everything else. Let me break down this look a bit. The key is in its contrasts: modern paired with a bit of vintage and a touch of rustic. Succulents and silver? Shouldn’t work, but they SO do. The components – lush purple flowers (dahlias! so gorgeous!), succulents, mercury glass, wooden boxes, moss, distressed ceramics and silver. I’ve added in a few avian details and some blackboards and lilac for even more of that French country style. Doesn’t it look amazing together?

Ingrid’s bridesmaids are going to be getting their own dresses, so she wanted to make it easy for them, and chic little black numbers are a great way forward. To distinguish the girls, I suggested giving them long strings of pearls that they can all wear in a different way, but purple shoes are another alternative (Ingrid could wear sparkly and silver if she wants to stand out). I love that guests would start off with a classic black and white wedding (maybe with a couple of small purple touches in the stationery at the ceremony) and then be wowed by the whole look when they move into the reception hall. I see a lot of weddings currently at Kleinevalleij using some pretty grey/silver damask tablecloths, and these could also work brilliantly here. I don’t know about you, but I’m dying to see how this wedding turns out! (And don’t forget – if you’d like me to create a board just for you, drop me an email and let me know a bit more about what you’re looking for.)

Colours: Deep purple, lilac, grey and green

Top row (l-r): Purple bouquet (JL Designs/Marianne Lozano); silver and succulents (Stephanie Williams); printer’s tray (Stephanie Fay/Jasmine Star); feather boutonniere; lavender wreath
Row 2: Bride with succulent hair accessory (Stephanie Williams); arrangement with candles (Stephanie Fay/Jasmine Star); bird ornament (Amber Events); bridesmaids in little black dresses
Row 3: Shoes (Jani B); blackboard escort cards (Millie Holloman); signature drinks; purple envelope with calligraphy (Corbin Gurkin); distressed ceramics.

Inspiration Board: Lavender Glam

Good morning everyone! I’m stuck in bed this morning with a horrible cold, but I don’t mind because I had the best weekend! A group of us headed to Devon for my friends Kate and Jim’s wedding, which was so heartfelt and lovely and reminded me again why I love weddings so much. I got to rock some head candy and shoe candy and a pretty dress, and we all danced until ridiculous o’ clock. There’s a few details I’ll be sharing with you all in due course, one of which is a little DIY to look out for this afternoon. In the meantime, here’s today’s inspiration board.

I’ve been wanting to do another lavender board for a while now, ever since the nice folks over at the East India Company sent me some lavender cordial to try. If you’re not familiar with the East India Company, they make an amazing array of teas and other delicacies, all of which are beautifully packaged and could make great favours or even decor pieces at your wedding. One of their top products is a line of cordials, which all make lovely additions to a signature cocktail or refreshing drink on your big day. Originally I’d been thinking along the usual shabby chic lines, but the more I looked, the more I fell in love with the weddings where couples had superimposed ballroom-level elegance onto rustic venues. Think chandeliers in a barn. Because why not? Why should you have to choose, and the mixture of two styles is utterly charming. Add in some gold metallic to balance the pretty purples, and you have a look that’s absolutely bang on trend and perfect for a bride who can’t choose between a wine farm and a Cape country venue.

Colours: Purple and gold

Top row (l-r): Lavender champagne; goat’s cheese cake; bride and bridesmaids (Samm Blake); mirrors in barn (Cameron Ingalls)
Row 2: Gold frame (Trent Bailey/Daughter of Design); gold shoes (Katherine O’ Brien Photography); lavender cordial from The East India Company; place setting (Lane Dittoe/Brooke Keegan); lavender boutonniere (Beaux Arts Photographie)
Row 3: Gold chairs (Beaux Arts Photographie/Kelly Oshiro); lavender bouquet with gold bangle (Andrea and Marcus); rustic glam barn decor (Mark Brooke Photographers); bride and groom

Note: This is not a sponsored post and The East India Company is not a Cap Classique advertiser, but they did send me some of their product to try. Thanks, East India Company!