Love at first sight. Whether you believe in it or not, that’s what happened to Michelle and Devon. And it was love at first sight for SBB when it came to their gorgeous wedding too! Rich red hues, candlelight, proteas everywhere, a cozy fire crackling in the fireplace at their reception, a gin bar, a drip cake… everything wonderful, basically! And with these gorgeous pictures by Claire Thompson to bring the couple’s big day to life for us, the dream is complete.
Y’all know how much I love a multi-cultural wedding – the fusion of cultures and families (smooshed together with family and friends from all around the world) makes me so happy. To me, this is what weddings are all about: two souls finding one another in the vast world, and joining their lives together to create something beautiful and new. Today’s wedding is all of these things – April and Avi come from across the world from one another and have different cultural heritages and religious backgrounds, but found each other at college in the US, making this one of the most uniquely international weddings I’ve come across. And where better to tie the knot than in the Rainbow Nation of South Africa? The day was filled with colour and happiness, with two different celebrations, three gorgeous gowns, acknowledgement of all those influences (including SA, with some Zulu dancing, yay!), old traditions and new friendships. It’s appropriate that April and Avi chose an umbrella motif for their big day too, because that’s really what it did: bring everything they love under one big beautiful umbrella. Hayley Takes Photos was there to capture these wonderful images of the day.
When it comes to wedding industry pros, I think there’s a lot of pressure when it comes time for them to plan their own weddings (at this point I think I would just elope LOL), but they do have one huge advantage, and that’s knowing the best people to help pull off a spectacular big day. With friends like these, it’s easy to exceed expectations! And that’s just what happened for bride Melissa of Blackeyed Susan, and her sweetheart Louis, when they married in a gorgeous Cape Town celebration inspired by Japanese design. With a clear vision of the aesthetic they wanted to achieve, they briefed their suppliers and then let them work their creative magic, and the result is STUNNING. The cake, the flowers, and of course the setting! And that’s before we even talk about Melissa’s cap sleeve, ivory lace bodice gown, which of course she decided to create herself (because after all, who knows a designer’s vision better than herself?) Again, she incorporated Japanese elements here to fabulous effect, including an obi belt and a traditional Kanzashi. This really is something special, and it was captured to perfection by Kaitlyn De Villiers Photography!
Forest wedding lovers brace yourselves, because this woodland chic celebration will knock your socks off! Amy and Gerhard knew a forest wedding was the right call for them because they love taking forest walks (love that they brought their guests into this personal element of their relationship with the venue!) and didn’t look any further than Die Woud, with its glass marquee hidden amongst the trees and feeling of being lost in a kind of fairytale world. They hung the branches with ribbons, decorated the reception space with woody touches like branch votives, moss, and the most spectacular hanging floral branches, then contrasted that rustic loveliness with cut glass vases and sparkling chandeliers, and invited their nearest and dearest into this magical little space to celebrate their love. One of my fave touches has to be Amy’s heirloom wedding dress, which was remade from her late mom’s Chantilly lace gown into a stunning off the shoulder beauty that perfectly blended something old and something new. Hayley Takes Photos took these wonderfully moody pics.
In an enchanted forest setting, surrounded by their nearest and dearest, Kelly and Shaun’s dream wedding came to life. The couple decided to do as much as they could themselves, bringing their personalities into every detail they handcrafted and styled for their woodland ceremony and reception, from decor to favours. Love that! And I also LOVE that they decided on food truck catering, because OMG how fun, right? Forests and food trucks – two of our favourite things. No wonder there are so many happy smiles in these gorgeous pics captured by SBB fave Cheryl McEwan. Let’s take a peek shall we?
You guys, THIS WEDDING. I first came across Mitzi and Klara’s big day on Insta, since Mitzi is one of SA’s top DJs (and has been featured multiple times on SBB) as DJ Chopper. I was instantly in love. An outdoor ceremony and reception in an unpolished, industrial setting, filled with bright blooms and tropical greenery, a tangible feeling of love and celebration, and two beautiful brides who clearly couldn’t keep their eyes off one another. I adore the bold palette of black and metallics underpinning pops of gorgeous colour, and the way that even though the couple chose an open, non-weddingy space (in the traditional sense), it has such a feeling of warmth and intimacy thanks to that palette, combined with clever lighting and reflective, transparent elements. Best of all, it looks like it was an absolute blast! The super talented Jenni Elizabeth was behind the camera, and was gracious enough to share these lovely images with us today. (PS Be sure to read the proposal story – so adorable!)
I don’t know about you, but I’m a sucker for a botanical print. Love ’em. Love ’em anywhere, any size, on anything. (Especially tropical botanicals, my goodness!) Today’s wedding (of two teenage sweethearts grown into a loving bride and groom) takes botanical art and makes it a focus, right from the invitation through to the table settings and even to the whimsical touch of floral print napkins-turned-installation on the walls. So awesome! Offset with copper and shades of pink and blush, as well as both elegantly rustic and chic transparent elements, Lize-Marié & Rikus’ wedding is a feast of textures for the eye, not least thanks to Michelle du Toit‘s always drop dead gorgeous photography! Let’s dive in!
What do you get when you combine one of Cape Town’s most elegant and iconic venues with a beautiful traditional Hindu wedding? Today’s little gem, that’s what! Leticia and Deren wanted to bring all the rich colours and luxuriant fabrics, as well as all the meaningful traditions of an Indian wedding into their big day, but have it in a location that was intimate and special. Enter the 12 Apostles Hotel, and the cliffside ceremony space lodged between mountain and ocean was the perfect place for them to exchange vows. To say I’m in love with Leticia’s ensemble would be a vast understatement – she looks absolutely stunning, and the rich traditional red, gold and white colours worn by herself and her handsome groom make such a striking contrast to the serene beach where they had their couple photos! Claire Thomson took these gorgeous pics and I’m so excited to share them with you today!
A super chic backless satin Gwendolynne gown with the prettiest lace sleeves. A spectacular bouquet that’s making me rethink my general aversion to pairing red and blue. A reception decked out in hundreds of fairy lights and flowers and bulbs all cascading from the ceiling. Yep, I’m pretty sure you could say that Katie & Charles-Eric’s wedding style game is strong! This Aussie-based couple put their trust in the extremely capable hands of Theresa Lazarevic of Creation Events, a long time friend of SBB, who brought their whimsical rustic vision to life and left them to have the day of their dreams from first look to last dance (the latter thanks to the fabulous DJ West of The Wedding DJ’s. Tasha Seccombe took these gorgeous photos – needless to say, I’m crushing on every one!
Take note, SouthBound brideys, because this is what trendsetting is all about! Jewel tone florals are the look of the moment, but Ronel and Bryden’s wedding takes them to a whole new level, setting the colourful botanicals against a moody black backdrop that really makes them pop! Tables overflowing with blooms, a jawdropping bouquet, hanging greenery chandeliers, an INSANELY gorgeous Casey Jeanne dress from the fab Calegra Bridal House, and let’s not forget the stunning rustic backdrop and the forest ceremony! Oh so very chic. You guys are going to love every single detail, and all of it so very beautifully pictured by the super talented Grace Studios, whose work I absolutely love!