How to Style a Fine Art Wedding

Image: Magnolia & Magpie Photography/Honey & Cinnamon/ISA Events on SouthBound Bride

As we come to the end of our month of Fine Art Wedding inspiration, I thought that it might be a fun idea to put everything together into one neat little guide. There are of course no hard and fast rules in wedding styling, but if this is a look you love, there are a few elements that, when put together, will recreate the look (or when added one by one, will add just a touch of that fine art style to any big day). There are also some important elements that I haven’t included here. Photography is the most obvious, since that’s where it all began – if this is a look you love, you’ll want to connect with a photographer who shoots film or digital with a film look (think light, airy, ethereal). After all, the point of these particular details is that they photograph beautifully! The next guiding principle is to choose a muted palette (and not to get matchy about colours) – taupes, greys, muted pastels, etc. When it comes to your venue, you’ll want to lean towards a romantic, old world style rather than something too modern (and no, I know we can’t all book a villa in Tuscany, but there are many local options that will work just as well, with a South African twist!) Finally, embrace texture and quality when it comes to the details. Beautiful linens, handmade stationery, dreamy gowns with unique colour or embellishment, lush blooms. And that’s where all of the ideas below come in. I’ve included some gorgeous inspiration from around the web, as well as shoppable items from Etsy, so you can easily recreate the look for yourself. Links in bold denote affiliate links. The cost to you remains the same, but SBB may receive a commission for any sales made.

Read More

Lavender Fields Wedding Inspiration

Friends, this is a good day. I not only get to share this BEAUTIFUL styled shoot, the last of the series in our Fine Art Weddings month, which will absolutely send you into fits of swoonage with its painterly prettiness and impressionist charm, but I also get to introduce you to an exciting new friend. A few weeks back, I discovered the very lovely Mary-Ann Wiggill of Mary-Ann Art, who offers something really special and exciting when it comes to weddings: live art. Working from the sidelines while your magical day is going on, Mary-Ann creates acrylic paintings that recreate a scene from the wedding. Can you imagine a keepsake more lovely than that? (Not to mention that your guests will get such a kick from seeing it happening!) Today’s shoot has Mary-Ann in her element, capturing the romance of a couple in a field of lavender (we seriously could be in France right now) and includes even more gorgeous fine art-inspired details, like a hand painted cake, a floral gown, an artist’s palette a bouquet alternative (genius!) and the loveliest stationery by our talented friends at Blooming Wonderful, and of course dreamy images by Natasha Taljard. Which just goes to show: every wedding is a work of art, but some can be a masterpiece!

Read More

20 Wedding Dresses for a Fine Art Bride

Ophelia Gown by Hannah Tikkanen (Image: Simply Sweet Photography by Nomo Akisawa)

This morning we’re focusing on one of my favourite elements of a fine art wedding – the dreamiest gowns you can imagine! Because of course, you want to look like a masterpiece on your wedding day! So what IS a wedding dress for a fine art bride, exactly? Well, it’s less a specific look than a feeling: ethereal, hand crafted, unique, with beautiful fabrics and intricate details. It’s definitely not your standard wedding salon ivory ballgown, and often it isn’t white or ivory at all – colour is definitely part of the equation. Above all, a fine art dress photographs beautifully, which is another reason why you’ll often see dreamy rivers of tulle in fine art inspiration shoots. But where to find these one-off beauties? Well, there are some local designers who lean in this direction, but you could also take the leap and look to the artisan dressmakers on Etsy, which is what I have rounded up here today. Get ready for full scale swoonage. This might be our prettiest dress roundup EVER. Links in bold denote affiliate links. The cost to you remains the same, but SBB may receive a commission for any sales made.

Read More