Tag: flowers

A SouthBound Guide to Flower Meanings

by gaby

wedding flower meanings

*UPDATED FOR 2021* I did a post on the language of flowers a few years ago, when Kate Middleton selected the blooms for her bouquet to represent various sentiments, and I thought it was about time to update it and introduce some of you to a beautiful tradition you might not be aware of. In fact, the language of flowers goes back about 200 years, and was especially popular in the Victorian era, when young ladies consulted one of the many flower dictionaries available at the time in constructing their ‘tussie-mussies’. These days the interest in ‘florigraphy’ has largely been lost, but I think it’s a super romantic vintage tradition to bring into your wedding (as this real bride did to gorgeous effect) and a really sweet, meaningful way to construct your bouquet. You can find meanings for dozens of blooms online, but today I’ve drawn together ten of our favourite wedding flowers together with their meanings, which come from The Knot Book of Wedding Flowers by Carley Rooney. And some gorgeous wedding flowers to get swoony over too, of course!

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25 Yellow Wedding Bouquets

by gaby

I’ve been hearing lots of rumours in the SA wedding industry that this summer is going to be the summer of yellow weddings, and I for one couldn’t be happier to see this happy shade go mainstream. It reminds me of a friend at university who had a bright yellow dress, and every time she wore it, said she noticed how everyone smiled at her – literally, it’s a colour that makes you smile. Which is the best mood to put your guests in, right? Absolutely. So I’ve pulled together 25 of my absolute favourite yellow bouquets – so much sunshiney goodness! And of course, even if you’re not planning a full on yellow colour scheme, there’s no reason why you shouldn’t have a pop of bright in your bouquet, especially when it looks as gorgeous as these do.Read More

Floral Ceremony Arches

by gaby

For this week’s roundup, we’re turning to what is positively one of the prettiest trends in weddings at the moment: floral arches. And with so many South African wedding ceremonies happening outdoors, this is a perfect way to make an impact right from the get go. I am kind of obsessed with flowers myself, and the idea of walking up an aisle towards such a lush, incredible centrepiece (imagine the gorgeous fragrance as you say your vows!) just blows me away. Amazing. And I have a feeling you all are going to feel the same way too. Oh, and PS – as much as I love the flower-only arches, I am also kinda dying over the ones with curtains (or even a door). I mean, seriously. So romantic.Read More

Fern Wedding Details

by gaby

A few years ago, when baby’s breath first became popular again, I remember thinking that this might mean that some other low-cost fillers may also have their day in the sun, but I must admit, that I never would have predicted ferns as the next big thing in weddings. Not to the same degree, of course, but there’s no doubt that these lovely bits of greenery have been enjoying a very stylish turn on the worldwide bridal stage of late. That’s partly to do with how perfectly they fit in with the botanical trend, partly to do with the move towards greenery and garlands (see our roundup of that here), and a lot to do with the fact that they’re really pretty and versatile (and of course, relatively lower cost). I’ve been looking forward to doing this roundup for a while, but I was surprised just how many pretty options you have for incorporating this trend into your wedding design.Read More

Protea Bouquet Recipe #1: Protea & Bougainvillea

by gaby

This is such an awesome week on SBB, with lots of exclusive content, created just for you! Today we’re debuting a brand new series, which I am super excited about. With a big bow to Wedding Chicks, who pretty much pioneered the whole idea of bouquet recipes, I wanted to focus on proteas – not just our national flower here in South Africa, but a current wedding trend that we have been rocking for quite some time. Because we South Africans love us our proteas, just like we love butternut, and avocado, and braais, right? Even after seeing literally hundreds of protea bouquets, I still get a thrill when I see a new one, especially when it uses an unusual variety or combines it in a different way. So I decided to throw out the challenge to South African floral designers, and we’ll regularly be bringing you gorgeous protea bouquets in all their glory, as well as broken down into their components. Kicking things off is the very lovely Lizl Pieterse of Flamboijant, one of our very special sponsors. Lizl’s bouquet is perfect for a summer wedding, and I loved that it not only used proteas and other fynbos, but incorporated Bougainvillea. I have such a summer flower crush on this plant, and I would LOVE to see it in more bouquets! As well as showing off the bouquet thanks to Lulia Photography & Design, we asked Lizl a few questions about her ideas and inspiration. Huge thanks to both these talented ladies for sharing this with us today!Read More

SouthBound’s Best 2013: Bouquets

by gaby

Hello friends! Today marks the start of our Christmas and New Year schedule – while I’ll be taking a little well-deserved break with my family, we’ll be looking back at all the highlights of a beautiful year here on SBB. For the rest of this week, I’ll be breaking down our top bouquets, bride and bridesmaid looks, groom style, cakes, reception and ceremony details, and after that we’re showcasing the Top 10 weddings for 2013, based on views, comments, Facebook likes, Pinterest pins, and so on. Whether you’ve seen them before or have only just started the planning journey, it’s a snapshot of 2013’s bridal style as well as a look at trends that have only just started developing. Be sure to click through to see the full weddings for more! Today we’re starting off with bouquets – one of my bestest things. We had some absolutely BEAUTIFUL flowers on the blog this year, and I can safely call it the Year of the Protea – be they blushing bride, king, pincushion or even carved! So you’ll see plenty of our national bloom in this roundup, as well as some other gorgeous and inspiring pieces. Congrats to all the talented floral designers who pulled these off – we have such a talented bunch of people in this industry!

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Table Garlands

by gaby

It’s an exciting day at SBB HQ, and I have some lovely news to share with you this afternoon. When I do, you’ll see why I have garlands and continuous floral runner arrangements on the brain! This is one trend that I have absolutely loved seeing in 2013, and I think we’ll be seeing a lot more of it next season. Garlands are such a pleasing visual element to add to your decor – they look so lush and plentiful, and they really make long tables pop. Of course, a magic carpet of blooms is stunning, but you can also make this work with greenery, succulents, or even (as you’ll see below), photos! You can work with a single colour, a mix, or an ombre effect (love!), and incorporate tall candles or little votives along the way. The garlands can go straight or have a little twist to them, and they can come off the ends of your table or just work along its length. This probably isn’t a trend for budget brides, in that a floral garland tends to use a lot of blooms multiplied by all your tables, but if you’re madly in love with the idea and watching the pennies, why not just have a garland for the head table? Or, as one couple did in the pics below, for a central table that works as a real showstopper and centrepoint visually? That way, you’ll get some of the effect, without all of the expense.Read More

Cascade Bouquets

by gaby

WAIT until you see the beautiful bouquets I have to share with you today. At the risk of sounding like a total kugel, you are going to daaah. Now, you may associate cascade (or waterfall or trailing, whatever you want to call them) bouquets with the ’80s and early ’90s, Princess Diana style. But in fact, they are this year’s hottest flower trend. And if you had any doubts before, the pics in this post will convince you that the new wave of these bouquets are absolutely, beyond, incredible, gorgeous. And so romantic! Most cascade bouquets use a variety of flowers from large to smaller and hanging foliage, creating that pretty trail at the bottom. You can stick with a single type of bloom, but my favourites are those that use a variety, the next step from the loose handtied look that has been so popular and so inspiring this last while. Pinning fingers at the ready! You’re definitely going to want to keep some of these on file ;)Read More

Fruit & Vegetable Bouquets

by gaby

Hello lovelies! You know, when I first did posts on fruit and vegetables in wedding design three years ago, I had no idea how much they would become part of the floral landscape, but I have to say, I absolutely LOVE them. It’s the texture that’s added by the unusual shapes or colours, as well as the pop of something unexpected. Not to mention, of course, that many brides and grooms now choose to include them because of the green credentials of working with something that can be eaten and not wasted. I’m amazed by the creativity of wedding floral designers (or should that be floral, fruit & veg designers nowadays?). So today I thought I would round up 25 of my absolute favourite bouquets that include a combination of flowers, fruit, vegetables and herbs. They’re all so deliciously beautiful! Keep an eye out for veg patch favourites like kale (very much of the moment), cabbage, artichokes and then fruity berries and citrus, although the possibilities are really endless.Read More

Flowers in Season: Winter

by gaby

Hello lovelies, hope you are having a fabulous Friday! You know, there’s a lot to be said for choosing seasonal flowers for your wedding. It’s cheaper, for one. And simpler, of course, than trying to source those flowers you really, really want and having to fly them in from goodness knows where. Not good for your eco karma. But the other thing is that the flowers of the season really do reflect that season, so you’re going to end up with beautiful, natural colours and textures appropriate for the month you get married. And every year, when you see those flowers again, you’ll remember the day you said ‘I do’. Of course, with most weddings in summer, this isn’t so much of a problem for many brides, but winter and early spring weddings are becoming more popular with brave South African brides, and fortunately there are some absolutely gorgeous and unique floral choices that you can make in June, July and August. So get ready to park your dream of peonies and fall in love with winter’s finest!

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