Author: gaby

Victoria Grech Masterclass Workshop

by gaby

Hello lovelies! I have an absolutely gorgeous styled shoot coming up for you today, but before I post it, I wanted to tell you a bit more about where it came from. At the end of last year, I was invited to a very special workshop by Nicola of Propose PR – the kind of invitation that makes me so glad to be a blogger! UK photographer Victoria Grech was offering a one-day photography masterclass, just for us blog and planner types. Now, I’m not the world’s worst photographer, but it’s definitely no talent of mine. My dad is an awesome photographer, and luckily he’s taught me a lot, but as a result, I tend to just latch on to the same composition and overuse it. And I can honestly say I’ve never used a single camera on any setting other than ‘Auto’. At the same time, there are often bits and pieces I’d love to be able to take a quick pic of for the blog, but they always stand out as completely rubbish next to all the professional beauties. So I thought this workshop was basically the best idea ever.Read More

Calm Waters {and a Vera Wang Dress}

by gaby

Some questions are hard. What’s the meaning of life? Where is Lord Lucan? When Miranda and Steve got married on Sex and the City, did their son become Brady Brady? But when photographer Shireen Louw asked me if I’d like to feature a gorgeous couple out on a yacht with incredible views of Cape Town and a Vera Wang dress, it might have been the easiest question I’ve ever answered. Hells yes. So here it is. Drop whatever you’re doing, and enjoy the abundant loveliness.Read More

Real Wedding at Eureka {Mark & Claudette}

by gaby

Many many years ago, I happened to watch an old film on TV about two teenagers who fall in love and decide that to stay together, they have to follow the tradition of kissing under the Bridge of Sighs in Venice. I think I’ve loved the city ever since, even though both times I’ve been there with a boyfriend have been less than successful. Meh. Third time lucky, eh? I must be the only one though, because Venice is always filled with lovers, and something about a place built entirely on water seems to make the air thick with romance and possibility. Which is probably why today’s groom decided to do the grand proposal gesture on the Grand Canal, getting down on one knee on the famous Rialto Bridge. What followed was a Venetian-themed wedding, with the gilt and colour of the Carnevale but none of the cheese. I think it’s the perfect example of how you can pull off a theme on a budget, by using good design basics like a lovely colour palette and a cohesive stationery suite, and I love how personal this particular theme is to the couple (I bet there’ll be some anniversaries spent in Venice too!) SBB friends Art Photo were there to capture all the loveliness on the day.Read More

Sunglasses as Wedding Favors

by gaby

*UPDATED FOR 2021* If you’re planning a summer wedding, a beach wedding or a tropical destination wedding, then sunglasses wedding favors are a great idea! They’re fun, they’re weather-appropriate, and they look great in photos! And best of all, they can be customized with your names, colours, wedding date, etc. There are loads of ways to display sunglasses wedding favours too, and some super cute sunglasses wedding favor signs that you can buy from Etsy. I thought it would be cute to round them up, and to have a little fun with it too. So, with huge apologies to Dr Seuss, here we go…!

*Links in bold denote affiliate links. The cost to you remains the same, but SBB may receive a commission for any sales made.

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Real Namibian Wedding {Karolina & Arno}

by gaby

Hello lovelies! Today we’re heading just a little bit north of the border, for the first SBB wedding from Namibia. I don’t know about you, but I’ve always been fascinated by the Namib desert, and would love to visit one day! So I couldn’t resist this lovely wedding of a Swedish bride and Namibian groom, with its sweet rustic detailing in the middle of a desert setting. It reminds me of the pictures we have of my great grandfather having picnics with his tennis club in the bush – they’d trek out with blankets and chairs and a gramophone, and it was all very civilised! With so much natural beauty in our country and those of our neighbours, I’m a particular fan of weddings that take advantage of these incredible views, and you don’t need to compromise on the classically pretty wedding you’ve always dreamed of to do it. Photographer Drikus Le Roux was there with Karolina and Arno to capture the beauty both inside and out of the marquee. Oh, and PS, don’t skip the text – this is the cutest ‘how we met’ story!Read More

Guest Post: Indieberries Save the Dates

by gaby

Oh we do love a DIY bride. And we especially love her when she’s our friend Che and she just happens to run a supercool South African blog called Indieberries, with cartoons and stuff. See, Che reminds me of my friend Marcelle. In Std 2, she pitched up at our school, and everything she touched turned to perfection. Her handwriting was awesome. She could draw. Her projects looked like professional scrapbooks. When she covered her compass tin with pictures it looked SO COOL (seriously, in the late ’80s that was a thing). She was like Regina George with the cutout t-shirt, but whenever I tried that stuff, it just looked ridiculous. So when Che got engaged, I knew that her guests would be treated to lots of creative, handmade, scrapbooky details that only she could put together, and I bought her wine and made her promise to send them to me. So here they are! Che’s Save the Dates are beyond cute – they’re based around the idea of ‘pencilling the date in’. I especially love that she wanted their guests to have something physical to open and use, like a present. Can you imagine getting one of these? You’d automatically be amping for the wedding, right? Anyway, you can read the thought behind these invites on Che’s awesome blog, or read on below for all the best Indieberries DIY tips. Oh, and pssst, if you’d like to read her and Warren’s story, see their adorable engagement shoot here.

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Real Mpumalanga Wedding {Carike & Jacques}

by gaby

Well, you know it’s going to be a good day when you get to start it off with a wedding by South African photographer Rensche Mari. Just a couple of weeks ago I was swooning over her feature in Magnolia Rouge, and today I’m bringing you an absolute gem of a wedding filled with fresh country details, beautiful light and big smiles. Jacques and Carike were married in Mpumalanga, where I myself was a guest at a wedding last year, and it reminded me how beautiful it is up there. The couple made use of the natural setting to include rustic touches (including classic South African proteas) but some clean modern touches lifted the decor and made it contemporary. I love everything about it, but I think my favourite touch is the hanging mason jars filled with fairy lights strung above the outdoor dancefloor… just magical!Read More

A Bride Abroad #8: The Bride’s Accessories

by gaby

So peeps, to go with the dress I don’t yet have, I’ve only looked into the possibilities and gotten some ideas together, but in the accessory department things aren’t quite sorted yet either. With nine weeks to go I guess I need to get cracking on it! Looking at the various options one has these days, one can wear pretty much whatever one wants. Which I think is great – no more abiding by the rules and wearing something which doesn’t suit you just because it’s expected of you. But, I must add that I’m a believer in not gilding the lily. If the dress is going to be a statement item, the complementary parts have to be more subtle (the emphasis here is on the word complementary). If you’re opting for a big necklace or some other attention-drawing accessory, it’s important that the dress hasn’t got too much detail.

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Inspiration Board: Meet Me in Buenos Aires

by gaby

Good morning, lovelies! I hope you had a fantastic weekend. I’m back from Abu Dhabi, feeling chilled out and even a little tanned, and ready for the week ahead. I’m still catching up from my jetsetting, and getting used to being four hours back again. But that aside, travel is just my best thing, and appropriately, today’s inspiration board is all about travel! Today we have another reader request, from German reader Esther. Now how’s this for an international tale of love – Esther and her Swiss fiance met in Buenos Aires (how ironic, when their home countries are so close together!) and they’ve decided to get married in Cape Town, which I obviously think is the best idea ever. Esther loves a bit of old fashioned elegance, and she wants to bring both Brazil and Africa into their design. She adores succulents (and succulent green) and would like to accent this with orange from pincushion proteas as a tribute to South Africa. Love this! I’d work with a neutral white backdrop, with bridesmaids in soft green and bold bouquets (but otherwise keeping the orange fairly soft). I’d also incorporate the elegant vintage with a travel theme, including maps, a globe ‘guest book’ and postcard escort cards. There are some really lovely Argentine traditions Esther can include – first off, the cake pull (where ribbons are baked into the cake, one with a ring attached, and all the single women pull them out in order to find out who will be married next), cocktails (although I’ve borrowed the pictured peach caipirinhas from neighbouring Brazil), a tango first dance and carnival carioca (where, late at night, guests don hats and props and have their own little carnival on the dancefloor – a perfect double use for your photobooth props!). It adds up to a sophisticated personal tribute to the couple’s history, rather than a theme party. Hope you like your board, Esther, and welcome to our beautiful country!

Colours: White, soft green, orange

Top row (l-r): Bride with carnival mask {Marisa Holmes/Wedding Italy}; globe {Rebecca Arthurs Photography}; pincushion and succulent bouquet {Q Weddings/Statue of Design}; green bridesmaid dress {Elizabeth Messina}; couple with map {Courtney Brooke}
Row 2: Table setting {Allyson Magda Photography/Glow Event Design}; postcard escort cards {KT Merry}; cake pulls {Nancy Ray/Kickstand Events/Weddings Etc. }; vintage passport invitation {Azzura Photography}; pincushion proteas {KT Merry/David Fittin/Parrish Designs}; individual cakes with succulents {Christa Elyce Photography/Ellanesque Weddings/Sugary + Chic Boutique}
Row 3: Tango {source unknown}; stationery with map; peach caipirinha {Simon Bevan}; groomsmen with orange ties {Esther Louise Photography}.

 

First Steps in Wedding Planning

by gaby

Source: India-themed Wedding at Rockhaven Farm by Expressions Photography

Happy Friday, lovelies! Hope you’ve had a wonderful week – I am just soaking up the last of the sun in Abu Dhabi before heading back to chilly London this weekend :( Oh well, all good things and all that. This Friday I’m delighted to bring you another guest post from SouthBound friend Theresa Lazarevic, planner for Creation Events. Theresa’s advice is always so valuable and down-to-earth and exactly what you all are looking for – so much so, in fact, that her last guest for us has become SBB’s top post of all time! Make sure to check it out, and also her advice on finding a venue. But today, Theresa’s talking first steps in waiting planning – here we go!Read More