Author: gaby

Real Wedding at Café Felix {Elmiene & Johan}

by gaby

I don’t think I’ve said this before, but my first love as a wedding blogger was inspiration boards. Even before they were ‘invented’, I was always putting together ideas for friends who were getting married and I’ll never forget stumbling across Snippet & Ink and The Perfect Palette and just adoring what they were doing (and that was before I even was introduced to the other board legends who are Magnolia Rouge and Postcards & Pretties). You guys seem to like what I do with the boards every week, but the truth is that even if you didn’t, I’d probably still be making them, because they’re a piece of creative work that gives me a lot of pleasure. So when I started the blog, a day I really looked forward to was when I could feature a wedding that owed some of its inspiration to one of my boards. And friends, that day is today. I didn’t create the ‘Valentine Red‘ board especially for reader Elmiene, but when she wrote to tell me that it had been part of her design concept, I was thrilled – and even more so when I saw pictures of her cherry red, white and navy wedding with its cheeky touches like bright red shoes and heart-shaped sunglasses. I love love love how she included handmade elements like crocheted flowers and sewn hearts and acres of Petersham ribbon. Not to mention her candy-striped cake and cake toppers. It all works perfectly with their venue, Café Felix, which is the perfect mix of elegance and whimsy to offset this super fun wedding. I couldn’t have dreamed it up better myself. The cherry on the cupcake for me is that Elmiene and Jonny had Jaco le Roux as their photographer, as I’ve been looking forward to sharing his lovely pictures with you here on SBB. Which all in all, makes this a very good day for me. Yayness.Read More

Let Them Eat Wedding Cake #4: The Cake

by gaby

What isn’t there to love about cake?

A cake is an experience. From the whisking and mixing of the ingredients to its delicate artistic finishing it is a feast for the every sense. A cake is a birthday with re-lightable candles, a celebration, a gathering, a gesture of love. It’s happiness on a sunny day, sprinkling breadcrumbs in the garden for the birds and eagerly waiting for your mum to call your name to lick the spatula. It’s running through excitedly and devouring every last bit of the raw cake batter goodness, sometimes wondering why it ought to be baked at all. It’s that distinct, warm scent of deliciousness that makes you hold your hands over your face whilst you stare longingly into the oven, barely waiting for your creations to achieve the much anticipated golden brown colouring. It’s wearing pearls in the kitchen pretending to be Julia Child. Indeed, a cake is a memory, and so being, is a wedding decision deserving of some thought.

In the movie Father of the Bride, wedding planner Franck suggests that one begin the planning process by thinking of the cake, as the cake will determine the wedding that one ends up having. The cake suggests colour, formality, tone, and in line with Franck’s advice, choosing the cake was actually the very first wedding planning decision that I remember making… A 2005 decision to be exact! :) Flipping through a magazine, I had seen it, torn it out and kept it. A decision easily made, and a cake I just can’t wait to see!

Recently, however, it is actually this, the Father of the Bride movie cake, that I have found myself staring at bizarrely often. The rich butter coloured cake seems to almost twinkle with the magic, warmth and comfort of the Disney classic and seems to say ‘wedding’ with an inspired confidence.

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Inspiration Board: Country Elegance

by gaby

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}.

 

Mira Zwillinger Reflections Collection

by gaby

To celebrate the publication of our Sparkle & Blush images in My Wedding Day, I thought it was high time I shared with you the jaw-dropping dresses we were lucky enough to include in this shoot. I am seriously so in love with them, possibly even more so now than when I first saw them. They’re the kind of dresses that will have your guests gasping as the church doors open, that will bring a tear to your husband’s (father’s, mother’s, bridesmaid’s) eye, that you’ll still be sneaking into the spare bedroom cupboard years after the wedding just to steal another look at. They’re works of fashion art, simple as that. The designer behind all this gorgeousness is Mira Zwillinger, who established her studio in Israel in 1991. Her couture designs are now available in New York and London (where Browns Bride were kind enough to lend them to us), and will soon be in Australia too. Her 2012 collection, Reflections, is a collaboration with her daughter Lihi (after whom one of my favourite dresses is named) and is inspired by glass sculpture – designs which appear to share the light, reflective qualities, but are made from the softest fabrics, sourced from Paris and Milan. Get ready to do some actual swooning.

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Featured in My Wedding Day

by gaby


 

A while back you might remember me mentioning a shoot I was co-styling, loosely based on the Sparkle & Blush inspiration board I created last year and featuring the gorgeous matching Invitation Gallery stationery suite. Well, I am thrilled to announce that brides-to-be in South Africa can finally see the results in the brand new My Wedding Day, which should be out in shops next week! (Although you’ll have to fight my mom for a copy if you’re in Westville.) You can also read all about the amazing team of suppliers I worked with, including photographer Chanelle Segerius-Bruce and stylist Louise of b.loved Weddings, and find Louise’s top tips for recreating the look or adapting it for your own wedding. We had so much fun putting it together – I just hope you love it as much as I do!

I have to say that women’s magazines (particularly South African ones) are very close to my heart – I used to read my mom’s stack of Fair Ladys literally from cover to cover, many times over, and in fact I wonder why I went into books instead of mags (actually, I think it was because I didn’t want to write, which is ironic for a now-blogger, right?). As much as I love the online world, featuring in a South African magazine for the first time makes this little journey of mine feel more real, and I’m really quite proud and excited! Big thank you to everyone I worked with (full list below) and to the lovely Chanel over at MWD – it was a pleasure working with you and I can’t wait to see a copy!

Full credits: Photography: Chanelle Segerius Bruce | Videographer: The Dreamcatchers | Styling:b.loved Weddings and Southbound Bride | Flowers: Wildabout | Dresses: Mira Zwillinger | Makeup Artist: Kaz Fernando | Hair: Severin Hubert at The Hepburn Collection | Cakes: Janet Mohapi-Banks | Hair Accessories: Debbie Carlisle | Jewellery: Olivier Laudus | Model: Chloe-Jasmine Wichello

 

Real Wedding at Grootbos {Quinta & Jacques}

by gaby

It’s Friday, Friday…how happy are we it’s the weekend? And what will you be doing with yours? It’s been a bumper week on SouthBound Bride, and the fun won’t stop all day either, as I have some great content to share with you, starting with this awesome Grootbos wedding. I absolutely LOVE the unique decor – I haven’t seen bonsai centrepieces before, but they’re amazing! – the Zen colour scheme, the even more Zen ceremony, the beautiful bride’s bouquet and OMG VERA WANG DRESS. I die for Vera. And I’m also super excited to share the work of two of my new favourite photographers, Picture Me & U. They’re usually based in Gauteng, and I have some more loveliness from them to share with you soon – you’ll love their fun style!Read More

Inspiration Board: Rustic Tangerine

by gaby

Hello lovelies – did you enjoy our DIY post today? (Don’t worry though, I’m not leaving you short on weddings this week – I have a stunner for you tomorrow!) Today there’s just enough time for one last little bit of inspiration. This one’s a reader request from the lovely Dee, who is getting married in summer in Zimbabwe. She’s planning the most gorgeous rustic combo of orange and burlap and was looking for suggestions for simple but elegant table decor. I think Dee’s made a lovely choice of colour, and just because orange makes a statement doesn’t mean she needs to sacrifice on elegance – if anything, tangerine is this year’s hottest shade, and one that instantly creates warmth. I’d suggest that Dee focus on just using orange in her florals, so that it pops against the burlap and other decorations, and beautiful flowers always keep things classy. Start with lush bouquets for bride and bridesmaids, and on the tables make use of Consol mason jars – simple, easy, effective. Dee could also add in some found vintage objects, and other rustic textures like chicken wire or wood to add interest. A great place to add detail here is in the place settings – I love the menu printed on to a napkin and the silverware tied with twine, and basic kraft paper luggage tags make a very effective name tag and escort card. Or Dee could make these cute little hearts from hessian and add one to each place setting. A ‘naked’ cake, interesting (church) seating at an outdoor ceremony and a curtain of fairy lights round out the decor. For bridesmaids, I’d stick to neutrals, and consider long grey dresses which not only will make the orange bouquets pop, but will also add to the general air of rustic elegance. Hope you like your board, Dee!

Colours: Tangerine, green and neutrals

Top row (l-r): Bouquet {F: Blossom Sweet; S: Forevermore Events; P: Gideon Phototography}; table flowers in mason jars with burlap runner {F: A Modern Touch; P: The Studio Nouveau}; escort card luggage tags {S: Hey Gorgeous Events; P: Tonya Peterson Photography}; scale {S: The Stylish Soiree; P: Meg Perotti}; bride and groom {P: Half Orange Photography}
Row 2: Un-iced cake {C: Sedona Cake Couture; P: Sedona Bride}; tangerine boutonnieres {F: Kate Foley Designs; P: EE Photography}; invitation with burlap tie {Invitations by Alecia}; church seating {P: Jose Villa}; place setting {P: J. Cogliandro Photography; D: Atheneum Creative}
Row 3: Table decor {F: Roost Flowers; P: Andi Grant Photography}; fairy lights {Mastin Studio via Apple Brides}; burlap heart {P: Tanja Lippert Photography}; wire bell jars {P: McGowan Images}; bridesmaid {F: The Bride’s Cafe; P: Amelia Johnson Photography}.

 

Confessions of a DIY Bride #2: The Invitations

by gaby

The invitations….that first tentative step into the deep-end of wedding planning, often happens before you know exactly what your (fully fabulous) Big Day vision looks like. Which, of course, makes picking the ‘right’ invitation even trickier!

SAVE THE DATES SAVED THE DAY!
We had the added stress of getting our invites out ASAP, as many of our guests needed to book flights, and organise annual leave. This is where the American tradition of a ‘Save the Date’ came in handy. With our date and venue set, and and inspired by the fact that most of our guests would be travelling from London to SA, we decided to base our Save the Dates on that London Underground staple – the Oyster card.

We tweaked the design (with apologies to TFL) and printed them straight onto magnetic paper (no really, it is a real thing – look here) at home on our shke-donky old inkjet printer, and mailed them out with the Christmas cards. This not only gave our cross-continental guests no excuse not to come, but also gave us breathing space to send out the invites closer to the day, once we had some idea of styles and themes.Read More

Real Farm Wedding {Bianca & Chevy}

by gaby

Oh I do love me a farm wedding. And who could fail to love one as pretty as this? Personalised pinwheel favours, bridesmaids in belted floral dresses, a love letter motif based on the couple’s relationship… not to mention a big, red, Just Married truck. Chevy and Bianca (who get my vote for the couple with the coolest names, by the way) chose to celebrate their marriage at a place important to them – Chevy’s grandmother’s farm near Pietermaritzburg, where he grew up. They were surrounded by family and friends and a sunny afternoon, which signalled the end of a long distance relationship and the beginning of a married one. Their lovely pictures were taken by Thea Cogill of Tink Photography, and are full of colour and life and general down-home goodness that makes me want to pull on a pair of wellies and trek out to the countryside. Yup, farm weddings are the rockingest.Read More