Author: gaby

Wedding Blogger/Wedding Guest {A Personal Note}

by gaby

The girls and I at the wedding this weekend – how exquisite does my friend Kerenze, the bride, look? And we had SO MUCH FUN!

Hello friends, hope you’re having an awesome weekend! I’m just stopping by to let you know there’ll be no love list this weekend, because I am enjoying some much-needed long weekend down-time, and spending it with some very special friends. Starting with an amazing wedding I attended on Friday and carrying on today with one of my varsity girls out from SA with her hubby.

The wedding on Friday was, in fact, the sixth I’ve attended this year – and before you ask, because everyone does, they’re all friends (sadly this job doesn’t extend to me actually attending your weddings!). Two have been dear friends I met here through my publishing job, and four were at home, mostly with friends from my Stellenbosch days. Without exception, they have been absolutely wonderful. And they’ve also got me thinking about weddings in general.Read More

Inspiration Board: Love Comes Softly

by gaby

I’m sneaking in a last bit of inspiration before the weekend! This super soft and romantic board is another reader request, this time for Yvonne, who is getting married at Zorgvliet wine farm in summer. She loves whites, creams and soft colours, as well as classic elements like lace and pearls. And I have to say, I think the results are just beautiful! I’ve taken my inspiration from the palette of the invitation I chose (bottom left), and used a majority of whites and creams with just a little hint of the palest blush creeping in. This would be a great wedding to wear a blush dress, in fact, as it would stand out just that little bit against the white on white. I’ve included lots of lovely lace – in the cake detailing, the bride’s accessories, the place setting (just can’t get tired of this glass plate and doily combo – it’s so simple and affordable, but definitely has the wow factor), even that stunning lace-wrapped branch (which was used as a ceremony arch – amazing, no?). Other elements are classic – chandeliers, candelabras, peonies, tall white table arrangements, a chic updo. And then there’s that sweet little touch with the vintage key escort cards. All in all, it wraps up very, very pretty. Hope you like it, Yvonne!

Colours: White, cream & blush

Top row (l-r): Pavillion with chandeliers {Turtle Pond Photography}; bride with bridesmaids and lace branch detail {C: Joy Thigpen; P: Jose Villa}; place setting with doily; bouquet {F: Studio Blush; P: Katie Slater Photography}
Row 2: Wooden sign {Sweet Rose Studio}; blush Claire Pettibone dress {S: Be Inspired PR; P: This Modern Romance}; lace shoes; classic twist updo {}; lace garter
Row 3: Invitation {I: Momental Designs; P: Amelia Johnson Photography; S: Dana FitzGerald}; table decor {F: Karen Tran; P: Pam Scott}; lace detail cake {Call Me Cupcake}; vintage key escort cards {Kate Headley}.

 

How to Choose a Venue

by gaby

Source: Mehtap & Paul’s Tintswalo Atlantic Wedding (Photography: Zarazoo)

Hey hey, it’s Friday! And it’s the best kind of day for me, as I’ll be heading over to Cambridge as you read this so I can attend my lovely friends Kerenza & Matt’s wedding. Yay! Not only do I love weddings, but Kez and Matt are the loveliest. Anyway, never fear, because not only do I have a lovely bonus inspiration board for you this afternoon, but this morning I’ll be leaving you in the very capable hands of my friend Theresa of Creation Events. Theresa is a full service wedding c0-ordinator based in Cape Town, and as one of our treasured SBB sponsors, I’ve been keeping a close eye on what she’s been doing this season. Recently, Theresa has been sharing her extensive expertise in planning on her own blog in a series of ‘how  to’ posts, and I’ve convinced her to share one of them exclusively with you here today. And it couldn’t be a more important one, since the venue is the cornerstone for any design you are going to put together, and probably the first thing you’ll book after saying ‘yes’. Over to you, Theresa!

PS You can download a free worksheet to help you follow Theresa’s advice in this post HERERead More

How to Throw a London Themed Bridal Shower

by gaby

London Union Jack British Royal Wedding Themed Bridal Shower

*UPDATED FOR 2018* London, baby! Now this one might not seem like an obvious choice for a bridal shower theme or hen party theme, but London has been a big part of many young South Africans’ lives, and now that Harry and Meghan have tied the knot, there’s no shortage of royal wedding fever to revel in. After all, every bride wants to feel a little like a princess, right? So if your bestie used to live/currently lives in the UK, or met her husband-to-be there, or is honeymooning there, or is an anglophile, or even is just someone called Kate or Elizabeth or Victoria or Meghan, a London theme bridal shower makes a really fun (and very easy to decorate) theme. A British party theme is also one that works well, whether you’re doing the sedate day shower (aka tea party!), or if you want to make it the start of a night on the town. So all aboard, because next stop, London! *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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London Themed Steenberg Golf Estate Wedding by Garyth Bevan {Katherine & Sam}

by gaby

You know, sometimes people in South Africa ask me why I bother living in London. The weather’s the first thing they comment on. The crowds of people. Living on top of one another. Long commutes. Everything being incredibly expensive. All true. But I think unless you’ve lived here, it’s hard to understand the quirky charm of this city, or the way that, being so big, it allows everyone to find their place and be exactly who they want to be. The unique way Londoners pull together in a crisis. The thrill of a sunny afternoon by the river. It’s very close to my heart and is also a special part of being South African for so many of my generation – at one point you couldn’t walk down a street in SW London without hearing a Saffa accent. And, of course, with the Olympics just gone and the Paralympics about to start, there’s no better time to celebrate this city. So it was a little bit of synchronicity when I heard from bride, Katherine (who I’d been lucky enough to meet at an event last year) – I loved the idea of her London theme, but I was really swept off my feet when I saw her beautiful pictures by Garyth Bevan and the incredible floor to ceiling backdrop of Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament. I can’t believe how it transformed the space – definitely one of my all-time favourite decor pieces! It was a very classy nod to my home city, which is where Katherine & Sam fell in love (and talking about synchronicity, they met at an Olympic-themed party!). In fact, the whole wedding at Steenberg Estate is full of class, with a subtle neutral palette, soft flowers and vintagey details. You’re going to love it. Oh! And if, like me, you’re not quite done celebrating lovely London, pop back this afternoon where I’ll be showcasing a London bridal shower theme…Read More

A Beautiful Illusion {Portrait Back Wedding Dresses}

by gaby

K-Patz in happier days. Tut tut, Kristin. No more sparkly boyfriend for you.

Blame it on Kristin Stewart. (I mean, she’s getting blamed for everything else right now, why not.) I thought the biggest style statement of that there Twilight wedding would be the hanging blooms, but it turns out that Bella’s gorgeous illusion back gown was the big winner. With lace being huge right now, I am seeing beautiful lace backs popping up everywhere, and goodness if they don’t always catch my breath. Now I’ll admit, there’s a bit of envy here because no way no how am I ever going to be wearing one of these in any form (let’s just say the look gets a little ruined by a bra strap, and I get a little ruined without a bra), but for you ladies who can pull this look off, they make an incredibly stylish and romantic statement. (For the rest of us, of course, there are still illusion necklines which are also a big trend, but that’s another post). There’s something about the mixture of covered and sheer, of lace and skin, that makes them simultaneously demure and sexy. Just one note of caution – if you have your heart set on wearing your hair down (or even half down, or in a ponytail), give this dress style a miss. No point in covering up Mona Lisa’s smile!

To get you inspired, I thought I would introduce you to some of the key designers who have been working this look recently, and then show you my local favourite.Read More

Real Wedding at Oranje Guest Farm {Liezel & Louw}

by gaby

I love weddings. (Surprise! I bet you didn’t know that.) And this year has been all about attending weddings for me – five so far, and number six coming up on Friday. I can’t WAIT. You’d think by now I’d be sick to death of looking at them, but no. They’re a gift that just keeps on giving. Take today’s gorgeous wedding, from Michael Tree Photography (welcome, Michael!). It’s so elegant, with a palette of navy, mint and grey. (Just take another minute to be delighted by that colour combo, because I totally am.) The bride is rocking a stunning dress and I love that she’s wearing her hair short and loose – it looks amazing. The design has a touch of vintage (cute car alert!), but somehow manages to feel modern as well. And it took place amid some spectacular South African scenery. There are even white proteas, which basically make me want to punch the air. In fact, the whole thing does. Yay for this wedding, and yay that I get to write about it. I love my job!Read More

Real Wedding at Old Mac Daddy {Amé & Karel}

by gaby

Holy moley me oh my – now if this isn’t an amazing wedding, I’ll eat my fascinator. Ever since the team behind the Grand Daddy Hotel (which I am still dying to stay at) opened a country version of their rooftop airstream trailer park in Elgin called Old Mac Daddy, I have been dying to feature a wedding there. (For those who don’t know, each of the trailers – already pretty rad on their own – is custom decorated to a theme by a local artist).  I knew if I held out, the perfect wedding to show off this rustic, funky, informal venue would come along, and boy has it ever. I am so in love with Amé and Karel’s style – from their very cool stationery (how cute is the game-style invitation, not to mention their classy on-the-day farm look and adorable table names!) and quirky ideas, to their green and white flowers and laid back farm chic decor. And those bridesmaids’ dresses! Everything about this wedding is in synch – it’s so beautifully put together and well-thought-out. And, of course, I am also thrilled to be showcasing the work of the awesome Love Made Visible – their ability to see and capture the behind-the-scenes moments that really make up a day so much more than the decor or colour scheme ever could, always astounds me. Sit back, bliss out and enjoy.Read More

Love Letter Engagement Shoot

by gaby

Good morning, SouthBound brides… I have The Loveliest engagement shoot to share with you this morning! A couple of weeks ago, I noticed I’d had a new follow on Twitter from a photographer called Dear Wesleyann, who is based in Florida in the US. I happened to click through, and OMG, blog crush. I absolutely loved the style of Wesleyann’s website, but more importantly, I fell head over heels for her beautiful photographs. Which is saying something, considering how many lovely images I see every day. Her light, bright, clean and joyful style really appeals to me personally, and I soon got lost in her archives of pretty! I knew I had to share my special find with you, so I immediately fired off a mail to Wesleyann, who very kindly agreed to let me feature Tracie and Mark’s love letter-themed engagement. Eek! So that was the first exciting part. The next was when I read Tracie and Mark’s story, and why love letters are so important to their relationship and not just a nice prop – in fact, they incorporated the theme into their beautiful wedding as well. Bottom line? It adds up to one of my favourite e-sessions ever.Read More

Inspiration Board: And It Was All Yellow

by gaby

Monday, Monday, can’t trust that day… But you can trust that I’ll be brightening up your Monday with a brand new inspiration board on the blog! And this time it’s even brighter than usual, with a yellow-themed board created just for reader Bronwyn. She’s having a summer wedding in Johannesburg, and wants a modern theme for her big day. She’s looking for something clean cut, including square tables, as well as a few quirky ideas. I just loved putting this one together! Yellow is a bold colour choice, but I can’t emphasise enough what a happy colour it is, and I really think that it gets everything off to a wonderful start. With Bronwyn’s ideas as a starting point, I immediately thought of two elements. The first is chevron – the pattern you’ll see under the ring and on the runner below. Chevron is huge in design at the moment, partly because it has links to Art Deco and the 1920s trend, but also because it’s a great balance of clean cut and preppy with a little retro twist to it. And it is just sooo pretty! So I would definitely use chevron as a key motif for this wedding – in stationery, on table runners, etc. There are tons of chevron ideas to play with – just tap it into Pinterest to see a selection. The second element I thought would be great is a focus on typography, which like Bronwyn’s specification, is also modern and clean cut (and brings in the black and white part of the colour palette beautifully). Again, there are lots of ideas around, but at the wedding I’ve included below, the couple really went to town, having hanging ‘banners’ above the reception space with absolutely gorgeous type. You could also type up quotes or meaningful words in your chosen font and frame them to create an installation on one wall at the reception. Add in a few industrial elements (naked lighbulbs, for example, or the quirky but very cool clip escort card idea), use square white vases on the tables, and bring in bold pops of yellow in your flowers (love the tulip bouquet), shoes, bridesmaid dresses, and even your veil. What a gorgeous wedding – I for one can’t wait to see how it all turns out. Hope you like your board, Bronwyn!

Colours: Yellow, black and white

Top row (l-r): Ring {P: Gabe Aceves Photography}; yellow shoes {P: Jennifer Longaway}; reception space with typography accents {P: Erica Loeks}; tulip bouquet{P: Yolande Marx Photography}
Row 2: Naked bulb strings {P: Belathee Photography}; invitation {Minted}; typography banners {P: Erica Loeks}; bright yellow bridesmaid dresses {P: Jennifer Weems Photography}
Row 3: Yellow birdcage veil {P: Chad Cress; Veil: Jade Rose Designs}; yellow flowers in white, square vases; chevron runners; clip escort cards {P: Lara Robby Photography}.