This isn’t quite breaking news, but while I was on hiatus, Pantone released their latest set of colours for autumn 2012, and I wanted to share them with you, as well as a few mini-boards showing how you might combine them into fresh takes on old colour palettes. Tangerine Tango (Pantone’s colour of the year) is still going strong (and I actually prefer these colour pairings for TT than those from spring), but for the less adventurous there are some softer colours as well as some bolds that pack a punch. Chatreuse, for example, can be used sparingly but to great effect. I suspect that of all of them, Rhapsody is the one we’ll see in more weddings this season, but I think (with the Olympics just weeks off now) that Olympian Blue must be my favourite. Which is yours?
As a proudly South African wedding blog, one of the things I want SBB to do is to showcase the depth and breadth of awesome that getting married here in my lovely homeland offers. Sometimes, that includes something REALLY special and uniquely Saffa, and that’s what you’ll find in today’s wedding. It doesn’t get more African than having a herd of elephants among your guests (although, I should point out, for all the foreigners who think that we live in huts and ride to work on impalas, that this is a pretty unusual experience, even for us!). Keith and Caroline are two of our own, now living overseas, and they wanted a wedding that really honoured their heritage. They chose to get married at Knysna Elephant Park on the Garden Route, an extraordinary venue where the couple and guests can get up close and personal with the resident herd. I just love this idea, and what makes it even better is that the park makes such a valuable contribution to elephant conservation. Add in an intimate, close-knit family group, a pretty pink and pewter colour scheme, a wonderful photographer (Judy Stofberg of Just Judy) and a very happy bride and groom, and you have the loveliest of lovely South African weddings.Read More
Hello friends! How are you enjoying your Tuesday? Where I am (in Durban) it’s raining like mad… hm, time to head for the English summer again, I think. ;) Big thanks to all of you for the blog, facebook, twitter and email love for the new site – very, very much appreciated! This afternoon I have a fun little inspiration board for you, which was created especially for one of our featured brides whose sister is now taking the plunge. The plan is to have a sort of market feeling, celebrating ‘the abundance of life’. Guests will get to serve themselves from an amazing spread of market-style food – how fun is that? I just love this idea, and I was pleased to find that farmer’s market-style weddings are a growing trend across the pond. There are so many cute things you can do here, and you all already know how much I love including fruit and vegetables in your decor. So here’s my take, using bright colours and rustic natural textures. Mason jar lights are perfect here, as are the adorable vegetable escort cards (and a carrot as a boutonniere? why not?!), kraft paper and chalkboard details, and Bashews soft drinks. I love the idea of creating a whole market display, especially when guests are given brown paper boxes or tote bags, and able to take home produce as their favours. Flowers are mixed and natural, and I like the mix of little jars and potted arrangements. I can just imagine the bride wearing a pretty short dress, like the one shown here – so fun! Hope your sister likes this, Kerri – keep us posted!
Good morning! If you guys loved the autumn inspiration on the blog yesterday (and you did), you are going to die when you see what I have for you today. Zoe and Grant have been massively patient with me – I have been waiting to share this wedding at Dieu Donné for months, but I knew it was the one I wanted to kick off the new SouthBound Bride. It’s so unusual, with its autumn theme (a season South African brides are only just starting to discover, I think) and the details are so thoughtful, quirky and personal. Like pretty leaves instead of confetti, or the paper birds and cats hanging in the trees along the aisle. In fact, don’t get me started on that aisle – I LOVE IT. And I especially love how it became a feature with the addition of fairy lights in the evening. So clever. In fact, the whole thing’s clever and beautiful and atmospheric, and the amazing Jules Morgan has captured it perfectly through her lens. Zoe and Grant – thank you SO much, and I hope it was worth the wait!Read More
Let the SBB loveliness begin! :) And I can’t think of a lovelier way to start, than with this GORGEOUS inspiration shoot, which has been sitting prettily on my laptop waiting for you. It’s also super appropriate for the season we’re in at the moment, and I hope will inspire some of you in love with wine farm weddings to consider an autumn date for your big day. I mean, just look how gorgeous it is, right? It’s also shot by two of my favourite photographers, Luis and Kerry of Piteira Photography. Kerry is a homegrown South African lass who met her husband Luis when they were working on board a cruise ship. They are the cutest. They’re based in Portugal for most of the year, but you can catch them during the summer months in Cape Town, so if you’re still on the hunt for a photographer, give them a call.Read More
Happy new year, friends! Hope you had a lovely holiday, and are ready for another year of wedding planning. And a big welcome to all of you new readers who have had holiday proposals – congratulations! I’m kicking off the new year with a roundup of the trends for 2012 as I see them. Reading back through last year’s post, there’s only one trend I got wrong (so much for bowties, eh?) and I’m looking forward to seeing what the new year brings! Here’s my top ten predictions…
1. Colour on wedding dresses This is one of those trends that has finally jumped the catwalk to start showing up in real weddings, and I believe we’ll see many more brides with a splash of colour on their dresses to match their colour schemes. For most brides, this means a coloured (or black) sash or belt or even a coloured veil (although for winter brides, cardigans are another way to bring colour in). Another option is a coloured dress – blush pink has become a popular alternative to white, or even silver or grey. Designers are creating black dresses more and more, but as beautiful as they are, I don’t see many brides getting on board.
I’ve been wanting to talk to you all about entrance music for some time, ever since I spent an evening discussing this with an engaged friend recently. iPhone and earphones were dragged out to prove my point. And now I’m going to prove it to you. Er, I hope.
Thing is, weddings are (to some degree) theatre. Not in the sense that they should be fake or melodramatic, but rather that they showcase real emotion in a way that translates to the guests. They’re a way of bringing other people into your relationship to feel what you feel for one another, if just for one day. And as an actor will tell you, a great theatrical production requires one thing: a great entrance. I actually learnt this lesson from my friend Nikki. When she married the lovely Brendon some years ago, they chose Nessun Dorma for her entrance. Nix wanted to walk in at that crucial moment when the music swelled and Pavarotti sang “Vincero! Vincero! Vincero!” And I’ll be honest, I thought it was a little dramatic, especially since it’s a long song and we had a very, very short aisle. Seriously okes, that aisle took five steps to walk up, no matter how much you dragged your feet. But I was her bridesmaid, so it was my job to say “Great idea!” and make it happen. So we worked out the exact moment when the other bridesmaid and I were to walk in so that Nikki got her moment. And it would have been brilliant. The song would have built, quietly, in the little church. Then suddenly, the doors would have flung open to the summer day outside, and we would have walked down the aisle, with Nix following as the music built to a crescendo.Read More
I have been super excited to share a Parisian Chanel themed bridal shower with my readers! I think this makes an absolutely gorgeous, glamorous (and totally do-able), classy hen party theme, especially if your bride-to-be is a sparkly Sex and the City type, or if you’re looking for a really grown up party. In fact, it works just as well as a birthday party theme, or even just a girly night out (who needs a reason, right?). We’ve pulled together some fab ideas and finds for French themed party decor and invitations – just say oui! Links in bold denote affiliate links. The cost to you remains the same, but SBB may receive a commission for any sales made.
Hello lovelies! How’s your week going so far? I must admit, I am finding work hard at the moment with the short days on this side of the equator, and so much to do before Christmas! But it’s lovely to be in the festive season (even if I will be another year older at the end of it, gah). Anyway, if you have the December stresses (or even if you’re riding high on a wave of festive cheer), here’s something pretty to make your afternoon just before you rush off from work to finish off that Christmas shopping. Pieter and Leanie were married at what is fast becoming a favourite venue for me, the classy and intimate Firlane House. They used Leanie’s favourite flower, the arum lily, as a motif, and incorporated lots of pretty but subtle touches. It’s class all the way, and Bernard Bravenboer has captured these gorgeous pics to share with you. I especially like how Bernard manages to capture the spirit of the later evening – I always think this is a real challenge for a photographer, but the pictures from the dance floor and cake cutting are some of my favourites. Ah, just give me some twinkly lights, a chocolate cake and a pumping dancefloor, and I’m a happy woman. ;)Read More
Happy Monday my friends! Sorry last week was a little quiet – I’m afraid it was just one of those weeks. Anyway, today I have a board that I am SO in love with. And even better, I got to create it for a friend. The lovely Louise came into my dear friend Sven’s life a little while back and he was immediately smitten, so we were all thrilled when they announced their engagement. They’ll be getting married in Natal next year, and are planning a brunch wedding (so fun!). When Louise described what she was after, I immediately knew what she was looking for, since it’s a look that I’d had in the back of my mind for ages, and I think it came together beautifully. It uses soft pink and green, proteas, brown paper (how much do I love the table plan?), chalkboard and watercolour, and I’ve added in a few pretty paper details as well. Isn’t it lovely? Oh, and look out for brunch ideas coming your way this Wednesday if you’re also planning a morning wedding!
