Author: gaby

Love Story Wedding Invitations

by gaby

**UPDATE** Find our roundup of 20 Adorable Love Story Wedding Invitations from Etsy here

Here’s a little trend I am weak at the knees for. Maybe it’s because I’m a sucker for romance, and maybe it’s just because I like to have something to read on my fridge, but I love the idea of sharing your love story with your guests as part of your invitation. It’s a great reminder of how it all began and what you’re getting together to celebrate, but more than that, from a design perspective, it’s the perfect marriage between sentiment and beautiful typography. Form and function. Goosebumps. As far as I know, it all started with this one – a totally original invitation dreamed up by New York designer Matt Dorfman for his own wedding.

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Inspiration Board: Burlap & Blueberry

by gaby

Good morning! How was your weekend? I spent mine on a massive organisation kick – moving into my new office, and trying to implement a system for getting things done. Although the To Do list is massive, it’s actually really empowering to feel more on top of it all! One thing on this weekend’s task list that didn’t take me very long to complete was this little inspiration board, because I’ve been dreaming it up for ages. I am totally smitten with navy at the moment, and while I do adore a nautical wedding, there are so many other ways of using navy as a wedding colour. One of my favourite is to combine it with burlap or hessian for a stylish cross between preppy and rustic that I am just crazy about. And of course blueberries make the perfect country motif. I am dying over the blueberry bouquet below (okay, those are probably choke or elderberries, but they have the right look – your florist may be able to achieve something similar with ivy or similar, and make sure to have them wrap it in twine for the perfect rustic detail) and the blueberry cups – such a sweet dessert, or leave one at each place setting. Printed burlap elements give that extra preppy edge (don’t you just love the date ring pillow?), as do the striped navy napkins. Kraft or corrugated paper also work really well here alongside the burlap. And of course, what would a farm-style celebration be without strings of bunting and fairy lights? (Best news – the bunting invitations come from this free template!) As always, it’s the tiny details that make a big difference – matching burlap rose and boutonniere for the bride and groom, and navy nailpolish for the bridesmaids (where do I find that? sign me up). You could introduce other colours – a soft pink, coral, yellow, or green would all work, but I like the cleanness of this simply stylish palette.

Colours: Navy, white and beige

Top row (l-r): ; Blueberry ring shot (Jamie Delaine); burlap place mat (Amy Karp); blueberry cups
Row 2: Burlap Save the Date ring cushion (Shawn Connell for Christian Oth); navy and burlap garland (Domestic Construction/Max Dworkin); blue bunting love birds invitation (EE photography/Wedding Chicks); striped navy napkin and 3D glasses (Domestic Construction/Max Dworkin)
Row 3: Bride & groom (Jodi Miller Photography); blueberry bouquet (Oasis Flowers/Sakura Photography); barn (Stone Crandall Photography)

Inspiration Board: Burlap & Blueberry

Real Wedding at Shelley’s Gourmet Cafe {Catherine & Mark}

by gaby

So the other day, there I was sitting at a table with a group of awesome ladies from the wedding industry, and we were discussing wedding size. General consensus? Small weddings rock. And I’ll admit, a lot of that comes from us all being design and detail oriented, but the fact is, especially during a recession, you can just get much more for your money with fewer guests. A wedding that, as my friend Louise of Bijoux Bride (who specialises in this kind of thing) would say, is small but perfectly formed. And I’ll tell you another secret reason I have for loving intimate weddings – somehow, they seem to make brides and grooms feel free to make bolder, less traditional choices. Take today’s wedding, which stopped me in my tracks as soon as I saw it over on photographer Allan McCreadie‘s blog. Not only is it at an unconventional location (a favourite Cape Town restaurant), but you guys, HOW MUCH are we loving Catherine’s styling? I adore her Vivenne Tam dress and seriously gorgeous accessories. Every photo of her looks like it’s a fashion shoot (although we shouldn’t be surprised – her day job is as a design manager for a bag company in China). The whole day just looks like so much fun, and has such an intimate atmosphere with family and friends. So if you’re considering a smaller celebration, let Catherine and Mark’s wedding style inspire you.Read More

Real Wedding at The Grand {Fiona & James}

by gaby

Today I am EXCITED, and it’s not just because my guilty little pleasure Made in Chelsea came back on TV last night, yah. (Um, Gabriella my namesake “making a point”? Awkward.) It’s because of this wedding. See, I happened to go to university with the groom, and when I heard a rumour that the fabulous wedding he and his lovely wife-to-be were planning was going to be at The Grand, which is just one of the best hangouts in Cape Town (two, in fact, with one in Clifton and one in Granger Bay) and an absolute dream for a cross between Cape Town city chic and right-on-the-beach style, I jumped on the email to Fiona to find out all about it. Co-ordinated by the fab Event and Design, it turned out to be just as gorgeourific in reality as Fiona and James had planned, and now I finally get to share it with you! Wait till you see Fiona’s dress and shoes – she made such a beautiful bride and looked like she stepped straight out of an Audrey Hepburn movie.Read More

Real Wedding at Vrede en Lust {Sohini & Kieran}

by gaby

There’s a quote I’ve always liked, from one of South Africa’s fathers, Desmond Tutu. “We are made” he says, “for complimentarity. I have gifts you do not; and you have gifts that I do not. So we need each other to become fully human.” I think that’s something that could be true of all good relationships, but it’s never more obvious than when you see a wedding that blends two very different cultures, whether that’s a bride and groom from two different countries, faiths, whatever. It reminds us of the beauty that is all marriages – two complete individuals forging their lives together to create something new. And so it is with today’s bride and groom. South African Sohini not only chose to marry her Scottish groom in a colourful, joyful and superchic Indian-Caledonian fusion wedding at Vrede en Lust, but this girl can rock a sari! I adore her citrus colour choices, and the way that bright flowers were incorporated with birdcages throughout the decor. It’s just so gosh darn purdy. As always, I’m delighted to feature photographer Annemari Ruthven, who totally captured the joy on everyone’s faces, and all the movement and magic of this family-filled celebration.Read More

Dessert Table Inspiration

by gaby

I don’t know about you, but I’ve been in love with dessert tables ever since I discovered the genius that is Amy Atlas. It takes such a simple concept – a spread of sweets, usually including a cake (but I’ve seen them done with all veggies, or cheeses, or whatever you like really!) and elevated it to a level where dessert meets design. I’d hate to be the first person at these buffets, because it must feel a little like taking a bite of a museum masterpiece, they’re just that pretty. And the best thing is, you can be really creative with them, and incorporate one into just about any style of wedding and make your dessert table a real feature of your reception that your guests will be talking about for years to come! To show you how, I’ve paired up some gorgeous dessert tables with matching Cap Classique inspiration boards. So fun!

VINTAGE BIRDS

This is one of my all-time favourite dessert tables, combining gorgeous green, brown and blue with vintage elements and a bird motif. It’s so usable, and all the different containers at different heights make it so easy on the eye. Perfect for an elegantly rustic wedding, or for a lovebirds theme. It’s paired here with (and partly inspired) the Vintage Birds inspiration board.

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Inspiration Board: Just Peachy

by gaby

Happy new week, friends! Hope you had a lovely weekend. I spent it catching up with friends and indulging in a little side of rugby – what did you get up to? I wish weekends could last forever, but here we are, back at Monday, *sigh*. On the upside, Monday means pretty inspiration boards, and today’s is exactly that. I love peaches as a motif for a wedding – not only are they symbolic in Chinese culture of marriage and longevity, but in Renaissance art a peach with a leaf attached represented truthfulness and speaking from the heart. Plus, they’re totally pretty and a little bit rustic. Soft peachy pink goes beautifully with a warm coral orange and green, and pair that with brown neutrals like wood, craft paper and even copper, and you have the perfect combination. I just LOVE the idea of these peach pouches at each place setting – a totally sweet and affordable favour – but you could also treat your guests to homemade peach jam in pretty glass jars. For escort cards, try this sweet rustic option of little labels tied to birdcages – the cages can also be used to house gift envelopes from your guests.

{Pssst! Like this? Check out our Rustic Peach & Apricot board as well.}

Colours: Peach pink, coral, white & green

Top row (l-r): Peach pocket; outdoor ceremony area (Jesi Haack);peach jam favours; flowers in copper pot (Simply Bloom Photography)
Row 2: Tie; kraft/brown paper menu and wooden utensils (Austin Gros);folk art wedding invitation; peach shoes (Troy Grover Photography); bouquet with lace accent (Simply Bloom Photography)
Row 3: Bride & groom (Austin Gros);fruit cooler in mason jar; bridesmaids; birdcage escort cards (Jen Huang).

How to Throw a Great Gatsby Themed Bridal Shower

by gaby

Great Gatsby 1920s Themed Bridal Shower

*UPDATED FOR 2021* Looking for a hen party/bachelorette theme that’s glamorous and fun? Well, look no further! Great Gatsby bridal showers are all the rage! After all, a little party never killed nobody :) 1920s themed parties are always super fun – let’s be honest, haven’t we all secretly wanted to dress up as a flapper and Charleston the night away? It can’t just be me. It’s perfect for a bridal shower as well, because you can start off with a sedate 1920s-style tea party, and then dig into the bootleg gin once moms and grans have left for the evening for a roaring ’20s-style bachelorette (the end of prohibition LOL!) It’s also relatively easy to dress up for, and not something your girls will feel too embarrassed to wear either. Plus, the ’20s are all about glamour and wild abandon, which is exactly what a hen night should be, imo. SO… How to do it? Here’s a quick guide to getting started with decor, food, invitations, activities, etc. And along the way we’re sharing images from a real Gatsby bridal shower from photographer Suzanne Swart!

*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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Milk Glass

by gaby

Oh, hello lovely! Is pretty much what I think every time I see milk glass as part of wedding decor. Which, right now, is OFTEN. This is one of those times when being part of wedding world has kind of been an education, because a year ago I’d never even heard of milk (also called opaque) glass, let alone discovered how absolutely gorgeous it can look with a variety of different kinds of fillers from succulents and moss to lush bunches, single blooms or even candles. So what IS milk glass anyway? Well, it was first made in Venice in the 16th century and comes in a variety of colours (although white is the most popular – achieved through adding an agent like tin dioxide or bone ash to the glass). It was super popular at the end of the 19th century. Collecting genuine milk glass can be a pricey business, but while nothing quite compares to the beauty of the real deal, you can achieve a gorgeous and budget-friendly alternative following one of these simple DIY tutorials.Read More

Real Wedding at Kirstenbosch {Naz & Mohammed}

by gaby

Today is very exciting for me, because we’re featuring our very first Muslim wedding here on Cap Classique! One of the things I am beyond proud of about being a South African is the huge number of different kinds of heritage, cultures, languages and religions that we have in our country – overseas folks may not know that we have: 11 national languages, 3 capital cities and 2 national anthems. Diversity is our thing. So I love welcoming all Cape brides and grooms. Islamic weddings are particularly spectacular, usually beginning with a Mehndi ceremony for the bride beforehand (and who doesn’t want to wear multiple dresses!). I absolutely fell in love with these gorgeous pics of Naz and Mohammed’s wedding sent over by Alan Browne – aren’t they just the most beautiful looking couple? Their wedding was full of colour and laughter from their friends and families, combined with Naz’s modern vintage vision. It’s a feast for the eyes – enjoy!Read More