gaby | SouthBound Bride

As we announced this morning, August is couture month on SBB (loving this theme!). One aspect of fashion that I personally adore is fashion illustration, and I follow a number of brilliant illustrators on Instagram. But outside of being involved in the fashion world, it’s not often that you’d get to have your very own illustration. Let’s be honest, it’s not often you might have a dress designed for you either! That’s what makes a wedding dress the perfect opportunity, and a fashion illustration of your gown the perfect keepsake. Some designers will create one for you themselves, but if that’s not the case, or if you’re buying a dress instead of having it made, that doesn’t mean you should lose out. I found some wonderful illustrators on Etsy who will do custom designs, and I just had to share them with you! Each has a slightly different style and medium, but they’ll all take an image of your gown and turn it into a masterpiece that you can display with pleasure in your home or office – or give as a gift to someone else.

Paper Couture Wedding Inspiration

1 August, 2016 by gaby

It’s a new month, you guys! That means a new editorial theme, and BOY am I excited about this one! This August, we’re all about the fashionable and the fabulous, hot trends and haute couture, and everything Vogue. We’ll be featuring some avant garde ideas, some fresh-from-the-runways inspiration, but also plenty of achievable ways to make your wedding fashion forward without losing sight of the fact that it’s a wedding and not a show. We’ll be spotlighting designers both local and international, breaking down the hottest trends, and most excitingly for me, I have the most INSANELY amazing styled shoots to share (alongside our usual crop of beautiful real weddings, of course). Starting with this absolute showstopper. I can’t think of a better way to kick things off than with this high concept editorial by Samantha Clifton and her very talented team, including Blank Canvas Event Design and paper genius Hermien from PLANK Create, who created a whole shoot around the idea of using paper as fabric on your wedding day. You heard me – paper. And if you already think you know what paper can do, just wait until you see what they came up with, because from headpieces to bouquets to clothing to giant angel wings, each piece is not just beautiful (and recyclable!) but a totally covetable work of art. And if you can’t wear art on your wedding day, when can you? I’m blown away by the whole thing, and I know you will be too!

Inspiration Board: Marble & Blush

26 July, 2016 by gaby

Recently marble has been making a bit of a design splash in wedding world. I couldn’t think of a better way to put a twist on classic monochrome, and when you add in a hint of the softest blush, you have a new twist on the classic but a bit been-there-done-that blush and grey palette too. I especially love the idea of having all the big colour blocks – linens, bridesmaid dresses, flowers, etc. stick with the white and pale grey look, and then having the bride wear an ethereal blush gown. The trick in general is to keep things white and bright, letting marble’s cold palette work for you and its pretty texture keep things interesting, and then warm things up with the lightest touch of metallics and pink. The result is trendy but timeless – the perfect combo!

Colours: Pewter, dove grey, white & blush

Top row (l-r): Marble wedding invitation (Upon A Time Paperie) | Marble escort cards (Blush Wedding Photography/Alicia Keats/Lele Chan Designs) | Marble wedding cake (Sweet Bakes)
Row 2: Engagement ring (Amber Hatley Photography/Stephanie Scholl Events/Trumpet and Horn/The Mrs. Box) | Place setting (Brushfire Photography/Lesley Lau) | Dove grey bridesmaid dress (Maids to Measure) | Pink champagne (White Loft Studio)
Row 3: Blush wedding dress (Carousel Fashion) | Marbled ribbon (Mike Krautter/Silk and Willow) | Shoes (Mint Photography/Event Solutions/Enzo Angiolini)

Top left: In Stone Wedding Invitation by Upon A Time Paperie | Top right: Regent Dress in Dove Grey by Maids to Measure | Bottom: Orchidee Wedding Gown by Carousel Fashion

Links in bold denote affiliate links. SouthBound Bride may make a commission if a sale is made.

French Country Naturals Wedding at Green Leaves by Louzelle van Dyk

25 July, 2016 by gaby

Simple, natural weddings always have my heart. Take Kirsty & Kobus’ big day. An adorable couple in gorgeous surroundings, neutral French country decor, a beautiful dress handmade by the bride’s mother, organic floral runners, and friends and family all around. It’s understated and elegant, and oh-so-pretty. Then throw in fun touches like tekkie wedding shoes, groomsmen in shorts and leather bowties, and these lovely images by Louzelle van Dyk, and you have a celebration that’s personal and unique too – the perfect recipe!

Sunset Selfie Couple Shoot

23 July, 2016 by gaby

We don’t usually post on Saturdays, but I couldn’t wait another minute to share this couple shoot, which might be one of the most unique I’ve ever seen! For one thing, the couple shot it themselves. Yep, that’s right, you heard me – this is basically the couple shoot equivalent of a selfie, but soooooooo much better. Steph and Elaine are photographers themselves, the powerhouse duo behind Dust and Dreams Photography, and when it came to their eight year anniversary, they wanted to do something a bit different. “We wanted something that wasn’t bought but still tangible – an heirloom,” Elaine says. “And as we have been taking our own pictures long before the word ‘selfie’ even existed (and have an ancient tripod to prove it!) We decided on a couple’s shoot for ourselves instead of the traditional gift of bronze or pottery.” The results are gorgeous, intimate, fun – and completely unique! Plus, who can resist the couple’s sweet pups who make a guest appearance? So enjoy, and here’s hoping your weekend is filled with moments as full of love and laughter as these are.

Boho Beach Festival Wedding in Hermanus by Coba Photography

20 July, 2016 by gaby

I can’t help but smile like crazy when looking at this gorgeous celebration of love, hosted festival-style on the beach in Hermanus (which you might also be able to tell from the fact that I included a bumper crop of pics today!). It’s basically the best. Boho goddess bride, bright colours, a fabulously mismatched (and colourful) wedding party, a ceremony on the sand, and a relaxed reception filled with flowers, greenery, and a rainbow of glassware. There are so many adorable, stealworthy ideas dreamed up by this DIY couple: 3D guitar boutonnieres, paint brushes to clean up sandy feet, leather music festival-style bands which doubled up as favours, tiny origami birds used as confetti. I love everything from the rich palette to the donut desserts – and who better than Coba Photography to capture this super fun affair?

A SouthBound Guide to Veil Types

18 July, 2016 by gaby

Image: Kate Pleasants on SouthBound Bride

When it comes to classic and romantic wedding inspiration, there’s nothing more representative than the traditional (or even the traditional-with-a-twist) wedding veil. Long or short, I love these beauties. So I thought it was the perfect time to update one of the most popular posts from deep in the archive, our guide to bridal veils and types of wedding veils. A veil dictionary, if you will. And of course, I just had to update it with lots of beautiful, pinnable images. The best part? You can actually buy any one of the different veils featured here for your own wedding – just click on the links in bold. Of course, you may not want to rock a veil at all, but if you’re considering it, read on, because you’re about to discover a whole world of pretty options you didn’t even know existed! Links in bold denote sponsored affiliate links. SouthBound Bride may earn a commission if a sale is made.

Caribbean Dream

14 July, 2016 by gaby

You know those days when everything is so completely perfect and surreal that you just have to pinch yourself and say “how is this my life?” Well, I had one (or rather, several) of those pinch-me moments earlier this year, when I found myself on a beach in the Caribbean alongside some of my favourite wedding bloggers from around the world, as guests at the fabulous Sandals Royal Bahamian Resort. Long flights be damned, it was one hundred percent worth every minute of travel from the moment I touched down in Nassau and (after a personal escort through the airport that made me feel like royalty!) got my first whiff of the warm sea air. It was everything I’d ever imagined this sun-drenched corner of the world would be – if I didn’t have these gorgeous images from our trip taken by Alexis June Weddings to prove it, I might believe it was really just a beautiful dream!

Inspiration Board: Classic Monochrome

11 July, 2016 by gaby

Happy Monday lovelies! When I think of a classic wedding palette, beyond white on white or soft blush, the one that immediately comes to mind for me is monochrome. Crisp and sophisticated, traditional but somehow also entirely modern, you can’t go wrong with this timeless combo that’s the essence of ‘black tie’. Just take a look at today’s inspiration board – it’s pure, timeless glamour, like a Sinatra number or a diamond ring. What more could a classic bride want?

Colours: Black, white & soft gold

Top row (l-r): Bouquet (KT Merry Photography/Urban Poppy) | Tablescape (Watson-Studios/Jennifer Laraia Designs) | Calligraphy menu (Daphne And Michelle/DM Events/Paperfinger)
Row 2: Champagne (Gabe Aceves Photography/Engaging Affairs) | Cake (Marsais/Buttercup Bakery) | Dog attendant (Mi Belle Photography/Bash Please) | Engagement ring (Sundari Gems)
Row 3: Classic car (Jose Villa Photography/Albemarle Limousine) | Bride (KT Merry Photography/Oscar De La Renta/Peter Langner) | Bridesmaids in black (Adrienne Gunde/The Overwhelmed Bride)

We’re crazy in love with the engagement ring featured in this board – isn’t it just so PRETTY? It’s from Sundari Gems on Etsy.

Long black bridesmaid dresses are the perfect complement to this wedding style (and your girls will love you for dressing them in something they can wear again!). Here are some of our current faves:

**This post contains affiliate links. SBB may receive a commission if a sale is made.

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20 Romantic Bridal Updos

7 July, 2016 by gaby

We’re ringing in our Thursday with some classic romantic style of the bridal hair variety. Because how much do we love a pretty updo? Tons. It’s the ultimate in sleek sophisticated, but what amazes me is that even after all this time, stylists keep coming up with new and beautiful twists (literally! and braids and curls, etc.) on traditional looks like buns and chignons and tucks. Each of the styles we’ve gathered together has the glamour of an updo, but with the softness and sweetness that a romantic bride craves. But good luck picking a favourite, because they’re all divine!

Author: gaby

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