Author: gaby

20 Utterly Gorgeous Peony Bouquets

by gaby

I saw an article the other day that was all ‘every single wedding these days has peonies, boring, snark blah blah’ and I laughed, because in South Africa we wish we had that problem. Peonies unfortunately are few and far between for our brides, although in the past few years it’s been a pleasure to see their use in weddings increasing – at least during the tiny short window in which they’re available. Which is basically now, you guys. End October, early November, they briefly show their beautiful fluffy faces and we fall in love with them all over again. So in honour of peony season, I decided to round up 20 seriously amazing peony bouquets. Flowerswoon!Read More

Honeymoons for Wine Lovers

by gaby

Travel. Wine. Your sweetie. Three things pretty much guaranteed to make for an amazing honeymoon, wherever you decide to spend it. But since it’s vineyard wedding month on SBB, we decided to take things a little further and find our top honeymoons for wine lovers. Which in this case means both lovers of wine, and lovers IN wine(country). Bliss! I think you can probably guess our favourite destination, but just to make it fair on the rest of the world, we found seven international locales to share with you as well as our own!Read More

Bo & Luca Cassiopeia Collection

by gaby

In the five plus years I’ve been doing this, there’s two things that have happened in bridal fashion that I’m positively thrilled about (and no, one of them isn’t illusion lace, although yay for that too). It’s the fact that, as well as South African designers going from strength to strength both at home and abroad, there are so many international labels that are no longer out of reach for SA brides – and there are more designers I love available here all the time. One of those labels is Bo & Luca, who have been making great big waves in Australia and the US, and more recently, in Cape Town, since they opened their store at the start of 2015.  Their dreamy, bohemian creations are unlike anything else in our market, and now with the release of their Cassiopeia collection, they’ve taken things to a new level of gorgeous, and there are even more dresses and details for local brides to fall in love with. The lookbook pairs the soft fabrics with dramatic urban ruins, a kind of contemporary gothic that I’d love to see inspire someone’s real wedding! But for now, let’s enjoy these lovely images by Jessica Aleece.Read More

Inspiration Board: Mulled Wine

by gaby

It’s time for the last in our series of wine-inspired boards (previously we’ve featured Rosé, Merlot & Champagne). This time, instead of focusing on an actual wine, I’ve focused on a wine cocktail – namely the mulled wine that’s always such a lovely part of Christmas (at least in a cold climate!). I loved the way that the deep red (a nod to this year’s colour of the year, Marsala) mixes with nutty browns like cinnamon and citrus orange, just like it does in the drink. I actually think this would make a gorgeous rustic winter or autumn wedding ‘theme’ – you could include touches of citrus and cinnamon or star anise in bouquets and table arrangements, or as dried place setting decorations, and all the colours and textures work beautifully together. Plus the orange adds a lot of warmth and punch to the burgundy, and it’s an unusual pairing, so looks fresh and fun. So there you go. Is it just me, or could you do a glass of mulled wine right now? Mmmm.

Colours: Burgundy, orange, mocha & green

Top row (l-r): Mulled wine {Flourishing Foodie}; bouquet {Jose Villa/Moon Canyon Design}; ring in box {Lani Elias Fine Art Photography/Julie Doan}
Row 2: Bridesmaids {Photographs by Jenna Leigh}; place setting with cinnamon stick {Park Road Photography by Sarah Elle/Taylor Perkins of Alisa Lewis Event Design}; bouquet with oranges {Erba Floral Studio}
Row 3: Groom with braces {Lavender & Twine}; calligraphy invitations {A Fabulous Fete}; kumquat naked cake {Michael and Kate Photography/Evoke Event Design and Coordination}; bride {Ashley Rae Photography/Alexandra Grecco}

 

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James Bond Spectre Wedding Inspiration (Part I) by Debbie Lourens & Green Goddess

by gaby

There are days as a wedding blogger when something lands in your inbox and you think “HELL yes, this is why I do this job”. Today’s editorial (from a rockstar team including SBB Directory members Green Goddess and photographer Debbie Lourens) is one of those, and I’ve so been looking forward to sharing it with you! Not only is it inspired by the latest James Bond film, Spectre, which has its UK release today, but it’s also only the first part of this gorgeous collaboration (you’ll have to wait until next week for that – and for the film!). Oh, and did I mention it’s based around the Mexican festival of the Day of the Dead, which takes place at the end of October? Word is that Spectre opens with a scene at this festival, so it was the perfect place for our team to start their Bond fantasy. Bright colours, gorgeous stationery, and a Day of the Dead-inspired mask… plus, of course, a glamorous bride and groom to be. And just wait until you see Part II! Be sure to check in next Thursday – it will be worth the wait, I promise!Read More

Harvest Brights Wedding Inspiration by Leipzig & Nicola Bester

by gaby

Good morning, lovelies! And happy Friday! There’s a weekend full of excitement ahead (rugbyyyyyyyy!!!!) but before that happens, there’s a day of inspiration here on the blog. And we’re starting it off with a gorgeous piece of editorial from some of our absolute favourite suppliers, including Leipzig, Flamboijant, Corlé Barnard and Nicola Bester. These ladies do colour to perfection, and today they’re bringing us a table full of harvest brights – rich shades of pumpkin, butternut, tangerine and honey that would be amazing for an autumn wedding but could work just as well in the summer too (or really, any season – as the team says, be daring with your colours!). With the Leipzig team involved, it’s no surprise the florals are AMAZE, but I am also head over heels in LOVE with the cake and its dripping metallics! And of course Corlé has brought her special touch to hair and makeup. Basically, it’s gorgeous, so let’s get to the good stuff, shall we?Read More

Rustic Navy, Red & Yellow Wedding at The Cowshed by Laura Leigh {Leande & Martin}

by gaby

I love that in weddings I feel like I learn something new every day. Today’s fun fact is that the yellow fynbos which is included so liberally and joyfully in Leande & Martin’s gorgeously rustic, elegant-with-a-touch-of-Karoo wedding is called Cape Everlasting – which let’s be honest, is kind of the most perfect name for a wedding flower, and my new favourite South African touch. It also happens to be the loveliest bright against a palette of navy and rust, one lovely detail amongst many – this really is the kind of wedding that every time you look at Laura Leigh‘s pictures, you notice something different. Fruits and greenery lining the aisle, red ribbon on the eucalyptus bouquets, shotgun shell boutonnieres… And combined with the fantastic backdrop of The Cowshed (including a herd of Nguni cattle), this is just about as picturesquely South African as a wedding can be.Read More

20 Gorgeous Two-piece Wedding Dresses

by gaby

Two-piece Wedding Dresses

*UPDATED FOR 2021* I remember the days when I wore crop tops. Now I’m not saying I’m old or anything (I am) but it was the ’90s. I worked all summer on my six pack (ha!) and I rocked the crop out of those babies for a couple of months. Now if I wore one, I’d scare the children. But for bolder (and fitter) brides than me, crop top and two piece wedding dresses are EVERYWHERE. And I have to say, I love them. Not just the crops, but the bridal separates with filmy skirts and ballerina tops or intricate lace numbers – I find myself pinning them all the time. So I thought it was high time that we did a collective SouthBound dress swoon over two-piece wedding dresses. Ready…? Swoon.

*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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Nicole Spose 2016 Collection

by gaby

Bridal fashion time! Today we’re showcasing a collection that comes all the way from Italy (my second home) and has all the glamour you’d expect, as well as the fabulous fits and luscious laces characteristic of Italian couture. The Nicole Spose line comes from designer Alessandra Rinaudo, and really captures brides’ current mood of intricate lace detailing on backs and necklines, along with frothy skirts that look like they’ve been painted by an artist’s brush. As always, it’s the illusion necklines and delicate sleeves that really capture my imagination! Just beautiful – and in South Africa, you can find the collection at Olivelli, so there’s no need to lose out if you don’t happen to be in Europe anytime soon. Let’s have a peek, shall we?Read More

Luxe Three-Day Wedding at Nooitgedacht by ZaraZoo {Ayah & Louay}

by gaby

All weddings are awesome, because after all, the heart of them is the love between two people, and that on its own (without any details or decor or fuss) is awesome. But some weddings are particularly WOW in the decor and details and overall experience department, and Ayah & Louay’s celebration is definitely one of those. After all, the couple (who were married in Dubai but came to the Cape to celebrate with their friends and family) hosted not just one or two, but three parties in their favourite city including a welcome party at the Grand Beach & Cafe (complete with a DJ they brought with them from Beirut), and a picnic at Landtscap with delicious burger stations by SBB Directory members Two Chefs and music by Jeremy Loops. Topping it all off was an absolutely gorgeous reception at Nooitgedacht, with hundreds of candles and opulent florals in rich neutrals, fit for a king and a queen (or at least a fashion designer bride and interior designer groom!) Right down to the huge hashtag sign and the patterned dancefloor there was an incredible attention to detail, not to mention atmosphere, with traditional dancers helping the pair make their grand entrance. Throughout it all, the ZaraZoo Photography team was on the scene to capture the excitement!Read More