gaby | SouthBound Bride

Floral Print Wedding Cakes

9 July, 2015 by gaby

Everything’s coming up floral at the moment, and that shouldn’t be limited to wedding dresses and bridesmaid dresses – your cake can get in on the pretty party as well. In fact, these cakes are so pretty that good luck actually eating them – they look like they should just sit on a shelf and be art! Perfect for a spring or summer wedding, they’ll make a spectacular focal point for your reception or as the centrepiece for your dessert table, and will definitely have guests oohing and aahing. So let’s get inspired! I’ve picked my 20 favourites from the talented bakers and makers around the web. (PS You can find more gorgeous examples of painted wedding cakes here)Read More

Botanical Olive Farm Wedding by Justin Davis Photography {Rebecca & Craig}

8 July, 2015 by gaby

When someone in the wedding and events industry gets married, it can feel like a lot of pressure – I often say that if it was me, I’d probably just elope. But at its best, wedding insiders’ weddings get to be a celebration of the talent and friendship that they have built up over the years, a coming together of creativity and ideas where the sum of the whole is greater than its parts. And in the case of today’s wedding – that of The Table Cloth Hiring Company’s Rebecca and her hubby Craig, that sum is pretty great indeed. In fact, I kind of felt like this wedding had fallen straight down from heaven into my lap when Rebecca sent it over, since it’s not only game-changer gorgeous, but also couldn’t fit in more perfectly with our ‘Greenhouse’ theme for July. I ADORE Rebecca and Craig’s take on botanical – the hanging greenery, the Easter egg nests, the gorgeous and unusual flower choices, the wood and moss and copper elements, and of course the printed tablecloths! The setting was a family olive farm, and I loved the way that even the bridesmaids’ robes fitted into the look and feel, and yet despite coming together perfectly, the whole day is unfussy and natural. It was SO hard to narrow down decor pics so I went to town a bit – enjoy. After all, it’s always a pleasure to look at a few more of Justin Davis’ lovely photos!Read More

Desert Watercolour Bridal Portrait Shoot by Jack and Jane

7 July, 2015 by gaby

I’ve been looking forward to sharing this lovely bridal portrait shoot with you for a while, and I can’t think of a better time than in our month of everything floral. Cindy (whose wedding we featured a couple of months back) opted to do a bridal portrait shoot (I must say, I just love these!) with the fabulous Jack and Jane Photography, the idea behind it being that “beauty is being the best possible version of yourself on the inside and out” (holla!). I just adore the way that these images have a watercolour quality to them, not just from the mix of pastel and floral print gowns that Cindy wears and the beautiful flower crown and ladder, but from the desert background that gives everything that amazing painterly quality. Pretty, pretty, PRETTY.Read More

Inspiration Board: Greenhouse & Garnet

6 July, 2015 by gaby

Time for some inspiration! As you may have heard last week, our theme for July is ‘Greenhouse’, so I’m letting myself be inspired by everything beautiful and botanical. I just LOVE the idea of a wedding in a greenhouse setting, and of course you’d want to include lots of lush greenery in that sort of setting, but there’s no reason why that shouldn’t mean a big pop of colour too. I love green and red together – they don’t need to look like Christmas either. Garnet is a gorgeous shade of red – just a berry breath away from this year’s colour of note, Marsala, and a super flattering shade for bridesmaids and flowers too. Doncha just love it?

Colours: Garnet red, emerald & white

Top row (l-r): Invitation suite {Visual Cravings/Laura & Co. Events/Rachel A. Clingen Wedding & Event Design/Paper & Poste}; bouquet {Lime Green Photography/Statice Couture}; greenhouse setting {Lane Dittoe/Greystone Mansion/Flower Wild}
Row 2: Table decor {Lani Elias/Ashley Nicole}; greenery & chandeliers {KT Merry}; red bridesmaid dresses {Azuree Wiitala/Elizabeth And James}
Row 3: Bride with flower crown {Floral Earth/Alise Taggart/Paula O’Hara} ; botanical gardens ceremony {The Wedding Artists Collective}; candles & ferns {Ryan Ray Photo/Signora e Mare/Sprout Flowers}

Mociun White Bridal Collection 2015

3 July, 2015 by gaby

On any given day, I can think of about a hundred solid reasons why I’d love to just head for the airport and jump on a plane bound for New York, one of my favourite places on earth. Today I’ve found another one – an achingly cool new bridal salon in Williamsburg, Brooklyn: Mociun White. Sleek, airy spaces with vibrant pops of primary colour, peach ombre shelves laden with registry wannahaves – and that’s just the decor. The real highlight is the gowns themselves, a combination of jewellery designer Caitlin Mosiun’s simply elegant contemporary creations and a collection of embellished and printed dresses by Naeem Khan. And since you already know from yesterday how much I’m crushing on floral prints, you’ll see why I’m besotted with the floral elements in this collection, from bold botanical patterns to gorgeous detailing, and blocks of eye-catching colour (a canary yellow wedding dress? Yes, yes, yes!). There’s gowns galore here for every modern bride – a colourful and inspiring start to the weekend!Read More

Floral Wedding Dresses

2 July, 2015 by gaby

If there’s one trend that has just EXPLODED all over the runways and new collections this year, it’s flowers and floral prints. But these are not your typical floral print dress, oh no. Combine gorgeous colours, pretty prints and watercolour effects with bridal shapes and dreamy fabrics, and you get something truly spectacular – real little works of botanical art. I’m stoked that a couple of our real brides over the years have been ahead of this curve in wearing floral wedding dresses, but I’ve seen so many more pretty examples on the wedding web of late that I couldn’t wait to share my favourites with you in a roundup!

*Links in bold denote affiliate links. The cost to you remains the same, but SBB may receive a commission for any sales made.

Blue Hydrangea Wedding at Longridge Wine Estate by Leanne Love {Nikki & Lloyd}

1 July, 2015 by gaby

Happy July, lovelies! It’s appropriate that we’re kicking off this month – which we’ve themed around the idea of ‘greenhouse’ (think everything floral, botanical & beautiful) with a wedding that took its inspiration from a flower, and one of our favourite flowers at that. Hydrangeas are just so gorgeous, I absolutely love them, and they always give weddings this lovely summery feeling as well as a naturally ombre/watercolour vibe. Nikki & Lloyd filled their vineyard wedding and reception with these blooms, and reflected the colours in everything from stationery to bridesmaid dresses (beautifully made as always by our friends at Gelique), to their adorable getaway car. And talking of adorable, it’s super cute that the couple had little dog attendants alongside their human ones! Leanne Love was on the scene to capture these wonderful pictures.Read More

What to Wear for Your Bridal Boudoir Session

30 June, 2015 by gaby

Louise Vorster on SouthBound Bride

Wondering what to wear for your bridal boudoir session? Read on for all the deets… For me, boudoir is a great way to make a bride-to-be (or any woman!) feel beautiful – it can be a gift for your fiancé sure, but I think it’s really a gift to yourself. Because let’s be honest, when it comes to our bodies, most of us are pretty unforgiving of ourselves. Seeing yourself through a photographer’s lens is a chance to see yourself differently, in the best light really (flaws and all) – the way that your partner sees you. Which is all awesome, but what to wear for your bridal boudoir session? Now personally I’m a fan of the more subtle form of boudoir rather than the lad mag-style shoots, but however you choose to play it, the key thing is to wear bridal boudoir outfits that make you feel comfortable as well as gorgeous. You can go as covered up or as daring as you like, but most importantly, you want to feel confident. So no matter what your shape or style, here are some top tips for what to wear for your bridal boudoir session, as well as some beautiful bridal lingerie to inspire your shopping choices.

*Links in bold denote affiliate links. The cost to you remains the same, but SBB may receive a commission for any sales made.

Glamorous Navy, Pink & Gold Wedding at Brenaissance by Marsel Roothman {Frances & Cobus}

30 June, 2015 by gaby

Oh how do I love thee, today’s wedding? Let me count the ways (settle in, this may take a while). First off, I’m busting to tell you all how off-the-charts gorgeous it is, with its navy, pink and gold palette against a crisp white background, and its thousand tiny clever and original details from co-ordinators, Kraak (golden swallows on the dancefloor! craft beer bar! gold print napkin menus! salt escort card placement! etc. etc. etc.) I’m also about ready to write an essay about how amazing Fleur Le Cordeur‘s florals are – everything from the romantic orchid and wood arch in the ceremony area to the cascading arrangements on the tables to the little pink and gold pots of roses and hydrangea and tulips. Most of all though, I can’t wait for you to see the smiles on Frances and Cobus’ faces. In five years of doing this, I honestly don’t think I’ve seen two people who look happier to be getting married – their joy kind of spills over in every lovely photograph by Marsel Roothman, so that I just want to jump up and down and do a little happy dance with them. Get ready to break out some goofy smiles of your own – this is one cool wedding.Read More

Inspiration Board: Terracotta & Tulle

29 June, 2015 by gaby

Holy cannoli, is it seriously July already? Well almost, and with just a couple of days to go until our Natural Beauty month comes to an end, this inspiration board is actually the perfect way to segue on to our next theme – although I’m not telling what it is just yet! When I was thinking about natural textures, I couldn’t help but think of terracotta, one of my absolute favourite warm colours and a look that really reminds me of Mediterranean sunshine, as well as pottering about in a garden shed. Pairing it with tulle might seem like strange bedfellows, but then we already know that opposites attract in wedding design, and I love the rustic edge that terracotta brings to a dreamy, romantic wedding design in shades of beige and blue.

Colours: Powder blue, beige & terracotta

Top row (l-r): Tablescape {Carrie Patterson Photography/Lily and Co.}; place setting with terracotta charger {Ozzy Garcia}; bridesmaids {Danielle Poff Photography}
Row 2: Bride {Elizabeth Messina for The Knot/Catherine Sheppard}; boutonnieres {Elan Klein Photography/Sweet Emilia Jane}; calligraphy {Beaux Arts Photographie/Oh, How Charming!}
Row 3: Chair with veil {Elizabeth Messina}; long tables {Jose Villa Photography/Flower Wild/Coastside Couture}; plant pot favour {Vela Images}; curtain ceremony backdrop {Sarah McKenzie/Two Be Wed/Maxit Flower Design}