Category: Inspiration Boards

Inspiration Board: Blanc de Blanc

by gaby

Happy Monday SouthBound Brides! And happy first day of the month. Eeks, how did it get to be the second half of the year already? Anyway, for today’s inspiration colour scheme we have… no colour scheme. I’ve gone back to basics, because as much as punches of colour are fabulous, I still love a white on white wedding. Especially when you add some soft, country touches with just a whisper of rustic-ey vintage. Lush garden blooms, a beautiful open-sided marquee, and textured detailing like a ruffly cake and lace-iced biscuits. My favourite idea? Why not hang distressed white-painted mirrors in a row with table assignments written on them?

Colours: White

Top row (l-r): Single bloom bouquet {Jose Villa}; flowers and letter; table setting {Beth Helmstetter Events/Steve Steinhardt}; half up hairstyle; white books
Row 2: White bridesmaids dresses {Jemma Keech Photography}; table number {Kristen Wood/Denise Addesso}; iced biscuits {Kiss Me Kate/Studio 76 Artist Group}; white shoes {Jose Villa}; hanging mirrors
Row 3: White wedding car {Jose Villa/Rosemary Special Events}; cake with ruffles; dessert table; white flowers; open-sided marquee {Jose Villa/Rosemary Special Events}.

 

Inspiration Board: Birds of a Feather

by gaby

Good morning, lovelies! You know, as much as I love a country wedding, and most of those I feature take advantage of the ample gorgeousness of our South African countryside, I do have a special love for city/urban weddings. Honestly, I wish more couples opted for them. But then, I do love me a bit of glam. So I am more than a little in love with today’s inspiration, for a loft-style city wedding with a matte pewter/dark grey and gold glitter palette. I’ve also introduced a bit of a feather motif – a lovely trend that’s been doing the rounds, including my absolute fave, gold-dipped feathers. So pretty! The feather motif is reflected in one of the bridesmaid dresses, the cake decorations and a gorgeous bracelet for the bride. It’s an equal measure of chic and whimsy – perfect for a rooftop soiree. Just add champagne!

Colours: Slate/pewter, gold and white

Top row (l-r): String lights {Belathee Photography/Downey Street Events}; ring shot with typography blocks {Our Labor of Love by Heidi}; gold glitter shoes {BHLDN}; bridesmaids {Justin Lee Photography/Beau & Arrow Events}; mirror sign {Jana Williams/Details Details}
Row 2: Gold dipped feathers {Frock Files}; feather bracelet; glitter linens {Brooke Mayo Photography/come + together events}; gold and grey wedding invitation {Pirrip Press}Row 3: Bride in grey dress { Alea Lovely Photo/Victorian Gardens}; champagne with glitter glass rims {Sweet Tea Photography by Lisa Marie/Amber Karson Events}; gold feather boutonniere {Michelle Ng}; feather cake {Lael Cakes/Our Labor of Love/Samm Blake}; mirror.

 

Inspiration Board: Sunny Afternoon

by gaby

Hey friends! It’s been a little while since I did an inspiration board request, but today we have a gorgeous yellow board for reader Cheri. She’s planning a barn wedding (LOVE barn weddings!) at a rosemary farm, with the ceremony in a flower maze – how pretty is that? They’d like a relaxed, old farmhouse feel, with a palette of yellow, grey and white reflected in the flower combination of succulents, billy balls and baby’s breath. They’re also planning to use old jam jars and wine bottles, which I think is a great idea. I absolutely love yellow as a wedding colour, because it’s so happy and sunny and bright – it immediately sets the tone for smiles all day long. Succulents and billy balls make an awesome combination – isn’t this bouquet lovely, and that cake! – and I like the idea of recycled glass throughout. I’m especially a fan of painted wine bottles used as vases – they work beautifully here, don’t they? I’d add succulents in small wooden crates to the table decor as well. Although Cheri plans to use baby’s breath (which is lovely), I’m also a big fan of little daisies for this wedding theme – look how pretty the bridesmaid bouquet is below. And I also like the idea of a very, very subtle yellow gingham motif, perhaps for preserve favour tops and on the groom’s pocket handkerchief. Finally, you can really make the ceremony area pop with ribbon aisles, like the one above – they really add that carnival feeling. Hope you like your board, Cheri!

Colours: Yellow, white and grey

Top row (l-r): Ceremony area {Love Me Do Photography}; cake with billy balls; bouquet with succulents and billy balls {This Modern Romance/Honey and Poppies}
Row 2: Wool wrapped table number {Daffodil Waves}; invitation; rings with billy balls {Cameron Ingalls}; gingham jar top; gingham groom’s pocket {Johnny Miller}
Row 3: Billy balls on chair {This Modern Romance/Honey and Poppies}; daisy bouquet {This Modern Romance/Honey and Poppies}; grey and white wine bottles {white rabbit studios}; mason jars with striped straws {Callie V Photography}; bride and groom {Ryan Ray/Lavender Joy Weddings}

 

Inspiration Board: Blossom & Berry

by gaby

Happy Monday, folks – here’s to a super-productive week! Today we have a pretty, rustic red and white board, that would be just perfect for an autumn wedding. There’s a little touch of French bistro, and textures of wood, kraft, burlap and berry. So pretty! Red and white is a combo that I often see in real weddings, but it’s often used either in a more modern way or as a stark accent against a classic white wedding. But here it’s a gorgeous alternative to the pretty pastels or muted neutrals that you usually see for a rustic wedding. Lovely, isn’t it? Don’t be afraid to play with your ideas on colour a bit when planning your wedding – just because you have chosen a specific style doesn’t mean that you have to use the same palette as many others before you. Often just this little twist can make a look really fresh and interesting. My favourite touches here are the mannequin escort cards, the tin dessert menu, the gorgeous burlap runner with table number and the bridesmaids’ mismatched shoes. Which do you like best?

Colours: Red, white, green and mocha

Top row (l-r): Bride in blossoms {Tec Petaja/Joy Thigpen}; berry desserts {Danielle Capito}; wooden gate {Tec Petaja/Joy Thigpen}; table with burlap runner {Nikki Meyer Photography/Kraak}; bicycles
Row 2: Bridesmaids with red shoes {Emily Johnston Anderson}; mannequin escort cards {m three studio}; strawberry cocktail; outdoor ceremony {Caroline Tran Photographer/Kelly Oshiro Design}
Row 3: Table with red flower arrangement {Flowerwild/Jose Villa}; groom in braces {Zara Zoo Photography}; farm inspiration suite; bouquet with strawberry {Nikki Meyer Photography/Kraak}; book ring shot.

 

Inspiration Board: Love Shines Bright

by gaby

Morning, lovelies! How was your weekend? I am still playing catchup with admin – sometimes it seems never-ending, doesn’t it? But I’m here with an inspiration board to literally brighten your morning. Okes, this might be one of my favourite colour combos ever. When neon brights started making their way into weddings, I was first a little horrified, then intrigued. I decided I liked them, but in a sort of graphic, modern way. But I’ve also been quietly intrigued as to how you could use them in a pretty, soft way as well, one that would suit more brides. And this is pretty much it. A palette of soft grey, coral and then a pop of lumo yellow. Sounds insane, but the brights really bring out the other colours and I just adore the end result! What do you think?

Colours: Mushroom, peach, coral and neon yellow

Top row (l-r): Bouquet {Shoot This Not That}; bridesmaids {Kate Harrison Photography/Enjoy Events Co. Inc.}; neon table number {Shoot This Not That}
Row 2: Coral shoes {Laura Murray Photography/Holly Gerard}; cutlery bundle {Shoot This Not That}; coral table decor {Elizabeth Scott Photography/Sweet November Events}
Row 3: Neon necklace {Imbue Weddings/Byron Loves Fawn}; flowers; menu with neon string {Kate Harrison Photography/Enjoy Events Co. Inc.}

 

Neon Rustic Wedding Inspiration | SouthBound Bride

Colour Story: Rainbow

by gaby

Image: Abigail K.

So what did you think, friends, how much are you loving the rainbow look from today’s styled shoot? I must say, it is one of my favourites, not in a faddy themey way, but because it allows you to really just sort of play with colour and not be confined to a specific paletter, and also to produce something really fun and relaxed. I also love the rainbow look for bridesmaids, because it means you can really dress your girls according to their style and colouring instead of having the one-colour-fits-all approach. Either give them a single matching bouquet (something neutral, like a bushel of baby’s breath, for example) or a custom bouquet to match their colour (love this creative idea, especially if you’re as much a fan of flowers as I am). For your tables, keep things relatively neutral so that the colours really pop – you could have deconstructed bouquets in mismatched containers (stick to one colour per container – this works well in groupings of different heights or along a long table) – and how sweet is the idea below of using food colouring for an extra bit of zing? You can also play with ribbons, rainbow prints, and of course, stationery. I’m so in love with Will We Have Rainbows from Invitation Gallery, part of the SBB Collection, which is highlighted below. Isn’t it beeeyoodeeful? Anyway, if this is a look you love, here are some more ideas and products to inspire, including BM dresses for all your girls (even a pregnant one!).Read More

Inspiration Board: Walk on the Ocean

by gaby

Hello lovelies, now for inspiration board number 2 today. This one’s a reader request – always fun to do, as you guys come up with such a unique set of ideas that reflect your personalities and relationships. This particular board was requested by Shimoné, who together with her husband-to-be really loves the sea. Even though they’re planning an elegant garden wedding, they wanted to bring this love into their wedding, so they chose a gorgeous ocean-inspired palette of powder blue, teal, gold and white. I also took this as a starting point for some of the design details, adding a gentle watercolour/ombre element to reflect the salt water, and with sea urchins as a sweet little motif. These are sold on Etsy with little succulents inside, which makes a very cute place setting/favour and is one you could make yourself. I also like the idea of spray painting these shells gold to sit at each place setting, with or without a plant inside. The rest of the scheme is simple and classic – white flowers, especially on the huppah (the wedding will have lots of traditional Jewish elements, and this is one of my favourites), soft flowy bridesmaid dresses with statement necklaces, vintage furniture in breakout areas and gold-flecked macaroons. Simple, classic, but very lovely. Hope you like your board Shimoné!

Colours: Teal, powder blue, gold and white

Top row (l-r): Watercolour invitation; urchin favour {Kristin Rogers Photography/RobinCharlotte}; lace wedding dress {Rebekah J. Murray Photography/Atrendy Wedding}; ombre cake {Jen Huang}; urchin
Row 2: Necklace; gold pear {Sasha Gulish/Shannon Leahy Events}; ties; macaroons {Fiona Kelly Photography/Linen and Silk Weddings}; flower huppah {Heidi Ryder}
Row 3: Bridesmaid dress; hora {David Pascolla}; breakout area {Jose Villa}; table setting with vintage crockery {Love Life Images/Bradshaw Styling}

 

Inspiration Board: Fig & Toile

by gaby

Hello lovelies, it’s time for our first inspiration board of the day. The last time I did a toile board was waaay back at the start of SBB, which I ended up turning into a gorgeous inspiration shoot (more on this soon). But now, with prints being all the rage in weddingland, toile has really come of age. And why not – it’s romantic, it’s vintage and it’s just the perfect shade of blue to set off warm pinks or peaches or corals. Too much can be… well, too much, so less is definitely more, but I couldn’t help including the gorgeously romantic toile detail dress from Claire Pettibone’s current collection. I’ve paired the toile here with fig – that rich dusky pink, and just a touch of brass. For a uniquely South African twist, I love Fabric du Sud from Carol Mills, which is all about toiles with a homegrown theme. Loving this! What do you think?

Colours: Dusky pink and blue, navy, brass and white

Top row (l-r): Claire Pettibone dress {This Modern Romance/Claire Pettibone/Gatherings by Stacie}; cake {Sonya Khegay/Latte Decor/Azale}; toile envelope liner invitations {Pyramid Atlantic/Betsy Dunlap/Katie Stoops}; blueberry cocktail
Row 2: Berry bouquet {Martha Stewart Weddings}; bridesmaids {Kellee Walsh}; figs {Lauren Kriedemann/Event & Design}
Row 3: Table setting {Souder Photography/Vintage My Wedding /Southall Eden}; brass key escort cards {Tamiz Photography/Belle Destination Weddings and Events}; Claire Pettibone dress {This Modern Romance/Claire Pettibone/Gatherings by Stacie}.

Inspiration Board: Fig & Toile

 

Inspiration Board: Olive & Stripe

by gaby

Happy Monday friends! There’s been a lot going on here at SBB headquarters, which I may or may not get around to sharing with you all. But it’s a new week, and that always means a fresh start and fresh inspiration. Today’s is one that sort of just came together, but I think if I had married, this might be what my wedding could have looked like. I love everything Italian (especially since I have been doing some writing jobs that are making me long to spend some time there again!) but while a rustic Tuscan farmhouse look is fab, I also love the idea of updating it a bit with a bit of a chic modern, black and white, Kate Spade look – the perfect combination of Mediterranean and contemporary graphic. Do you love it as much as I do?

Colours: Black, white and green

Top row (l-r): Place setting {Viera Photographics/The Stylish Soiree}; bridesmaids in black dresses {Ladybug Photography}; heels {Lacie Hansen}; olive leaf bouquet {M&J Photography/Weddings In Italy}
Row 2: Dress with sash {SimplyBloom Photography}; olive grove {Jose Villa}; striped straws {Caplan Miller}; groom {Judy Pak/Dreamlite Photography}
Row 3: Couple {Lacie Hansen}; wine bottle table numbers; olive leaf heart {Camille Soulayrol}; outdoor table {Kaella Lynn Events/Nirav Photography}; bride and groom in Positano {Forever Photography}.

 

Inspiration Board: Blush & Bashful

by gaby

Hello friends! It’s a public holiday in the UK today, but will I be enjoying it? No, sadly, I’ll be in bed as I have been for the rest of the weekend, nursing what is (obviously) the worst cold ever (isn’t it always?). Not ideal, and I am feeling rather sorry for myself, so please send me some super psychic healing vibes! ;) The good news is that being sick is a great excuse to re-watch some of my favourite movies (I have a friend who does the BBC Pride & Prejudice whenever she’s laid up, which I am considering), and speaking of that, I caught an old fave that I haven’t seen for YEARS on TV a couple of weeks ago, Steel Magnolias. Love that film, mostly because I want to be Miss Weezer. I always chuckle at Shelby’s wedding colours, blush and bashful, especially when you see the uber ’90s candy floss pink fest that Julia Roberts’ character actually does get married in, but it got me wondering how I would re-imagine blush and bashful for a modern bride. What I like about the use of two shades of pink (especially with today’s leaning toward ombre and watercolour) is the fact that they can be used as a soft base (almost like an all white wedding, but blush) and not be too matchy matchy, if the colours are allowed to graduate. I especially like combining these very girly shades with very pretty natural flowers and textures, like dogwood and honeysuckle. There’s no denying it’s a very feminine look, but even a pink wedding doesn’t have to be all Katie Price. So blush and bashful it is. What do y’all think?

Colours: Shades of pink

Top row (l-r): Pink bridesmaids {Jose Villa}; ceremony arch {Eric Kelley}; bouquet {Anne Robert}; lemonade {Corbin Gurkin Photography}; watercolour painting {Bernadette Pascua}
Row 2: Ruffle purse; ombre cards {Beaux Arts Photographie}; headpieace; baby’s breath bouquets; stepladder {Stephanie Williams}
Row 3: Bride {Stephanie Williams}; cake {Jose Villa}; shoes {Ryan Ray}; groom {Meredith Perdue}; table setting {Megan Thiele}