Category: Inspiration

Inspiration Board: All Fore Love

by gaby

It’s Inspiration Board Monday! And today it’s a reader request. I just love it when you ladies give me a creative challenge, so when I heard from bride Tanja about her vintage golf-themed wedding I couldn’t WAIT to get started! The wedding is set for autumn, so Tanja’s chosen a palette of red, green and dusky pink (which I think is perfect for this theme and time of year). Tanja’s fiance is crazy for golf and they both love old things, so they merged these loves together to create their theme of old world golf, and they’re hosting it at a golf resort as well. Tanja also wanted to include elements like lace and proteas, which grow wild in the area. I started off by looking at lots of golf-themed weddings, and wow, some of them are a liiiittle cheesy. So as with all themes, subtlety is key. My first recommendation is that Tanja and her fiance hire a great designer, because stationery would really tie everything together here. Ask them to use argyle in your colours as a motif throughout, and combine it with vintage golfing imagery or clip art (similar to the birthday invitation below) to create a sort of ‘brand’ for all the paper goods- this is a great way of making an unusual theme work cohesively. You can reflect the argyll in the gents’ attire (how cute are groomsmen in sweater vests?) or just their socks if you’d prefer them to wear suits. You can even give them tee boutonnieres! For the bridesmaids, you can’t go wrong with green dresses, but you could use red or pink instead (or even have each of them in a different colour). For the bride, I love this vintagey lace dress with a birdcage veil (red lipstick is a must!) and statement protea bouquet. Tanja can subtley extend the golfing theme using trays of wheatgrass with little golfing flags for escort cards, and either number her tables like golf holes, or name them after famous courses. But my favourite detail is the use of vintage trophies (golfing or otherwise) as vases throughout the table decor. This is a classy nod to the sport, without resorting to jars full of golfballs or similar! Tanja – I hope you like the board and good luck with your planning journey. I can’t WAIT to see how it turns out!

Colours: Red, green and dusky pink

Top row (l-r): Vintage golf engagement photos {P: Tara Parker Photography}, lace wedding dress {Wanda Borges}, silver vase {Eva Lindh}, tee boutonniere {Ardent Story Photography}; sage green bridesmaids’ dresses {Bernard Bravenboer}
Row 2: Grass flag escort cards; vintage golfing image; red flowers in silver vase {P: Allison C. Photography}; trophy vases {S&P: Brancoprata}; vintage golf invitation {bnute on Etsy}
Row 3: Open long marquee {David Beahm}; groomsmen in argyle sweater vests; protea bouquet {F: Palm Springs Florist/Katie Osgood Photography}; birdcage veil and red lipstick {P: Eden Photography}

 

Moroccan Themed Wedding Details

by gaby

Source: Jose Villa/Cortnie of Canvas and Canopy for Rue Magazine

Welcome to Part 2 of our Moroccan-themed inspiration Friday! Didn’t you just love the dresses I showcased this morning? Not to mention the gorgeous backdrop… Of course, I’ve never actually been to Morocco (although I have done Tunisia and Egypt) but it is most definitely on the list. There’s just something so romantic and English Patienty about it all, isn’t there? Which is probably why it makes a great wedding theme, and I’ve been seeing full-scale Moroccan style weddings or just weddings with Moroccan touches popping up all over the place. But there’s one big word of warning here. Going overboard will make this theme look like a cheap Christmas party. Do not – I repeat, do NOT – go overboard. Don’t lean towards the obvious, but rather be inspired by the general North African design aesthetic, and then have fun with it.Read More

Stephanie Allin 2013 Night & Day Collection

by gaby

I do love a bit of designer dress inspiration, and I’ve been dying to share this with you ever since I saw the pics of Stephanie Allin‘s 2013 collection (Night and Day) which debuted at the White Gallery this year (boo, I was in Durban and missed it). Then I read that the collection was being shot in Fez, and had partly been inspired by the soft pinks and blues, amber, and metallics found in Morocco, with a bit of a seventies flare added in, and I knew I had to wait until the official pictures were released. So worth the wait. I absolutely love this soft and feminine collection, with layers of texture, and Morocco makes the perfect exotic backdrop to show it off. It has me yearning for a trip back to North Africa to swan around in souks and rock the riads. Maybe even frequent a couple of gin joints. But until then, here are some of my favourites from the collection – and come back later today when I’ll have lots more Moroccan inspiration!Read More

Kalk Bay Engagement Shoot

by gaby

Ah, Kalk Bay. How I do love you. Except for the parking. True story: last time I went to Kalk Bay was a couple of months ago to meet my cousins for lunch. Beautiful hot day, summer Sunday afternoon… some kind of military show in Simonstown… traffic chaos. Kippie here decides to park right in the harbour, and let me tell you, after eleven years in London my parking skills are a**. Somehow I managed it, but came back to find an SUV wedged in next to me. What followed was ten minutes of stalling the car, twenty-point turning and an eventual offer from a complete stranger to drive my car out of the spot for me, which I politely declined before stalling the car yet again and finally getting on my way with the parking guard shaking his head after me. So. Humiliating. Meh, whatever, I still love Kalk Bay. And today I’m especially missing it as I’m featuring this sunny e-shoot by SBB friend and sponsor Cheryl McEwan. You saw her wedding last week, and today she’s showing you her moxy behind the lens. The result is a sweet and intimate engagement session for couple Riana and Shaun that captures the colour of this special part of the world. I especially love Riana’s styling – that dress is PERFECT for Kalk Bay! It’s definitely worth taking some time to think about the location of your shoot and dress to complement it (or the other way around) – I promise that the results will be worth it! Thanks for sharing, Cheryl!

Oh, and psssst! Come back later for another gorgey porgey wedding. Huzzah!Read More

Inspiration Board: Gucci Green

by gaby

Good morning friends! I felt like doing something a bit different today – a stylish city wedding inspired by the latest catwalk trends. I adore the idea of a rooftop wedding (not enough couples trying this in SA to my mind – just think of the views from the Grand Daddy in Cape Town, for example, or the bar at the Hyde Park Hotel in Johannesburg, and check out two of my favourite Cape Town weddings with city views here and here). This time I’ve looked to Gucci’s Spring/Summer 2012 collection and created a bold palette of emerald green, gold and black (with a touch of geometrical art deco) that would really blow your guests away in the style stakes. It’s so striking. And OMG check out this bride wearing a green Gucci dress – one of the most elegant alternatives to the traditional white dress I have seen. Perfect for swanning around a terrace with your new husband, greeting your guests and drinking Emerald Isle cocktails, no?

Colours: Emerald green, black, gold

 

Top row (l-r): Rooftop table with gold sequin runner {S: Alchemy Fine Events & Invitations/P: Scott Lawrence}; Art Deco cake {D: Lael Cakes; P:Jen Huang Photography}; chevron manicure; green Gucci wedding dress {P: Q Weddings}
Row 2: Emerald Isle martini; gold chevron tray; emerald and diamond Art Deco ring; green and gold place setting {S: Sweet Emilia Jane; P: Captured by Aimee}
Row 3: Gucci spring/summer 2012; Gucci shoes; green flowers; gold bottles.

 

Hen Party Theme: Circus

by gaby

Image via Pinterest

Time for the weekend, lovelies! Hope you have a good one planned. Before I get on to today’s feature, I wanted to apologise for things being a little slower than usual here on the blog (and on my email, sorry anyone who’s been in touch!) – if you follow on Facebook you’ll know I managed to sprain a finger (nothing serious, but having your right index finger strapped to your middle one kind of gets in the way of typing very quickly!). Things will be 100% back to normal next week. Hey, these things happen, right? ANYWAY, so it’s been a while since I did a hen party theme roundup, and I’m very excited about this one! Circus weddings have been a big trend in the last couple of years, and I adore them, but not everyone wants to go so ‘themey’ for their actual wedding. The perfect solution? A Big Top Bridal Shower! SUCH a fun theme, and you can really make it classy (and shape it around whatever level of activity you’re planning).Read More

Inspiration Board: Village Fete

by gaby

Good morning friends! Today we’re all about pretty country shabby chic style, starting with this inspiration board (and come back later for something extra special!). This is actually a look I’ve seen quite a bit recently in the UK. It’s a really pretty alternative to the vintage look that was everywhere in SA this season, and is all about pastels and mixed floral fabrics (in this case inspired by Cath Kidston style). This board is a request from one of our lovely readers, Jenny, who is getting married in her local church and travelling on to the reception (in a tented marquee in a field) on a motorbike and sidecar – so cute! She’s made loads of bunting using Cath Kidston fabric, and will be serving sandwiches, pastries and cakes at their tea party. It reminds me of a village fete, and Jenny could even consider having some of the games and entertainment you find at a fete – tombola stalls, hay rides, etc. I really like the idea of having a cake table with lots of different cakes and labels for each of them, just as if they were a baking competition, instead of one cake. She could even use Cath Kidston cupcake cases to tie in with her bunting. Other Kidston touches that I love are the mini cake bunting, the escort card board, and the LOVE letters (you could also make these yourself into table numbers). Carry a beautiful rose bouquet (I’m in love with this one, which has a slightly wild, natural touch). Teacups should be a big part of the decor – collect random ones on eBay and place them at each table setting with a rose inside – this doubles as a favour. Another cute favour is the little button badges, which are just adorable. You could also pile teacups up under bell jars or hang them at different levels from the ceiling. Serve a range of teas, as well as lemonade (or better yet, this marital bliss special cocktail) and consider hiring in a specialist coffee machine – I’ve seen how popular these are! Hope you like your board Jenny – good luck with the rest of your planning!

Colour: Pink, blue, green, cream pastels

Top row (l-r): Marquee in field; bouquet {P: Odalys Mendez Photography S: Storybook Wedding Consulting}; teacup decor {P: Allan Zepeda}; motorbike with sidecar {Wild Weddings}
Row 2: LOVE letters; Cath Kidston cupcake cases; cake with bunting {source unknown}; button badge favours; cake table {Cynthia Brown Studio}
Row 3: Teacup with rose; marital bliss cocktail; Cath Kidston escort card board {My Vintage Tea Party}; flower girls {Loverbird Photography}

 

William Clarke Flowers Workshop

by gaby

Sometimes I get to do the coolest stuff. Like a couple of weeks ago, when I got a certain invitation in my inbox. Did I, it asked, want to go and hang with William Clarke Flowers and a bunch of fabulous wedding bloggers, learning to make a hand-tied bouquet while sipping champagne? Did I? Pff. Stupid question. So the following Saturday, off I went to the William Clarke studio in London. My dear friends Louise of b.loved and Amma of Beyond Beyond were there too, and I also got to meet the lovely Meryl of Homegrown Bride, Michele the Bridal Coach and of course Nicola of Propose PR, not to mention William Clarke himself, the delightful Brian, and associate Deborah Zwetsloot of Wedding Day Hire. (And you know that thing I said yesterday about South Africans secretly taking over the world? Well, William’s in on it. He’s a born and bred Saffa, who started out in hotels and moved into flowers, and now posh people pay him to make their dining room tables always look like they’ve been styled by Homes and Gardens.) So there we were, drinking Pimms and champagne before noon (well, it was five o’clock somewhere) and snacking on breakfasty canapes and generally just feeling impossibly glamorous. Brian and Deborah took us to see their secret stash of awesome in the showroom next door, where brides and grooms can have a full consultation to weigh up their decor options.Read More

Beach Love Engagement Shoot

by gaby

I’ve joked in the past about how South Africans are secretly taking over the world (sshh, it’s a stealth mission) but sometimes I really think we are taking over the wedding industry. Everywhere I look on the international scene I come across talented people with a connection to SA, and I have to admit, I love it. It makes me feel homegrown and cosmopolitan at the same time. Like I want to run down the streets of Manhattan pushing a crate of Castle (and if you don’t get that reference, don’t tell me, because you’ll make me feel old). Anyway, Claire Morgan is one of those people. Most of the year, she lives in Austria, where she shoots extraordinarily beautiful weddings, well, beautifully. For about six weeks she graces Cape Town’s photography scene, and this year, she used part of that time to shoot this absolutely beautiful beach engagement shoot of her cousin Elizabeth and her fiance Neil.Read More

Styling the Aisle

by gaby

First of all, can I just say one thing (in my other life, I’m a book editor; I need to get this out of my system, because I see it on wedding blogs – even the big ones – every day). It’s not an isle. That’s an island, aka a piece of land surrounded by water, aka no man is one, aka tropical the island breeze all of nature wild and free. It’s an aisle, folks. And that is what you’ll be walking down or up or whatever in the not too distant future. Just had to put that out there. Now here’s the thing about the aisle. It’s not a huge part of your wedding decor, it doesn’t mean that much to your guests, and whatever you do to it, I’d bet on your guy not even really noticing as long as you show up at the end of it. So if the budget is tight, you can pretty much leave it as it is, or go with the traditional flowers on every other pew. Nothing wrong with that. But the aisle is also a view that is unique to you (okay, and your dad and your bridesmaids), and it’s the place you are going to see your husband-to-be’s face as he watches you walk towards him. So it’s already going to be romantic. But if you’re creative, it could be the most romantic view you ever have. Think Twilight. Or think: this.

Source: Axioo Photography via Bridal GuideRead More