Category: Inspiration

Inspiration Board: Together in Perfect Harmony

by gaby

Happy Monday, folks! Hope you had a lovely weekend! Today’s inspiration board is a reader request from Robin, who is planning a black, white and silver garden/farm wedding for April next year. Robin had already chosen her colour scheme and bought many of her decorations, but couldn’t find a suitable venue in her area, so in the end decided to host the reception at her in-law’s farm, where there is a beautiful garden. I’m not sure what sort of decor Robin has already purchased, so in creating the board, I focused on how you might translate an elegant, slightly formal wedding to an outdoor setting. In fact, the two work perfectly together! Robin already told me she wanted long tables (love this idea, especially with strings of lights in the trees – what could be more romantic) and was considering a collection of glass containers with white flowers in them, which I also think is a great idea. The key then is to balance out the rustic (as a nod to the farm) with the formal. One great idea is to hire at least one beautiful chandelier, and hang it from a tree as a focal piece of decor, which really sets the tone. Stationery can be quite traditional, and calligraphy makes a really lovely detail, especially at each place setting as with the menu cards below. I was going to suggest either white dresses or black ones for the bridesmaids until I saw the pic below – what a great idea to let them wear a combination! The bride can also wear a black or silver sash, depending on the style of her dress. Silver touches come from mercury glass (which you can easily DIY) and just LOOK at this silver cake – isn’t it gorgeous! On the rustic side, consider hessian/burlap table cloths or runners, twine-wrapped bouquets, and wooden or chalkboard details. Make use of pretty features of the garden, like a gate that doubles as a place to hang escort cards. Just because the venue has changed, doesn’t mean that your style has to – in fact, in this case, I think the indoor and outdoor elements work perfectly together. Good luck, Robin – hope the rest of your planning goes brilliantly!

Colours: Black, white, silver

 

Top row (l-r): Bride & groom {P: Jemma Keech Photography}; chandelier in tree {P: Leo Patrone Photography}; silver and white cake {Yummy Cupcakes & Cakes}; place setting
Row 2: Flowers in varied glass containers; mercury glass votives; invitation suite on burlap {D: JK Design; P:Karen McNeil Photography}; black and white bridesmaids’ dresses {P: Alyse French Photography}; twine-wrapped bouquet {F: Gild the Lily Too; P:Alison Mayfield for Christian Oth}
Row 3: Long tables {C: Meredith Commender; P: Stephen Karlisch}; framed chalkboard sign {P: Alyse French Photography}; gate escort card detail {P: Lisa Lefkowitz}; chair back calligraphy signs {C: Amy Kaneko Events P: Jose Villa}.

 

Urban Chic Engagement Shoot

by gaby

Maybe it’s because I’ve lived all over the country (when people ask where I’m from in SA, I usually just say “pick a city”), but one of my favourite things about South Africa is the sheer variety. Just yesterday I was telling a cabbie about the sub-tropical Durban climate and how it’s all bananas and beach bums, and it still blows my mind that right next door there’s mountains and the little England of the midlands, not to mention the dust of the Karoo, or the Cape winelands, or, or, or… I could go on. It makes for a lot of variety on this blog, and as much as our natural assets blow me away, I’m always thrilled when a couple show off the city side of things as well. Jozi is soooo urban chic, and never more so than in this phenomenal shoot in Newtown/Melrose Arch by the very talented Wesley Vorster. Gayle and Lyle make fantastic models – congratulations to both of them on their engagement!Read More

Hair Inspiration: The Post-Wedding Haircut

by gaby

Usually we’re all about the wedding look, but today I thought I would share some inspiration for after the big day. The post-wedding chop is one tradition almost always observed by South African brides (in my experience, anyway!). All those months of growing your hair to get it up into a braid or chignon seems to culminate in a post-honeymoon trip to the hairdressers for a chic shorter hairstyle with which to begin married life. So here’s a bit of hair inspiration for that day after the big day, from our friends the slebs. How short will you go?

SUPER SHORT
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Thrift Shop Engagement Session

by gaby

This afternoon I have a lovely, unique engagement shoot for you and a new photographer to introduce you to. Laura Jane Photography is based in Gauteng, and is one of the photographers I’m super stoked to be able to work with now that SBB has gone national. She went with today’s couple, Fransa & Grové, to Bellbottoms in Pretoria, a super cute and kitschy thrift shop in Pretoria. I love the intimacy of these pictures, even in a public space, and the way this couple clearly just love spending time together! You can see even more of the shoot over on Laura Jane’s blog.Read More

Inspiration Board: Sand & Stripes

by gaby

Happy Monday, folks! I’ve been jonesing to do this inspiration board ever since I was myself inspired by this shoot in the latest Sweet Paul magazine (which you should totally check out if you haven’t already). You probably already know I’m a fan of nautical style, but I loved combining that with soft dirty orange and sand, for a wedding that would be equal parts beach rustic and South of France stylishness. Striped dresses for your bridesmaids (and peep toes for you), navy suits for the boys, and wooden tables right on the beach with flowers in soft corals and peaches. I can just imagine a bride in a chic short dress, and isn’t the rope hair accessory darling? (This post contains affiliate links)

Colours: Navy, orange, beige and white

Top row (l-r): Rustic outdoor table {S: Paul Lowe; P: Susanna Blavarg}; sailing boat {S: Green Wedding Shoes; P: Caroline Tran}; starfish; coral peonies {S: Summer Watkins}
Row 2: Navy striped sandals {S: Summer Watkins; P: Jen Huang}; invitation suite; sailor’s knot hairpiece {March & Lilly}
Row 3: Bride & groom; nautical wedding cake {Sweet & Saucy Shop}; navy striped bridesmaid dress

Inspiration Board: Sand & Stripes | SouthBound Bride

Watercolour Wedding Details

by gaby

Good morning wedding belles! We’ll have another fabulous South African wedding on the blog this afternoon, but in the meantime, I wanted to share some fresh inspiration. First there was the pastel trend, then ombre, so it shouldn’t really be a surprise that watercolour-style design has been one of the biggest trends to emerge in 2012. It’s everywhere, from gasp-inducingly beautiful invitations and other paper elements, to cakes, decor and even to bridesmaids dresses. It’s soft and romantic, and heart-stoppingly pretty. I know you’re going to love it.

Here’s a roundup of all my favourite watercolour details – look out in the credits for the DIYs and printables (in bold), as this is a look you can pull off on any budget!

WATERCOLOUR STATIONERY
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Fields of Gold Engagement Shoot

by gaby

I looooove this shoot. It’s so chilled out and dreamy; I feel like Sting should be playing in the background when I look at it. Simple ingredients: a couple in love + a field + awesome photographers Modern Hearts. Can’t go wrong!

Peter-Allan and Nicolene met at a mini-market – Nicolene says she fell in love with his voice before anything else! He surprised her with a proposal on a weekend away in Redelinghuys, right in the middle of town during an evening stroll. And of course, she said yes!Read More

Supplier Spotlight: Bella Chiara Kitchen Teas

by gaby

 

The first time I went to a kitchen tea I was about three, dragged along with my mom. The ladies played games and put the bride-to-be in a funny hat, and she got presents like fish platters shaped like fish, and mielie holders shaped like corn, and tomato sauce bottles shaped like tomatoes (what was WITH that in the ’80s?). I thought they were all mad. Fortunately, kitchen teas (bridal showers, whatever you want to call them!) have come a long way since then, but they’re still an opportunity for a bride-to-be to spend some quality time with the women in her life ahead of her big day, and I know you ladies are always looking for great ideas. So I knew I had to share it with you when I stumbled across Bella Chiara, a Cape Town-based accessories label who also host creative kitchen teas where a bride and her entourage can make lovely clay decorative items together. It’s a perfect hen activity as you get to know one another in a chilled out situation, and take something pretty home with you at the end of the day. Here’s a bit more from Claire of Bella Chiara…Read More

Inspiration Board: Polka Promise

by gaby

I’ve had lots of requests from real brides recently for pastel pink and green boards – clearly this is one colour combination that isn’t going anywhere! These two colours always give me such a good feeling – they’re so balanced, but at the same time so pretty and fresh. They’re ideal for a (spring or) summer wedding, which is just what real bride Jeani will be having. She wrote to tell me of the elements they’re considering: proteas and herbs, lace, DIY details. They also want to include polka dots as a motif, which I think is super cute! The key to using something like polka dots is not to go overboard, but to use them carefully and then echo them in shape or texture. So I’ve suggested some gorgeous DIY dot garlands (Jeani can use these hanging in the ceremony area, as a backdrop to the cake table or main table, draped from the ceiling – lots of options!). I’ve also suggested a polka dot cake (how sweet and subtle is this one?), pink paper polka straws, and even a dotty dress (look closely at the image bottom left). Then the circles are reflected in elements of the protea and rose bouquet, and the fun balloon accents in the ceremony area. Other fun DIYs that Jeani and her man can try are origami heart place settings, lace-wrapped votives and jars, a pretty lacy ring dish and ribbon-tied chair backs (use this on just the bride and groom’s chairs if you don’t want to spend a fortune on ribbon). Add a pretty sash to a wedding dress, and carry that fresh green into herbs under bell jars and inside found objects like this old fashioned filing drawer. There’s lots here to play with, and it all adds up to handmade summer sweetness! Hope you like it, Jeani!

Colour: Pastel pink, green, cream and beige

Top row (l-r): Dress with sash {Lisa Poggi}; origami heart DIY; lace-wrapped mason jar vases; paper dot garlands; herbs under glass {S: Paul Lowe & Paul Vitale; P: Alexandra Grablewski}
Row 2: Protea bouquet; balloon ceremony area {P: Simply Bloom Photography}; herbs in drawers {S: Paul Lowe & Paul Vitale; P: Alexandra Grablewski}; lace-wrapped votives
Row 3: Bride & groom; polka dot cake; DIY lace ring dish; paper polka dot straws; ribbon chair backs {P: Rebecca Wedding Photography}.

The Cape Luxury Experience

by gaby

Happy Friday, SouthBound brides! Almost the weekend! One thing I haven’t had much of a chance to do since I relaunched the site is to tell you about what I got up to when I was in South Africa, and today I want to share a particularly awesome day I had last week in Cape Town. (Can it really be JUST last week?) But it didn’t start off awesome. Nooo. I’d got up and glammed up, only to be comprehensively rained on while I packed the boot of my rental car. And I don’t rain on pretty, let me tell you. Frizz deluxe, mascara everywhere, damp, limp cardigan. I looked awesome. I had errands to run, and ended up being super late to meet the wonderful Vicki of I Want That Wedding for coffee (having been rained on AGAIN walking all the way up Kloof Street because OMG-where-is-the-parking-in-Cape-Town?). She took one look at me and burst out laughing, which was the only appropriate response really. So by the time I made it back down the hill to see my friends at Wedding Concepts (who you’ll know from the beautiful weddings they have co-ordinated that I have featured here), I was feeling more cheerful but still pretty frazzled.

But of course, the WC crew are used to frazzled nerves, since they deal with stressed out brides on a daily basis. They took me in and fed me cupcakes and cappuccino, and told me all about their rebrand into the Concepts Collection. Pretty snazzy, I can tell you (just look at the new wedding blog!). This now encompasses weddings, travel and events, and they told me all about how these work together harmoniously for someone planning their South African wedding. Think: plan your wedding, get your guests over at the best travel rates (all part of the service) and then spoil them with some pre- or post-wedding events. How much fun is that? I particularly liked the way they think of all of these as ‘experiences’. Especially for brides and grooms (or their families) who are travelling to SA, there are so many amazing experiences to be had in our gorgeous homeland. And then came the best part: I was lucky enough to be treated to my very own ‘experience’. Yep, I am SPOILT. Be jealous.

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