Category: Inspiration

Bora Bora Honeymoon Shoot

by gaby

Today’s couple shoot is a little different – it was shot in the tropical paradise of Bora Bora. Where-a where-a, you ask? Well, let’s just say it really is in the middle of nowhere – an island in the Pacific that forms part of French Polynesia. And man alive, but it is BEAUTIFUL. When photographer Helene Havard (who is lucky enough to wake up to this view every day) contacted me, I started dreaming of wading into those perfect blue seas (and to be honest with you, I haven’t stopped since). It’s the ultimate getaway for an elopement or honeymoon (if you can handle the days of travelling it takes to get there). The Ukranian couple in this shoot were lucky enough to be celebrating their honeymoon on the island at the Four Seasons, and asked Helene to take some shots of them (of course, it doesn’t hurt that they could be models – and how gorgeous is her dress?). I just love this idea, of having a quick professional shoot done at your honeymoon destination – it’s such a happy time, and they’re something you’ll treasure forever. Much better than those Facebook-style self-portrait pics, or asking a stranger to take a pic of you (where invariably they’ll cut your heads or bodies out). Anyway, something to think about, even if you’re not going to the ends of the earth for your honeymoon. In the meantime, make yourself a cup of tea, pretend it’s a pina colada, and prepare to be wowed.Read More

Wedding Trends Reloaded

by gaby

Here at SouthBound Bride, I love bringing you all the latest trends. As you know, I believe that each wedding should be an expression of a couple’s unique style and personality, but it doesn’t hurt to get a sense of the ideas that are floating around out there. Eventually, those ideas can get a little repetitive. And while in some ways that doesn’t matter (remember that most of your guests don’t sit on wedding blogs all day and won’t have seen it before), it can be fun to consider fresh twists and new options. So here are eight of my top alternatives for creating your favourite effects.
Here’s my disclaimer: I’ve loved and promoted all of the ‘old’ ideas here, and I’m nobody’s fashion police. So if you love something, you DO IT. This is just about being creative and exploring other avenues along the way!

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Mediterranean Styled Shoot at Morgenster

by gaby

So we went to France for inspiration this morning, and we’re keeping it Mediterranean this afternoon with a gorgeous styled shoot that reminds me a little bit of my beloved Italy. Long tables and long lunches in the sunshine, an abundance of food and wine, white linen, the laughter of children in the background… This was the idyllic inspiration for Theresa Lazarevic of Creation Events when she set about creating this styled shoot for new Somerset West venue Sofia’s @ Morgenster and wow, it is pretty. I kind of just want to jump into the pictures and live there. It’s not just how lovely the winelands venue is (and it is lovely), it’s the way Theresa has used materials local to the farm (which also grows olives) – how gorgeous are those olive leaf details? Not to mention how delicious that food looks! Sigh. Excuse me while I go to my happy place for a while.Read More

Inspiration Board: Cape Dutch

by gaby

Oh I do love Inspiration Board Monday. These babies are one of my favourite things about running the site, and I’ve been getting lots of requests from you for boards for your weddings – keep ’em coming! Today’s scheme is one which is HUGE news in the South African wedding scene, and an awesome next step for brides who have loved the Victorian country vintage look of the last two years but want something slightly fresher. With this look, you can still use your proteas, still use your vintage touches, but instead of sticking to soft pinks and neutrals, you combine it with navy blue. My prediction is that you’ll see a lot of this colour next season. It reminds me a little of the Dutch still life themed tables which I have seen a few times recently, especially when combined with Delft pottery in blue and white. As I mentioned in my Love List this weekend, the look is particularly apt for the South African market, what with having so many wedding venues that include Cape Dutch architecture. Enjoy!

Colours: Navy, white, pink and neutrals

Top row (l-r): Bridesmaids’ dresses {S: Amy Bridges Events; Verite Photography}; cupcake; bride {S: Kirkbrides; P: Arielle Doneson Photography}; books and watches {S: Kirkbrides; P: Arielle Doneson Photography}; protea decor {P: Love Made Visible}
Row 2: Delft table plan {S: Aleit; P: Glee Photography}; protea bouquet {P: Love Made Visible}; lace and navy invitation {D: The Paper Guppy; S: Revel & Bloom; P: Trulife Photography}; quails eggs {S: Canvas and Canopy; P: Braedon Photography}; navy tables {S: Engaging Affairs; P: Liga Photography}
Row 3: Curtain and chair {P: Exhibit Emotions}; protea; table decor with candelabra {P: Love Made Visible}; Delft plates; Cape Dutch homestead {Babylonstoren}.

Changing Your Surname {Book Extract from The Irreverent A-Z Wedding Guide: South Africa}

by gaby

SURNAME

Changing your surname is, of course, a decision specific to the individual in question. You may love him with all your heart but becoming Mrs Bottom just isn’t going to happen. Or perhaps you are so excited about becoming Mrs Bottom – because you’re currently Ms Poo – that you’ve already started working on your new signature. The good news is there’s no time limit when changing your name, so if you’re not comfortable doing it just yet you don’t have to.

THE FIVE SURNAME OPTIONS
1. No change. You decide to remain Sandy Poo. No admin.
2. You take your husband’s name. You become Sandy Bottom. You need to change your name with all organisations. They will require photo ID and your marriage certificate to do this.
3. Hyphenate. Now you’re Sandy Poo-Bottom. Again, you need to tell all organisations you belong to, providing your ID and marriage certificate.
4. Adding husband’s name with no hyphen. Sandy Poo Bottom. As above.
5. Create a new name. Your husband agrees that Bottom just isn’t cutting it, for the sake of your unborn children. You create a new name together: Boo, say. In order to do this, you both need to go to a lawyer and have your name changed. Once that is done you need to change your name at all the organisations that you both belong to. Cue IDs, Home Affairs paperwork and marriage certificate. Hey, you’ve just organised a wedding; you can handle admin.Read More

Fairy Tale Inspiration

by gaby

Hope you’re all having a lovely day so far! I am rushing around Cape Town like a crazy person in Crazy Town on Crazy Day, so no wedding today. Instead, it’s time for a bit of inspiration, and I hope you all believe in fairytales, because fairytales were exactly where the fabulous Jaco van Loggerenberg of Just Jack co-ordinators looked when he designed his award-winning stand at last year’s Spier Bridal Show (together with Elsje Designs and Floral Affairs). Not only are fairytales a big trend right now in general (just look at how many have been turned into films), but they’re also perfect underlying themes for a wedding, especially if you take the classy, understated approach that Jaco and his team have. There’s the earthy rustics of Rapunzel, the wintery beauty of Snow White, and the soft whimsical romance of Cinderella. Three very different heroines, and three very different looks. All with one thing in common… they lived happily ever after! Which is your favourite?Read More

A Day at the Nursery Engagement Shoot

by gaby

Two things about this couple shoot that have made me ampedissimo. First, it is SUPER sweet – a romantic couple (Ashley & Wilsey) taking a stroll through Petersham Nurseries. And secondly, it is captured by the awesome Anneli Marinovich, who I have been looking forward to featuring here on SBB for a while. Yay! Seriously though, I see a lot of engagement shoots, and the ones that stand out often are those that show a couple doing something they love to do, or in an unusual location. This ticks both of those boxes, and the background of plants and greenhouses is so lovely, don’t you think?Read More

Inspiration Board: Peach Blossom

by gaby

So, it’s Sunday as I write this, and I’m somewhere over the Karoo (probably) looking out from my aeroplane window and taking advantage of the Mango onboard Wifi. That’s a first for me – I have to say, internet has been my bugbear out here in SA (don’t even ask me how much I have spent on data), so it’s kind of cool to be experiencing an internet connection-related innovation before I leave SA. But apart from that, I’m feeling very sad today, as I have had to wave goodbye to my mom and dad (and our two delicious doggies) in Durban, on my way back to London via Cape Town. Never an easy thing to do, but worse when I’ve had such a long time out here rather than it just being the usual quick holiday. Still, what’s bound to be a big dose of homesickness that I’ve brought on myself was totally worth it. So Mom, if you’re reading this (and bless you, I know you do), thanks for a wonderful stay, and love you and my Dad and the little dudes lots xxx

OKAY, enough of the ugly-cry-inducing stuff. It’s time for prettiness! Today we’re working with a peach palette, and I have to say that I am absolutely LOVING this colour at the moment. It’s a slightly safer version of coral (which was one of last year’s breakout colours for me), but more unusual than pink and still works with most of the same colours. Bright oranges are everywhere (is peach even orange? pink? I don’t know) but not everyone can pull them off – this is the perfect way to make your wedding look contemporary and classic at the same time. One of my favourite combos is soft pastel peach with a flat foresty green – which I also think is perfect for this time of year without being too self consciously ‘autumn’. I also love the inclusion of lush blooms, handmade details and black wrought iron (inspired by the gorgeous shoot bottom left), as well as the pretty handfasting ribbons. What do you think? And don’t forget, I take requests for custom inspiration boards – find the link at the end of this post.

Colours: Peach, green, black, cream and gold

Top row (l-r): Peach centrepiece with medicine bottles {White Room Events/Pobke Photography}; peach bridesmaids dresses {White Room Events/Pobke Photography}; embroidery; hanging lanterns {Rebecca Reategui}
Row 2: Handfasting ribbons {Shannon Leahy Events/Larissa Cleveland}; blossoms; wrought iron ceremony chairs {Bliss Event Productions/John & Joseph Photography Inc.}
Row 3: Ballet wedding shoot {Ashley Baber Weddings/Aaron Watson Photography}; menu and place setting {Rebecca Reategui}; Vivienne Westwood shoes; peach centrepiece with suitcase {White Room Events/Pobke Photography}.

Alice in Wonderland Bridal Shower + Free Printables!

by gaby

Alice in Wonderland Bridal Shower

Image credit: Jaqui Franco Photography on SouthBound Bride

Lovelies, I am VERY excited about today’s post. It all started when a lovely reader and bride-to-be, Tanya, mailed me the invitation to her Alice in Wonderland bridal shower. It had Mad Hatter tea party theme (or ‘Alles in Wonderland’ in Afrikaans!) I asked to see some pics, and she sent over loads of them – these girls looked like they were having a wonderful time! I couldn’t believe how much effort her friends had gone to in creating the Alice in Wonderland-themed decor, but the best was yet to come. Tanya’s friend Andrea Kuhn mailed me offering to send me her files as free downloads for the blog, so she could share them with all of you. How sweet is that? We love Andrea. What I love about these printables is that they’re really whimsical – a perfect nod to the novel, but so usable for a fun bridal shower. Cupcake flags, tags, cards for the table, photo props – they’re all there for you to download and print yourself or via your favourite printing service. And to get you started with the rest of the planning, we’ve also put together a bridal shower essentials buying guide! Links in bold denote affiliate links. SBB may receive a commission for any sales made.

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At Home Couple Shoot

by gaby

How do you celebrate a new chapter in your life? A party? A special meal? Champagne? Jewellery? I’ve been thinking about this recently, because the fact is that I’m rubbish at doing it. There have been huge changes in my life over the past year, and the truth is that I haven’t really marked any of them, which I don’t think is a good thing, because marking changes in our lives is one of the foundations of our society. I mean, weddings – that’s what we’re all here for, right? Anyway, today’s couple have the right idea. This isn’t an engagement, but a special celebration of a new chapter their lives, and I love how personal it is. Eugene and Thia have been married for almost two years, and recently bought their first house (as opposed to flat/apartment) together. They decided to have photographer Michelle Joubert-Martin (who has just moved back herself from London to Cape Town) capture them chilling out in their new home, and it’s clear that after the ‘I do’s they’re still very much in love!Read More