Oh, I do like a trend! It’s no secret that stripes have been all over the catwalks recently, and they’ve been showing up in subtle wedding details and especially in stationery for a while. But recently I’ve noticed a lot of bold black and white stripes showing up on tables, including in yesterday’s gorgeous featured wedding, and I couldn’t help but wonder, are stripes the new damask? It’s true that they have the same magic of allowing pops of colour to really stand out against a black and white print. And they have the added bonus of a bit of Parisian ooh la la. Aaaand they perfectly walk that narrow line between bold and sophisticated. In fact, I can’t think of a single reason not to love them!
Category: Inspiration
London Love Couple Shoot
Oh you guys. I am SO in love with these photographs, and it’s the perfect way to end a week of wonderful couple shoots. It’s one of those where once you’ve seen the images, you can’t get them out of your head, starting with the first one, which I completely fell for when I saw it on Cheryl McEwan’s blog. Not only are Lylie and Will completely gorgeous and wrapped up in one another, but it makes the place I live now look so magical. Not always easy in a bustling city that has been photographed a thousand different ways! I think it really makes a difference that the locations are all places that mean something to the couple, so even though they’re iconic and very public spots they all feel incredibly personal. (Oh, and the dog… what can I say – Lylie and Will, if your ADORABLE pup goes missing, it was totally me who came and stole her!)
Engagement shoot from New Zealand
I don’t usually feature photographers from outside the UK, since I focus on weddings from in and around the Cape Town area. But when it comes to engagement shoots, there’s no reason why the same limit applies. And so I’m thrilled to be able to show off some talent from abroad – in this case from emerging Kiwi photographer Lavara O’ Hanlon. Lavara contacted me with her pics of this super cute couple against the Auckland skyline, and I just couldn’t resist. They are so adorable together, and there’s so much energy in these pics, I love them! Engagement shoots are a relatively new trend in NZ as they are in South Africa, and as much as I love super styled sessions, this one shows that the most important ingredient is the buzz between the couple themselves.Read More
Sheet Music Wedding Details
Hot on the heels of the book trend comes another piece of paper awesomeness that you can DIY. Sheet music makes the most gorgeous, subtle accent for just about any kind of wedding – it works perfectly with vintage, adds whimsy to formal and can be used cheekily for a modern celebration if you pick your song sheets wisely. And what better way to celebrate your shared love of music? In fact, who can live without it, I ask in all honesty? (And yes, I totally just quoted ABBA).
My favourites? The boutonniere and the pinwheels, which are small enough to be cupcake toppers and omigod the cutest things EVER. I want them. So here they are, along with some other delicious eye candy that’ll have you hitting the high notes. (Sorry.)
Which are your favourites?
Travel-inspired Wedding Details
**UPDATE: Looking for fresh travel themed wedding ideas? Read our latest roundup here.**
One of the mini-trends I’ve noticed popping up in quite a few weddings lately is the use of travel-inspired details. As a keen traveller myself, I love this, especially the way so many couples are using it to bring more of their histories and personalities to the wedding. It might be something as simple as naming tables after places they’ve been, but there are also lots of very cute and creative ideas coming through for making travel even more of a central motif, especially when combined with a vintage vibe. Here are some of my favourites. I’ve grouped them by the different wedding elements, but many of the ideas can be adapted to other parts of the wedding, so there’s plenty of opportunity to make this trend your own if wanderlust is something you and your partner have in common. And while you’re at it, why not have your guests contribute to your honeymoon as an alternative to the gift list? The Wedding Gift List Registry can do this for you in South Africa.
Save the Dates & Invitations
Inspiration Board: Lavender Love
Today’s board was inspired by Jules Morgan‘s gorgeous pic of the bride walking through lavender from Jacqui & Neil’s wedding last week. I adore lavender as an accent, and there’s so many ways you can incorporate it. Take your inspiration from Provence and incorporate French touches, add burlap for a rustic vibe, pair it with colours like butternut orange or sage green, or with other blues or purples – the possibilities are endless. Today I’ve kept it simple, putting lavender against crisp, clean whites and grey. If this was my wedding, I wouldn’t have any other purple touches – just the lavender tucked into napkins, forming the bouquet, making the lemonade oh so pretty. I’d have white tables, silver vases, stylish bridesmaid’s dresses in shades of grey. And can you just imagine the smell? Beautiful.
Colours: Lavender, white and grey
Top row (l-r): Bride in lavender field; lavender bouquet; place setting; cheese & wine; croquembouche
Row 2: Bridesmaids’ dresses; LOVE sign; engraved pocket watch; lavender lemonade; shoes
Row 3: Long table; bride & groom; wine barrel cooler; white chairs; lavender favours.
Oh Darling Bride! Engagement Shoot
One of the best things for me about blogging is fabulous people who make up the blog community internationally. I have a lot of love for many of these ladies and their blogs, but today I get to introduce you to one of them who’s also part of the (small but emergent) South African blogging world (and we all know local is lekker!). Oh Darling Bride! is a charming collaboration between two South African real life brides, who bring you finds and favourites from around the web as they make their own wedding journeys (so be sure to check it out!). One of them, Monique, is here today to share her engagement session, shot by the fabulous Warren Williams, and the super cute story of how she and fiance, Kaz, came to meet. I just love how sweet and genuine these two are in front of the camera, and it just shows that being yourselves and having fun make for the best photographs.
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As a wedding obsessed blogging bride-to-be, I was thrilled to win an engagement shoot with Cape Town based photographer Warren Williams, but as a camera-shy girl, I was equally nervous.
It was a freezing cold Saturday in early August and we had planned to take photos in Kirstenbosch but the clouds blanketed the mountain in a threatening shade of grey so we relocated to Rhodes Memorial. Warren made us feel so relaxed, helped us to forget the cold, our nerves and best of all, he made us laugh!
After our experience I would definitely recommend an e-session as a way to help couples learn to have fun in front of the camera, deal with any camera anxiety and find some poses that work.
Inspiration Board: Curacao, Peony & Russet
This weekend I’ve been having a play around with the colours included in the Pantone spring colour lineup – love all of them! There are endless combinations to consider for your wedding, all fresh and pretty and effortlessly current. This is one of my favourites (and so easy to use) – trendy aqua always makes an impact, especially against the palest of pinks, and russet provides a great neutral contrast. It works perfectly with pretty garden wedding details, cupcakes, chandeliers, ruffles and, of course, peonies. (Will I ever get tired of these? Don’t think so!) Just add guests and sunshine for the perfect, laid back, happy day.
Colours: Blue Curacao, Silver Peony, Russet
Top row (l-r): Bridesmaids; peony bouquet; chandeliers
Row 2: Cupcakes, Just Married banner; aqua mason jars; chandelier invitation; aqua shoes
Row 3: Flower girl moustaches; bride & groom; dancing shoes; outside reception.
Carnations
Yep, I said it. Carnations. For your wedding. And I know this is going to be controversial, and that right now you’re making a face and thinking you may not bother reading to the end of the post because this isn’t for you. I know this because every single time I mention carnations to friends in any context, they get that same look and say “I’m not such a big fan of carnations, personally…”. Who is? They’re the flowers we overlook at the market stall, that we wouldn’t be caught dead giving a friend for her birthday, and probably the only flowers that can get a guy negative points for giving us. I get it. But bear with me, because you’re wrong. Seriously. Carnations. Trust me.Read More
Movie-themed Engagement Shoots
Now I admit, I wasn’t an immediate convert to this particular trend. I’m a big fan of engagement shoots, but my favourite are those that show off a couple’s personalities, what they like to do together, etc. But there’s something kinda fun and silly and romantic about recreating the style and mood of a favourite film – and when else will you get the chance to do it? Ultimately, what won me over was the images I’ve seen coming out of these shoots – thanks to some amazing photographers, they are nothing short of spectacular. So grab your popcorn and check out my favourites.
The Twilight Saga
