Confession: I feel kind of weird writing a post about the elements that will help you put together a bohemian style. Because, after all, the whole point of bohemianism is that anything goes, right? For a truly boho bride, you’re going to really make it up as you go along and just include the things that you love, that are in season, and that are at hand. And that’s awesome. In my view, wedding design should always be about what you love rather than conforming to what you think is expected of you. But let’s be honest, boho has become a ‘look’, and if that’s a look you’re trying to achieve, it’s my job to help you do that. And there are certain ingredients that immediately scream boho – a flower crown, a fishtail braid, perhaps a ’70s style crochet lace dress, a ceremony out in the open, a festival style reception. I still love all of those things (especially the flower crowns), but for today’s roundup, I wanted to focus on the less obvious details that you could include in your wedding styling that would still help to create a boho vibe. There are some seriously cool little ideas here, so dive in, and see what takes your fancy!Read More
Category: Inspiration
20 Perfectly Pretty Printable Bridal Shower Invitations
For those of you planning a shower at the moment, one of the details that can really be a pain in the pachanga (unless you’re actually a designer) is the invitations. The last shower I organised, I spent DAYS making them from scratch, complete with fabric envelopes (nobody even commented on them, gah). Frankly, I would have been better off going with one of the gorgeous printable bridal shower invitations you can get these days – Etsy in particular is full of these lovelies. The best part is that printable invitations are either an immediate download, or are sent to you once customised, so they’re quick, reasonably priced and can be bought from anywhere in the world. All you do is take them to your local printshop or online print service, or even send the file via email (for extra eco points) and you’re sorted with your DIY shower invitations! There’s loads of choice too – in fact, so much choice, that it can be time consuming to sift through all the options. That’s where today’s post comes in, because we’ve picked out 20 of our absolute favourite Etsy printable bridal shower invitations for you to choose from. Yay!
*Links in bold denote affiliate links. The cost to you remains the same, but SBB may receive a commission for any sales made.
20 Beautiful Boho Wedding Dresses
Bacall by Gibson Bespoke (Image: KirstyLyn Jameson of KLJ Photography)
We’re kicking off our special boho month on SBB with a look at boho wedding gowns. And not just any gowns, these ones all come from the brilliance of online shopping that is Etsy, and some of its talented sellers and boutique designers. I know buying gowns online can be a risk, but I think the boho style particularly lends itself to it, since the cut is usually a little looser, the style a little more flowing than your average ballgown. Plus, while there are some fab boho labels available, there’s definitely less choice available on a local level for this style of bride. Buy why feel limited when there are so many amazing options online? I’ve rounded up just 20 of my favourites, but be sure to click through and see more from each of these Etsy stores.Read More
Inspiration Board: Blackberry Boho
Morning lovely ones! It’s the start of a new month, and this time, Candice and I thought we would try something different and take a page out of the magazine playbook by having a bit of a theme for our features, and the one we’ve chosen is Boho. That’s not to say that everything we feature in March will be boho (so don’t despair, glamour brides, there’s something for everyone!) but we will be featuring lots of fab bohemian, boho luxe and boho rustic content during the month. So I thought I’d kick things off with a boho board today! You probably know by now how much I love incorporating natural elements like fruit into wedding design, so I was totally inspired a while back when I saw this flower crown that also included berries – SO pretty! That’s where this board started, and it’s ended up somewhere really pretty I think, with tones of blush, raspberry and blackberry against soft white. This is boho at its most romantic – I just want to dive right in.
Colours: Blush pink, garnet, mahogany, green & white
Top row (l-r): Flower crown with berries {Sonya Khegay/Ajur Wedding/Latte decor/Olga Chursina}; cake with berries {Eyelet Images/The Ruffle Effect/Elise Cakes}; bridesmaids {Jen Huang/Magnolia Rouge/Fleuriste}
Row 2: Bouquet {Mint Photography/Lindsey Zamora/Without Wax Katy}; blackberry cocktails {Anastasiya Belik Photography/Peony Art Decoration Studio}; rustic handdrawn invitation {Christie Graham Photography/The Written Word Calligraphy}
Row 3: Tablescape {Onelove Photography/WINK! Weddings/Seed Floral}; ceremony arch {Linda Chaja/Magnolia Event Design/NLC Productions}; red cocktail {Summer Street Photography/Whim Events}
Fiona Mauchan Demi-Couture Collection
Dress crush alert! I’m super excited today to be featuring the work of up-and-coming South African designer, Fiona Mauchan, who has just launched her demi-couture collection. Up until now, Fiona’s only made one-of-a-kind dresses, and while she’ll continue her bespoke service, she’s also created this exciting ‘petite’ ready to wear collection, comprised of three breathtaking gowns: Angelica, Anise and Annabel. The collection made its debut just last weekend at the Canal Walk Bridal Show, so this is really hot off the press news. And even better, we have some beautiful lookbook images to share, courtesy of the talented Claire Thomson! Now that’s how you kick off a Friday. ;)Read More
This Searching Heart: Woodland Fairytale Inspiration by Gingerale Photography & Absolute Perfection
You guys, I have something so special in store for you today! You know, back in high school, one of my favourite things was my homework diary. Not because of the homework, obvs, but because I used to decorate mine so meticulously with images I cut out of magazines. Particularly fashion editorials. Here were these beautiful images, and it always made me so sad that they’d just sit in an old mag and be forgotten. I loved choosing them and using them. I think that’s where I might have fallen in love with photography. I can’t believe that today I get to play with gorgeous images for a living, and today’s shoot reminds me why that’s such a joy and a privilege, because this styled shoot from Gingerale Photography and Absolute Perfection is sheer beauty and creativity. And yes, there’s some absolutely gorgeous wedding inspiration there – the most amazing woodland-style cakes, and dresses, and canapes, and stationery, and styling – but this is the kind of editorial where you can just sink in and immerse yourself in the loveliness. (With the water shots, it reminds me a bit of the story of Ophelia, except in this case, Hamlet stops fannying about with philosophy and rescues his drowning girlfriend. Go Hamlet.) I went a bit overboard on the number of images, but what can you do? They were too wonderful to cut! Enjoy…Read More
Inspiration Board: Song of the Sea
There’s just something about the sea that’s mesmerising, isn’t there? It’s good for the soul. So what better place to join two lives, than with the saltwater air swirling around you, and the sound of the tides at your back? Today’s board was inspired by the truly romantic side of beach weddings, by shipwrecks and mermaids and sirens, by tempests and treasure. And with silvery blues making waves right now (pun intended), it’s also the perfect palette for a contemporary, memorable celebration.
Colours: Cerulean, seafoam, silver & grey
Top row (l-r): Seaglass escort cards (Keith Morrison); vintage tray with calligraphy (Kyle John Photography/Linn P. Wheeler/Jenna Blazevich); sparkly wedding dress
Row 2: Oyster ring box (Samantha Melanson Photography/BHLDN); blue table decor (Melanie Gabrielle/Ever After Floral Design); hydrangea shell bouquet (mdsfloraldesigns.com)
Row 3: De Havilland Wedding Gown by Gibson Bespoke (Image: Tamara Lichtenstein); watercolour invitation suite (Elisa Bricker/Mallory Joyce/Julie Song Ink); silver wedding dress (Elie Saab)
Row 1: De Havilland Wedding Gown by Gibson Bespoke (Image: Tamara Lichtenstein) | Row 2: Euro Ceramica Fez Wine/Water Goblet Glasses (left); Sea Glass Place Cards by Letters from Eden (right) | Row 3: Sea Glass Inspired Table Numbers by Forever Whitney Young (left); Vintage Clam Shell Jewellery Dish from Lacuna Shop (right) | Row 4: Mermaid of Honor Bachelorette Tattoo by Tats4now (left); Grey Pillar Candles (right) | Row 5: Custom Dyed Silk Table Runner by Pompom Blossom | Row 6: Rainbow Angel Aura Raw Crystal Hair Comb by The Fawn & the Sparrow (left); Custom Hand-Painted Wedding Invitation Suite: Ocean by Brush and Nib Studio (right)
15 DIY Table Number Ideas
Table numbers – most couples need ’em, but how to make them so they’re just as pretty as everything else on your table? Well, DIY brides and grooms, your answer is right here. I’ve rounded up fifteen of the prettiest, most original DIY table numbers here today – all you need to do is click through on the links to find the full tutorials, and get crafting! There’s something here for all kinds of weddings: rustic, woodland, elegant, classic, modern, botanical, vintage. Which is your favourite?
An English Country Garden Styled Shoot by josie photography
It’s time for some Friday prettiness folks, courtesy of the lovely Josie of josie photography. This sweet little styled shoot was inspired by the legend of Camelot, and it really does have an idyllic English country garden feeling – you can just imagine Arthur and Guinevere prancing about in these green and pleasant surroundings. But more than that, there’s some fresh inspiration for rustic brides in the real world too – gorgeous flowers in the perfect spring or summer palette, soft botanical touches, and of course a bride crowned with flowers. And hello, proteas. We just can’t get enough of them this week, it seems! :)Read More
Urban Bohemian Styled Couple Shoot by Page & Holmes
Who says you can’t find the peace and serenity of the countryside in the heart of the city? I’m over the moon about the way today’s super romantic couple shoot combines urban – even industrial-style – locations with soft bohemian style, and of course, a healthy dose of love and romance! Jonty and Melissa are an absolutely adorable couple – they’ve been married since 2012 but decided to dress up again for a couple shoot, and drafted in the talented team at Page & Holmes to capture it on film. There’s an element of styled shoot here too, with Melissa wearing a gorgeous gown from White Lilly Bridal, and a spectacular fynbos floral crown on her pretty head. Combined with Jonty’s sharp suit, it’s a great look for their pictures – and for a wedding!Read More