Goodness, but time is rushing by! It seems like just yesterday that the Pantone Spring 2013 colour report came out, and I’ve had so much fun working with the colours this year, including colour of the year, Emerald. But with the days finally starting to get longer on this side of the world comes the Fall report, and as before, the colours are bolder and brighter and perfect for a statement look. This time around they all really remind me of Morocco, and what I’m really looking forward to doing is pairing them with soft neutrals as well as each other, as they are here. So how might you go about using them? As usual, I’ve put together a selection of mini-boards to give you some ideas! Which is your fave?
Time for some more loveliness! We do love a good couple shoot here on SBB, but this one is extra special because not only is it a tribute to the lovely Olga-Mare and Niel, but a showcase for the absolutely beautiful dress that Olga-Mare created. She was inspired by the 1920s, and Daisy Buchanan herself would no doubt have loved to float around in this gorgeous (award-winning!) creation. Olga-Mare’s dear friend Lizemari Moller of Lily Photography spent an afternoon with them at De Waal Park in Cape Town, making the most of some heavenly light.Read More
Good morning, SouthBound Brides, and a special welcome to all the new readers with Valentine’s Day proposals! You know, as you all start planning, some of you will find that you have a clear vision – a palette you’ve always loved, a style that’s distinctly your own, a venue that dictates where you go with your decor. But for others, it’s harder. You like some of this, some of that. I get the feeling that the bride who requested today’s pretty board falls into this category (and if you do too, worry not – it’s completely normal!) In her mail, Shylet asked for a board for her summer Zimbabwean wedding. She wanted it to be chic and contemporary, but she also wanted it to be vintage. She wanted extravagant centrepieces and a cake, but she also wanted DIY. It could be a bit of a mishmash, but I think I know what Shylet is after. See, what many brides now think of as vintage – lacey, girly, prettiness – doesn’t have to be old fashioned at all. And items can be DIY without looking crafty. It all starts with a great palette, and Shylet definitely has that covered – with purple, yellow and grey as her colours (I opted for a pretty violet that goes so nicely with a fresh lemon zest yellow!). In putting the board together, I immediately thought of this SBB wedding – notice how the tables have dramatic tall arrangements (made of baby’s breath, which saves a ton) as well as lower arrangements for colour. It’s a very effective look. The bride also chose an amazing cake, which was a replica of the stunning Peggy Porschen creation below. Team this with soft bouquets and frosted lemons on platters for a really elegant look. I’d limit DIYs to things like this pretty wall of table plan frames, or maybe to interesting favours (Martha Stewart’s Good Things are the perfect place to look for this sort of idea) – that way you can feel that you’ve made your personal mark without changing the overall sophistication of the look. Hope you like your board Shylet!
Happy Friday, friends! I’m writing to you from my sick bed, all struck down in the pribe of libe (as they’d say in Friends), so you’ll forgive me if today’s post is a little late! But I wanted to share with all of you (especially those with your newly minted Valentine proposals) how Pinterest can be a great little tool to use in your wedding planning, and give you a little tour of the SBB Pinterest page. Let’s go!
The truth is, you’ve probably already heard of Pinterest. You may have been using it already, to pin food or interiors – hell, you may even have been pinning wedding stuff long before the proposal. In just a couple of years, Pinterest has become part of our daily web lives, and the good news is that it really comes into its own when it comes to weddings. So you’ll definitely want to use it to its full capacity.Read More
Hello friends! To continue our Valentine’s Day content, I have such a cute little boudoir session to share with you. While you’ll be seeing lots of red and white and heart-themed couple shoots and weddings all over the blogosphere today, I thought that it might be fun to share something that might inspire you to give as a Valentine’s gift – either to your fiance or, better yet, to yourself. Most of us ladies feel so self-conscious in pics (I know I do!) and feel we’re never thin enough or toned enough or tanned enough or whatever enough to indulge in a photo session that’s all about us. And what’s more, that celebrates our sensuality. That’s where I think booking one of these sessions is a real gift to yourself, and all the ladies I know who have done it have told me how it gave them such a confidence boost to go for it. A good boudoir should be about celebrating YOU, with all your ‘flaws’ (after all, it’s our imperfections that make us beautiful). And while some choose to go revealing in a boudoir, I really love sessions that only hint at what’s underneath and keep things classy rather than FHM. That’s why I loved this session from Expressions Photography, which plays on a range of vintage looks from the ’40s and ’70s to make model-for-the-day Danni look (and no doubt feel) absolutely gorgeous! I have to mention Lisa Hair and Make-up, who did such an awesome job on hair and makeup – I especially love Danni’s pinup girl look! Head over to Expressions’ blog if you’d like to see more of the shoot (or book your own).Read More
Hello friends! And a happy Valentine’s Day to you all – hope you have a wonderful, romantic day, whatever you choose to do. And don’t forget to take a moment to remember all the other people you love, since nobody says V Day has to be only about romantic love. (For me, I’m sending out a big hug to my mom and especially dad, who has sent me a card every Valentine’s Day of my life – love you guys! xx) Anyway, we have quite a bit of V Day goodness coming to you today, and I thought I would kick it off with this little inspiration board (last time I did this, a lovely bride actually based her wedding on it!). It had to be red and white, but instead of the classic red, I thought I would go for a colour combo that’s part of the current Pantone stable – poppy red together with linen. The bright red and off-white neutral work so beautifully together, and when you add a little glow from gold, it really comes together. So here it is, folks, my little valentine to you all…
Some trends are more obvious – they tie in to more general trends in fashion, interiors, etc. Others just seem to happen, and this is one of them. For the last while, I’ve been noticing more and more (particularly South African) brides and grooms taking their wedding decor and personalisation one step further by creating statement dancefloors, and you guys, I love it! I mean, it’s indulgent – there really is no NEED for this at your wedding – but it’s just so cool! And depending on how bold you go, it can make a real statement that defines the decor of the whole reception space. Like the couple above, who painted the Kleinevalleij floor with mint stripes to go along with their gorgeous graphic decor. Together with the giant wall sign, it makes an amazing statement. Read More
This afternoon I’m sharing some styled shoot inspiration, courtesy of Joanne Markland and The Mosaic Wedding Company, with a team of talented colleagues from the Nuptian Network of Associated Wedding Specialists. I love seeing industry peeps pulling together, and it’s been a real pleasure to see more styled shoots coming out of South Africa this last season – they’re such a great way to generate ideas and beautiful, inspiring, editorial imagery! This look is particularly do-able, and is the perfect look for a bride who’s having a laid back beach wedding but still wants a classic, romantic look. Simple, lush single blooms combine with natural textures like shells and white stones, with a touch of aqua blue glass from vintage bottles. There’s also a touch of fun with stripey blue straws, cute little cupcakes and the general palette of pink and aqua (which you can amp up or down depending on where on the fun/classic scale you prefer to lie). Add a swishy dress, and you’re set!Read More
Happy Monday, friends – hope you had a lovely weekend! Are you all ready for Valentine’s Day? Last week we combined pretty peach with modern mint for an inspiration board that was probably my most shared in a while, and today we’re working with peach again, this time paired with a beautiful duck egg blue. As soon as reader Alana wrote to tell me about her colours I absolutely fell in love with them, and I’ve been really looking forward to this board. Alana is getting married in early spring/late winter at Kruger, so while this is a perfect warm weather palette I’ve included some more sophisticated touches for an indoor venue. Alana wanted a touch of vintage, so I included letterpress silhouettes and pretty bow-decked shoes. Peach bouquets (and a peach wedding dress!) look beautiful with the soft blue bridesmaid dresses, together with peach cocktails and an adorable blue cake. Greet guests with rolls wrapped up in blue napkins and fresh preserves, and serve cool peachy cocktails. Alana also asked for a few quirky touches – I loved the idea of bells for your guests (to be rung after the ceremony) and my all-time favourite quirky yet elegant touch is umbrellas suspended above the dance floor. It makes quite an impression, but is actually relatively easy to pull off. Hope you like your board Alana!
Happy Friday, friends! Later today we’ll be getting to know one of my favourite wedding peeps, but first, I’m super excited to share a lovely bridal shower sent in by photographer (and bridesmaid supreme) Alana Meyer. And here’s a really fun fact – part of the inspiration came from one of our very own boards! I just love that (and seeing how it evolved), and it shows that you don’t have to be planning a wedding to get ideas from SBB. I also love the way that Alana and co. really used the space they had – turning an outdoor area into the ultimate girly tea party location. It shows that throwing a party at home can be every bit as pretty as booking a fancy restaurant (and is a lot less hassle for set-up, as I know from personal experience!). But what I love most are the framed statements from the groom of what he loves most about his bride-to-be, which is pretty much my favourite shower idea in ages, and so easy to do! But enough from me – over to Alana to tell you all about it, from inspiration to reality. Links in bold denote affiliate links. SBB may receive a commission for any sales made.
