Styled Shoots - SouthBound Bride

Desert Boho Bridal Inspiration

19 January, 2018 by gaby

We’re sailing into the weekend with this absolutely gorgeous bridal inspiration from US photography Julia Stockton. Set on the fringes of the desert in Las Vegas at golden hour, with gorgeous sunset-hued florals and a beautiful boho bride, it’s picture perfection – I want to pin every image! What I loved most about this shoot, apart from the gorgeous imagery and delicious light, was that Julia pulled the bride’s look together on a budget, using high street brands. It just goes to show that budget definitely can also mean beautiful, with a little imagination and an impeccable sense of style!

Waterfall Elopement Inspiration

18 January, 2018 by gaby

If you go down to the woods today… well, today you’ll find a couple, deeply in love, heading into nature for the most intimate of elopements – just the two of them sharing their vows beneath a waterfall, watching the sunset, and toasting their lives together at a table made for two. It’s such a sweet vision of a wedding day, and reminds me that all that really matters in a wedding is that the two of you are there, promising yourselves to one another. Whether you’re having a tiny wedding yourself, or just want to be inspired by the natural boho vibe of this gorgeous shoot, you’ll love these images by Megan Ann Photography!

Luxury Safari Wedding Inspiration by Oh Happy Day & Bright Girl

17 January, 2018 by gaby

Anyone who knows me will tell you I’m obsessed with bushveld weddings, and nothing has made my heart happier over the last couple of years is to see a new, luxury, fine art approach to safari weddings starting to emerge and become part of the portfolio of gorgeous South African wedding experiences. I mean, when you have a background like our wild landscape, the last thing you want to do is compete with it, but you do want to provide an experience for your guests that’s almost sensual, in that it’s about engaging every single sense. Rich, warm textures like leather and wood mixed with soft ones like silk, tulle and lace – a feast for sight and touch. Delicious cuisine served on and in five star linens, crockery and crystal. Palettes of muted pastels and soft neutrals that let those textures and natural beauty shine through. And when it comes to pulling off this look, I can’t think of a better team in KZN than the one I’m showcasing here today. These folks are some of my fave wedding pros of all time, including Joe of Oh Happy Day and Eileen of Bright Girl – they’re consistently creating some of the most beautiful wedding inspiration around and also happen to be the loveliest people to hang with on your big day. You can see why, when I knew this shoot was going down at Cheetah Ridge, I was glued to Instagram for updates, and when I saw the images they were even better than I imagined. So naturally, I picked a zillion of them to share with you. You’re welcome.

Fall in Love with Me

17 November, 2017 by gaby

I’m really not much of a cold weather gal, but every year when my Northern Hemisphere blogger friends start posting cosy autumn weddings and styled shoots, there’s a part of me that gets all nostalgic for crisp days, hot cider, cuddly blankets, and crackling fires. And even more than that, I LOVE a good autumn wedding palette! All those rich jewel tones, lavish textures… yum. That’s why I’m excited to share this lovely styled shoot submitted by co-ordinator & makeup artist Nicole Amory and captured by photographer Marsel Roothman, and styled by Melabee Events. Gorgeous dresses, fabulous florals, a plush table – and a palette of navy, burgundy and plum. If you’re a lover of rich colours and vintagey details, this will definitely make you ‘fall’ in love!

Lavish Modern Mixed Metallics Wedding Inspiration

13 November, 2017 by gaby

Well, I promised you guys modern minimalism this month and this shoot… is not it. Ha. But trust me, when you take a peek at the utter glam gorgeousness of this inspirational editorial? You won’t mind one bit. And minimalist it may not be, but it is modern, and its clean lines and cool palette will challenge even those of you with the most simple of tastes not to fall in love. But the thing I love most about this shoot by Claire Nicola, Lavishly Done and their team, is how it has that SouthBound African twist – strelizias painted gold (LOVE LOVE LOVE), ferns, pods and foliage in bronze, and driftwood adding a natural elegance to the gold, silver and bronze table decor. With the Conservatory as a venue, there’s also a touch of industrial glam, and the whole look put together is a glorious mishmash of styles that absolutely, totally works in a fresh and fabulous way. Add in a model in some gorgeous Janita Toerien gowns, some laser cut geometrics, and lots of lovely candlelight, and you have one of my fave featured shoots to date! Can someone do a wedding like this, pretty please? I’ll be first in line to feature ;)

Afro-Asian Fusion Wedding Inspiration

7 November, 2017 by gaby

Just when I thought I’d seen it all, this incredible styled shoot landed in my inbox! And when I saw who it was from, I knew it would be special – Ninirichi Style Studio never fail to deliver meticulously conceptualised, cutting edge design with African flair, and boy did they blow me out of the water with this one! It’s the ultimate cross-cultural concept – a wild fusion of African and Asian design influences from right across both continents, brought together into three compelling and exciting looks! This month on SBB, we’ll be focusing on modern minimalism, and this shoot really embodies that for me – not just in the less-is-more sense, but rather in the way that each element is carefully chosen for inclusion based on its contribution to the overall design, and the clean lines combined with modern textures that you’ll spot throughout. I’m especially in love with the suspended decor elements – again, this is something I’ve seen a lot of over the past while, but these three tableaux give hanging decor a fresh new spin. So let’s be thoroughly inspired, thanks to these beautiful images by Ginger Ale Photography! (And yes, I included a lot of pics, but with all this amazingness going on, I had no choice!)

The Phoenix

31 October, 2017 by gaby

It’s Halloween folks! And we have some Boo!-tiful inspiration for you. Instead of focusing on all that is dark and spooky, this fab editorial from Stephanie Norman Photography and her team looks for bright in the darkness and delivers a pop of incredible colour against soot and shadow, which is not only inspiring but fits in perfectly with the colour obsessed month we’re having. From the black lace dress to the lush bouquet, this is definitely a look for a bold bride – but it’s utterly spooktacular! (Ok, I’ll stop now!)

Midnight Mixed Metallics Wedding Inspiration

30 October, 2017 by gaby

It’s that time of year when blog features turn a little darker and get a kooky, spooky edge just in time for Halloween. And while, to be honest, Halloween isn’t a big favourite of mine (scary movies, ugh), I am a big fan of gorgeously dark and moody features like this one. Not to mention mixed metallics, which always have my heart. So I’m super excited to be sharing this fabulous inspiration from MLK Photography and their team. It’s a little bit forest wedding, a little bit celestial chic (love that half moon necklace, so This Is Us!), a little bit ethereal, and a whole lot romantic! And adding to that romance, you may recognise the models as real bride (and stationer) and groom, Lauren and Sean, whose wedding was recently featured right here on SBB, as well as Lauren’s gorgeous Toujours Wedding House wedding gown! If the bright colours we’ve been featuring this month aren’t your thing, this might be where your wedding inspiration is AT! And don’t even get me started on the cake… Love.

Spanish Summer Wedding Inspiration

23 October, 2017 by gaby

Happy Monday! I am starting my week feeling weirdly more relaxed than usual, thanks to an involuntary internet break (so thanks for cutting my Wifi on Friday, Telkom). And I am also starting it feeling as bright and breezy as can be, thanks to this Spanish-inspired editorial from Uche Photography and their talented team. Colourful blooms, bold bridesmaid dresses, a groom in a red velvet jacket (SO loving velvet everything in weddings right now!). And a bride who looks super classic in contrast, all lace and romance. It’s fabulous, and has the glow of a summer afternoon in the Mediterranean. And oh my, the florals! Which just so happen to include our fave, the protea, along with a host of bright flowers in pinks and yellows and reds. So much colour! So much happiness. Olé!

Timeless Elegance Bridal Inspiration

13 October, 2017 by gaby

We’re ending our wedding week off with some bridal inspiration! And whether you’re the kind of gal who wants to walk down the aisle like it’s a red carpet and you’re a Hollywood siren, or rock a more classic, understated vibe, you’ll find some ideas for both bridal fashion and hair & makeup here! Set in the old world elegance of Nantes Estate and photographed by Samantha Jackson Photography, this shoot all about timeless glamour!