TGIF people! And to celebrate, we have something fresh to share. It’s not often we get real bridal showers in the SBB submissions inbox, but when we do, it’s such a treat, especially when they’re as lovely as this one! Lindie’s bridesmaids organised the most gorgeous day for her you can imagine, with a mix of organic and rustic elements and a touch of glam (and hello, donut tower ‘cake’!). What I love most about this look is that it’s both impressive and easy to pull off, which makes it downright inspiring! The lovely Anike Benade took these pretty pics to share with you all!
I have such a jam-packed week for you guys, and we’re starting it off right with this absolute delight of a styled shoot from some of our fave suppliers at one of our fave venues! Take the riverside setting of Mofam River Lodge in Elgin, add in some deep wintery jewel tones and a tablescape that’s equal parts vintage and glam, decked with wild, opulent blooms, and you have the perfect recipe for rustic elegance. And let’s not forget the stylish bride and groom – she in a gorgeous champagne two-piece gown with 3D floral detailing (with hair and makeup done to perfection by SBB Directory member Sketch & M) and he in a suave blue suit. So much pretty, and all beautifully captured by Nerize Raath!
I have such a pretty couple sesh to share with you all this afternoon, chock-full of colourful flowers and summery love! (And yes, I appreciate the irony as I write this with rain lashing at my windows, sigh.) Elreza and Chris, a pair of newlyweds, decided to have a little styled session a few weeks after their big day. Still sporting that just-married glow, they roped in photographer Velani Venter and a team of creatings, then styled up a storm, embellishing a swing with blooms and basking in the golden glow of light filtering through the trees for the most romantic e-session you can imagine!
Just look at that picture! Isn’t it GORGEOUS? I don’t know about you, but I have this thing about ruined and abandoned buildings (which is probably one of the reasons I was so excited to go to Cuba a few weeks ago), and the idea of a wedding in a place that’s got that lost and found, slightly haunted vibe about it is just delicious. Add in dozens of lights, beautiful blooms and elegant table decor and you have this incredible contrast between rustic ruins and classic black tie that’s nothing less than… magical. That’s why I am so excited to share this beautiful styled shoot by Lilly and Lace Photography and NadiaM (and their talented vendor team) with you this afternoon. I just want to step into the world they’ve created, and lose myself in this pretty fantasy. Sigh!
It’s a sunny afternoon when I drive up to The White House in Morningside, Durban, a little oasis for brides, bustling with wedding-related businesses. My destination is Sposabella Bridal Gowns, an exclusive bridal boutique, and I find it at one end of the corridor – its light, modern showroom awash in sunshine and smiles from owner Gayle Erasmus and her team. From behind a mirrorball desk, they welcome guests like old friends. But the real star of the show is, of course, the dresses. With elegant silhouettes of lace, tulle and sparkle lining the shelves and draped on a host of mannequins, it’s hard not to get a little giddy, and I imagine many real brides do. And that’s where the Sposabella team comes in again, with their reassuring presence and extensive knowledge of what brides want (and need!). The boutique is home to the Enzoani Beautiful range, which is even more gorgeous in person than on screen, and for KZN brides, Sposabella is the perfect place to spend an afternoon trying on gowns and undoubtedly falling in love with ‘The One’. I asked Gayle a few questions about what makes her salon unique, and Michigan Behn was on hand to take these lovely images.
Hold on tight, beauties, because your afternoon is about to get a whole lot prettier! When photographer Nelani van Zyl sent over this shoot, I couldn’t decide which part I was most excited about. The sweet watercolour stationery? The covetable table decor? The marble cake? How about the flowers – that oversize bouquet that has me dreaming of spring fields? Or how about the drop-dead-gorgeous Cindy Bam wedding gowns, or the ‘Pin this for later’ updos? And let’s not forget Nelani’s images or (and I think after all, this may just be my favourite) the Jacoba bridesmaid dresses in a range of purple and berry hues. It’s all so lovely – dive on in and find your favourite!
No rest for the wicked, right? Well, that’s me apparently, because while it’s supposed to be a public holiday, I just couldn’t wait one more moment to get started on this month’s editorial theme, Rustic Elegance, or on the treasure trove of inspiration I have waiting for you all! This couple shoot comes courtesy of Charl van der Merwe and Evoque Events, and although it’s technically an engagement shoot, it is actually so. much. more. A gorgeous palette of dusty blue, white and gold, a spectacular bouquet (and lush table runner to match), so many pretty little table details to inspire your own elegant rustic wedding style – and all this before you even count in sweet-as-can-be lovebirds Mareli and Christo! It’s the contrast between rough and smooth, forest and fancy, that makes this style so compelling visually, but the love between the couple that really makes it so very special.
We have the Monday blues today, but in the best way possible – courtesy of the dreeeeeeeeeamiest of dreamy beach wedding styled shoots. So in love with this one, which comes to us from SBB Directory members Blooming Wonderful, Wildflower Photography and a talented team of local pros. The colour scheme is straight out of coastal wedding heaven, with a range of soft blues and greys and neutrals, and just a tiny touch of gold, and unexpected textures mixed with ocean elements that give a gorgeous shipwrecked effect. The details are magnificent (mussel shell escorts, mermaid-style wire crown for the bride, copper geometric elements, and lush blue and white blooms), and OMG the dresses! Not to mention Blooming Wonderful‘s absolutely gorgeous stationery suite! It’s positively the finest way to kick off a new week I can imagine.
As much as I hate to admit it (and I really, really do), there’s a chilly wind blowing since I touched back down in South Africa and autumn is definitely on its way. And while I’m sad to see the end of another summer, this season brings such pretty wedding inspiration with it, such gorgeous natural hues and such cozy details, that I can’t really complain. So in amongst our beach wedding goodness, I thought it was only appropriate to share this gorgeous harvest-themed styled shoot from a talented local team, led by Alicia S Photography and Kadou Decor and Flower Design. This is perfect for a bride between seasons, with soft, romantic details like an ombre dress and cake (sigh!) contrasting with bright oranges, deep reds and decidedly cold weather textures like leather and wood. And the touch of rosy gold foil? Bliss!
I’m baaaaack! So you guys, thanks for your patience over the last month as SBB took a bit of a back seat while I did some jetsetting and girlboss business hustlin’ through the last month. As promised, I am all yours again, and I am all fired up with the fabulous inspiration for April that I have to share! We’re going to be carrying on with our beach theme because I didn’t get to share everything I had lined up (and I love beach weddings waaaay too much to miss out), as well as some other beauties of the non-beach variety. Today we’re heading for the dunes with the dreamiest styled shoot that I have been dying to debut from our friends at Thunder & Love. They had always dreamed of shooting in the dunes at Atlantis in the Western Cape, inspired by the desert colours, the simple lines, the wind, and the purity of the surroundings. To make this vision ‘un sogno nel deserto’ (a dream of the desert) come to life, they gathered a team of talented creatives, including stylists Happinest Weddings, to make some wedding magic happen. I simply ADORE the sheer gowns by Brit & Bride, the use of banksia and other proteas (southbound swoon!), the romantic stationery by Oh Yay and the bride’s look courtesy of Makeup by Almari, and it definitely has me dreaming of sandswept nuptials and desert sunsets.
