Category: Flowers

Wedding Flowers: Hydrangeas

by gaby

Image: J. Crew

It’s been a while since I did a focus on just one flower type, but I think that a shout out for hydrangeas is long overdue. Along with the trends for lush but affordable flowers as well as watercolour/ombre, hydrangeas have become way more popular in the last couple of years, and I couldn’t be happier about it. There’s something about them that just epitomises summer for me. They also come in a beautiful range of colours (even within the same bloom – hence the watercolour effect). There’s just one caveat: these are seasonal flowers, and they’re usually at their peak for 2-3 weeks, changing colour as they go. So if you’re buying them yourself (or even sometimes if you’re using a florist), you may need to be a little bit flexible on the exact shade you’re using. That said, they’re worth it for their price point and ability to fill up a bouquet with a small number of blooms. Use them on their own, or together with other flowers – both ways are truly lovely. Here are some of my absolute favourite hydrangea bouquets and arrangements.Read More

Wedding Wreaths

by gaby

Sources: Meg Perotti /The Stylish Soiree via Style Me Pretty (left); Paula O’Hara Photography/Laurens Norton via Southern Weddings (right) 

It’s the ciiiiiiircle of liiiiife…. Okay okay, maybe that’s a bit dramatic (and also? the last time you’ll hear me singing a song a) by Elton John and b) from a musical), but there’s no denying that a circle is an appropriate symbol at a wedding. It represents connectedness, eternity, the wedding rings. And when it’s made out of flowers – well, it’s just so gosh darn purdy. I’ve been noticing wreaths all over weddings for a while now, and every time I do they catch my attention, so today I thought we’d just bask a little in the eye candy.Read More

Olive Leaf Wedding Ideas

by gaby

Olive Leaf Wedding Décor

*UPDATED FOR 2021* Now here’s a little trend I’ve been wanting to bring you for ages: Olive leaf decor! I can’t think of a more perfect time to do so than during the Olympics! (Back in Ancient Greece, an olive wreath was given to the winner of each event.) Olive leaves make an amazing accent for your wedding decor, especially if you’d like to introduce a Mediterranean theme. There’s something rustic but also quite clean about them, and the silvery green colour works brilliantly against most decor, but especially a crisp white. From olive branch wedding invitations to other olive wedding decor, this really could work for a number of different wedding styles – an outdoor afternoon lunch, a beach wedding, a rustic farm wedding, an elegant wine farm affair. And, of course, a Mediterranean destination wedding. Beautiful. Here are some olive leaf wedding ideas for you to consider.

*Links in bold denote affiliate links. The cost to you remains the same, but SBB may receive a commission for any sales made.

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Mismatched Bridesmaid Accessories Part 1 {Bouquets}

by gaby

Source: Stephanie Williams Photography via Before the Big Day

One of the biggest trends of the last couple of years has to be the move away from uniform bridesmaid dresses, to putting your girls in a variety of styles or colours that complement each other. I still get a little thrill whenever I see this done well, and I know that it’s made many bridesmaids themselves happy, including me. But what if you really want your girls to wear the same dresses, and still want to distinguish them? To let them each express their personality a little? Then this series of posts is for you. In Part 1 we’ll be looking at the mini-trend of individual bouquets. This has to be one of my all-time favourite bridesmaid trends! Probably because of how much I love flowers – the idea of having several beautiful bouquets instead of just one with variations really excites me.Read More

Watercolour Wedding Details

by gaby

Good morning wedding belles! We’ll have another fabulous South African wedding on the blog this afternoon, but in the meantime, I wanted to share some fresh inspiration. First there was the pastel trend, then ombre, so it shouldn’t really be a surprise that watercolour-style design has been one of the biggest trends to emerge in 2012. It’s everywhere, from gasp-inducingly beautiful invitations and other paper elements, to cakes, decor and even to bridesmaids dresses. It’s soft and romantic, and heart-stoppingly pretty. I know you’re going to love it.

Here’s a roundup of all my favourite watercolour details – look out in the credits for the DIYs and printables (in bold), as this is a look you can pull off on any budget!

WATERCOLOUR STATIONERY
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Wedding Trends Reloaded

by gaby

Here at SouthBound Bride, I love bringing you all the latest trends. As you know, I believe that each wedding should be an expression of a couple’s unique style and personality, but it doesn’t hurt to get a sense of the ideas that are floating around out there. Eventually, those ideas can get a little repetitive. And while in some ways that doesn’t matter (remember that most of your guests don’t sit on wedding blogs all day and won’t have seen it before), it can be fun to consider fresh twists and new options. So here are eight of my top alternatives for creating your favourite effects.
Here’s my disclaimer: I’ve loved and promoted all of the ‘old’ ideas here, and I’m nobody’s fashion police. So if you love something, you DO IT. This is just about being creative and exploring other avenues along the way!

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Single Bloom Bouquets

by gaby

I don’t care what De La Soul think. Sometimes, one is the magic number. The number of children in my family. The number of hits Chesney Hawkes will ever have. The number of times I hope I will ever break down near Mooi River. And also, the perfect number of blooms for a chic but cost conscious bride (or just one who is in love with this trend as much as I am). Ladies and gents, the single bloom bouquet. Isn’t it PURDY?

I know, I know. You’re thinking it looks sad and sparse. You’re picturing a sad little rose clutched in your hands as you walk down the aisle, or a lone lily on your arm. No no no. Sparseness (sparsity? what will I do without my OED) is not the point here. This trend is all about allowing one lush bloom to provide focus and structure as a bouquet – to be centre stage and steal the show. Exhibit One: The Magnolia.

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Wedding Flowers: Tulips

by gaby

Tulip Flower Crown

Credit: Lisa Dolan Photography via Style Me Pretty

Ah, tulips for weddings. Hearty heart heart heart them. I mean, what’s not to love? They’re beautiful and elegant, they come in every colour imaginable, most are unscented, and they’re affordable. And for me, they really mark the start to spring, when I see them appearing on flower shop pavement displays all over London. Unlucky for me, those days are gone here on Mud Island, but with spring very definitely in the air in South Africa, I thought it was a good time to cheer myself up with a focus on one of my all-time favourite flowers. Here are some of my favourite recent wedding flower inspirations, from tulip bouquets to tulip centerpieces. *This post contains affiliate links. The cost to you remains the same, but SBB may receive a commission for any sales made.

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Flowers in her Hair

by gaby

Bridal Floral Crowns

Dogwood Flower Crown by The Honeycomb

*UPDATED FOR 2021* A couple of weeks ago I featured a roundup of beautiful birdcage veils, but if your style is more bohemian than retro, I have a bridal accessory trend that’s just for you. Brides with flowers in their hair are nothing new (although they’ve gained a lot of popularity as an alternative to veils in the last couple of years), but recently I have been seeing a bloom of brides wearing full-on floral crowns. And you guys, I LOVE them! Once the preserve of ’80s flowergirls, the new wave of flower wreaths are soft and sweet but with a bold, high fashion edge. They’re not subtle, but boy are they beautiful. Check out these gorgeous flower crowns, including some beautiful silk flower options that you can buy from Etsy.

*Links in bold denote affiliate links. The cost to you remains the same, but SBB may receive a commission for any sales made.

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