Guest Post: The Groomsmen’s Duties

Source: Mankoana & Nzuzo’s elegant Sophiatown-themed wedding (Photography: Andrea Carlyle)

Happy Friday, lovelies! I have such a treat for you today! A while back, we asked the lovely Theresa Lazarevic of Creation Events to share her advice for bridesmaids and maids of honour. I knew her advice was good, but I couldn’t imagine how many times it would be read and shared by brides all over the world – it’s been consistently our top post ever since (over 125,000 views so far!), and has been pinned and repinned thousands of times on Pinterest as well. So we thought it was about time that we gave the guys a turn, and Theresa has been good enough to gather more of her straightforward, sensible advice for the groomsmen and best men of the world. Send this off to the hubs-to-be and his besties, pin it for future reference and rest assured that now your whole bridal party will know exactly what needs to be done. Thanks so much, Theresa! Over to you…

PS Download an emergency kit checklist for the groomsmen right HERERead More

A Bride Abroad #9: The Groom’s Look

Looking at wedding pictures from all over the planet, it’s clear that there are some super snazzy grooms out there. It seems like the general tendency has shifted from the bride as centrepoint and “queen bossy” to a more inclusive approach when it comes to the groom and what he wears. The room for bridezilla pushing her man to the background and giving him only the bare necessities has become quite small. I like that.

The man of the day is very much a central part of all the happenings at a wedding and should be dressed for the role. Whether it be a more casual, retro, alternative affair or a traditional, formal and sleek one, his attire should be carefully selected.

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Favourite Style Moments 2012

Afternoon, lovelies! As you read this, I’ll be off having a bit of a pre-birthday lunch and visit to the V&A Museum (my best) with one of my favourite friends, who is out from New York. Can’t wait! And here’s a little treat for you, in the form of my roundup of the most stylish moments from SBB’s real weddings this year. As much as I love a classic bride in a floor length white gown, I also love that so many brides now make the look their own. I also love that you all have embraced some of the trends that have been coming through over the last year – lace, coloured dresses, sashes. Some of you have done something COMPLETELY different, and each look really adds to the wedding it is part of. As with the decor, it was SO hard to narrow this down, but these are the fashion moments that really made me go ‘ooh!’ in 2012.

Temperley, baby! There’s a reason why just the name gives me a little thrill. Temperley London dresses are those I notice on catwalks, sigh over as a collections and double take when I see on a real bride. They’re feminine, unusual, and just a little bit spectacular. This dress, chosen by beautiful boho bride Anna for her beachy literary-themed wedding by Andrea Carlyle, might just be my favourite:

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Mismatched Groomsmen

Good morning, friends! I have another fabulous wedding coming your way later, but first I thought I would change things up a bit and bring you some inspiration for the boys. Didn’t think bridesmaids were going to have all the mismatching fun, did you? Seriously though, this is one trend that will make your future husband (and his best friends) love you – allowing them to express themselves a bit and to be comfortable in what they are wearing is bound to be a huge plus. Like the same trend for girls, there are lots of different levels of mismatch, from having the same suit and different accessories, to having different looks for the groom and the groomsmen, to a general colour or style guideline, to a full-scale mix and match. What you choose will depend on practical aspects like hire versus purchase, as well as the overall style of your big day (this works particularly well for vintage or boho weddings, for example). And here are some pretty pics to get you started. (Pretty pics? That feels weird when they’re all boys. Handsome pics.)Read More

DIY Whisky Bar

It’s funny how the drinks you like change with age, isn’t it? I mean, when I was 18, I drank a lot of alcopops, but I wouldn’t be caught dead with one now. And at that age, I thought whisky was vile, but now I quite like a one from time to time (although, I’m sorry purists, mine’s on the rocks). Due probably to the fact that a few years back I dated a guy who really loved the stuff, and I came to appreciate it more after a distillery weekend in Islay, Scotland. Maybe that’s appropriate, because there’s something a bit more sophisticated about whisky – it’s to be enjoyed slowly, not downed or drunk through a straw (what WAS that anyway, eighteen year old Gaby?). Point is, I think a whisky (or whisky and cigar) bar is a really lovely addition to a wedding reception, and something that usually makes the groom’s eyes light up in the planning. So I was delighted when SBB reader Claudine got in touch after her own recent wedding to share how she and her groom Richard created a whisky/whiskey bar for their wedding – and how you can too! All images are by the awesome Laura Versveld, who is based in Mpumalanga. (You can also see the whole of Richard and Claudine’s wedding on Lovilee.) Take it away, Claudine!Read More