Category: Trends & Ideas

From Catwalk to Aisle: 10 Key Wedding Dress Trends for 2016

by gaby

Hello friends! After a couple of crazy weeks including a last-minute rush trip to Joburg to sort out travel docs for a suuuuuper exciting trip I’m taking at the end of this month (details soon, I promise), I’m back on schedule and ready to serve up some seriously awesome daily inspiration. Let’s get this party started! Last October, there were a lot of reasons I wished I was at New York Bridal Fashion Week (Aisle Society launch party, yay!), and of course the beautiful dresses were top of the list. It’s always awesome to see how the Fall catwalk will affect bridal fashion in the coming year, and if these trends are anything to go by, you brideys are in for a treat. I think if there’s one look that was predominant, it’s what I think of as #modestnotmodest. Traditionally modest elements like sleeves and high necklines, but reinterpreted with lace and sheer panelling for a very sexy and very contemporary look. So let’s take a look at our top ten runway trends for 2016 – which will you be coveting for your own dream dress?

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Silver Sparkle Bridesmaid Dresses

by gaby

Hello lovelies! This time of year, we always do a whole heap ‘o bridesmaid posts, to inspire all you new brides as you start out on the journey of colour scheme choosing and bridesmaid asking and dress shopping. The good news? There are SO SO many gorgeous looks to choose for your girls. The bad news? Picking one! Sequins and sparkle have been a huge trend over the past couple of years, but most of the time we’re talking gold or rose gold when it comes to bridesmaids. But now we’re seeing more cool silvers, and I personally love this elegant twist on bling. Tell me you don’t feel the same after seeing these beauties!

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Wedding Trends for 2016

by gaby

Hello friends! I can’t believe it’s time again for our annual trend roundup – I love this post, because it always gets me so excited about the new weddings coming in the following season, and reflecting on the beautiful trends still in flow from last year. Because that’s the thing about wedding trends – they don’t work like fashion, in and out, here today and gone tomorrow. They’re more like waves, and one builds on the other. And the great thing about that is that you can incorporate some of the current ideas and themes in your big day, but in your own way, with the result being something personal and classic, but also of the moment. A wedding that will wow your guests, but still feel like you. So here are my top ten predictions for the coming year – pin them, love them, and then make ’em your own.

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Best of 2015: Details & Ideas

by gaby

Hello lovelies! I’ve been so loving sharing our wedding faves from 2015 with you over the last week, and today we’re focusing on one of my favourite things – details! Details for me are one of those places where you can get creative and tell your own story, and for me as a blogger, they’re the things I notice when I’m scrolling through a submission that make me go “OOH!” Whether it’s decor, flowers, a twist on tradition or something else, these are the things that make wedding media so awesome, because maybe one of them will inspire something special for your big day. So as always, in no particular order, let’s take a look at the Top 20!

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Best of 2015: Aisle & Ceremony Decor

by gaby

Last year was the first time we did a roundup specifically of aisle and ceremony decor, and I couldn’t be happier to include this category! These days it seems like there’s so much extra care and creativity given to the ceremony part of a wedding – which is just as it should be, because let’s be honest, this is THE MOMENT of the day. Whether it’s personalised signage or floral arches (oh, floral arches!!) or simply a stunning setting from church to forest to beach, it’s important to take some time to really think about the atmosphere you want to create for yourself as you walk down (or wait at the top of) the aisle. So let’s take a look at those wedding ceremonies that inspired us the most on SBB in 2015.

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Best of 2015: Cakes

by gaby

Cakes, you guys. How much do we love them? They’re always one of those little highlights I look out for when scrolling through the images from a wedding – I love seeing what  couple has chosen! (Which is also probably why narrowing this down was so hard!) This year we’ve seen more variety than ever – buttercream as been back in a big way, as have classic white cakes, and let’s not forget naked cakes which are still causing waves of pretty both at home and abroad! We have also had some gorgeous sparkly specimens – my favourite being the one pictured above that had actual metallic drippings. Gorgeous, no? Whether the statement is bold and bright or a whisper of beautiful detailing, every one of these 20 cakes really turned our head. The first 15 are from real weddings, and the last from some of the amazing styled shoots we’ve featured this year, that will be inspiring weddings for the years to come!

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Best of 2015: Bridesmaids

by gaby

I absolutely LOVE bridesmaid fashion – as you may have noticed by the fact that I regularly round up inspiration from the web and from my favourite shops! It’s such a gorgeous way not only to express your colour palette, but to make your favourite girls look absolutely gorgeous as they help to walk you down the aisle! And as always, bridesmaid fashion has evolved throughout 2015 – from ice cream pastels to pastel prints, for example, or cute little cocktail length gowns to long, elegant ones. There are so many wonderful looks to choose from, and this was seriously a bumper category to narrow down, but in the end I’ve nailed it down to yours and my Top 20. We’ll be breaking some of these down into shoppable ideas in the new year, but for now, let’s take a look back.

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Best of 2015: Table Decor (Part II)

by gaby

We’re continuing with our roundup of the Top 10 tables from SouthBound Bride in 2015, and breaking them down into their components so you can recreate the look for yourself. There’s such a mix here, from formal to casual, and from simple, classic colour schemes to wildly colourful and inventive. Every one of them we loved, and so did you, from the response across Pinterest, Facebook and Instagram. So, in no particular order, let’s take a look shall we? (You can find Part I here.)

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Best of 2015: Table Decor (Part I)

by gaby

When it came to rounding up our favourite table decor for 2015, we wanted to go further than just including a few pics, because this is the kind of inspiration that can really inspire other brides and grooms on a practical level, to create a similar look for themselves. So we decided we’d do a special roundup in the style of our ‘Ten Tables’ series, breaking down each table into its components, along with shoppable links, so that you can mix and match to create the table for your own wedding (or other event) that’s perfect for you. We’re starting off with the first five this afternoon, and we’ll be back with the second half later today.

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Best of 2015: Groomswear

by gaby

Afternoon, lovelies! This morning was all about the ladies, as we rounded up our favourite wedding dresses, but now it’s the boys’ turn – and what a stylish lot the boys have been this year! From formal to casual and everything in between, and from matching parties to cleverly mismatched groom & groomsmen, it seems like the guys are really getting into their wedding day look these days. Long may it last! While men’s fashion changes a bit more slowly than its female counterpart, coloured suits continue to be strong, and bowties are definitely (finally!) having their day here in South Africa. I’ve seen a lot fewer tuxes, but beautiful formal suits have taken their place, for the most part, and braces are always a favourite, especially with the groomsmen. And finally, look out for plenty of non-flower boutonniere creativity, where lasercut especially has made it possible to express wedding theme or personality by what’s on your lapel.

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