Everything’s coming up floral at the moment, and that shouldn’t be limited to wedding dresses and bridesmaid dresses – your cake can get in on the pretty party as well. In fact, these cakes are so pretty that good luck actually eating them – they look like they should just sit on a shelf and be art! Perfect for a spring or summer wedding, they’ll make a spectacular focal point for your reception or as the centrepiece for your dessert table, and will definitely have guests oohing and aahing. So let’s get inspired! I’ve picked my 20 favourites from the talented bakers and makers around the web. (PS You can find more gorgeous examples of painted wedding cakes here)Read More
If there’s one trend that has just EXPLODED all over the runways and new collections this year, it’s flowers and floral prints. But these are not your typical floral print dress, oh no. Combine gorgeous colours, pretty prints and watercolour effects with bridal shapes and dreamy fabrics, and you get something truly spectacular – real little works of botanical art. I’m stoked that a couple of our real brides over the years have been ahead of this curve in wearing floral wedding dresses, but I’ve seen so many more pretty examples on the wedding web of late that I couldn’t wait to share my favourites with you in a roundup!
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We already know that you brideys love a bit of ruffle on their wedding gowns (and their wedding cakes, for that matter) – and why wouldn’t you? Ruffles are awesome. But I also LOVE me some ruffly bridesmaids dresses! Whether it’s just a little bit of a rosette detail on a colour or cuff, a softly ruffled chiffon number, or a full scale ruffly skirt or dress, it always catches the eye. It’s the texture, of course – and I also think that ruffles have a bit of whimsy and romance to them. A bit of Parisian froufrou maybe? I don’t know. Whatever it is, I thought it was high time we got some inspiration, both from real brides, and from our favourite shops.Read More
We can’t talk beauty this month without talking hair, and since we’re all about the natural beauty in June, I thought it was only appropriate that we looked at some long & loose wedding styles. I’m personally a huge fan of the updo, but in real life, when I talk to my friends, they almost always tell me they’re thinking of a down do, often because their fiance prefers their hair down. And I have to say, after squizzing through many luscious long styles to put this roundup together (as well as having seen many of my friends radiant with natural hair in real life), I’m a bit of a convert – I honestly think brides should look the best version of themselves, and if an updo isn’t ‘you’, then there’s no reason why you shouldn’t rock a glammed up version of your favourite style. So here we go – get ready for some top level hairography!Read More
I remember when I was little – every Christmas my mom would go to Woolies and pick out little gifts for her girl friends – sniffing all the different flavours of soap and talcum powder (do they even still make this?) and hand cream. I loved helping her, but I didn’t totally get why she would buy them all something similar when she was such a thoughtful gift giver – it seemed like a token gift. Roll on adulthood, and I totally got it. Because when you give someone you love a little something for bath and body, what you’re really giving them is a moment of personal indulgence, an excuse to pamper themselves, a tiny break from the rigours of daily life. Personally, I really love getting little pamper gifts and for a while I’ve been wanting to try making them (because something homemade is always extra special). As it happens, I think these would also make great budget-friendly bridesmaid gifts, especially if you make up a basket for each of your girls to let them know how much you appreciate all the spoiling they’ve been giving you. Here are 15 fab DIY tutorials that will help you do just that.Read More
I am definitely not what you’d call an early adopter. I’m not the person queuing up to get a new iPhone, and it would scare you to know how long it took me to get a flat screen. It’s a policy that actually works really well for me, because usually I miss out on all the early tech problems and bugs, and by the time I get round to buying something, there’s a shinier version for the first adopters, so I get a better price. (I’m sounding like an old woman now, aren’t I? Oh well.) Sometimes, with wedding trends, it’s the same. There’s something new and hot and awesome, and then over the following couple of years, the trend doesn’t die away, it just stops being hot news on wedding blogs. But the good news is, meanwhile more people get involved in becoming suppliers of that thing, which gives you a lot more choice (and more options for your budget). A couple of years ago, love story infographic invitations were HUGE news – I wrote this post about them, which has remained one of the most popular on SBB (and that shows how many of you all still love this sweet idea). I also still think they’re completely adorable and a very personal way of celebrating your history together (setting a great tone for your wedding day), but I was glad to see when revisiting them recently that now there are loads of options when it comes to designs, designers – and price points, based on how much of the story and design is customised, and whether you buy a printable PDF or fully printed invites. So, why not consider one of these suites for your big day? As Taylor Swift would say: It’s a love story… baby, just say yes.Read More
Hello lovelies! This month may be about natural beauty, but we all know that sometimes we need a little extra to enhance that beauty on our wedding day (although, hooray, minimal barefaced makeup is totally a trend now too, which will please you natural brides). The catwalks are always a great place to start looking for the next looks in hair and makeup as well as the fashion itself, and some of the most recent fashion week trends also happen to translate beautifully to brides. Some not so much (I can’t see anyone donning coloured leather strips on their lids or Rodarte-style eyebrow piercings, although you never know). Here are 10 key trends for you to consider for your own Big Day look.Read More
This afternoon, we’re off to the English countryside. Tally ho! Or at least, that’s what it feels like, with this particular trend in groomswear that just happens to be perfect for an autumn wedding. The look is all British heritage – tweed, herringbone, waistcoats, blazers – even cravats. I think of it as ‘country pursuits’, as in “I’m jolly well going clay pigeon shooting after this wedding chaps, or possibly for a stroll on the estate”. The good news is, you don’t actually have to be a lord of the manor to pull it off – it’s all about those warm, heavy fabrics, and pairing them the right way to suit the overall style and level of formality for your wedding. Whether just the groom goes for a tweed suit, or whether the look is extended to the whole set of groomsmen, here are a few ways to make it work.
You know what always makes me feel a bit sad? You know when you see those pictures of a winter or autumn wedding, and there’s the bride in some fancypants wrap or fur-look stole or whatever looking snug and cold-weather-stylish, and then you see the bridesmaids and they’re standing there in the same little strappy dresses that their summer cousins were wearing, freezing their bazoomas off. Shame. Of course, stylish wraps for the entire party are always an option, but recently a chic (and practical) option has been popping up in more and more real weddings – long sleeve bridesmaid dresses! Yep, dresses with long sleeves aren’t just for the wedding gown now. From shiny sequined minis to sleek long black dresses, we are absolutely loving this look. So let’s get inspired! And shop. Because we can. *Shopping sources in this post use affiliate links. This means this site may earn a commission if you make a purchase from our links.
Texture, you guys. I am all about texture. From wood to velvet to sequins to linen, it’s the addition of a texture to a palette or wedding design that often takes things from pretty to pretty amazing, in my book. Since we’re talking autumn weddings, I thought it was appropriate for us to talk about a texture that works for many autumn weddings (especially those that lean toward the rustic) and that’s wood. And of course, there are lots of ways to incorporate wooden texture into your wedding day, but one of my faves is through the invitations themselves. Here’s the really cool bit – with lasercut and printing techniques being what they are now, you can get invitations that are actual slices of wood. So unusual! And, as it happens, better for the environment than processed paper invites. I love this idea, as well as paper invitations that have a woodgrain effect – and the good news is that lots of designers have wood invitation options these days. So I turned to my favourite online market, Etsy, to pick a few favourites. ‘Wood’ you like to see them? (Yes, I know. Poor. I couldn’t help myself ;) ) Just click on the links (or any of the images) below, and you’ll be taken straight to Etsy to get more information and make your purchase. This post includes affiliate links (in bold). SBB may receive a commission on any sales, but the cost to you remains the same.
