Trends & Ideas - SouthBound Bride

Fun Favours: Macarons

28 July, 2014 by gaby

Well, you KNOW it’s going to be a good week when it starts with macarons, right? These little bites of sunshine have firmly engrained themselves in the heart of brides and wedding bloggers alike – and not only are they delicious, but there’s something so pleasing about their smooth round shape, delightful flavours, and mix of colours. Which basically makes them the perfect wedding favour, because not only will they look lovely on your tables, but they’re not going to get left behind (in fact, most won’t make it to the end of the night uneaten – at least if I’m your guest!). For the talented bakers among you, it’s possible to do these as a DIY, but be aware that many a brilliant cook has tried and failed at macarons. Personally, I prefer to leave them to the professionals (more on that later this week). But wherever you procure yours from, here are some of my favourite macaron favour packaging ideas to inspire you.Read More

15 Free Printables for Hen Nights & Bridal Showers

24 July, 2014 by gaby

Credit: Be Inspired PR/Intertwined Events/J Wiley Photography via Inspired by This

The web is an amazing place – so many creative people sharing their expertise and ideas, and so often for free. It seems a pity not to make use of their generous gifts, especially when planning something like a bridal shower slash kitchen tea slash bachelorette slash hen night (can I just call it a henkitch showerette from now on?). I often come across gorgeous bridal shower printables that would fit into a variety of decor schemes, so I thought today I would gather some of my favourites into one place, for easy reference. Here you’ll find everything from hen party games to bachelorette invitations, from recipe cards and gift tags to decor items. All you need to do is click over to the source page, download, customise where relevant, and send to your favourite on-demand printing service. Where relevant, the designer as well as the original source of the hen party printables is listed – if you like their work and you’re looking for something customised, why not click through to see more of their portfolio? I’ve also included some not-free options from Etsy to give you extra choice!

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

A SouthBound Guide to Wedding Cake Terminology

18 July, 2014 by gaby

Yay, it’s Friday. And yay, it’s time for the latest in our SouthBound Guides, teaching you all the wedding lingo you need to communicate effectively with your lovely suppliers. Since this is about the time that many of you will be finalising your cake choices, I thought today was a good day to talk about just that – and with it being Nelson Mandela’s birthday, a cake feels kind of appropriate. In fact, it’s been a cake-y kinda week here on SBB, so feel free to indulge yourself in something sugary as you enjoy each of these handy (pinnable!) examples. (Any excuse, right?)

15 Rustic Winter Wedding Cakes

16 July, 2014 by gaby

Afternoon, lovelies! Even though the sun is back out today, I’ve had winter on the mind, and recently I’ve been absolutely loving the rustic winter woodland style cakes I have been seeing – so perfect for a cold weather wedding! Whether they’re iced or naked, covered in fruit, berries or evergreens, they all look delicious and they all look like something out of a Christmas card fairytale. It’s a lovely way to carry through the winter or rustic theme for a wedding, so I’ve rounded up fifteen of my favourites!Read More

20 Creative Save the Date Ideas

4 July, 2014 by gaby

Hello lovelies! It’s FRIDAY! We love Fridays. Whatever you have planned, here’s hoping you have a fab weekend. And here’s wishing our American friends a happy July 4th! Today I’m rounding up 20 creative ideas for save the dates, to spark your imaginations for your very own STDs. (Yep, most awkward wedding abbreviation ever.) While many people often feel that an actual invitation should be relatively traditional, the Save the Date is a chance to go a bit off the map, play with your theme (or just your personalities) and surprise and delight your guests. Think 3D, texture and fun. Of course, we love electronic STDs too, but if you’d like to do something tactile, here are 20 of my all-time favourite ideas, each of them guaranteed to get your guests excited about the nuptials to come. Yay!

25 Fresh Pincushion Protea Bouquets

12 June, 2014 by gaby

Morning, lovelies! We have been having some hosting problems, so the schedule is a bit out of whack, but never mind – today is just going to be FULL of inspiration! We’re starting off with a roundup of no less that 25 gorgeous bouquets incorporating one of our favourite South African flowers, the pincushion protea. Since I first wrote about this spiky bloom a few years back, I’ve been delighted to see it used in some really creative and beautiful ways, so I thought it was about time I shared them. If you’d like a very South African feeling to your flowers, but are a bit over King Proteas, then this is a great choice.

Well Groomed: The Pastel Wedding

6 June, 2014 by gaby

So here on SBB, we are often all about the girls (well, it is SouthBound bride, after all). But we really do want to make sure that we’re offering inspiration for the boys as well. And the biggest question I get when it comes to the groom and his merry men is: “What colour should the groom wear if our colour scheme is x”. Ah for the days when this was an easy answer, and all you had to do was match your blush and bashful to his shiny cummerband, right? (I’m kidding, obvs. NObody misses the cummerband.) In fact, the first questions to ask when choosing your groomswear aren’t about the colour scheme at all, but rather about the formality of your wedding, the time of day it will be held, and what will make him (and his budget) comfortable. So taking thes factors into account, I’ve put some options together for ice-cream pastel weddings (one of the more challenging of the groomswear dilemmas). Simple answer? Don’t make him wear a pink suit.

Brunch & Daytime Weddings

Bridesmaids Getting Ready Outfits for Your Wedding

28 May, 2014 by gaby

As Sweet As Images on SouthBound Bride

*UPDATED FOR 2020* So you already know I love bringing you pretty bridesmaid dress inspiration here on SouthBound Bride. But what about BEFORE the dresses, aka the bridesmaids getting ready outfits? Of course, your girls can wear anything they want for the glow up sesh part of the day, but with a professional photographer capturing the moment, it’s always nice to have some kind of coherence. For the last while, the biggest trend has been bridesmaid robes, from terry cloth spa style to monogrammed numbers and printed silk kimono robes. But there are other options too, including the prettiest getting ready rompers and pajamas. And the best part is that they not only look cute in pics but make for fantastic bridesmaid gifts as well. Which bridesmaid getting ready outfits are you considering for your wedding day?

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

Fern Wedding Details

22 May, 2014 by gaby

A few years ago, when baby’s breath first became popular again, I remember thinking that this might mean that some other low-cost fillers may also have their day in the sun, but I must admit, that I never would have predicted ferns as the next big thing in weddings. Not to the same degree, of course, but there’s no doubt that these lovely bits of greenery have been enjoying a very stylish turn on the worldwide bridal stage of late. That’s partly to do with how perfectly they fit in with the botanical trend, partly to do with the move towards greenery and garlands (see our roundup of that here), and a lot to do with the fact that they’re really pretty and versatile (and of course, relatively lower cost). I’ve been looking forward to doing this roundup for a while, but I was surprised just how many pretty options you have for incorporating this trend into your wedding design.Read More

A SouthBound Guide to Bouquet Types

16 May, 2014 by gaby

Happy Friday, loves! What do you have planned for the weekend? Before we head off, I thought it was time for some education, SBB style. As much as I advocate hiring great wedding pros and then trusting them to do their job for you, you’ll want to give them an indication of the kind of styles and ideas you have in mind. Pics are great, but there’s some wedding-speak that will help communicate those ideas (so that you’re not like me at a hairdresser: “short, but not, like, short short”) and that’s what this glossary is all about. So today I’m breaking down the most common bouquet types, with lovely, pinnable examples of each!