Trends & Ideas - SouthBound Bride

20 Bridesmaid Proposal Ideas

20 January, 2017 by gaby

Bridesmaid Proposal Box by Little Flower Soap Co

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

So earlier today, we looked at how to choose your bridal party and as a bonus, I thought we’d look at how to ask them! Bridesmaid proposals have become a THING, and while I don’t think anyone should feel obliged to do any more than sit down with your favourite friend and say, “how about it?”, at the same time it’s such a special moment and doing something special to mark it and make your friends feel loved and appreciated can never be a bad thing! There are some great DIY ideas for bridesmaid proposals out there, but for the time-strapped bride, the makers at Etsy have created a range of super cute bridesmaid proposal gifts that will make saying ‘will you be my bridesmaid’ a pleasure – everything from wine labels to jewellery to mini unicorn pinatas (!). Here are 20 of our faves!

Key Wedding Dress Trends for 2017

13 January, 2017 by gaby

Hello friends! As usual, January has been craaaazy, and I didn’t get to post this yesterday, so we’re going to have a jam packed Friday! Let’s get this party started. Last week we looked at all the top trends in weddings for 2017 and today we’re focusing in on bridal fashion because boy, there’s a lot of pretty stuff going on right now! Ever since these designs made their way down the catwalks at New York Bridal Fashion Week in October, I’ve been sighing over my personal faves, and watching to see where the trends are for this year. And as always, what’s new is often an evolution of what’s already established, so you’ll see some familiar shapes coming to the fore, but there’s also lots of cool new stuff to influence your own wedding dress dreams. As I mentioned in my trend report, this year it is ALL about the shoulders, whether that’s off-shoulder, shoulder detailing, or capes. And I have to say, I’ve never loved this neckline more. Add in details like bows, feathers and every kind of sleeve you can imagine, as well as beautiful textures and fabrics, and you have one pretty season!

Coffee Mugs for the Newly Engaged

6 January, 2017 by gaby

Does This Ring Make Me Look Engaged Coffee Mug by Sweet Water Decor

Does this ring make me look engaged? It’s a question posed dozens of times over the last year on Instagram and Pinterest through those adorable coffee mug engagement announcements. We have to call it, besides the ring itself, a just engaged slogan mug is pretty much the must-have accessory for the bride-to-be! Whether you’re using it as a cute way to let folks know your big news, as a means to drink your tea or coffee while getting down to the business of wedding planning, or as a sweet gift for a newly betrothed buddy, Etsy has a ton of great options, so we’ve rounded up our favourites, just for you!
Links in bold denote affiliate links. The cost to you remains the same, but SBB may receive a commission for any sales made.

Wedding Trends for 2017

3 January, 2017 by gaby

Credit: Nadine Aucamp/Anel Botha on SouthBound Bride

Let’s get this party started, shall we friends? Our editorial theme for January is ‘Just Engaged’ and we’ll be kicking off all of that loveliness later today, but first we just had to do our annual roundup of all the trends that are in store for you in 2017. I always feel like this is the best way to start my year – reflecting on the gorgeous trends from years before (many of which are still with us, happily, or have evolved into some of the ideas you’ll see here), and getting excited about the year of weddings to come. And as always, the best part of that is seeing how couples will make these trends their own, adding personal details, DIYs and twists that will set them apart and make them shine. So here are my Top 10 predictions – pick a fave or two that speak to you, and then make ’em yours.

Best of 2016: Dresses

29 December, 2016 by gaby

Ah, one of my favourite posts of the year! Wedding dresses are one of the elements I adore about the real weddings we feature, and we’ve seen so many absolutely GORGEOUS dresses over the years, each with a story of how they came to be ‘the one’. This year has been no exception, and while we’ve seen a return to more traditional white gowns in general, it’s been all about the details – low backs and plunging necklines, soft tulle skirts, lace sleeves and backs, extraordinary fabrics and elegant silhouettes. It’s so hard to pick just twenty favourites, but in the end, this is the group of beauties we settled on. Dress swoon!

Best of 2016: Details & Ideas

27 December, 2016 by gaby

Hello lovelies! Hope you had a wonderful Christmas break, and are enjoying some much needed off-time until the new year! We’re continuing with our Best of 2016 series today by counting down twenty of our favourite details and ideas from real weddings throughout the year. Each of them is sweet and stealable, so take a look and be inspired!

Best of 2016: Aisle & Ceremony Style

23 December, 2016 by gaby

Today we’re turning our attention to that most special time of a wedding day, the ceremony. I personally love it when a couple puts that extra attention and care into their ceremony style, because while it’s relatively short compared to the reception, the ceremony is where all the most important stuff happens, right? This year, each of these couples created something extra special – a dreamy, magical place where vows where exchanged and a new chapter was begun. And PS, if you’re looking for even more aisle style ideas, you can find them in our dedicated Pinterest board.

Best of 2016: Bridesmaids

22 December, 2016 by gaby

Bridesmaid gowns are one of my FAVE parts of weddings, you guys, and let me tell you, when I’m looking at submissions they always catch my eye. And catch my breath sometimes too, because some brides get this so, so right. Whether the look is uniform or mismatched, classic or fashion forward, and whether the colours of the bridesmaid dresses complement or reflect the wedding palette, a well dressed group of ladies always stands out, and they always make the bride look extra amazing (tell THAT to anyone who says your bridesmaids shouldn’t upstage you by looking good). This year we’ve seen such a range of looks, and I loved every one, but eventually managed to narrow them down to these twenty favourites. So get inspired, and then if you like them, get shopping – links in bold denote affiliate links; SBB may earn a commission on any sales made.

Best of 2016: Cakes

21 December, 2016 by gaby

Oh, cakes! Gathering together the greatest confections from the year that was is one of my favourite parts of this series, because it always reminds me just how many incredible creations have breezed into SBB HQ over the last twelve months. This year I think we had even more than ever, because wow, narrowing them down was hard! We’ve had tiered cakes and metallic cakes and naked cakes and even a display of cupcakes made to look like succulents that was a breakout on social media. Some have come from real weddings, some from our beautiful styled shoots, but every one of them will inspire you – and if you want to see more amazing cakes, be sure to check out our Pinterest board!

Best of 2016: Bouquets

20 December, 2016 by gaby

It’s that time of year again, lovelies! For the next two weeks, along with some off-time for Christmas etc., we’ll be bringing you the best of the year’s weddings and styled shoots. I must say, compiling these is something I always look forward to, even though narrowing them down is SO HARD. And this year, we really have such a diverse crop of bouquets, in all different shapes and sizes and colours. What they all have in common is that they make a beautiful statement, and I hope that they inspire next year’s crop of brides to go the extra mile in choosing something special to carry down the aisle at their wedding. So here we go – in no particular order, our top 20 bouquets!