Bridal Fashion - SouthBound Bride

Casey Jeanne

17 January, 2014 by gaby

It’s Friday Friday, and we’re kicking off the day with a world of loveliness from one of my personal favourite up-and-coming local designers. If you haven’t heard of Casey Jeanne yet, then I’m about to introduce you to your next fashion crush. That’s certainly what I had from the second I saw one of our own SouthBound brides in one of Casey’s creations last year. Today, the love affair continues, as I showcase more of her beautiful gowns, photographed by the awesome Alexis Diack. The attention to detail on every one of them is amazing, and I just love the combination of glamour, elegance and luxury that Casey’s work embodies.Read More

Beaded Wedding Gowns

8 January, 2014 by gaby

I’m not going to give you much of an intro today, except to say that this post is pretty much unadulterated p*rn. Dress p*rn, that is. Beaded gowns have to be some of the most incredibly beautiful ones on the market at the moment (as well as one of 2014’s loveliest trends), from Gatsby-esque art deco sheaths to beaded cap sleeve details to portrait backs to fully beaded fantasy gowns, they take my breath away. Let’s get swoony.Read More

Mira Zwillinger 2014

29 November, 2013 by gaby

Happy Friday, folks! We end off this week of loveliness with one more piece of lovely that will have you swooning your swooniest swoons. I’ve been in love with Mira Zwillinger‘s dresses ever since we featured them in this shoot, but I think it’s a love that has gone to a whole new level with the 2013/2014 collection. Like the previous one, it’s built on a combination of soft fabrics and fine lace details, but if it’s possible, this year it’s even more feminine and beautiful. These are the kind of dresses you just want to wrap up in tissue paper and sigh over. They’re definitely the kind of bridal couture that will make a breathtaking impression on any bride. My favourite is the New Beatrice (first below), a revision on one of the incredible dresses I worked with – I didn’t think it was possible to make it more beautiful, but Mira has. So here we go. Meet your new favourite dresses.Read More

Wedding Dresses for Strawberry Shaped Brides

22 November, 2013 by gaby

*UPDATED FOR 2020* It’s time for another installment in our series looking at wedding dresses ideal for your body shape. Brides come in all shapes and sizes – it isn’t about looking like some perfect perfume-advert style bride or fitting into the smallest dress in the shop, it’s all about celebrating your own beauty and style. After all, that’s what your groom fell in love with, right? Choosing a wedding dress that highlights your best features is the best way to feel amazing, so try to let go of any hard and fast ideas you may have about the silhouette you want to cut, try lots on, and take the advice of your seamstress or gown salespeople, who really know what they’re talking about. Today we’re focusing on inverted triangle/strawberry shape brides, and sharing some exquisite dresses from Etsy to inspire and illustrate.

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

Inbal Dror Paris 2013 Collection

1 November, 2013 by gaby

Get ready, wedding dress lovers, because you’re about to have a brand new style crush. I am completely smitten with the incredible Inbal Dror‘s gowns, one of a crop of Israeli designers who are taking the world by storm. The 2013 collection was themed around Paris, and I think that’s perfect, because even though she’s based in Tel Aviv, you can also see the influence of the years Inbal spent in Milan. I can imagine these gowns on a European princess, a Monaco socialite, and of course on a stylish South African bride! French lace, pearls, tulle… all the textures combine into the most sophisticated and romantic cocktail of gorgeousness. Not to mention some breathtakingly beautiful photos… as Audrey once said: Paris is always a good idea! Enjoy – and have a fab weekend!Read More

Jannie Baltzer 2014

25 October, 2013 by gaby

Woohoo, Friday! Have y’all had a good week? I am in Kruger as we speak, having a girl’s weekend with my mom, one of her besties, and one of mine (who also happen to be mother and daughter). So guaranteed I am having an awesome time, but after you see this set of stunning pics and bridal accessories, so will you be even before the weekend starts. Hands up any South African brides who have heard of Jannie Baltzer ? I am hoping that’s a lot of you, but if not, allow me to introduce you to her. This range of INSANEly beautiful headpieces and accessories has been setting Wedding World alight for the last few years, every delicate, memorable, gorgeous-making piece. So I thought it was high time that I brought a bit of this loveliness right here to SBB. Enjoy, and have a lovely weekend – I’ll see you back on an extended schedule next week. Assuming the Wifi is working and I don’t have to be on my mobile internet because THAT IS ANOTHER STORY. I don’t want to talk about it. The internet in South Africa makes me MAD. Anyway, yay! Pretty hairpieces! Happy face! ;) Have a brilliant weekend friends – I’ll be back with my roundup on Sunday!Read More

Victorian Splendour

16 October, 2013 by gaby

*UPDATED FOR 2018* If you thought that the wedding we shared yesterday was the end of the sigh-worthy lace dresses we’d be enjoying this week, then good news – it was just the start. :) When I ran the SouthBound Bride Reader Survey recently, one of the questions I asked was what readers would like to see more of, and I had a special request for Victorian lace wedding dresses. We’ve already looked at beautiful lace portrait backs, but it got me thinking about the trend that goes hand in hand with that one – high lace necks and lace sleeves, which are a gorgeously elegant modern interpretation of vintage style. In fact, sleeves are still trending in general (total win for autumn and winter brides!), and of course if you love this style but don’t want it for the whole event you can always wear a lace overlay for the ceremony. It’s a modest look, but one that is so deliciously feminine that you can see why brides keep going back to it – this is only the latest of several Victorian revivals in bridal fashion, after all! *Links in bold denote affiliate links. The cost to you remains the same, but SBB may receive a commission for any sales made.

Grace Loves Lace

4 October, 2013 by gaby

As much as I love the more traditional wedding dress designers (oh, Vera!), I’m also a huge fan of the up-and-comers, and a great place to find them is on Etsy. Every now and then I indulge myself with a good long browse through all the beautiful (often more affordable yet completely handmade) options scouting out new names, and Grace Loves Lace is one I have been looking forward to sharing with you for a while. Not only are the dresses absolutely GORGEOUS (Grace Loves Lace could have written the book on boho-luxe) but they ship from Australia all over the world and yes, that totally includes South Africa. Local brides, rejoice! I know it can be nerve-wracking ordering a dress over the internet, but every one is made to order from their studios, and since they only sell online they have built their reputation on satisfied web customers. It’s definitely about time that you knew the name. So today I thought I would bring you some dress swoonage. You’re welcome ;)Read More

Rosa Clara 2014 Collection

25 September, 2013 by gaby

Wow. I thought I was in love with the Rosa Clara collection last year, but… wow. This year, they have outdone themselves. Just scrolling through the collection of floaty, lacy, ivory, super-feminine gorgeousness, I am blown away. All the big trends are there – illusion, Gatsby, peplums. But what I love so much about this design house is that there’s a little (beautiful, not gimmicky) twist in every single dress, a combination of detailing and shape that mixes things up a little but retains the elements that we’re all so in love with. It’s an astonishingly beautiful group of dresses, and I can’t WAIT to see these on brides! Rosa Clara is stocked exclusively in South Africa by Olivelli, so give your local branch a call to try on or order one of these beauties.Read More

Wedding Dresses for Column Shaped Brides

20 September, 2013 by gaby

*UPDATED FOR 2021* Time for the second installment in our new series on how to pick a wedding dress for your body shape, and I must admit, as an hourglass I am more than a little jealous of the tube shaped body silhouette (we always want what we don’t have, right?).Columns/bananas/rectangles/tubes are slim builds, often athletic, with similar measurements throughout the bust/waist/hip zones.They have narrow shoulders, lean limbs, narrow hips and flat bums. They also tend to have long waists with little definition. The look is angular (and very easy to dress well), with both a small upper and trim lower body to accentuate. And of course, I’ve chosen some beautiful dresses from Etsy to illustrate.

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