Real Weddings - SouthBound Bride

Elegant Travel Themed Wedding at Nooitgedacht by Art Photo

18 January, 2019 by gaby

I think one of the reasons that the travel wedding ‘theme’ has remained such a favourite with my readers year in and year out is that it’s one of the few that isn’t just about being a trend but is really about telling a couple’s story. For Greg and Tina, that story is bound inextricably with travel. Almost as long as they’ve been a couple, they’ve been travelling across oceans to be together, and exploring the world as they grown in love. It’s so romantic! And so when it came to finding a thread to run through their decor and design, it had to be travel. I absolutely love the ideas Tina executed to pull this off – the cake especially, but also the seating plan, the hand painted table names, the little aeroplanes here and there on the stationery. There were other clever ideas that told the couple’s story too though – a G&T bar to honour their monogram, a proudly South African menu to honour the place they met and fell in love, even a cocktail hour pub quiz for their guests (SO fun!). And all of this against the stunning winelands backdrop of Nooitgedacht Estate, which perfectly complemented the bride’s elegant vision. There are so many wonderful stories woven through this day, it’s definitely worth taking the time to read what Tina had to say about all of it, and sharing in these special moments thanks to the images by Art Photo!

Timeless Elegance Springbok Wedding at Webersburg by Lavender Creations & Duane Smith

10 January, 2019 by gaby

I don’t feature a lot of ‘celebrity’ weddings here on SBB – in general, I prefer to tell the stories of real people on the happiest day of their lives. But of course, celebrities are real people too, with their own real, beautiful love stories, and some of their weddings aren’t about the glitz and the glam and the feature on Top Billing, but rather the incredible joy of two people promising their lives to one another. So while you may recognise Cheslin Kolbe from his time at Western Province or as part of our Olympic medal-winning Sevens team, or most recently as a Springbok (yay!), you’ll really fall in love with his wedding to beautiful wife, Layla. I’ve been holding on to this wedding for a while to share with you this week, and I’m so excited to finally let it make its SBB debut! It’s classic, it’s elegant, and most of all it’s heartfelt. I defy anyone to watch the video and not get a little choked up when Cheslin does, as Layla walks down the aisle, or to grin along with them post ceremony – they both look happier than a man raising the William Webb Ellis. Also, I’m not gonna lie, there are some hot groom’s party images in here that you do not want to miss, since Cheslin was joined by (among others), our Springbok captain Siya Kolisi (along with his wife, Rachel, as a bridesmaid). What do you call a bunch of fit, shirtless rugby players in a swimming pool? A good day at work for Gaby, that’s what. Some of the other details we loved include Layla’s incredible Robyn Roberts gown, the timeless winelands setting, the fun cake topper, and of course, Layla and Cheslin’s sweet daughter as the most adorable flower girl ever! Huge congrats to the Kolbes, and to Lavender Creations for pulling off such a gorgeous event, perfectly captured by Duane Smith Photography.

Stylish Indie Karoo Wedding in Matjiesfontein by Hewitt Wright

8 January, 2019 by gaby

We’ll be talking trends a lot this month on SBB, and this is one of those weddings that rolls out many of those trends, but in a way that is effortless and authentic and cool. You’ll spot a groom in a hat, a macrame ceremony arch, and some of the most stunning dried flower and grass floral displays we’ve ever seen. But you kind of get the sense that this is just who Adri and Vincent, the gorgeous bride and groom, really are. They both looked fabulous – especially in love with Adri’s hand-beaded gown and short do! They chose the most awesome venue for their big day, Matjiesfontein, which has a bit of a quirky old world vintage vibe, but also reflects the colours and textures of the Karoo (something which means a lot to the couple). They adopted a desert palette for the wedding, a rich array of oranges and reds and golds, with a huge pampas display as the centrepiece. It’s stunning, and was perfectly captured by the talented Hewitt Wright.Read More

Festive & Colourful Winter Wedding at Orchards by Bright Girl

19 November, 2018 by gaby

I’m a little biased because I adore her, but it seems to me that everything that’s in front of Eileen of Bright Girl‘s lens turns to gold. Or in this case, gold and sparkle, plus lots of bright, bold, beautiful colour! Lana and Greg’s wedding brought a whole punch of festive flair to the KZN winter – fat red peonies, roses in every shade of pink, velvet linens, a ceiling dripping in stars and twinkle lights, a shiny gold pear at every sitting. And the bridesmaid dresses – oh my! I’m obsessed with Lana’s choice of gowns, which manage to be romantic and a little ethereal, while also being colourful and super stylish – LOVE! They worked perfectly with the abundant blooms and with Lana’s own dreamy pale blush wedding gown and perfectly matched the mix of whimsicality and grown-up glamour that characterised this very special celebration. All brought to life by Eileen’s lovely pics of course! Get those pinning fingers ready!

DIY Forest Greenery Wedding at Matroosberg by Claire Thomson Photography

17 October, 2018 by gaby

When Claire Thomson sends us something pretty, we know we’re going to love it, and this gorgeous forest wedding is no exception! Carla and Kenné’s forest fete took place in the beautiful Matroosberg Nature Reserve – the perfect choice for a pair who got engaged on a hiking trail! The decor was simple and elegant, a pairing of deep emerald green foliage with touches of gold, soft linens, and patterned glass that was perfectly complemented by the bride’s ultra chic off-shoulder gown and birdcage veil, and the groom’s dapper suit. A designer herself, the bride created all the stationery – in fact the whole day was a DIY collaboration between the bride and groom, their family, and friends. Maybe it’s this element of community, maybe it’s the gorgeous backdrop, and maybe it’s just the love and laughter between the couple that make it all so special – I’m going to guess it’s all three, with a little help from Claire’s gorgeous pics!

Modern Monochrome & Greenery Wedding at White Light by Daniel West

3 October, 2018 by gaby

‘Your day, your way’ has pretty much always been our mantra around here, because if a wedding doesn’t reflect the two people it celebrates, what will? Today’s special couple, Francois and Taryn, totally got that. They dreamed up a day that perfectly encapsulated their chic, modern style with its clean monochrome palette (along with touches of greenery and copper, so pretty!), geometric details, and general feeling of light and space (thanks in no small part to their fab venue, White Light). But while the look is very contemporary and stylish, the vibe is full of fun! From the skateboard-riding groom to the bride positively overflowing with happiness, the talented Daniel West has captured a real spirit of joie de vivre in these images, and I LOVE it.

Secret Garden Wedding with Delft Details at The Conservatory by Jo Stokes

25 September, 2018 by gaby

Be still my Delft-loving heart! Because you KNOW that the gorgeous Delft tableware and stationery and palette is what I noticed first about Glenn and Tracey’s gorgeous wedding. But the happiness doesn’t stop there. This sweet couple, who love the outdoors and wanted to enjoy the beautiful Western Cape summer scenery, chose a venue that allowed them to appreciate Nature in all its glory through the Conservatory’s floor to ceiling glass windows, then brought it inside with secret garden-inspired florals that are the perfect amount of both elegant and whimsical. A variety of hanging gardens dripped from the ceiling (LOVE), and the flowers were decked with little terracotta pots and a mix of vases, which worked beautifully with that Delft china print. Tracey’s dress and Glenn’s suit were nods to the colour scheme too, with the bride donning a beautiful gown with a dreamy dipped blue skirt (perfectly complemented by a romantic updo and natural makeup by SBB fave Ida Webster), and the groom rocking a navy suit and floral print tie. It’s all SO LOVELY. And the real cherry on top is the way that the bride and groom chose to really include their littler guests in proceedings, making their reception full of happy kiddie smiles and memorable moments (plus those littlies knew how to squeak tekkie on the dancefloor, and showed the adults how it’s done!) The fabulous Jo Stokes was on-scene to capture every pretty detail and happy moment in these pictures.

Indie Cocktail Wedding at Bellevue Cafe by Matt Kay Photography

21 September, 2018 by gaby

Giant balloons, confetti bombs, velvet table clothes and furniture… oh my! Today’s wedding sent to us by Lucinda of Luxe Events is very indie chic, full of fun details, happy smiles, and rich moody tones. The bride, Michelle, is a vision in her utterly unique, dip dye, pearl-beaded McCarthy Wolff gown, while her groom, James, is dapper in his slim tweed suit. Even the bridesmaids look seriously rad, in their black and silver mismatched gowns. There’s lush jewel coloured florals, there’s a gin bar, there’s a neon sign. Pretty much every cool detail you could want. But most of all, there’s James and Michelle in love, sharing their happy day (cocktail style!) with their nearest and dearest, which is of course the coolest part of all. Matt Kay Photography captured these images.

Moody Protea-filled Forest Wedding at De la Mas by Chris de Wet

20 September, 2018 by gaby

Settle in, friends, because this Gauteng wedding involves a hidden-away-in-the-woods ceremony, proteas everywhere, even a rainbow! Hilde & Jaundre’s big day also has tons of emotion and heartfelt moments – the groom’s face as the bride walks down the aisle (tears!), the way he scooped up his new wife when the rain started to fall (the chivalry!), and the way they looked at each other all day like they were the luckiest people on earth. Add in Chris de Wet‘s gorgeously moody images, and you have an affair to remember!

Modern Bohemian Wedding at Altydlig by Debbie Lourens

19 September, 2018 by gaby

There are some weddings I fall in love with more every time I look at them, and Juan and Mari’s is one of them! Which probably has something to do with the fact that Mari is such a creative soul – not only did she design all the stationery for her big day, and come up with some gorgeously unique ideas (like the cork boutonnieres and origami crane invitations), she applied to same creativity to writing a sweet poem that bagged the couple two of our favourite wedding cinematographers, the fab Barefeet Videography, in a competition they ran (be sure to check out the video at the end of the post!). The style was modern meets bohemian, with a divine palette of pomegranate red, leafy green, and rose gold. I love the mix of clean, contemporary geometrics with more rustic elements, as well as the addition of rose gold safari animals as a nod to the couple’s love of the bushveld. And I LOVE the happiness in all Debbie Lourens‘ wonderful photos – not just between the high school sweethearts who became newlyweds, but among their family and friends as well. What a happy, pretty day.