Real Weddings - SouthBound Bride

Elegant Modern Asian Wedding at The Campus by Wynand van der Merwe

23 February, 2017 by gaby

Today is very exciting, because not only do I get to share this chic wedding with you, but we’re also introducing four new venues to the SBB Collection, all members of the renowned Forum Company. Forum venues and elegant modern celebrations go together like James Bond and martinis, and today we’re showcasing Kate and David’s wedding at The Campus in Johannesburg, an incredible city space – all clean lines and clear glass and smooth marble. It goes perfectly with the white on white orchid design that this stylish couple chose for the ceremony portion of their big day, which also perfectly illustrated the traditional meets modern, east meets west style that they were trying to create. And after the formalities were over, they kicked off their heels (Louboutins, in Kate’s case!) and threw a party at one of their favourite Chinese restaurants – so fun! I can’t not mention Kate’s incredible Elie Saab gown – the back of which just leaves me breathless! Or her bridesmaids’ fluttery, silver-grey dresses – they all looked like a bunch of supermodels together. There to capture all that gorgeousness was Wynand van der Merwe.

Romantic Rose Gold Farm Wedding at Thorner Country Estate by Tanya Jacobs

20 February, 2017 by gaby

Gilded with our current colour crush, rose gold, and glowing in the winter light of the Tala Valley, this shimmering soiree photographed by Tanya Jacobs will leave you inspired to say the least. From the gorgeous lace bridesmaid gowns to the candle holders on the tables, this pretty metallic is woven throughout, together with equestrian touches in honour of the groom’s love of horse racing. But the best part of Kirsty and Wes’ big day, in my book, is the fact that it was a true labour of love – every detail was conceived and created (over many cups of tea!) by the couple and their friends and family, right down to Kirsty’s beautiful gown, which was made by her talented mom! So very special, and the perfect way to kick off our week.

Chic Vineyard Wedding at Vrede en Lust by Lad & Lass Photography

15 February, 2017 by gaby

When I say that this wedding had me at proteas, I know that will surprise exactly zero of you, since South Africa’s national bloom makes regular (gorgeous!) appearances here on SBB. But it’s really a cocktail of ingredients that makes Fatima and Dane’s winelands wedding such a beauty. A dash of vineyard scenery (Vrede en Lust, which never disappoints), a tot of elegant style (thanks to Fatima’s breathtaking Pronovias gown and heirloom veil), a slice of rustic pretty (including the twelve-metre protea runner!), all shaken and stirred together with some unpredictable Cape weather (no worries, there’s a rainbow at the end of this rainstorm) and you have a fete that exudes old fashioned romance right down to the sparkler exit. And with Lad & Lass behind the camera, you know the pictures will be just as wonderful!

Informal Forest Feast Wedding at Mina’s Art Café by Alicia Landman

10 February, 2017 by gaby

A personal, genuine wedding is a happy wedding, and a happy wedding is one that has SouthBound Bride written all over it. Today’s wedding really embodies that, and it’s making my little heart so happy right now! Andre and Lynn-Marie didn’t dream of a cookie cutter traditional wedding, or of anything glitzy and glamorous. What they wanted was simple, but awesome in its simplicity. A beautiful setting. Great food. Simple flowers (with the exception of the bridal party’s fabulous crowns and the bride’s bouquet!) Tables set under the trees. And all their favourite people sitting at those tables, laughing and chatting and having a wonderful time together. That’s it – but then again, what more IS there? After a romantic first look, they walked into the forest to exchange vows encircled by their family and friends, then enjoyed a sit-anywhere feast and ended the night with a midnight swim. And if that doesn’t sound like the perfect day, I don’t know what is! Alicia Landman took these lovely images, so let’s dive in, shall we?

Vibrant Outdoor Wedding at Langkloof Roses by Moira West

8 February, 2017 by gaby

I’m all for a classic palette, but I have to admit that colour-happy brides seem to have all the fun! Take, for example, this delight of a wedding on Langloof rose farm, with that incredible winelands backdrop as a setting to an outdoor wedding extraordinaire, punctuated with cheery pops of blue, orange, pink and grapefruit. I mean, doesn’t it just make you want to be there RIGHT NOW? I love the way that Cara and Jared (who by the way, must be one of the most gorgeous couples ever), took a calculated risk for their summer nuptials and celebrated post-ceremony with a meal out in the open under wooden frames decked with crisp linen curtains and floral chandeliers. I love the way they included coloured glassware, touches of glamorous gold, printed fabric and floating candles that must have looked absolutely magical as the evening wore on. And once the meal was over and the dance floor was open, that outdoor wedding really came into its own with a party under the stars. Wow. The fab Moira West captured it all in these lovely pics!

Vintage Glamour Winter Wedding at Embassy Hill by Jani B

7 February, 2017 by gaby

I’m a summer girl, it’s true – despite having lived in the UK for more than a decade, I’ll always choose being too hot over too cold. But there’s something about a winter day – not the grey nothing winter days, but the really seasonal ones – that is so special. When you can curl up under a blanket (or better yet, by an open fire!) and listen to the rain, and drink hot chocolate or mulled wine and just feel cosy and happy. That’s what today’s wedding reminds me of – it’s a PROPER winter wedding, with all the elements that make a winter wedding so special, from those fireplaces and candlelight to gluhwein and blankets for the guests. Add in a great big dose of glamour, of the very elegant, slightly antique kind – think foiled Art Deco menus, candlelight and roses, a bride in a ballgown and bridesmaids in the most fabulous old gold dresses. Coordinated and styled by SBB fave, Neva of Bright & Beautiful, there are so many graceful touches to love, like the hanging frames with gold sprayed branches and fairylights that really made the venue’s high ceilings feel intimate. The end result will make your heart beat a bit faster, especially when you look at it through the lens of photographer Jani B, who took these wonderful images.

Love in Bloom Country Wedding at Thorner Estate by Vanilla Photography

3 February, 2017 by gaby

My first clue that Andrew and Marie are a couple after my own heart? The fact that the Proudly South African pair went about sourcing every detail of their gorgeous KZN Midlands wedding from local businesses – rings, bridesmaid dresses, decor, everything. All in line with their pretty-as-a-picture garden-style wedding vision, and the result is an affair that will have all you country wedding-loving brides jumping straight out of your seats and cheering for joy! I loved the way that the pair chose a cool blue hue to contrast with the mixed colours of all the flowers – such a lovely touch that really stands out. And the blooms really were everywhere – in floral runners along the tables at the reception (thanks to Marie’s mum’s ‘army of ladies’ and their very own gardens!), in beautiful bouquets, in darling little embroidered wreaths on each napkin, on the wine labels and stationery… even right on down to the bridesmaids’ getting-ready robes. And love was in bloom too, of course, overflowing on the faces of the delighted bride and groom, and those of their family and friends. Michigan Behn was on the scene to capture these precious moments for Vanilla Photography and share them with you today.

North Coast Tropical Chic Wedding at Burndale by Oh Happy Day

2 February, 2017 by gaby

Sometimes I see a wedding and I immediately not only fall in love with everything about it, but with the couple as well. This is one of those. Maybe because I love Durban so, along with everything tropical, maybe because Dominique and Josh managed to not only pull off a totally unique, totally stylish, totally them (AND proudly South African) theme, and maybe because they chose to work with one of my favourite wedding pros ever, Joelene of Oh Happy Day. Whatever it is, I have a great big crush on this wedding and the couple who dreamed it up, and I have been absolutely dying to show it to you ever since I first spotted it on Jo’s Instagram feed. Basically, if you turned all the best things about the North Coast into a wedding, this would be it. Tropical print bridesmaid separates… strelizia bouquets… plenty of light and white and rustic texture. And the tropical greenery wall is everything. So get your pinning fingers at the ready coastal brides, because this is a special one!

Copper, Pastel & Greenery Wedding at Poortjie Saal by JCclick

1 February, 2017 by gaby

This wedding though! Riaan & Luzahn’s big day is one of those beyond gorgeous weddings, the kind that I kind of have to pinch myself to remind myself is real and not a styled shoot dreamed up by talented photographers JCclick (who by the way, have taken the most beautiful, luminous shots of this celebration!). It starts with a setting that’s super stylish – a touch of industrial in the middle of the countryside, decorated to perfection, but in a modern, natural way. It’s filled to the brim with greenery, and from the bridesmaid dresses right down to the sunset, it’s painted in shades of soft blue-grey, blush and copper. And did I mention, a BHLDN dress? But beyond all the pretty, it’s also the story of a family coming together to celebrate this most special of all days, with a couple who are head over heels in love. Bliss!

Fynbos Chic Wedding at Emily Moon by Maxeen Kim

27 January, 2017 by gaby

When you have a memorable backdrop like Emily Moon River Lodge in Plettenberg Bay, it’s always a good idea to embrace its beauty and character as part of your wedding. Today’s couple, Rosalie and Martin, did just that, with a rustic wedding which included playful pops of colour, lots of lovely fynbos flowers, and fun personal touches, like a polaroid escort card wall. You can see every moment from their sweet celebration thanks to the marvelous Maxeen Kim, who took these gorgeous pics!