Real Weddings - SouthBound Bride

Equestrian Themed Wedding by Christine Joy Photography

21 April, 2016 by gaby

There’s something special about home weddings – they have such a sense of warmth and comfort and happiness about them, and I love picturing the couple returning time and again over the years and always thinking of their special day, and how this tree is the one they got married under and that spot is where the marquee was, or whatever it is. Today’s home-on-the-farm wedding is all that and more, because it also includes a very personal theme, perfect not just for the Karoo stud farm location, but for the horse-mad bride and groom. As well as getting married in a paddock, having their reception at the stables, and having plenty of their four-legged friends included as part of the day, Alex and Jess opted to include sweet equestrian elements in their decor, from horse shoe escort cards, to rosette table numbers, to tack and trophies on the tables, to ‘grass’ centrepieces. So fun, and so personal. And I can’t not mention Jess’ blushing bride bouquet, or the blushing bride-bedecked cake! My FAVE. Christine Joy took these lovely pictures that really capture all the down-home fun and happiness.

Summer’s Eve Wedding at Nooitgedacht by Marli Koen

19 April, 2016 by gaby

I love a good trans-continental love story, and while today’s gorgeous wedding took place in the Cape Winelands, it was against the far off bright lights of Los Angeles that local boy Heinrich met his California girl! Rochelle and Heinrich decided on a destination wedding in South Africa, with a simple, elegant, country vibe, and chose New Year’s Eve for their date. But instead of the kind of flashy, blingy New Years-themed weddings many couples opt for, this one was all about the understatement – white flowers, wooden tables, summery black tie attire, a meal under the trees and dancing beneath the stars. Just beautiful, and I can’t think of a better way to ring in both a new year, and a new life together! Marli Koen took these truly lovely pictures of the gorgeous couple and their ever-so-happy day.

Organic Faith-filled Wedding at Kronenburg by Nadine Aucamp

12 April, 2016 by gaby

The best weddings, in my book anyway, are those that are infused with the couple they celebrate – their likes and loves, their history, the things that are central to their lives. For Marli and Inus, today’s bride and groom, that thing is their religion, and while I would never consider belief a wedding theme as such, they did bring their faith into concrete elements of the day, right down to the favours of olive oil and salt. Beyond that, the key word was simplicity – a neutral palette, garlands of olive leaves and succulents and soft white blooms, a combination of rustic and modern that worked beautifully against the blank canvas of their venue. The result is light, elegant, and allowed their love to take centre stage, just as it should do. The talented Nadine Aucamp, one of our SBB Directory members, captured the day in these beautiful images.

Summer Greenery Wedding at Ou Stal Equestrian Estate by Liesl Le Roux

7 April, 2016 by gaby

If you ever thought that planning a wedding on a budget meant sacrificing style for your big day, then take note, because today’s wedding is budget beautiful. And that’s partly because bride and groom Bianca and MJ made some seriously smart decisions. First, they picked a venue that had a lot of natural beauty going for it and didn’t need a whole lot of dressing up, and that’s immediately half the battle right there. Then Bianca followed her own personal style preference, for casual minimalism, and picked a palette of white, green and gold, which allowed the use of budget-friendly florals that still look super elegant, like paper white baby’s breath and sage green eucalyptus. They still managed to add some adorable personal touches to the classic tables, like giant scrabble table ‘numbers’ and little terracotta plant pot favours. And finally, Bianca and MJ picked great suppliers they could rely on, and let them do their thing, including photographer Liesl Le Roux. The result? A perfect summer wedding day in the countryside, with all of the pretty but none of the fuss.

Romantic Preppy Wedding at Olive Rock by Tasha Seccombe

6 April, 2016 by gaby

Every bride dreams of endless sunshine on her wedding day, but maybe not quite as much as Kelly and Dean had at theirs, which took place in a sweltering Tulbagh heatwave! You wouldn’t know it, though, from the photos, since the couple and their retinue look cool as can be, even with long dresses and tresses, and boys in bowties. It’s no wonder then, that their wedding style was crisp and romantic, a touch of preppiness (including bow tie favours, SO adorable!) in the middle of the countryside. The wedding took place at one of our favourite venues, Olive Rock (part of the SBB Collection), and the outdoor tables with their wooden frames and Wimbledon chairs, greenery runners, trails of fairy lights and crystal chandeliers are just the prettiest thing ever. As the heat of the sun gave way to golden hour, and the shadows on the mountain got longer, Tasha Seccombe was there to capture these gorgeous images.

Organic Bushveld Wedding by Rianka’s Wedding Photography

5 April, 2016 by gaby

I think we all know by now that the South African bushveld is my happy place – everything about it makes me calm and joyful, and grateful for this beautiful country I get to call home. So safari-style weddings are kind of my wedding happy place too, especially when they’re pulled together as beautifully as this one! Chris-Marie and Heinrich chose to marry on the family farm near Pretoria and literally built their venue in the middle of the bush from scratch – laying the floors, making the tables, digging up the aloes that they used as decorations. A little oasis of wedding elegance in the middle of nature – and that’s just what their wedding reflects: natural, earthy goodness. There are so many details here to love – the hanging wreaths of greenery, the little stations built to make guests more comfortable (or well-watered) along the way, right down the bridesmaids unique (and gorgeous) skirt and top combos. And as if I couldn’t love it all more already, there’s a dash of copper glam to complement all those beautiful neutrals in the palette. Rianka’s Wedding Photography took these gorgeous pics – and there’s a bumper lot of them today! Too many pretty details to narrow down – and why would I? Like I say. Happy place.

Intimate Country Garden Wedding in the Natal Midlands by Long Exposure

31 March, 2016 by gaby

When I was in high school I remember working on some anthology in English Lit that was all about the ‘Spirit of Place’. That’s a phrase that’s stuck with me ever since – in the literary sense, but it’s also often something I think of when it comes to weddings. Because there are some celebrations that really are infused with the spirit of a place – usually the one in which they take place – and I absolutely love that. It makes the wedding a full-on sensory experience, because guests aren’t just attending a wedding in a particular venue or region, but they’re experiencing the atmosphere of that place, and often getting a piece of the couple’s heart as they do. Heidi & Shaun’s wedding is one of those – the couple share a deep love for the Natal Midlands, spending time in its English countryside-style beauty as often as they can, and wanted to share that with an intimate group of their near and dear on their big day. Hosting the wedding at a friends’ homestead with a beautiful garden, and filling the ceremony and rustic reception with blousy garden-style flowers, they did just that. I ADORE the bouquet especially, from The Flower Shed, and how well it pairs with Heidi’s pretty-as-a-picture gown. And the final lovely touch? A reedbuck motif, dreamed up by the graphic designer bride, to reference the ‘deer’ moments (sorry, I couldn’t help myself) spent in that same countryside. Christy Long captured these super romantic pics.

Harvest Abundance Wedding at Anura Vineyards by Lilys and Horns

30 March, 2016 by gaby

We’re coming to the end of our month of organic, farmer’s market, farm-to-table, generally rustic content, but before we do, we have a special wedding to share with you that has a completely unique take on farm weddings in general. When asked to describe the feeling she wanted to create for her wedding to Jake, Khanya came up with the word ‘abundance’. Abundance in food and drink, abundance in joy, and to reflect that, a feeling of plenty in the decor and design. Together with her interior designer mom, she interpreted that as a sort of farmer’s feast, decking the tables in vegetables instead of flowers, carrying a stunning bouquet that referenced the bird motif that was included throughout, and even having a few feathered friends peeking through the greenery or perched on urns and vases. It sort of reminds me of a harvest festival from a few centuries ago, but with a modern refinement, of course, and it’s safe to say we’ve never seen anything quite like it! (Plus, we’re in LOVE with Khanya’s gorgeous dress!) To make it even more special, the venue was the groom’s family wine farm and an event space that was created just in time for the wedding, and the images below are all from Lilys and Horns Photography, who also happens to be one of the bride’s BFFs.

Light & Bright Botanical Wedding at Olive Rock by Adene Photography

29 March, 2016 by gaby

Some weddings are like a carnival, parading across my screen with colour and noise and celebration. Others, like today’s beautiful celebration from the fab Adene Photography, are more like a summer breeze, full of gentle details and whispers of lace, and sheer wedding day romance, and you just want to bask in their radiant glow. That’s Joandi and Jurgens’ big day to me – it’s light and bright and airy, and equal measures organic and contemporary, which is the perfect complement to the gorgeous space at Olive Rock (one of our fave SBB Collection venues). With delicate watercolour details in the stationery, fantastic white florals, and some of the sweetest bridesmaid dresses I’ve seen in a while (as well as Joandi’s incredible illusion neckline gown), it’s the prettiest way to kick off our week of weddings. The final cherry on top? Stacks of chocolate brownies for the guests to take home. Now that’s a sweet farewell.

Romantic Rose Farm Wedding by Jack and Jane Photography

22 March, 2016 by gaby

From the minute I laid eyes on this rustic, romantic wedding, it melted my heart. Everything about it is soft, neutral perfection, from the rose farm setting and elegant barn venue (Ludwig’s rose barn, which I have been dying to feature for a while!), to the eucalyptus wreaths and swags and runners, and fairy lights against whitewashed brick, to the bride’s absolutely gorgeous dress, hair and makeup, to the naked cake. And let’s not forget Jack and Jane’s beautiful photographs, which were SO hard to narrow down because I wanted to share them all with you! Celeste and Dewald are just the sweetest couple, best friends who fell in love, and everything about their day shines with the light of that love. It’s countryside elegance at its very best, and I know you’re going to feel as swoony as I do about every minute, and every frame.