Category: Real Weddings

Romantic Barn Wedding at Rosemary Hill by Ginger Ale Photography {Christa & Jaco}

by gaby

DIY details are always pretty awesome, but some of my favourite weddings are those where the bride or groom apply their particular creative talents to the big day, resulting in something that’s not just personal and special, but truly one of a kind. Today’s wedding is one of these – bride Christa is a ceramic artist and textile designer, and she created a series of absolutely gorgeous, unique fabric elements for her rustic chic wedding to Jaco. And speaking of Jaco, I love when we get to hear from our SouthBound grooms, and today’s wedding story is all in his words. Enjoy reading them, in between sighing over the breathtakingly romantic pictures by Ginger Ale Photography!Read More

Protea Farm Wedding at Wychwood by Kate Martens {Jess & Jon}

by gaby

This wedding had me at ‘protea farm’. I mean seriously, what could be more perfect for a protea lover like myself, than a wedding where our beautiful national flowers are grown, amid fields the colours of a Camps Bay sunset? So it’s no wonder that Jess and John chose to accent their wedding design with proteas – dozens of them. But the charm didn’t stop there – think curtains of rose and blush ribbon, bridesmaids in tulle ruffles, elegant lace for the stunning bride and a ballerina flowergirl. There’s even a ruffley cake. It’s just SO PRETTY, and we loved finding out that SBB was Jess’s favourite planning blog – clearly we think her taste in weddings and wedding blogs is impeccable! As is her taste in photographers – Kate Martens was on the scene to capture these gorgeous pics full of movement and life.Read More

Colourful Fynbos Wedding by Amy Scheepers & Weddings by Marius {Julianne & Gene}

by gaby

Today we’re heading out to the beautiful Garden Route to see a wedding created by the considerably talented Marius Barnard of Weddings by Marius. Julianne and Gene’s big day was a colourful affair, inspired by the hues of evening light on the South African fynbos… wow. (Don’t you just love that?) With spectacular flowers (including a floral chandelier above the couple’s weddimg ceremony), nude wood tables with mixed vases and vessels, and hanging cafe lights in a huge white marquee, this is my idea of rustic wedding perfection. What a way to start the day!Read More

Natural Beauty Wedding at Wolfkloof by Adel Photography {Grethe & GR}

by gaby

Natural Beauty Wedding at Wolfkloof by Adel Photography {Grethe & GR} | SouthBound Bride

Over the last couple of years, I’ve noticed a big trend towards ‘natural’ weddings – ones that brides describe not just as ‘rustic’ but as ‘organic’, and that include shades from nature rather than artificial hues. Maybe it’s part of the eco movement, or maybe it’s a reflection of South Africans’ love of the outdoors. I absolutely love it, and I really love when the relaxed feeling in decor transfers over to a relaxed feeling in the wedding as a whole. Grethe & GR’s wedding is just a perfect example of this – they chose bunches and green garlands of eucalyptus leaves for their decor, muted pastels for their bridesmaids, a family-style feast for their meal, and a big tree as their ceremony backdrop. It’s the kind of long, sunny, food-and-wine-filled afternoon that makes me want to pack up my laptop, grab a picnic blanket and head outside to the open air. Adel Ferreira was on the scene to take these lovely pictures of the laid-back lovebirds and their happy guests.Read More

Joyous Garden Wedding at Jex Estate by Lad & Lass

by gaby

Joyous Garden Wedding at Jex Estate | Credit: Lad & Lass

Crazy beautiful. That’s the only way I can think of to describe today’s wedding – in fact, I’m struggling to find words at all, but who needs words when the pictures are this pretty? Aside from the fact that Jess & Steve are basically one of the most attractive couples south of Hollywood, or that their South African girl meets Australian boy in California story is like something out of a romcom, every little detail of this stylish garden soiree just makes me giddy to look at. From the pink peonies and monochrome stripes to the proteas and bridesmaids in mint, each photograph by the supremely talented Lad & Lass brings a new delight (which is why I couldn’t help myself but include a ton of them in this post). And let’s not forget the aisle lined with scripture calligraphed on wooden boards (swoonage), or Jessica’s insanely gorgeous dress (by SBB fave designer and featured bride, Julia Ferrandi). But as usual, what really, really gets me (once I’ve stopped squealing at how much I love every inspiring idea) is the raw emotion that the Lad & Lass team captured here – Steven’s tears as he sees his bride, her radiant joy, the light that seems to dance around them like a blessing. Crazy beautiful. I told you.

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Vintage Rustic Wedding at De Ouwe Klok by Heather Steyn {Fran & Matthew}

by gaby

Morning all! Sorry we missed you yesterday – everything got thrown a bit by electrical storms sending the internet out of whack, and in the end I decided to chill out, stop staring angrily at my computer screen, and just enjoy cuddling up under the duvet with the dog and a cup of hot chocolate. Living in the moment, right? Well, today we’re back, and we have a gorgeous wedding to share with you all, a mix of vintage and rustic with a touch of high fashion glam, courtesy of the bride herself (what’s that expression in the South – the higher the hair, the closer to God?). But while the succulents and garlands and pegs and paper flowers make my heart sing, as usual what really captured me was the sheer joy that came through when Fran told me her fairytale love story (which started, would you believe it, at a party thrown by their ultimate wedding photographer, Heather Steyn!). This is a boy-meets-girl right out of a movie, and the sweetest part was that Matthew recreated the whole thing for his proposal. And if that’s how it started, this is one marriage that is going to be full to the brim with romance.Read More

Sophisticated Peach & Champagne Wedding at Longmeadow by Rianka’s Wedding Photography (Rony & Anthony}

by gaby

The moment this lovely outdoors-indoors celebration by Rianka’s Wedding Photography came across my desk, I think it only took me a couple of pictures to fall head over heels for Rony’s sophisticated Molly Sims-esque bridal style. And when I saw the rest of her wedding to hubby Anthony I wasn’t disappointed – lace, pearls and peach roses everywhere, and a touch of shimmery gold on her maids of honour. It’s classic but modern, glitzy but also bringing in garden elements from the beautiful surroundings of their venue. And with all the joy and vivacious energy of a Jewish wedding celebration, the result is simply spectacular!Read More

Winter Citrus Wedding at Steenburg Golf Estate by Cheryl McEwan {Gabi & Gary}

by gaby

Two reasons I knew from the start that this wedding would be gorgeous. One, the bride’s called Gabi so OBVIOUSLY that immediately makes her awesome (and I’m not biased about my namesake at all). And secondly, this clementine, lemon & lime coloured celebration was put together by some of my absolute favourite suppliers, including photographer Cheryl McEwan, fabulous flowers, Bright & Beautiful and Seven Swans (by the way, do read Gabi & Gary’s ceremony programs, because they are adorable!). I just love all the citrus elements in the bouquets and on the tables, adding a bright punch of colour to a rainy Cape winter day, right down to sweet lemon meringue tarts baked specially by the groom’s mom. Even the food is fun – who doesn’t love burgers served on custom wooden boards? It was the perfect way to send off these high school sweethearts into married life, and here’s wishing them one as sweet as a bag of oranges.Read More

Geometric Fynbos Wedding at Maison Estate by The Picturist {Christél & Warno}

by gaby

What do you get when an interior and textile designer falls in love with a landscape/urban designer? Well, besides a whole lot of love, joy and happy smiles, you get a gorgeous, natural, modern wedding with geometric-inspired fabric detailing and a soft yellow and grey palette that blows my little wedding loving mind. Christél and Warno’s wedding was a labour of love where almost everything was DIY, and the result is loads of sweet, clever, whimsical details, from a windmill-adorned dancefloor to little triangle Tillandsia ‘houses’ as favours. Add to that a bride in glittering Maggie Sottero, a Franschhoek mountain backdrop and fantastic pictures by Danieka Erasmus (aka the Picturist), and this is one for the loveliness record books.Read More

Natural Winter White Wedding at Netherwood by Carmen Roberts {Lauren & Andrew}

by gaby

If there’s one motif that has quietly been making it’s way into South African weddings recently, it’s cows. Yep, cows. We love ’em, and considering our African roots, maybe that’s not surprising. What’s very cool is that our brides and grooms have shown how a motif like this can be incorporated in a classy way, and never more so than in today’s ‘organic, white and candlelight’ wedding from the lovely Carmen Roberts. Lauren and Andrew were married at the beautiful Netherwood in the Midlands (so the cows were super appropriate to their farm venue) and created a sweet motif that was branded on to the boards at each place setting – cows also popped up in the cake toppers, in signs and table plans, and even in the table names. The rest of the wedding design was classic, white and natural – clouds of baby’s breath and succulents, dapper bow-tied groomsmen and a bride in a beautiful long-sleeve lace dress. It’s everything a winter bride could dream of.Read More