Real Weddings - SouthBound Bride

Beach Meets Bushveld Wedding at Grootbos by Charlene Schreuder

11 July, 2018 by gaby

Some weddings really strike a chord for me and I feel like this is one of them. Beach, bush, laughter, origami? Tom and Tammy are totally in my Whatsapp group, so to speak. The South African lad and English rose met in Cape Town and wed on the Cape shores at Grootbos, in a beach ceremony that was the perfect amount of casual, personal, and fun. Not to mention breathtakingly beautiful with that pounding surf and endless sky. Afterwards, it was the best of both worlds, as they adjourned to Grootbos’ boma for a safari lodge style reception under trees covered in fairy lights. And with dozens of animals in attendance (paper ones on every table – seriously the coolest origami detail I’ve ever seen, and such a gorgeous African touch!), they partied the night away with their loved ones. Sigh. The wonderful Charlene Schreuder was on the scene to take these gorgeous pictures.

Unique Cocktail-Style Wedding with a Sunset Ceremony by Nikki van Diermen

5 July, 2018 by gaby

And now, as the Monty Python boys say, for something completely different. Kat and Keith’s wedding danced to its own tune: a sunset ceremony, a cocktail reception punctuated with wild blooms and houndstooth accents, fairy lights and floor-to-ceiling window views. A bride who looked like a modern fairytale princess in the most spectacular Janita Toerien gown with statement sleeves and gold belt detail (this is how minimalist bridal style is done right folks!) carrying a simple bouquet of Odessa calla lilies, bridesmaids in a rainbow of autumn shades, a geode cake. And of course, a love between bride and groom like no other. It was, as their photographer Nikki van Diermen put it: “perfectly unordinary”.

Contemporary Gold & Greenery Wedding at Neo by Christene de Coning

4 July, 2018 by gaby

This wedding almost didn’t make it to your faces today, thanks to a suuuuuuuper long power outage (thanks, Eskom), but I just couldn’t wait another second to share the love that is this contemporary, classic, little-bit-botanical, gold and greenery wedding with you all! By now you know that I believe a wedding should ALWAYS and above all be a representation of the couple themselves, so I love it when a bride and groom take the time to really think through their theme like Anuschka and Stefan did. They came up with the idea of a blank canvas, representing the clean slate of a new marriage, and picked one of the best blank canvas venues out there as their starting point, Neo. Then they filled this classic, contemporary space surrounded by its beautiful views with lush white blooms, touches of gold, black, white and grey, sumptuous trellises of greenery and Edison bulbs dripping from the ceiling, and a group of loving family and friends to celebrate with. Anuschka looked absolutely stunning in her nude lace gown, and was flanked by a bevvy of equally stylish bridesmaids in tulle tutu skirts and off the shoulder tops (love a bridesmaid separate!). And with the groom and his groomsmen in smart navy blazers, the long pink shadows creeping up the mountains, and the gin and whisky bars in full swing, Christene de Coning was on the scene to capture these lovely images we’re sharing with you today. Totally worth the wait.

Bohemian Bushveld Wedding at Zebra Hills by Derryn Schmidt

3 July, 2018 by gaby

I’m pretty sure if I was planning my own wedding right now, I’d want it to be just like this one. An incredible location (I mean, a riverbed ceremony in the middle of the African bushveld and a reception under the stars? Dying), a handful of my favourite humans, a breathtaking lace gown, boho wedding details, a protea bouquet, and of course my sweetheart by my side. This is what Adam and Natasha chose for their nuptials, and you guys, it is stunning. From their ceremony beneath a floral tipi to their beautiful, radiant couple shoot images, it’s all just so picture perfect – thanks also to the gorgeous images by Derryn Schmidt of course! I have no doubt you bushveld loving brides will be totally inspired for your own big day, out under our endless South African skies.

Proudly South African Wedding at The Emkhathini by Judith Belle

22 June, 2018 by gaby

One of my fave things about running SBB is that, even though I love all the beautiful, elegant, ethereal, fine art style weddings and shoots that cross my desk, every now and again, something bright and bold and proudly, uniquely South African lands in my inbox and announces its presence like the happy toot of a vuvuzela. And I LOVE it. Today’s wedding is one of these fabulous, colourful creatures, a celebration of everything Jozi and South Africa, full of fun and romance. Bride and groom Samantha and Richard met in Johannesburg, and since it formed such a vital part of their story, they decided to opt for an urban celebration that was pure modern Joburg, from the rooftop ceremony venue with the city skyline on display to the African print bridesmaid dresses and groomsmen’s accessories, to florals like proteas and strelizias, right on down to the food (from the couple’s favourite Melville restaurant). It’s fierce and fun, and totally awesome. Judith Belle captured these images of the big day.

Lively Lilac & Greenery Wedding at White Water Farm by Juliette Bisset

14 June, 2018 by gaby

Some weddings you just take one look at and you know they were SUPER fun to attend! Talia and Andre’s big day has joy and vibrancy written all over it, from Talia’s gorgeous convertible gown, to an aisle lined with hearts, to a reception that kicked off with Israeli dancing, right down to bottles of Autumn Harvest on the tables as a tribute to the groom’s dubious taste in first date wine and a unique way to toast the newlyweds. It’s no surprise this pair kept the party going long into the night! But beyond the fun, the wedding also has a sense of simple elegance, like the greenery garlands hanging in their clear marquee, or the understated colour scheme of lilac, silver, green and white, or the bride’s silver botanical crown. And with Juliette Bisset‘s beautiful photographs to bring the day to life, this is one you don’t want to miss!

Cozy Rustic Wedding at Galileo Farm by Claire Thomson

12 June, 2018 by gaby

Love at first sight. Whether you believe in it or not, that’s what happened to Michelle and Devon. And it was love at first sight for SBB when it came to their gorgeous wedding too! Rich red hues, candlelight, proteas everywhere, a cozy fire crackling in the fireplace at their reception, a gin bar, a drip cake… everything wonderful, basically! And with these gorgeous pictures by Claire Thompson to bring the couple’s big day to life for us, the dream is complete.

International Cross Cultural Wedding at Le Franschhoek by Hayley Takes Photos

7 June, 2018 by gaby

Y’all know how much I love a multi-cultural wedding – the fusion of cultures and families (smooshed together with family and friends from all around the world) makes me so happy. To me, this is what weddings are all about: two souls finding one another in the vast world, and joining their lives together to create something beautiful and new. Today’s wedding is all of these things – April and Avi come from across the world from one another and have different cultural heritages and religious backgrounds, but found each other at college in the US, making this one of the most uniquely international weddings I’ve come across. And where better to tie the knot than in the Rainbow Nation of South Africa? The day was filled with colour and happiness, with two different celebrations, three gorgeous gowns, acknowledgement of all those influences (including SA, with some Zulu dancing, yay!), old traditions and new friendships. It’s appropriate that April and Avi chose an umbrella motif for their big day too, because that’s really what it did: bring everything they love under one big beautiful umbrella. Hayley Takes Photos was there to capture these wonderful images of the day.

Japanese Inspired Wedding at The 12 Apostles Hotel by Kaitlyn De Villiers

5 June, 2018 by gaby

When it comes to wedding industry pros, I think there’s a lot of pressure when it comes time for them to plan their own weddings (at this point I think I would just elope LOL), but they do have one huge advantage, and that’s knowing the best people to help pull off a spectacular big day. With friends like these, it’s easy to exceed expectations! And that’s just what happened for bride Melissa of Blackeyed Susan, and her sweetheart Louis, when they married in a gorgeous Cape Town celebration inspired by Japanese design. With a clear vision of the aesthetic they wanted to achieve, they briefed their suppliers and then let them work their creative magic, and the result is STUNNING. The cake, the flowers, and of course the setting! And that’s before we even talk about Melissa’s cap sleeve, ivory lace bodice gown, which of course she decided to create herself (because after all, who knows a designer’s vision better than herself?) Again, she incorporated Japanese elements here to fabulous effect, including an obi belt and a traditional Kanzashi. This really is something special, and it was captured to perfection by Kaitlyn De Villiers Photography!

Festive Forest Wedding at Die Woud by Hayley Takes Photos

30 May, 2018 by gaby

Forest wedding lovers brace yourselves, because this woodland chic celebration will knock your socks off! Amy and Gerhard knew a forest wedding was the right call for them because they love taking forest walks (love that they brought their guests into this personal element of their relationship with the venue!) and didn’t look any further than Die Woud, with its glass marquee hidden amongst the trees and feeling of being lost in a kind of fairytale world. They hung the branches with ribbons, decorated the reception space with woody touches like branch votives, moss, and the most spectacular hanging floral branches, then contrasted that rustic loveliness with cut glass vases and sparkling chandeliers, and invited their nearest and dearest into this magical little space to celebrate their love. One of my fave touches has to be Amy’s heirloom wedding dress, which was remade from her late mom’s Chantilly lace gown into a stunning off the shoulder beauty that perfectly blended something old and something new. Hayley Takes Photos took these wonderfully moody pics.