Category: Real Weddings

Real Wedding at Netherwood {Chantel & Brett}

by gaby

We have a double whammy for you gorgeous people today, with both an e-shoot and wedding lined up from the same adorable couple and talented photographer. But how could I resist when the awesome Jacki Bruniquel sent them over? After all, each one of Jax’s weddings and engagements tells a unique story. For Chantel and Brett’s big day, that’s a story of winter beauty, of frosty mornings and sun falling on winter grass, and Nguni cows grazing peacefully in the countryside. But it’s also a story of fun and laughter, and of everything that the couple love incorporated into their wedding design, from orchids to rubber duckies! I love the mix of elegance and irreverence, the understated colour scheme and table design on the one hand, and the colourful, crazy sweet buffet on the other. That’s what creating a wedding that genuinely reflects you as a couple is all about. So enjoy – and be sure to pop back after lunch for the farm fab e-shoot! Spoiler alert: there are cute dogs a-plenty. :) Read More

Real Wedding at Kleinevalleij {Alicia & Stefan}

by gaby

Glitter, y’all! The magic word to get a girl excited. And actually quite an appropriate one for me today, because for the last couple of weeks that’s exactly what I have been on the hunt for. Let’s just say, I figured out why I get so many queries about glitter bridesmaid dresses from South Africa. Sequins may be everywhere in the UK, but I’ve been hard pressed to find the outfit I had in mind for my latest portrait shoot (taking place as you read this, eek!). In the end, I stumbled into YDE, which I have to say is the last place I thought I would find what I wanted. Last time I was there, I was a skinny 21 year old, and even so, I don’t think those dresses would have fitted on one thigh. I just assumed it was for very tiny, very young people, but today it turned out to be a surprise shopping success. So it made sense to see that today’s gold-loving bride also dressed some of her sequin-clad bridesmaids in YDE dresses – and they look amazing, as does the rest of the glimmering decor. I know the time will come when I’ll get sick of this trend, but for now, it still makes me get all swoony, especially when paired with a touch of lace and a splash of duck egg blue. Get ready for some really beautiful pictures from the talented Adene Photography, one of the cutest pups ever, and an all-round wonder of a wedding!Read More

Real Wedding at Palmiet Valley Estate {Amie & Christoph}

by gaby

Happy Tuesday SouthBound brides – hope your week has got off to a splendid start! Mine certainly has, being in Joburg for a flying visit and seeing a couple of friends before I head to Kruger on Thursday. Can. Not. Wait. I am such a bush baby. Anyway, to make your week even more splendid, I have another beautiful winelands wedding from the fab Jani B. I absolutely adore the bright citrus palette that Amie and Cristoph used, their understated rustic styling, and my goodness, Amie’s dress! Not to mention a macaron tower decorated with succulents to match the stunning bouquet – how gorgeous is that? Grab yourself a mid-morning cuppa, and settle in for a big fat dose of lovely.Read More

Real Wedding at The White House {Jo & Corey}

by gaby

Morning, lovelies! I thought it was about time we had a beach wedding here on SBB – as much as I love the countryside, I do love me a good ol’ toes-in-the-sand beach ceremony and reception so much. And I LOVE today’s beautiful, personal celebration, which brings together everything we love about the West Coast, including an absolutely stunning beach house venue. I fell in love with The White House (SO my dream house!) when I came across it a few months back (have to stay there at some point!) and I immediately wondered how it could be used for a wedding, bearing in mind that it’s a house of course, and not an actual venue. I had assumed that meant tiny intimate weddings only, but our creative couple today utilised not just one but three separate locations and created a sort of open air market to really capture the Yzerfontein vibe. Such a brilliant idea, don’t you think? Jani B‘s pics capture every lovely moment in glorious detail and colour – I especially love the couple pics up in the master bedroom with that glorious view of the sea. It’s the perfect way to send us off into the weekend dreaming of summer! Oh, and PS, these two have the most amazing story of how they met and Corey’s proposal, so don’t miss it!Read More

Real Wedding at Collisheen Estate {Julia & Waylon}

by gaby

Some days, I don’t feel like I have the words. After all, there are only so many ways to say ‘pretty’. Graceful, lovely, charming, fair. Today’s wedding is all of those things. It enters and floats across the stage like a blythe spirit, trailing beauty in its wake. There’s the dress, for one. I need about a dozen words for that alone, because it’s one of my favourites ever – and I still can’t believe that the radiant bride designed it herself and made it together with her mother. It is seriously spectacular (illusion lace, where have you been all my life?). Or the gorgeous reception, elegant but with personal touches like handmade napkins/tea towels, billows of baby’s breath, bridesmaids in blue. And of course the games aspect that the bride and groom added – such a sweet personal detail. Pretty definitely isn’t enough of a word to cover it, and yet pretty it is. Of course, I’m also in love with the talented Fiona Clair‘s gorgeous pics, that capture all the sweetness of this couple on their big day, and every soft and splendid moment. And I have some fab news to share (well, fab news for Cape brides anyway) – Fiona is relocating to Cape Town in early 2014, so KZN’s loss will definitely be your gain.Read More

Real Wedding at Delsma Farm {Elmarie & Sakkie}

by gaby

Today’s real wedding was a submission from the bride herself, the lovely Elmarie, who worked her pretty socks off to pull off the handmade vintagey country look for her big day. It’s all here: pastel painted faux milk glass vases, bunting, doilies, ribbons, flags and bunting. It’s like a Pinterest board come to life! I ADORE the bridesmaids’ dresses and even more so their bouquets – I just never get tired of these little wooden proteas as a truly South African floral alternative. But I think my favourite touch is the sheepies – the bride and groom come from farming backgrounds and they brought this in in such a cute way through both the boutonnieres and the table plan – such a simple but effective and memorable design! I have a feeling this one is going to have a  very high Pin count – enjoy!Read More

Real Wedding at The Cowshed {Sam & Matt}

by gaby

Love in the hay. That’s how today’s bride and groom nicknamed their wedding, and it’s such an appropriate description. Everything about this wedding is relaxed and joyful and farm-style gorgeous. From the location (the always-fabulous Cowshed in Mpumalanga) to the fearless couple portraits near some Nguni cattle to the rustic-South-African-with-a-touch-of-Brit decor. I also can’t think of a more perfect photography team to have captured this delightful big day than Dylan and Emma-Jane of Lad & Lass, who have such a lovely, unique way of framing their subjects. They even managed to get some exquisite shots of the night sky, as guests danced the night away and the stars came out over Africa. It’s pure wedding happiness – enjoy!Read More

Real Wedding at Café Felix {Henda & Danie}

by gaby

Zippididoodahzippidi-ay… You guys I am in such a good mood – the sun is out in Durbs and I am BEYOND excited for this weekend which I get to spend with some of my favourite people in the world. I am declaring Sunday my godsons’ un-birthday (which I do once a year or so, by the power invested in me as a fairy godmother, obvs) and I can’t wait to hang out with them on the beach and catch up with their parents. So that’s why I’m a bit hyper, but also because YAY PUNCH THE AIR I have another beautiful wedding to share with you this fine Thursday. Danie and Henda had their big day at Café Felix, an awesome Cape venue that never fails to impress, and they dressed it in the prettiest of pastel florals, soft white fabrics and bunting, wreaths and garlands and ribbons, oh my. It looks like some kind of fairytale garden, with just a touch of boho. The weather wasn’t perfect – in fact, these are some of the windiest photos – but oh my word, Anné Gray of Anné Photography used it to create the most stunning portraits, with Henda’s soft dress and veil floating and billowing out behind her. They look like Cathy and Heathcliffe. (But, you know, not annoying.) This one is pure romance.Read More

Real Wedding at D’Aria {Grethe & Alex}

by gaby

Happy days, friends! Ever since rainbow weddings became a thing, I’ve been patiently waiting for a brave South African bride to put her stamp on it, and today is the day. Yay. And seriously, if I had been giving someone advice for pulling off this colourful, bold look without making it tacky or like a children’s party, I couldn’t have explained it better than the way bride Grethe put her design together. There are lovely pops of colour everywhere – in the flowers, in the ribbon-backed chairs (a room full of them – I am in LOVE!), in the cocktails, even in the cake (so cool that it had a plain white outside and a surprise inside!). But it isn’t too much. In fact, the bridesmaids are in a sober navy (sober, but very, very pretty with their lace backs and gold belts) and with the bride’s beautiful, classic Elizabeth Stockenström dress and her handsome groom, the look says 100% wedding. Look out for tons of clever touches – the fun way the church flowers are displayed, the braai plank favours, the custom linen binding for the ceremony. And Bernard Bravenboer was there to capture it all to perfection!Read More

Real Forest Wedding {Marli & Kosie}

by gaby

Happy Thursday, friends! Just the one post today, as I am buried under a mountain of work at the moment… eish. Anyway, I do have this little lovely to share with you, which is full of rustic + farm + forest wedding goodness. No bride’s questionnaire today, but all the more excuse to focus on the beautiful, lush pictures by Splendid Productions. I must say, I know bad weather is most brides’ nightmare situation for an outdoor wedding, but you just have to look at the overcast skies in this wedding to see how dramatic it’s made the pictures – absolutely breathtaking. Marli and Kosie didn’t over-fuss their decor, but they’ve used lots of gorgeous rustic textures to make it fit perfectly with their venue – my faves are the wooden boards under each place setting, custom made for the wedding. Isn’t that the coolest idea? Enjoy – and I’ll be back tomorrow with lots more loveliness.Read More