Category: Real Weddings

Real Wedding at the Du Boirs {Nicolene & Krishen}

by gaby

I have such a feast for the eyes to share with you today! When Vashnie of Bodhi Vision Photography sent over the pictures from today’s modern Indian wedding at The du Boirs in Hillcrest, Natal, it was like my inbox was having a party. This wedding is so full-to-the-brim of colour and life, I couldn’t wait to share it with you! Nicolene and Krishen took the traditions of their Hindu heritage and put their own, more modern spin on them, resulting in the kind of personal ceremony and reception that we love most here at SouthBound Bride. They opted for not just one colour scheme but two, using more traditional red, green and gold at the ceremony and surprising their guests with a rich peacock palette at their reception – what an amazing experience it must have been walking in and being greeted by the second vibrant look of the day! Other elements I love: their cake – how gorgeous is that cake? I don’t know how they made themselves cut into it! – and the patterned rose petals on the aisle. Fancy!Read More

Real Wedding at Grand Dedale {Catherine & Mark}

by gaby

One of the things I love about SouthBound Bride being a destination wedding blog, is that I’m not limited to a particular aesthetic in the weddings I feature. Which suits me perfectly, since I have pretty eclectic tastes myself. I’ve featured beautiful vintage weddings, boho beachy celebrations, African-tastic bush scenes, city slickers, even themed weddings. I adore them all. Today’s wedding doesn’t fit into a particular mould – it’s set in the beautiful Cape countryside but has elements of classy city minimalism; it’s elegant and sophisticated, but with fun touches like fresh oyster shucking and a pimped up dessert table. And all of this within the most gorgeous white on white palette. It’s quintessentially Capetonian, and no surprise that it’s been so perfectly rendered, since it was co-ordinated by the awesome team at Wedding Concepts and photographed by Jan-Hendrik. I know you’re going to love it as much as I do!Read More

Real Wedding at Constantia Mist {Sarah & Peter}

by gaby

Coral, you guys. I have been preaching coral (along with my fellow wedding bloggers) for the last year, and I’ve seen it in inspiration boards and inspiration shoots and weddings on other people’s blogs. But today, coral is making a personal appearance here on SBB and let me tell you, get ready to do some Beatles-style shouting and crying, because it is everything I thought it would be and more. Of course, the colour scheme’s not the only reason I fell in love with Sarah and Peter’s beautiful Constantia Mist garden wedding (shot in glorious colour and detail by friends and SBB sponsors Andre and Selma of Expressions), but it’s the first one. Close behind were super sweet details like button badges, wooden tableware, divine stationery, sweet white folding chairs and paper pom poms. It’s like the posh version of a country picnic, and manages to be charming and sophisticated and a little bit retro all at the same time. It is LOVE. More like this one please, people. Make a blogger happy. ;)Read More

Wedding Video: Kate & Christian

by gaby

I promised you more of today’s lovely wedding, and here it is! Kate and Christian’s fabulous brunch wedding at La Colombe, Constantia Uitsig was filmed by the awesome Storyboard Productions – I just love the sweet, upbeat tone of the whole film, and that scrumptious morning light! It’s almost enough to drag more brides out of bed for a morning start, isn’t it?

Still images by Warren Williams

Real Wedding at Constantia Uitsig {Kate & Christian}

by gaby

Wakey wakey, SouthBound Brides! I have a lovely wedding for you this morning, and it was a lovely morning for this wedding! A few weeks back, I ran a story about brunch weddings (only one of my most popular, so I guess this is an idea that’s gathering speed) and bride Kate contacted me to tell me about hers. She and her husband, Christian, decided on an autumn champagne brunch at La Colombe, Constantia Uitsig, so they could dash off on their honeymoon afterwards, and chose a neutral, slightly vintage palette. The gents wore morning suits and all the ladies at the wedding were asked to wear hats and fascinators (I just love this!). The result is classically beautiful wedding that really captures Cape Town’s autumnal charm (although lucky for Kate and Christian, they just missed the Cape Town rains!). Warren Williams was there to take the pictures, and as always has done an awesome job in capturing the spirit of the day – I love the fashion editorialey style of these shots. And here’s the even better news – come back in an hour and I’ll have a lovely bit of video from this wedding to show you too!Read More

Real Wedding at Netherwood {Sam & Stew}

by gaby

Okay, I am going to admit, I found this feature HARD. Not because it’s not lovely, oh no. But because picking through the pictures has never been harder. It’s not just that Sam – our brand new DIY Bride guest contributor – has an eye for detail second to none and the most incredible, original, personal, heart-warmingly wonderful ideas incorporated into her beautiful wedding, but that every one of photographer Jacki Bruniquel’s pics is so perfect that I wanted to use them all. Narrowing them down was like a Herculean task. So this is kind of a long post. But I don’t mind if you don’t mind, and I know you won’t mind scrolling through this absolutely gorgeous DIY celebration at Netherwood. And the best part? You’ll be able to recreate some of the awesome yourself, when Sam brings you her DIY tutorials. Isn’t that the best news? Yes it is.Read More

Real Wedding at Ongegund {Ruenda & Sean}

by gaby

We often use the word ‘inspiration’ on wedding blogs, but today’s bride and groom really are an inspiration. It’s not just the love story they share (and wait till you hear what the groom planned for the reception – it actually choked me up properly!), but the way that they succeeded in ensuring that their wedding would leave as little impact on the environment as possible. They made sure that nothing was unnecessary or in excess, and they used recycled or recyclable materials as much as they could. Which sounds terribly sparse, but in fact, the decor at this wedding is some of the prettiest I’ve seen. There are so many original touches, and then hearing where they come from and often, where they will be re-used, is really enough to make even the most extravagant bride think. So I hope that as you look through Annemari Ruthven‘s gorgeous pictures, that you will be inspired beyond the pretty, and maybe take something away for your own wedding as well.Read More

English Country Style Beaumont Wines Wedding by Glee Photography {Nombuso & James}

by gaby

As a wedding blogger, it’s sometimes a bit of an odd experience going through someone else’s wedding pictures. The ones I tend to leave out (when I’ve been sent a full set) are the family shots, pictures of the guests, dancefloor pics. Those are personal pics, not really for a blog, but they do give me an amazing insight into a couple. And let me tell you, Nombuso and James have a lot of love around them, not to mention friends and family that really know how to party! There’s so much joy and good feeling and even pride on every guest’s face, that you just know what an awesome couple they are. Of course, that’s not the only reason I love this wedding at Beaumont Wines. I’m a big fan of the English country style they’ve employed in neutrals, with little pops of pastel and raspberry pink. I’m a big fan of their adorable cake, their old fashioned jars of sweets for favours, their hessian (burlap) bunting. The haybale seating at the ceremony (so cute!). The cool lanterns on their dancefloor (what a lovely alternative to the large round lanterns we usually see.) The bride’s shoes – how I do love those Westwoods! All in all, it’s a truly lovely wedding, perfectly captured by Glee Photography – enjoy!Read More

Real Wedding at Grootvlei Guest Farm {Ingrid & Denzil}

by gaby

You know, sometimes when you travel, it makes you appreciate all the wonders and beauties of the world, and how luck you are that you can plane, train or automobile your way around them. And sometimes, travel makes you appreciate what you have at home. It’s like that for me with the South African coast. Sure, I’ll never say no to a tropical island, and there’s something very appealing about bobbing around in the smooth Mediterranean. But you only have to sit on a pebbly beach in Brighton for five minutes to miss our soft, pale sand, and there’s nothing quite like the roar of our not just one, but two oceans. I think that’s one of the reasons why beach weddings are always highlights for me, especially when they manage to recreate some of that wild, natural beauty. That’s what today’s stunning wedding at Grootvlei does – the palette is like a stormy day at sea with light breaking through the clouds (which is appropriate, considering the proposal). Soft greys and whites, with flashes of natural green. Orchids and succulents (which I never would have expected to work together, but are so elegant). A driftwood altar. The pictures by Stephan Marais are so gorgeous, I just knew I had to share them with you! {Oh, and PS, I love Grootvlei’s mussel motif – such a cool texture for a beach venue.}Read More

Real Wedding at The Bridge {Roslynde & Louis}

by gaby

You know, there’s a story behind why origami cranes are considered lucky for weddings. Supposedly, the qualities you need to fold 1,000 cranes (patience, good communication, perseverance, and so on) are the same ones that you’ll need to have a successful marriage. But the origami cranes in today’s wedding teach something different. These were folded by a friend of the bride, and this detail, as well as the many other handmade touches from friends and family, reminded the bride and groom of the support they have in their marriage. Isn’t that just so lovely? Of course, the loveliness doesn’t stop there. The first thing I fell in love with from Roslynde and Louis’ wedding (apart from her pretty name!) was the wooden proteas carried by her bridesmaids – aren’t they just the coolness? Followed very closely by her dove grey dress, with the prettiest lace detailing. Not to mention some brilliant rustic details – plantable bird thank-you cards, hanging succulents in little bottles, a feast of ribbons (I think I even spied some measuring tape on one of the succulent tins – another great DIY-able detail). Oh, what the heck, I love it all. Melanie Wessels (welcome Melanie!) did the photographic honours.Read More