Elegant Naturals Picnic Wedding at Elandskloof {Shani & David}

What are your ingredients for a fabulous wedding? If I had to make a list, I think Shani & David would pretty much have checked every box. This adorable couple wanted a wedding that reflected their personalities and style, and allowed them to celebrate with family and friends over an extended wedding weekend. They managed both, and more besides. A riverside picnic after a forest ceremony, an open air reception with the most gorgeous rustic florals, including botanical-style arrangements and chandeliers, and a glitter filled pinata to open the dancefloor under the stars. And let’s just take a moment to mention Shani’s gorgeous (and unusual) wedding gown, the troop of sweet flowergirls and pageboys, and the bride’s organic cascade bouquet. Country wedding perfection, basically, delivered up in a chilled out, laid-back, sparkly and super happy style.Read More

Violet Botanical Wedding at Blue Horizon Estate by Yvette Gilbert {Jessica & Sean}

One of the things I love most is when a bride incorporates a theme or motif that’s current, but gives it a fresh spin with a unique colour scheme. We’ve seen lots of botanical weddings in the last year (and oh, how I love them!) but usually they’re paired with a palette of neutrals or blush. Today’s couple instead decided to go for a palette of different shades of purple, from violet to magenta, which added a real punch to the theme! Especially when combined with pretty berry-coloured details from cocktails to one of the prettiest cakes I’ve seen, ever (both inside and out – scroll down to see what I mean!). One of my favourite touches is the way that Jessica and Sean used only indigenous flowers in their botanical seating chart and table numbers – a simple touch, but one that is proudly South African! Yvette Gilbert captured these dreamy pics of Jessica & Sean’s big day.Read More

Peaches & Cream Summer Wedding at Langkloof by Michelle van Heerden {Chloe & Keith}

Once upon a time I did a business trip to some incredibly random place up in the north of England, and stayed overnight at a B&B full of chintz and plastic flowers. The new owner picked me up from the station (yep, this town was so small there were no taxis) and on the way he told me he’d spent the whole of the last week learning how to make this soup that was the old B&B owner’s speciality. Vegetable soup made with chicken stock. So, alone in the dining room that night, I ordered the soup. It was good. And that is LITERALLY the best thing that ever happened to me on a business trip. Because as we all know, most of the time they kind of suck. But today’s bride and groom have a far, far better story – they went home with the beginnings of true love! Of course, their sweet ‘how we met’ story was just the first thing I fell in love with about Chloe & Keith’s wedding. Chloe, who just happens to be a talented florist herself, built her wedding inspiration from the flowers forward, resulting in the most beautiful, natural, rustic arrangements on long tables. Everything about it is pretty and breezy and laid back, like a cool sip of lemonade on a summer afternoon – just like Michelle Van Heerden‘s photographs of the big day. And here’s a fun fact – this wedding makes it a hat trick for Langkloof on the blog this week, since both yesterday’s wedding and styled shoot were set there too (pure coincidence, I promise!) – I just love how it demonstrates that a great venue can be the backdrop for a celebration that is truly you, no matter what your style!Read More

Ice Cream Pastels Wedding at Langkloof by Coba Engelbrecht {Kayleigh & Brendon}

I’ve been a huge fan of Langkloof Roses, ever since I styled a shoot there a couple of years ago, and I can’t think of a more perfect place for a spring wedding, let alone one with mixed ice cream pastel shades (my favourite!). It’s the simple little touches that make Kayleigh and Brendon’s wedding so very charming – the ‘forever and always’ banner hanging over their chapel entrance, the petals in enamel buckets, the glimpses of gold along the wooden tables, the sparkler lined floor for the first dance (which by the way, has a hilarious story attached). And of course, those mixed pastel bridesmaid dresses that really draw the eye. All surrounded by fields of roses in the beautiful Cape winelands. One two three… SIGH. Coba Engelbrecht took the pics that are making our hearts flutter so!Read More

Summery Pastel Wedding at Roodezand by Wrensch Lombard {Rita & Kirchual}

Just a couple of days ago, I was saying how grooms in non-black suits were a huge trend for 2015, and here to prove it is today’s handsome groom in a gorgeous watermelon pastel. It’s the perfect complement to a wedding that is as simple as it is beautiful, with summer pastel flowers and soft fabric banners fluttering in the wind. And let’s just take a moment to appreciate bride Rita’s look, which is the epitomy of simple sophistication. Her portraits by photographer Wrensch Lombard are just breathtaking, as are all the gorgeous pictures of Rita and Kirchual’s happy day. Enjoy!Read More

Gorgeous Game Lodge Wedding at Bonamanzi by Fiona Clair {Melissa & Keenan}

You guys don’t need me to tell you how much I love the African bushveld, it is my BEST THING. So of course I have a soft spot for couples who share that love, and as soon as I saw Melissa & Keenan’s wedding I knew that they were just that sort of couple. Long-distance lovers who now live in beautiful Kwazulu Natal, they planned a game lodge fabulous wedding complete with a chic bush ceremony arch, zebra bridesmaid robes, and just about every variety of protea. It’s super joyful and beautiful, and super South African, which makes it the perfect wedding to kick off our super SouthBound year! The phenomenal Fiona Clair was on-scene to capture these gorgeous pics.Read More

Playful Protea Wedding at Old Mac Daddy by Michelle van Heerden {Lynne and Kyle}

Hello lovelies! As I mentioned last week, I got to be on the other side of the wedding fence this weekend when I was a guest at two of my dear friends’ wedding in the Midlands. And as much as I love the prettiness here (and there was plenty of prettiness there too), it was also good to remind myself of all the emotion that goes into the day – I literally couldn’t stop the tears at one point, but they were definitely tears of joy! And joy is a huge hallmark of the wedding I’m sharing with you today – just like bride Lynne says her dress doesn’t take herself too seriously, I get the impression that neither do the bride and groom, and everything about their big day is a little bit playful. From gold spray-painted animals at each setting to a scuba themed cake, chilli boutonnieres and a hangover station (best favour idea ever!), it was a day full of fun. And with smiles so wide and weather so sunny, photographer Michelle van Heerden captured every moment beautifully.Read More

Natural DIY Wedding at Waterwoods by Duane Smith {Kim & Christiaan}

If there’s one thing that was clear from our recent survey, it’s that you guys LOVE a DIY wedding. And who could blame you? There’s the whole creative aspect, the fact that (even if you’re following a tutorial) the way you put it together will be uniquely ‘you’, and best of all, the fact that it’s a bonding experience for family and friends who lend their talents – literally, a labour of love. That’s exactly the kind of day that Kim and Christiaan envisioned, and I especially love the way that they chose to incorporate bare and natural textures like bulbs and raw wood, which perfectly complement their rustic venue. And then there’s that touch of pure glamour that is Kim’s dress! (Because who says you can’t be rustic AND glam?) Photographer Duane Smith was there to capture every single piece of magic – be sure to check out his profile in our directory!Read More

Sunny African Print Wedding at The Glades by CC Rossler {Tumi & Moe}

I love weddings, that’s news to nobody. But as well as the planning and design stuff, I also happen to love being a wedding guest (and I get to do it next weekend, yay!). There are some weddings on the blog where as I’m looking at the pictures I just think wow, I would have loved to be a guest at this wedding. Today’s is one of those, because it looks like so much FUN. Everything about Tumi and Moe’s big day (photographed by the fantastic CC Rossler) is right up my street – it’s bright and fun, and heartfelt too – the couple really wanted to express their love not only for one another but for all their guests as well. Plus, it’s the very definition of Proudly South African – I am completely in love with the way that Tumi used a navy and yellow African print as the base inspiration for her design (resulting in the cutest bridesmaid outfits!), as well as incorporating a traditional game into cocktail hour and carrying a protea and fynbos bouquet. Bottom line: it’s a truly SouthBound wedding, and I’m so thrilled to share it with you!Read More

Boho Country Chic Wedding at Talloula by Vanilla Photography {Katy and Shaun}

Some weddings are just easy breezy – I just have to look at them to know I want to feature them on SBB! Today’s is one of those – I absolutely adore Katy & Shaun’s mix of boho, rustic and clean, contemporary style with a dash of pastels – it’s just sheer prettiness. The attention to detail in the wedding reception is brilliant – the effect may be relaxed, but I love the little touches like champagne cork menu holders, tiny tin watering cans filled with delicate pink blooms, floral chandeliers, and a LOVE sign shining delicately against the pure white backdrop of the Talloula reception space. And let’s not forget the bride’s gorgeous flower crown and lace sleeve dress combo, bridesmaids in soft blush, and boys in bowties. As I say, easy breezy – and beautifully photographed by the fab Vanilla Photography too.Read More