Suppliers - SouthBound Bride

Q&A with Dana LaRue {The Broke-Ass Bride’s Wedding Guide}

28 February, 2014 by gaby

I promised that I would be back today to chat with Dana LaRue, the original Broke-Ass Bride, and author of The Broke-Ass Bride’s Wedding Guide. Which, by the way, is an awesome little book (and nobody paid me to say that). If you read her blog, you’ll already know all about Dana’s witty and chilled-out take on wedding planning, which takes a lot of the stress out of planning according to a budget. Earlier I shared an extract from The Broke-Ass Bride’s Wedding Guide, and this afternoon I have an exclusive behind-the-scenes Q&A with the author herself.

Hi Dana, thanks so much for chatting to SouthBound Bride today! For readers who may not yet know you and thebrokeassbride.com, how did you get started as a wedding blogger?
I was newly engaged to my first husband, and reading a lot of blogs for inspiration. However, none of them really spoke to my situation, specifically. Most budget advice was limiting, rather than empowering: invite less guests, or just serve a buffet, etcetera. I have a huge family and really wanted to do it my way. So I started writing the blog, partly as a creative outlet, partly as a place to sort of record my journey for my own posterity, and partly in case it might help another bride like me. But I never dreamed it would blossom into something so big, or the opportunity to write a book! That was all just a very happy accident, for which I’m grateful every day!Read More

Cymbeline Paris 2014 Collection

11 February, 2014 by gaby

Afternoon, brideys! Since this is our Week of Lurve, I couldn’t NOT let us spend a little time in the City of Love itself, Paris. Because, as you know, Paris is always a good idea, right? ;) This little slice of amour comes courtesy of one of my favourite international wedding dress design houses, Cymbeline. I am a big fan of the romantic Cymbeline gowns, but I must admit that I’m also smitten by the fact that their lookbook is beautifully shot around Paris each year, so it’s double the loveliness and inspiration. And while you may not be tying the knot in France, there’s no reason why you can’t bring a bit of Parisian panache to your bridal style. So come with me, as we jet off for a few moments to the most romantic place in the world, to enjoy some favourites from the latest Cymbeline collection.Read More

Supplier Spotlight: Rifle Paper Co. at In Good Company

31 January, 2014 by gaby

A few weeks ago I spotted a little item on my newsfeed that got me really excited. Over the last couple of years, I have become more than a little obsessed with the gorgeous stylings of Rifle Paper Co., an American stationery & gift company that doesn’t just make beautiful things, but has influenced wedding styling in the same way as brands like Kate Spade and Anthropologie. The whimsical hand-painted illustrations (many of them botanical) and hand lettering manage to be both nostalgic and modern – if I were planning my own wedding right now, I have a feeling the Rifle look would feature pretty strongly. I must admit, I haven’t talked about the brand all that much here on SBB, because I know what it’s like when you love something and can’t find a local supplier, but that’s where I was wrong. Turns out that one of my favourite SA shops and online stores, In Good Company, is a treasure trove of Rifle goodness! YAY.Read More

Sareh Nouri White Swan

24 January, 2014 by gaby

We’re rounding out the week with some wedding fashion loveliness, thanks to our friends over at Sareh Nouri. Sareh is one of my favourite designers – her dresses are so dreamy and romantic, and just perfect for the modern bride. I never fail to be beguiled by her latest collection. So I was thrilled when this gorgeous shoot featuring the stunning White Swan gown landed in my inbox. A garden setting, a horse, and a bit of Marie Antoinette styling… It all adds up to Friday afternoon perfection.Read More

Casey Jeanne

17 January, 2014 by gaby

It’s Friday Friday, and we’re kicking off the day with a world of loveliness from one of my personal favourite up-and-coming local designers. If you haven’t heard of Casey Jeanne yet, then I’m about to introduce you to your next fashion crush. That’s certainly what I had from the second I saw one of our own SouthBound brides in one of Casey’s creations last year. Today, the love affair continues, as I showcase more of her beautiful gowns, photographed by the awesome Alexis Diack. The attention to detail on every one of them is amazing, and I just love the combination of glamour, elegance and luxury that Casey’s work embodies.Read More

SouthBound’s Best 2013: Cakes

17 December, 2013 by gaby

We’re continuing our week rounding up the loveliest parts of our real weddings this year, and this afternoon we’re rounding up the most delicious! Wedding cakes used to be simple, classic and white, but nowadays there’s just as much creativity that goes into this aspect as so many other areas of the wedding. There were so many gorgeous creations in our real weddings this year, but here are the ten that made the biggest impression.

Ruby Bride #3: The Stationery

16 December, 2013 by gaby

Choosing our wedding stationery was daunting. The fonts! The illustrations! The envelopes! There were so many beautiful options; I had no idea where to turn. All I knew was this: we wanted something simple and beautiful.

Gideon’s dad is a hard-core corporate lawyer by day who paints stunning watercolours in his spare time and, because we both love watercolour pieces, we asked his dad to paint us a wreath to use in our wedding design. He did a stellar job and I did a quick DIY-design for our Save the Dates, which we emailed.

Mira Zwillinger 2014

29 November, 2013 by gaby

Happy Friday, folks! We end off this week of loveliness with one more piece of lovely that will have you swooning your swooniest swoons. I’ve been in love with Mira Zwillinger‘s dresses ever since we featured them in this shoot, but I think it’s a love that has gone to a whole new level with the 2013/2014 collection. Like the previous one, it’s built on a combination of soft fabrics and fine lace details, but if it’s possible, this year it’s even more feminine and beautiful. These are the kind of dresses you just want to wrap up in tissue paper and sigh over. They’re definitely the kind of bridal couture that will make a breathtaking impression on any bride. My favourite is the New Beatrice (first below), a revision on one of the incredible dresses I worked with – I didn’t think it was possible to make it more beautiful, but Mira has. So here we go. Meet your new favourite dresses.Read More

Colour Story: Peach Blossom

28 November, 2013 by gaby

Afternoon, SouthBound brideys – oh, and by the way, a very happy Thanksgiving to our American readers! This afternoon we’re continuing with our day of everything peachy, following the Peach Watercolour shoot I featured this morning. It’s time to take a second look at the gorgeous Peach Blossom Bride stationery suite created for the SBB Collection by Magpie Collections. The shoot itself wasn’t based on one inspiration board, but we’ve featured loads of peach ones here on the blog – here are just a few…Read More