Straight off, I should tell you – jewellery is kind of one of my obsessions. As in, I feel naked without any, and there’s probably no gift you can give me – from a pretty costume piece that will fall apart after I’ve worn it for six months to something in a little blue box – that I’ll appreciate more. But one of the things I love most is how some pieces become iconic to their wearers. Take my mom. She decided against having an engagement ring, and instead got a statement gold wedding band – a chunky piece of 1970s gold that is so completely ‘her’ that I can’t imagine her without it. And that’s what your engagement/wedding ring should be – after all, it’s the one piece you are going to wear every day for the rest of your life. Which is probably why so many brides nowadays help to pick out their rings or have them custom made. But once you start looking, you’ll realise there’s a whole world of diamond engagement ring terminology that you and your fiance need to be aware of. Well, worry not, because SBB is here to help you, along with our friends at Chris Winspear Design Jewellers (based in Gauteng, but able to service clients throughout South Africa). A very welcome addition to our sponsorship team, Chris Winspear Design Jewellers has everything you need for your big day, from engagement and wedding bands (including a range of breathtaking coloured stones) to gifts for the wedding party such as cufflinks and charms. Today we’re showcasing just some of their lovely stock to illustrate our guide.
Category: Suppliers
Landscape {Sponsor Showcase}
Get ready for some INSANELY gorgeous photography friends! I had a feeling when I picked this month’s theme for our photography sponsors that they’d like it, but I had no idea just how many incredible pics would flood into my inbox. And the thing is, as much as I know and you know we are all about the details on SBB, sometimes the pics that really take your breath away are those that zoom right out and put you and your new partner in the context of your surroundings. They say that in South Africa we have a big sky, so maybe that’s what makes these pics particularly stunning, or the amazing scenery that we have, from beach to valley to scrub. I also love that the pictures capture the weather’s changing face, and sometimes storm clouds are the most dramatic and wonderful (so don’t be too horrified if you see them on the morning of your wedding!). This is such an afternoon treat, so grab a cuppa and enjoy – and remember that each of these talented photographers is ready and waiting to capture your big day in their own wonderful way, so do click on the links and drop them a line after checking out the rest of their portfolio!
Veluz Reyes Ready to Wear
Afternoon brideys, time for some awesome inspiration for you all! It’s been a while since I did a wedding dress collection post, and there are so many beautiful gowns floating around out there at the moment. But if there’s one look that has absolutely entranced wedding world and racked up Pinterest pins and clicks in their thousands, it’s portrait or lace back wedding dresses. We did a whole post about it a while back, and one of the designers who I mentioned then has continued to rock my world. This is one thing I adore about the internet, because in a different age, I may never have heard of Veluz Reyes, who along with Claire Pettibone is pretty much the master of this wedding dress style for me. Veluz is already famous in her home country, the Philippines, but now she’s inspiring brides and wedding bloggers internationally. Up until recently, all of her dresses were bespoke creations for her lucky, lucky Veluz brides, but this year she launched her own Ready to Wear collection, and I just had to share it with you today! I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t more than a little obsessed with the combination of frothy skirts, elegant lines, illusion detailing and, for some of the collection, the loveliest hint of peach/blush. I have a feeling that Veluz Reyes is one name that is just going to get bigger and bigger.
Sophia:
Shoes {Sponsor Showcase}
SHOES, you guys! Sorry, I’ll calm down. A while back, a bunch of wedding bloggers used to post pictures of shoes every Tuesday – doesn’t seem to happen anymore, but as a shoe fiend myself, Tuesday Shoesday used to brighten up my day. Well, get ready, because our photography sponsors have put together a delectable selection of shoe shot just for you. Now I know shoe pictures aren’t everyone’s thing – they are literally the thing my friend Abigail hates most about wedding pictures nowadays. So if that’s you, well, look away now. For the rest of us, a shoe shot can be a fun way of incorporating the details of the getting ready, picking up a dash of the signature colour (great for tying your wedding album together, actually) and just generally celebrating what some of us consider a wearable piece of art. It’s also a great way for our sponsors to show off their very different styles – have a browse and be sure to click through and see more of your favourites’ portfolios!
Parant Parant Bridal Headpieces
Before this Thursday is out and I tuck into an evening martini, I thought it was time for another little snippet of bridal fashion inspiration – and this time, we’re letting things go to our heads. If by things, I mean super gorgeous bridal headpieces from Swedish designer Parant Parant. I’ve been meaning to share these inspiring little pieces of heaven with you for ages, and with everything going Gatsby this year, there’s never been a better time to go for a statement headpiece. I love that the Parant Parant pieces are romantic and feminine, but bold. They make for gorgeous pictures, so if you’re not brave enough to wear one all day, consider doing so just for the reception or even just for the photo session – I’ve seen brides do this before and it looks amazing. Plus it just gives you all the more reason to find an excuse to get dressed up and wear your headpiece again ;) Read More
Introducing Summer Rain {The SBB Collection by Invitation Gallery}
A few months ago, I asked you all to head over to the SBB Facebook page and vote for your favourite inspiration board of 2012. This was far and away the one you liked best!
Full inspiration board credits here
The bright, fresh combination of coral and mint really hit the right note, so in designing the latest invitation suite to join our SBB Collection from The Invitation Gallery, our designer focused on these lovely colours, marrying them with two trends that are very much of-the-moment! Watercolour has been a big design shift in the last year, and it’s all kinds of soft prettiness for a wedding day, so I absolutely love the watercolour background to these invites. Calligraphy fonts are another of my faves, and we have that too! Ladies and gents, allow me to present Summer Rain! (And just in case you can’t get enough of that gorgeous colour combo, I’ve put together a few lovely colourboards to inspire!)
Elbeth Gillis 2013 Collection
Good morning friends! It’s time to share some dress inspiration, and today it’s from one of South Africa’s top wedding dress designers, Elbeth Gillis. I’m a huge fan of Elbeth’s work – not just because I’ve seen it sitting pretty on so many SBB brides, but because I was lucky enough to work with some of her dresses on a shoot last year. Our model that day remarked that they were so comfortable, especially considering how detailed and beautiful they were, which is kind of the holy grail of what you want to wear on your wedding day, right? So when Elbeth sent over her new collection, I couldn’t wait to share it with you all. I love love love all the illusion lace that’s going on – so pretty! I also loved that the pictures for the collection were taken at a mansion that’s undergoing renovation – something a bit Great Expectations about the combination of rubble and lace. Elbeth works personally with each of her brides, and her team handcrafts each piece to make sure it fits to perfection!Read More
Q&A with Seven Swans
Guys, I’m so happy to introduce today’s third post, and a supplier who I not only like tremendously (and whose work I trust so much that I asked her to create our very own SBB logo), but one who I also admire. I get a LOT of people starting out in this industry asking me how they go about getting their name out there, and I always tell them about Anelle of Seven Swans, one of SBB’s very first collaborators. When I first heard from Anelle, she and her fiance were just moving down to the Cape and she was starting her fledgling stationery brand. She liked what I was doing, and she made contact. Directly, personally (none of these ‘dear blogger’ emails I get every day), with enthusiasm for my work and an eagerness to help wherever she could. It made me want to help her. Then she told me she was planning her wedding, and we dreamed up Real Life Bride. And I wasn’t the only new blog Anelle approached, as she also went to my lovely friends at the Pretty Blog and became one of their first DIY contributors. She is always friendly, professional and full of ideas and enthusiasm, and that came across in everything she did – talk about personal branding! The result? Seven Swans became one of the most in-demand wedding suppliers in SA, Anelle took on an employee and now shares studio space with the equally awesome welovepictures. She’s an industry success story, and I’m SO PROUD of her! And in all of that, I don’t think Anelle has done much direct advertising – everything came from social media and word of mouth. So basically I can’t think of anyone more inspiring to interview today, especially as we celebrate Sparkle & Blush, another winning SBB + Seven Swans collaboration. Welcome Anelle! :)
Hi Anelle! Thanks so much for chatting to SBB today! How did you get started in the wedding business?
While studying Information Design at the University of Pretoria, I always knew I wasn’t going to end up in corporate design or advertising, but with a nudge from my pragmatic father, my first job was in a wonderful through-the-line agency where we did everything from logo design to strategy and advertising campaigns. I learned heaps and heaps from my amazing employers but the creative world of weddings and events inspired my thoughts. When my husband-to-be got a job in the winelands, we moved down to my home town, I got myself an iMac and took the plunge. At that stage there was a tiny gap in the market for fresh, modern (young at heart) stationery. Lucky for me a few important role players loved what I loved in terms of design and gave me all the exposure I needed to actually make this home-office job a fully fledged business.Read More
The Kiss {Supplier Spotlight}
Hello friends! One last piece of Valentine’s inspiration for you today (and a welcome slice of happiness with the horrible news of this morning). To celebrate all that is love, I asked the SouthBound Bride photographer sponsors to share their favourite kiss. I worried it might be cheesy, but when these pictures started coming in, I was reminded just how lovely that moment is – what a simple, intimate connection a kiss can be. Not cheesy at all. Every one of these pictures captures that moment – each gives me a big smile and makes me want to cheer for love, which is exactly what today is all about. Hip hip hooray! And don’t forget, if you love a pic, show the photographer some love by clicking through to their site or leaving a comment!
Q&A with Anneli Marinovich
Good afternoon my dears, and a good afternoon it is when I get to introduce my readers to one of my very favourite industry people. Anneli Marinovich is a long-time supporter of the blog – she was one of our first sponsors and since then I have had the pleasure of getting to know Anneli both as a person (she’s lovely!) and as a businesswoman and photographer. And let me tell you, this girl is going places. Not only does Anneli shoot the most beautiful pictures that really capture the moment, but she’s super switched on, which has made working with her a pleasure. In fact, Anneli and I are currently working on a special project that I can’t wait to announce very soon! In the meanwhile, I thought it was high time I got my friend to answer a few questions for us. And remember – although Anneli is based in the UK as I am, she also shoots during the season in South Africa, and she’d love to hear from you!
Hi Anneli – thanks for joining us on SBB today! How did you get started as a photographer?
I’ve always enjoyed photography, especially travel and street photography and after we tied the knot in Cape Town in 2009, having had a wonderful experience with our own wedding photographer (Andre van Niekerk), I decided to look into wedding photography. I took an intensive course focusing on building a successful wedding photography business when we returned to the UK and realised that this was what I wanted to do… full time. I shot my first solo wedding in London in May 2010 and absolutely loved it. The decision to leave my full time job in advertising came in July 2011 after having shot weddings part-time for just over a year as well as second shooting with established wedding photographers, and I haven’t looked back since!Read More