Sposabella Boutique Tour

It’s a sunny afternoon when I drive up to The White House in Morningside, Durban, a little oasis for brides, bustling with wedding-related businesses. My destination is Sposabella Bridal Gowns, an exclusive bridal boutique, and I find it at one end of the corridor – its light, modern showroom awash in sunshine and smiles from owner Gayle Erasmus and her team. From behind a mirrorball desk, they welcome guests like old friends. But the real star of the show is, of course, the dresses. With elegant silhouettes of lace, tulle and sparkle lining the shelves and draped on a host of mannequins, it’s hard not to get a little giddy, and I imagine many real brides do. And that’s where the Sposabella team comes in again, with their reassuring presence and extensive knowledge of what brides want (and need!). The boutique is home to the Enzoani Beautiful range, which is even more gorgeous in person than on screen, and for KZN brides, Sposabella is the perfect place to spend an afternoon trying on gowns and undoubtedly falling in love with ‘The One’. I asked Gayle a few questions about what makes her salon unique, and Michigan Behn was on hand to take these lovely images.

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20 Elegant Beach Wedding Accessories

Boho Beach Destination Bridal Hairpiece Vine by Emma Rose Treasures

I do love my little trawls around Etsy – it feels a little like I’m in search of buried treasure, and whenever I turn up something truly lovely, something I know you all will love, it really is like I found the pirate’s gold. That’s particularly appropriate for today’s roundup, which includes all kinds of lovely little trinkets with a touch of the sea for brides, grooms, and bridesmaids. And while too many themey things could be a little cheesy, each one of these accessories stands alone as an elegant addition to your wedding attire. So peek inside the treasure chest and see which is your favourite!
Links in bold denote affiliate links. The cost to you remains the same, but SBB may receive a commission for any sales made.

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10 Beautiful Bridesmaid Looks for Beach Weddings

When it comes to beach weddings, there are so many gorgeous options for a bride-to-be, but what about her best girls? As you know, we love a bit of bridesmaid fashion here on SBB, especially when it involves fashionable looks that ladies can wear again after the big day. And while there are many, many ways you can go for a beach do, depending on your colour scheme, location and vibe, I’ve rounded up 10 of my absolute favourites, complete with shop-tions so you can get the look yourself!
Top image: Jack and Jane Photography/Timeless Weddings Co./Josephine Clothing on SouthBound Bride

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Trend Alert: Bridesmaid Separates!

Time for some fashion, lovelies! One of the trends that I am LOVING at the moment for bridesmaids is separates – everything from crop tops to more demure shirts and skirts, flirty tea length tulle, and maxi beauties. This was originally going to be a general bridesmaid separates inspiration post, but when I started researching it, I found that there was one label that was popping up again and again for the coming season – I always love Coast‘s bridesmaid offerings, but they’re knocking it out of the park at the moment with this look. Exhibit A: their first separates style a couple of years back, which I pinned and which has been repinned a gazillion times, but if anything, the new styles are even more fabulous. So I just had to show them off! (This post includes affiliate links. The cost to you remains the same, but SBB may receive a commission on any sales.)

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How to Choose Your Bridesmaids

Choosing your bridesmaids! Easy, right? Um, not so much. For some brides, it’s a simple decision, but for many, the whole bridal party selection process can be a huge source of stress. It’s supposed to be fun, but you only have to watch an episode of Say Yes to the Dress: Bridesmaids to see evidence of how easily tensions can creep their way in. And that’s when you also throw in who’s going to be maid of honour and what you’re going to dress them in. For me, your bridal party are a HUGE part of the day (in fact, it’s the only part of my hypothetical wedding that I’ve ever really thought about – forget the dream dress or decor, if George Clooney proposed tomorrow, I just know who I’d want standing up with me). They’re your special witnesses, the people you’ve chosen to go through your life-changing experience with a front row seat. It’s an affirmation of friendship or family bonds, and a chance to make new memories. Those are all good things. So how do you get past the tricky bits? Here are my top tips for picking an all star supporting cast.Read More

A SouthBound Guide to Diamond Shapes

Image: Alexis June Weddings /Aisle Society/Susie Saltzman on SouthBound Bride

The French are said to die for love, they delight in fighting duels. But I prefer a man who lives and gives… expensive jewels. So sang Marilyn Monroe, and so I agree (plus, isn’t that a fabulous lyric?) and that’s why year after year, alongside all the pretty dresses and details, I find myself sighing at the sparklers on our brides’ elegant hands. And while I’m a sucker for a classic round solitaire, I love the variety that modern brides have in their choices – different settings, different metals, and for many, non-traditional stones (because diamonds may be a girl’s best friend, but I also love hanging with morganite, sapphire, etc.) Another area of choice if you’re on the engagement ring hunt right now is shape (sometimes called cut, but not the cut referred to in the Big 4: Cut, Colour, Clarity, Carat, which is rather the reflective quality of a diamond). There are actually a huge range of diamond shapes or cuts that you can choose. And, while the ones best suited for sparkle are the old classics (round, cushion), the fancy cuts, as they’re called, can make up for it in uniqueness (after all, how many of your friends are rocking a trillion?) We’ve rounded up some of the more popular shapes, along with lots of pretty, pretty rings from Etsy to show them off at a range of price points. (Links in bold denote affiliate links. The cost to you remains the same, but SBB may receive a commission for any sales made.)

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Spanish Flamenco Wedding Inspiration by Jacoba Clothing

Lush Colorful Bouquet | Credit: Jacoba Clothing/PhotoKru

It’s Fashion Friday, you guys, so not only are we bringing you the best in wedding gowns for 2017, but I have some brilliant local fashion inspiration to share with you today, courtesy of our talented friends at Jacoba Clothing. This shoot was inspired by the bright colours and bold movements of flamenco dancers, and it’s full of the most beautiful bright florals and table decor, which just serve to highlight how pretty Jacoba’s dresses are. A stunning combination of comfort and detail, whether you’re wearing one as a bride or bridesmaid, you’re going to feel like a million pesetas (well, Euro, but whatever) and be ready to click those castanets and dance the night away (flamenco dance moves not guaranteed).

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Best of 2016: Moments

best-of-moments-2016

Before we end our Best of 2016 series, I wanted to look past the details (much as we love them) – the pretty dresses and delicious cakes and fabulous decor and spectacular bouquets – to the heart of what we do here on SBB, the heart of weddings, the moments. Even though we don’t know most of the brides and grooms whose weddings we feature, that’s one of the joys of a great photographer, that they capture these slices of emotion that are real and true, even if you don’t know the story or the person behind them. There have been so many times we’ve smiled or shed a tear over the year through these images and stories, and at the end of the day, that’s what makes this so much more than fashion or decor or style. It’s the love. It’s sharing the love. And it’s always a privilege. Here are twenty of those moments, and they’re also the perfect way to finish off our 2016 content. So here’s wishing you all a very happy new year – and we’ll see you back here in 2017!

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Mismatched White Lace Boho Bridesmaid Dresses

Boho Beach Bridesmaid Dresses

A couple of weeks ago, we rounded up some gorgeous boho wedding dresses here on SBB. But boho isn’t just for brides – oh, noho. Because the only thing better than a stylish gypsy bride is one with a retinue of gorgeous bohemian bridesmaids rocking their own indie bridesmaid dresses. But what does that look like? Of course, the very nature of ‘bohemian’ is that there are no rules, but my favourite look (which happens to gel perfectly with an organic, chilled out, festival wedding vibe) is white lace or crochet dresses, mismatched (of course). Just add some pretty sandals and some wildflowers, and you have the perfect look for your ladies. Which of these white boho bridesmaid dresses is your favourite? *Links in bold denote affiliate links. The cost to you remains the same, but SBB may receive a commission for any sales made.

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New Bridesmaid Fashion Trends to Look Out For This Season

We’re still talking fashion but today we’re focusing on the bridesmaid end of the equation. I think when it comes to your girls you have two options – you can go for something that’s more classic and traditional, or you can have a little more fun and pick something on-trend. And yes, if you go for the second option, it’s going to look dated at some point – but then, don’t we all love looking at those pics from our parents and grandparents’ eras and checking out the fashion of the day? Of course, some brides manage to find their balance somewhere in the middle, by picking the more classic-looking of current styles. Whichever way yo go, it’s always worth keeping an eye on the runways in the years leading up to your big day, to get a sense of the cuts and textures and colours that will be available off-the-rack – and you may just fall in love with one of them! So with that in mind, I’ve rounded up ten of the trends that have already begun to make their way into our everyday fashion vocabulary, and that are sure to be the key new bridesmaid looks for 2017 – as well as some of my fave shopping links to get you started.
Top image: Aglow Photography/Alana van Heerden on SouthBound Bride

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