Category: Supplier Spotlights

Fit for a Queen

by gaby

So… you’ve met the man of your dreams, you’ve dated, you’ve met each other’s parents, you’ve realised you want to spend a lifetime together, and the moment you’ve been waiting for since you were a little girl has finally arrived. Not THAT big moment (we’ll assume he’s already popped the question) – the moment you get to go into a wedding boutique and play dress up. The first time you really get to feel like a bride, when your mom will well up and your best friends will sigh, and you’ll all drink champagne and say yes to the dress. But if there’s one thing I’ve learned from visiting both high end boutiques and (sometimes slightly dodgy) budget ones with friends, not all dress fitting experiences are made equal. And nothing makes you feel less bridal than getting stuffed into a shabby sample by a grumpy assistant in a tiny changing room with peeling wallpaper and a curtain hanging precariously off the rail.

Fortunately, that doesn’t have to happen to you. If you read the blog regularly, you’ll know that a brand new branch of Olivelli has now opened in Cape Town, and as well as drop dead beautiful dresses, Olivelli is all about personalised service. Owner Natasha Colson, who was inspired to open her own branch after a blissful experience as a bride at the flagship Gauteng Olivelli store, is passionate about making all her brides and their guests feel like royalty when they come in for their fittings. More than just another wedding chore, it’s an experience.Read More

Supplier Spotlight: Tattyoo Temporary Art Tattoos

by gaby

 

Favours. They’re kind of a pain, aren’t they? You want to give your guests a little something special, that reflects the design of your wedding, makes them feel special and appreciated, but doesn’t cost the earth. So you spend months making pots of jam following your grandmother’s recipe, and adding pretty lids and labels. Come the end of the night, half your guests have left them behind. So.Annoying. For that reason, I’ve become a big fan of favours guests can enjoy at the wedding itself or immediately afterwards, and today I have SUCH a cute one to share with you! I’ve seen temporary tattoo favours popping up in a few weddings over the last year, and I absolutely love them. Advantage one: they add something really fun and irreverent to proceedings, because they’re unexpected in a wedding context. Advantage two:  they make for awesome photographs. Advantage three: they’re relatively inexpensive, and you don’t have to worry about your guests leaving them behind.Read More

Supplier Spotlight: Bella Chiara Kitchen Teas

by gaby

 

The first time I went to a kitchen tea I was about three, dragged along with my mom. The ladies played games and put the bride-to-be in a funny hat, and she got presents like fish platters shaped like fish, and mielie holders shaped like corn, and tomato sauce bottles shaped like tomatoes (what was WITH that in the ’80s?). I thought they were all mad. Fortunately, kitchen teas (bridal showers, whatever you want to call them!) have come a long way since then, but they’re still an opportunity for a bride-to-be to spend some quality time with the women in her life ahead of her big day, and I know you ladies are always looking for great ideas. So I knew I had to share it with you when I stumbled across Bella Chiara, a Cape Town-based accessories label who also host creative kitchen teas where a bride and her entourage can make lovely clay decorative items together. It’s a perfect hen activity as you get to know one another in a chilled out situation, and take something pretty home with you at the end of the day. Here’s a bit more from Claire of Bella Chiara…Read More