SouthBound Bride

Introducing Bride&co’s New 2018 Collection

17 April, 2018 by gaby

If you’re looking for a wow-worthy dress this season, then pull up a chair and get comfortable, because I’m about to sweep you off your feet! Bride&co, South Africa’s most beloved wedding and eveningwear store, have just celebrated their ten year anniversary by launching their 2018 Collection and I have a feeling you are going to love it! It’s not just wedding dresses either, but breathtaking occasionwear for the ladies (matric dance dress, ball, whatever you need), and suits for the boys too. And the wedding gowns… oh my. I’ve long been a fan of the Oleg Cassini and Viola Chan brands, and to see them available in SA (alongside the Bride&co in-house label) is amazing – I can’t wait to feature brides walking down the aisle in these beauties! Last month I was treated to a showcase of all this gorgeousness in Johannesburg and I couldn’t stop snapping away on my phone – each piece in the full 2018 Collection is more spectacular than the last! Whatever your bridal style or body shape, there’s something here for you, from dreamy princess ballgowns to sophisticated, slinky numbers. And as I mentioned, I LOVE that Bride&co is not just for brides anymore (er, someone invite me to a red carpet event now please!) With ten stores nationwide and a wide variety of suits, suit separates and dresses on offer, the Bride&co and Eurosuit team are able to help customers style their perfect look, whatever the occasion. Let’s take a look, shall we? Expect to be wowed.

Transparent Wedding Signage

16 April, 2018 by gaby

Acrylic Wedding Welcome Sign by alongthelinesdesign

*UPDATED FOR 2020* Transparent signage is nothing new to South African weddings – we’ve been rocking our perspex for a few years now, but that doesn’t make me love the see-through wedding signs that are trending for 2018 any less! It’s the perfect marriage of modern and contemporary with… well, whatever you want really. Add flowers, and it’s the perfect complement to organic or botanical styles. Adorn with foliage and hang on a tree and it’s rustic. Tropical greenery and it’s perfect for a beach wedding. Add white calligraphy and you’re good for a romantic or elegant wedding, gold and you’re immediately glam. Pretty much whatever your wedding style, this is one detail that will be right at home. And you’ll find loads of lovely acrylic wedding signs on Etsy, so of course I just had to round up my faves!

*Links in bold denote affiliate links. The cost to you remains the same, but SBB may receive a commission for any sales made.

Dreamy Autumn Wedding Inspiration by Cara Faye Weddings

16 April, 2018 by gaby

Today’s feature reminds me why, when I started SBB, I was so crazy for making inspiration boards – there’s something about playing with colour and creating new and fresh and surprising or interesting combos that just makes my heart sing. And I especially love that when it comes to autumn weddings, which can be very clichéd in terms of palette, deferring to the standard golds and burnt reds and oranges and browns of the falling leaves. But in SA we have a gentler autumn mostly, so it seems only appropriate that maybe our autumn weddings are a little less harsh. Today’s styled shoot by Cara Faye Weddings and her trend-setting team of wedding pros really hits a perfect balance – those traditional autumn tones are in there, but balanced against some super pretty purple and pink tones, along with soft flowers and dreamy textures. It’s gorgeous, and such a perfect way to make an autumn wedding feel both seasonal AND romantic!

Spring Blossom Bridal Shoot

13 April, 2018 by gaby

Spring has sprung! Okay, not here technically, as we’re heading into autumn (although you’d never know from the pure sunshine outside my window in Durban today) but this time of year it’s always fun to see spring blossoms making their way onto the pages of my Northern Hemisphere blogger friends. So we’re taking a trip into the orchards full of blossoms here too, and filling our lungs with fresh spring air, as we enjoy this beautiful bridal shoot from Sulet Fourie and her team. One of the things I love about this editorial is the soft touches of purple – a great way to incorporate this year’s Colour of the Year, Ultraviolet, in a subtle and super pretty way! Stunning florals, a gorgeous dress, and happy smiles – it’s the perfect way to start the weekend off right.

Traditional Hindu Wedding at the 12 Apostles Hotel by Claire Thomson

12 April, 2018 by gaby

What do you get when you combine one of Cape Town’s most elegant and iconic venues with a beautiful traditional Hindu wedding? Today’s little gem, that’s what! Leticia and Deren wanted to bring all the rich colours and luxuriant fabrics, as well as all the meaningful traditions of an Indian wedding into their big day, but have it in a location that was intimate and special. Enter the 12 Apostles Hotel, and the cliffside ceremony space lodged between mountain and ocean was the perfect place for them to exchange vows. To say I’m in love with Leticia’s ensemble would be a vast understatement – she looks absolutely stunning, and the rich traditional red, gold and white colours worn by herself and her handsome groom make such a striking contrast to the serene beach where they had their couple photos! Claire Thomson took these gorgeous pics and I’m so excited to share them with you today!

Sheer Ever After Wedding Inspiration

12 April, 2018 by gaby

I am so SO excited to share this shoot with you all! A few months ago, when I published the SBB trend report for 2018 and announced that we’d be focusing some of our features on the transparency trend, the very lovely Carmen of Two Cherries Events got in touch and told me about a shoot that she was dreaming up with photographer Jaqui Franco and their team of creatives. I couldn’t wait to see the final images and they were even better than I imagined! Sheer fabrics, perspex and acrylic stationery and details, huge glass windows – it’s all here! What I especially love is that, while one take on this transparency trend is to go for a more modern, minimalist aesthetic, this shoot incorporates those details but in a very soft, romantic, fairytale way. It’s the perfect fusion of romantic and contemporary wedding styles! From the clear menus to the dreamy Cindy Bam gowns, to the table laid in a cool green and blue palette, to the beautiful cake, you’re about to be oh-so-inspired! Sheer beauty indeed.

Winter Wedding with Two Gorgeous Gowns at Bellwood Cottages by The Shank Tank

11 April, 2018 by gaby

Once upon a time, there was a ballerina and a rugby player… if today’s wedding was a fairytale, it would start just like this, since Kayla and Shannon are a talented pair who met in their South African home town and now reside on the other side of the world living their dreams (Kayla is a dancer at the Paris Lido and Shannon plays rugby in France). Their wedding was country elegance at its finest – the prettiest details from top to bottom, perfect for a winter wedding in the Midlands! I especially love that there is a personal touch to almost everything, from the Starbucks favours to the brides TWO breathtaking gowns, which she worked on herself alongside her talented Parisian seamstress. It really gives a wedding that extra bit of magic to know that every detail has been thought about and personalised and crafted and has a story behind it, doesn’t it? Telling those stories with these gorgeous images is The Shank Tank.

Reiss Spring Wedding Collection for Stylish Guests, Modern Mothers of the Bride and Best-dressed Bridesmaids

10 April, 2018 by gaby

Weddings are the best, obviously, but we all know that finding that perfect occasionwear can be a challenge, especially if you’re going to be front and centre as the mother of the bride (or groom!) or a bridesmaid. After all, there’s a fine line between bold and on trend and… 27 Dresses. So what’s a stylish gal to do? Answer: head to Reiss, one of my favourite fashion retailers, who have just released their gorgeous Spring wedding edit. Taking inspiration from far-flung destinations, the collection includes both polished, city-ready looks and carefree dresses that invoke a sense of wanderlust. From pantsuits to wrap dresses, there’s great choices for both modern mamas who want to avoid the frump, and bridesmaids looking for fresh looks with beautiful fabrics and tailoring – and of course, there’s lots of lovely choices for wedding guest outfits too. I’m super excited to be partnering with this fashion-forward brand to bring you their new collection, shot on location in Morocco, as well as some ideas for how to style some of my favourite pieces. *Links in bold denote affiliate links.

Magical Midsummer Night’s Dream Inspired Wedding at Collisheen Orchid House by Roxanne Davison

10 April, 2018 by gaby

If you’ve ever wondered what happens when a talented wedding dress designer gets married – well, you’re about to find out. I’m a HUGE fan of emerging South African bridal house, McCarthyWolff – their dresses are utterly breathtaking and unique. So when the wedding of one of the founders, Jane, and her sweetheart, Ben, turned up in my inbox I knew it was going to be amazing. And was I ever right. Jane and Ben were inspired by magical woodland weddings and ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’, and created something completely intimate and unique and beautiful (and I do mean created, because they handmade most of this wedding with the help of family and friends!). On the tables, a forest of dried floral ‘trees’ (um, wow) paired with black linens and twinkle lights, made for a magical fairytale atmosphere, perfectly matching the elegance of the bridal party with their herb bouquets and black velvet gowns (and suit for Jane’s bridesman Dale, the other half of McCarthy Wolff). And then there’s the dress. This dress! As befitting a fashion queen, it is an absolute showstopper, a gorgeous cascade of tulle and ribbon flowers and tiny pearls that has me completely obsessed. Forget ready-to-wear – this is ready-to-WOW. Capturing it all are these gorgeous images by Roxanne Davison.

Greenhouse Romance Wedding Inspiration by Pear & Bear Photography

9 April, 2018 by gaby

So as you know, we’re currently crushing on everything sheer and transparent and luminous and lovely, and that includes venues. And while we have some of the coolest glass marquee venues in SA, I have a particular love for greenhouse weddings – something about greenhouses in general that’s sort of vintage and elegant, and then combined with botanical wedding details… well, they get me every time. Which is probably why I fell madly in love with this gorgeously moody greenhouse wedding inspiration the second I laid eyes on it. From the beautiful peachy blush florals to the luxe Jenny Packham gown, it really captures that vintage elegance I was talking about, with a modern, playful edge. Absolutely gorgeous work from Anna at Pear & Bear Photography, and the talented team that came together to make this magic happen! Let’s step inside the greenhouse…

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