Who doesn’t love a man in uniform? And when that uniform is a fire fighter’s… well. Take one handsome fireman (who some of you might recognise from the most recent series of Survivor SA) and one drop dead gorgeous makeup artist, and sparks fly. Philip and Lynnal are the loved-up couple in today’s fab, colourful engagement shoot from Alexis Diack – and Philip even brought along his gear for a few of the pics! I adore Lynnal’s stylish outfit changes too, and the fact that they ended of with a bit of flare, literally (supervised by Fireman Philip of course!).Read More
I just love when foreign couples decide to spend their big day under our big sky, don’t you? I mean, it’s no surprise – we already know how gorgeous South Africa is – but we love sharing it with others who have fallen for with our beautiful land and want to have it as the backdrop to their big day. Which by the way, is also an awesome way of ensuring you always have to come back for your anniversaries ;) Nina and Bernd are just such a couple – their love of SA runs deep, and they brought all their favourite people here to celebrate with them. I just love their concept of a chilled out high tea after the ceremony, with a civilised little siesta break, and then an elegant dinner. And the sophisticated design reflected these two parts of the reception, from colourful protea and fruit arrangements in rustic crates, to blush and white peonies and ranunculus on creamy tables over candlelight. Let’s just talk about those peonies for a second too, because I can’t help being in total love with Nina’s bouquet, can you? I’m so glad we’re seeing more and more of these very special blooms here in SA now. Two of my favourite wedding ladies were behind the scenes of this lovely wedding – Theresa Lazarevic of Creation Events (one of our long-time friends and sponsors), and the awesome Nikki Meyer, whose photos never fail to delight! And here they certainly do – I’m especially in love with the mountain backdrop, which has me longing for a trip to the Cape.Read More
If you’ve been reading SBB for any amount of time, you’ll know that I am absolutely crazy for the African bush. Beaches and mountains I love, even cities with their chaotic charm enthrall me, but I never feel quite as at peace and at home with my soul as I do in the bushveld. Today’s couple feel the same way, and the bush has woven into their love story, so it was only natural they would choose a game lodge for their wedding day. So they found themselves exchanging vows under a bower of Marulas, mixing the vintage elegance of lace, lilies and lanterns with a crisp modern palette of navy and white. It works beautifully, a hint of old world safari, as well as a timelessly elegant look that gave centre stage to the magnificent wilderness all around them. I can’t think of a better place to say ‘I do!’. The lovely Maryke Harper captured these gorgeous images of the beautiful Melissa and her dashing groom.Read More
We feature all kinds of weddings here on SBB, but I must admit to having a huge soft spot for those that take place in a garden or backyard. I love the idea of getting married somewhere that literally feels like home, being able to go back there again and again and make new memories, as well as the loving and intimate feel you always get from an at-home celebration. Today’s wedding is just a perfect example of that, and it’s effortlessly chic too – I love that bride Nandi was inspired by her mum, and wanted the decor to look like something that came from her cupboards. And can we just take a minute to salute Nandi’s dress? Absolutely love it, especially paired with a pretty braid and a crown of flowers. As I said, effortlessly chic. I can’t think of a better choice of photographer for this wedding than Lad and Lass Photography, as their style really complements the couple’s – a perfect match. Just like Nandi and Brett. And just like backyards and beautiful receptions. ;)Read More
Hang on lovelies, does anyone even know how it got to be the last day of March? Eek. As usual, time is running away from me – after spending the whole of last week buried in tax and accounts, I have spent the weekend catching up with email (a couple of hundred down, several hundred to go…) and getting ready to share some more seriously lovely weddings with you all this week. But first, it’s Monday, and you know what that means! Yep – it means another inspiration board. And I have to say, I am absolutely loving the colour combination on this one. A soft teal – almost a greyed jade – and beautiful neutral oatmealy taupe. And guys, it works sooo well, right? I love the slightly boho vibe to this board – it would work for a country wedding, a farm wedding, and definitely for a beach wedding. Beautiful.
Well, folks, I promised you some wedding dress loveliness to slide into the weekend with, and I shall not disappoint you! As you know by now, SBB loves our local designers (as well as the international ones, of course) and one of our all time FAVE labels (and industry people) is Elbeth Gillis. I never hear a bride say a bad word about their experience with Elbeth, and it’s no wonder, when her dresses just keep getting lovelier and lovelier every year. The 2014 collection is my favourite yet, and it’s such a perfect combination of romantic, old world fabrics and flattering, modern cuts. Looking through all ten creations, I was also struck by how perfect each dress’s name is for it – how it seems to describe an individual personality, from the 1920s Paris glamour of the Zelda, to the Armani-esque simplicity of the Jennifer. For those of you who loved Princess Catherine’s dress (um, all of us?) there’s even a Catherine, which is a romantic lace-sleeved tribute rather than a tacky knock-off. They’re all so lovely that it’s almost impossible to choose, but I think Edith, with its chantilly lace overlay, delicate cap sleeves and deep V back is my personal favourite. Head over to see the full collection on the Elbeth Gillis website.Read More
GIANT words, proteas, and hydrangeas, handmade wooden crates, bridesmaids with statement necklaces and ballet buns…have I got your attention yet? :) That’s how today’s bride started her email to SBB, and I can’t think of a better way to introduce Clea and Dave’s wedding to you. It has all of these things and more, including a lovely, atmospheric misty day in the Midlands, a custom toast that paid tribute to how the couple met, and the prettiest pastel palette with the country vintage rustic decor I know so many of you just adore. I love the bridesmaids in buns, the groomsmen in shades, and the blending of families and traditions! It’s the perfect way to end off our week (although do stop in later for some dress-related prettiness). Yay! Oh, and how could I forget – the gorgeous, atmospheric pics are courtesy of the fab Knot Just Pics – love them!Read More
So. Since most of the time we’re all about the wedding dresses and what to do for your bridesmaids, I thought it would be nice to do our fashion report today on a trend for the boys. And also, you know, Ryan Gosling. Hang on, I hear you wonder, did you write a whole article just so you could put a picture of Ryan Gosling in a svelte blue suit on your blog? Um… maybe. And YOU’RE WELCOME. Because hey girl, doesn’t he look awesome in that very suit? (When we get married, I am totally going to make Ryan wear it again.) The good news is, navy blue suits for grooms are popping up in weddings everywhere, and they are extremely handsome-making even if your groom isn’t a Hollywood superstar. And here is the evidence. *Links in bold denote affiliate links. The cost to you remains the same, but SBB may receive a commission for any sales made.
Rain rain go away – it’s a miserable day in Durban, but I’m curled up in bed with a dog at my side, bringing you this wedding that’s full of colour and light and beachy goodness. I absolutely love SBB reader Sarah and Gareth’s chilled out attitude, including their choice of Paternoster as a venue and bright colours and references to children’s books and toys on the tables and throughout. In fact, there are tons of great ideas to be had here, so be sure to read Sarah’s story as well as revel in Justin Davis‘ lovely pics. But be absolutely sure to scroll down to the end, where you’ll also find the AWESOME stop motion animation that they made for their invitation. So creative and fun!Read More
Hello lovelies! If you stopped by yesterday, you will have seen that SBB had some unexpected downtime (I’d like to say I was zen about it, but that would be a lie!). So our schedule has had a bit of a mix up for the week – but why not, change is as good as a holiday, right? This morning I’m excited to be bringing you a gorgeous styled shoot straight from the pages of the brand new Wedding Inspirations magazine, which hit the shelves yesterday. It’s their very first white issue, so you’ll not only find gorgeous decor inspiration (and I DO mean gorgeous!) along a white theme, but fashion and beauty ideas too, as well as the usual awesome content that makes this one of our favourite wedding mags. With it being the White Issue, I just had to share this little taster of one of the shoots, styled in the most beautiful, romantic white on white. I absolutely love the little details, especially those that make use of curls of paper, like the groom’s boutonniere and the table settings, not to mention the cake that reflects this motif with fondant curls. And the flower-bedecked mannequin standing in the reception space? Heavenly! The talented team behind this shoot was led by Marius Barnard of Weddings by Marius and Michelle van Staden of Michelle Photography – huge thanks to them and to the Wedding Inspirations team for sharing this with us today!Read More
