Mira Zwillinger 2014

by gaby

Happy Friday, folks! We end off this week of loveliness with one more piece of lovely that will have you swooning your swooniest swoons. I’ve been in love with Mira Zwillinger‘s dresses ever since we featured them in this shoot, but I think it’s a love that has gone to a whole new level with the 2013/2014 collection. Like the previous one, it’s built on a combination of soft fabrics and fine lace details, but if it’s possible, this year it’s even more feminine and beautiful. These are the kind of dresses you just want to wrap up in tissue paper and sigh over. They’re definitely the kind of bridal couture that will make a breathtaking impression on any bride. My favourite is the New Beatrice (first below), a revision on one of the incredible dresses I worked with – I didn’t think it was possible to make it more beautiful, but Mira has. So here we go. Meet your new favourite dresses.Read More

Colour Story: Peach Blossom

by gaby

Afternoon, SouthBound brideys – oh, and by the way, a very happy Thanksgiving to our American readers! This afternoon we’re continuing with our day of everything peachy, following the Peach Watercolour shoot I featured this morning. It’s time to take a second look at the gorgeous Peach Blossom Bride stationery suite created for the SBB Collection by Magpie Collections. The shoot itself wasn’t based on one inspiration board, but we’ve featured loads of peach ones here on the blog – here are just a few…Read More

How to Create a Peach Watercolour Wedding

by gaby

Call me crazy, but the days I get to show off styled shoots that I have been a part of are some of my favourites! And I have been dying to share this one, which I styled with a team of awesome suppliers last autumn. It all started with a conversation between myself and the lovely Anneli Marinovich – she wanted to photograph a rustic table in a field, and we loved the idea of using peach blossom, as peach is such an awesome colour to have in your wedding right now. As the English summer wore on though, we worried that our little dream wouldn’t work as it was getting a bit late in the year, but when the day finally dawned in October, the sun came out for us (even if the wind did too). We had such a lovely day shooting in and around Gaynes Park, which has to be one of my absolute favourite UK venues, and working with the nicest (and most talented) bunch of people you could hope to find. The shoot subsequently was featured in Wedding and Wedding Flowers in the UK, and on Wedding Chicks blog. Honoured! Anyway, today we’re finally bringing it home to SBB.Read More

Lovely Long Veils

by gaby

cathedral length wedding veils

*UPDATED FOR 2020* Get ready for some beautiful inspiration friends, because today we’re talking veils. And not just veils. These are veils and a half: cathedral (or at least chapel) length, full-scale veily gorgeousness. There’s no messing around with these veils. They mean business. But let’s rewind a sec, because while long veils certainly aren’t a new thing, they’re definitely a trend. Back when I started this blog a few years ago, you couldn’t find a long veil for love nor money. It was all about the birdcage then. And then it was about flowers and braids and floral crowns. But slowly, I started to see these beautiful veils creeping into my peripheral vision. And each time they did, I would do a double take. Veils started making a comeback, especially dramatic full-length ones. Then Kate Moss did it, and it was officially a Thing. And here we are. And I have to tell you ladies, I LOVE this look. I mean, I still like other veil types, but this is hands down my current fave. Whether plain or patterned, cathedral length veils make a style statement, and the good news is (as you’ll see from my roundup of lovely below) that they go with a huge variety of dress types and wedding styles. So go on. Go long. You know you want to.

*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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Polaroid Engagement Shoot

by gaby

How much do I love the idea of this shoot? A LOT, that’s how much. A couple, two big smiles and a Polaroid camera. Simples. It makes for such a fun and natural engagement shoot, without being posey but still being cute. Coba Engelbrecht was there to capture every giggle, every kiss and every lovely image of Phillip and Liezl. Which is especially lovely, since the bride-to-be is family!Read More

Real Wedding at Langkloof {Anchen & Endri}

by gaby

All love stories are beautiful, but some have all the hallmarks of a fairytale. A serendipitous meeting, a few heavenly signs… and of course, a happy ending. So it is with today’s couple, Anchen and Endri. They have a very cute ‘how we met’ story (see below), and Anchen also told me how light has become a symbol for them in their relationship. Wouldn’t you know it, but there was light streaming in through the windows of the chapel as they got married (captured beautifully by the fab Veronique Mills Photography!). Added to the bright corals and other summer colours of this gorgeous wedding, it’s a celebration of joy and love and colour. But of course, the best light is the glow of happiness on the happy couple’s faces. Now THAT’s how you know it’s a fairytale.Read More

Ruby Bride #1: Meet Our Ruby Bride

by gaby

Time to meet the second of our 2013/2014 RLBs (for now), the very lovely Jerusha. I was so thrilled when Jerusha applied to be a RLB – I have known her as a blogger on Twitter for a while, and I can’t wait to hear all about her wedding plans! It’s going to be such a joyous, multi-cultural celebration. My favourite. Time for you to meet her too, and get a little taster for what’s been inspiring her wedding design. Here she is, our Ruby Bride.

I remember the very first time I saw Gideon Raath. It was the world’s least romantic setting. We were 16 (me) and 17 (him) years old and met at… church. I know. We hit it off immediately and became fast friends, but nothing more. I could never have imagined that nine years later he’d get down on one knee and ask me to be his wife. Although, at the time, I did notice his eyes were the most mesmerizing shade of green. And, just this year, his father told me Gideon had gone home that night and told his dad he’d met “the most amazing girl.” Aww.

Early this year, after a few years of dating (and a couple of disastrous years of long-distance dating; a story for another time…) Gideon asked if I wanted to have a look at precious stones, “just for fun”. I fell in love with a big, shiny almost-flawless ruby and four beautiful marquise diamonds. He convinced me the ruby was too expensive, and that an actual engagement was a very, very long way off.

Not a month later, after spending a wonderful day together in Franschhoek, Gideon brought me home to my candle (and champagne!) filled apartment and asked me to marry him. With the ruby and diamond ring. I ugly cried so much, I couldn’t get a word out. An hour later he asked “you said ‘yes’, right?”

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Fairytale Bride #1: Meet Our Fairytale Bride

by gaby

It’s always a happy Monday when we get to meet a new Real Life Bride here on SBB. And today we get to introduce two! First off, I’m very excited to welcome Stella to the blog. She’s full of enthusiasm and ideas – I just know you’re going to love her! Meet our new Fairytale Bride…

Meet Stella
Some label me as a bit of an international/global baby as I’m ‘made in Germany’ but have spent the majority of my life traveling and on the move. Having lived in nine different countries, I’ve had the chance to open my eyes to so many beauties of this world, learn languages and meet amazing people. I make sure to go through life with curiosity and a positive attitude, never missing a day where I don’t find at least a dozen reasons to smile. I am a blog-reading (and occasionally writing), Pinterest-loving, baker. I love to run and cycle long distances and recently ran my first marathon! I am an avid traveller and love to capture my travels through photography and journaling as I go. I am obsessed with everything stationery and am in the process of starting my own business!
Most importantly though, I am insanely excited to be a RLB, because it allows me to give back. I have read stories from so many talented and creative brides, who have allowed me to gather plenty of inspiration and so many ideas. I want to be able to share mine through a platform that will reach all those beautiful and lucky soon-to-be brides, and what better place than SBB!? It is one of THE most magical phases in a girl’s life and platforms like SBB suddenly become your best friend and allow that special time in your life to light up even more.

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Inspiration Board: Nordic Nuptials

by gaby

Hello lovelies! Time for some wedding inspiration from the far north today – Scandinavia to be precise. I don’t know about you, but I love Scandi style, especially the clean, elegant neutrals that they use in their design. I wanted to put them together into a beautiful, modern but a little rustic and woodsy wedding design. I think this would be perfect just about anywhere in the world – and it doesn’t just have to be for winter weddings either. Oh and PS, antlers are totally a hot wedding motif at the moment. I have no idea why. But they’re pretty awesome.

Colours: White and beige neutrals

Top row (l-r): Antler art {Kari Herer}; bride {Love Made Visible}; kransekake; pie pops {Call Me Cupcake}; stone church
Row 2: Scandinavian wedding decor {Kate McLuckie/Mariah Breitenberg & Jess Pedersen}; antler monogram {Lydia Abbott Designs}; ring bowl {Paloma’s Nest}; antler candlesticks
Row 3: Flower girl in crown; wedding dress {Delphine Manivet}; lamps {Beautiful Days/White Loft Studio}; bride and groom {Fotograf Bjervig}.

 

Wedding Dresses for Strawberry Shaped Brides

by gaby

Wedding Dresses For Inverted Triangle Body Shape

*UPDATED FOR 2020* It’s time for another installment in our series looking at wedding dresses ideal for your body shape. Brides come in all shapes and sizes – it isn’t about looking like some perfect perfume-advert style bride or fitting into the smallest dress in the shop, it’s all about celebrating your own beauty and style. After all, that’s what your groom fell in love with, right? Choosing a wedding dress that highlights your best features is the best way to feel amazing, so try to let go of any hard and fast ideas you may have about the silhouette you want to cut, try lots on, and take the advice of your seamstress or gown salespeople, who really know what they’re talking about. Today we’re focusing on inverted triangle/strawberry shape brides, and sharing some exquisite dresses from Etsy to inspire and illustrate.

*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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