Real Wedding at Café Felix {Henda & Danie}

by gaby

Zippididoodahzippidi-ay… You guys I am in such a good mood – the sun is out in Durbs and I am BEYOND excited for this weekend which I get to spend with some of my favourite people in the world. I am declaring Sunday my godsons’ un-birthday (which I do once a year or so, by the power invested in me as a fairy godmother, obvs) and I can’t wait to hang out with them on the beach and catch up with their parents. So that’s why I’m a bit hyper, but also because YAY PUNCH THE AIR I have another beautiful wedding to share with you this fine Thursday. Danie and Henda had their big day at Café Felix, an awesome Cape venue that never fails to impress, and they dressed it in the prettiest of pastel florals, soft white fabrics and bunting, wreaths and garlands and ribbons, oh my. It looks like some kind of fairytale garden, with just a touch of boho. The weather wasn’t perfect – in fact, these are some of the windiest photos – but oh my word, Anné Gray of Anné Photography used it to create the most stunning portraits, with Henda’s soft dress and veil floating and billowing out behind her. They look like Cathy and Heathcliffe. (But, you know, not annoying.) This one is pure romance.Read More

Travel Themed Wedding Invitations

by gaby

Fold out map Save the Date tied with baker’s twine by Ello There Design via Elsje Designs blog.

Get ready, paperlovers and stationistas, because we are about to have a gorgeous invitation FEST. We’ve spoken before about travel themed weddings, and how it’s one of the big themes that brides and grooms are loving (and personalising) at the moment. We’ve even had a few fun colour schemes for different travel wedding styles. While I was researching that post, I was struck by just how many gorgeous travel-style invitation suites there were out there, and I promised myself I would do a post on it to follow up. Now here’s what I especially love about this collection – each designer (amateur or professional) has combined a series of recognisable, stylish travel elements (mainly maps, postage stamps and cancellers, airmail stripes, postcards, luggage tags, and suitcase stickers) into a unique look with different invitation styles, colours, elements and textures. My favourites are the suites that use a few of these elements, and some unexpected ones too, so that all the different pieces come together in one gorgeous, jet set-style look. Whether you’re looking to DIY your invites or, better yet, working with a pro to come up with a suite that’s uniquely yours, you should find plenty of inspiration here. Even if you’re not having a travel theme as such, but planning a destination wedding or have a love for seeing the world together, you may like to include just one of these ideas in your stationery as a personal element.Read More

Gold & Glitter DIY Roundup

by gaby

Evening, friends! You know, in the reader survey (which I’m still keeping open for a day or two – would LOVE it if you would fill it in!), one of the big things people said they’re like to see more of was DIY. So I’ll be making a plan on that front! But in the meantime, I have an awesome DIY roundup to share with you – and it’s all about the sparkle! Contrary to the saying that ‘all is not gold that glitters’, we’ve rounded up fifteen absolutely gorgeous tutorials for gold or glitter (or both) accents that will add that extra special something to your wedding style. Just, um, don’t use them all at once, obvs.

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Real Wedding at D’Aria {Grethe & Alex}

by gaby

Happy days, friends! Ever since rainbow weddings became a thing, I’ve been patiently waiting for a brave South African bride to put her stamp on it, and today is the day. Yay. And seriously, if I had been giving someone advice for pulling off this colourful, bold look without making it tacky or like a children’s party, I couldn’t have explained it better than the way bride Grethe put her design together. There are lovely pops of colour everywhere – in the flowers, in the ribbon-backed chairs (a room full of them – I am in LOVE!), in the cocktails, even in the cake (so cool that it had a plain white outside and a surprise inside!). But it isn’t too much. In fact, the bridesmaids are in a sober navy (sober, but very, very pretty with their lace backs and gold belts) and with the bride’s beautiful, classic Elizabeth Stockenström dress and her handsome groom, the look says 100% wedding. Look out for tons of clever touches – the fun way the church flowers are displayed, the braai plank favours, the custom linen binding for the ceremony. And Bernard Bravenboer was there to capture it all to perfection!Read More

How to Wear Statement Bridal Jewellery

by gaby

Source: Oak & the Owl/Em the Gem

This morning, lovelies, we’re talking about one of my all-time favourite things. Jewellery! Oh yes indeed, because who doesn’t love looking at (and wearing) pretty jewels? I’m a huge fan of sticking to classic fashion and using interesting accessories to make it pop, so it’s no wonder really that I’m so in love with the current trend for wearing statement jewellery on your wedding day. After all, if it’s not your personal style in day-to-day life, why suddenly revert to a demure string of pearls on your wedding day? The big question for a number of brides I talk to, though, is how exactly to rock this look without going overboard – after all, nobody wants to look like a bride who (as someone once said about Joss Stone) was covered with glue and rolled through Claire’s Accessories. So today, courtesy of the good folks at Fragments Jewelry, we’re bringing you all the tips and inspiration from real brides that you need. And, just because I can’t resist it, I’m sharing some of my favourite pieces from the Fragments collection. If you’re not already familiar with the brand, then do head over to their online store – but you might want to get someone to hide your credit card first, because I warn you, what you’ll find there is seriously gorgeous!Read More

Inspiration Board: Teal with a Kiss

by gaby

Good morning my lovely friends! This is such a special week for me, I’m so excited for it to start! Because my awesome friends Abs and Phil are in town, together with their three sons, all of them my godsons. I just adore these little guys, but because they live in Australia I haven’t seen them for almost five years (apart from on Skype, not the same). So I am beyond thrilled at the idea of spending some time with them – hopefully it won’t affect the blog schedule, but if I go quiet, you’ll know why. Sometimes, you just have to let life get in the way of work ;) ANYWAY, for today, we’re getting started with another beautiful inspiration board, with a colour combo that I have a feeling will be very popular. Teal and pink are just such a pretty pair, but when you add that little gold kiss… well. Heavenly!

Colours: Teal, rose & gold

Top row (l-r): Place setting {Lisa Dolan Photography/Lauren Field Design}; bridesmaids {Brandon Chesbro/CJ’s Off the Square}; gold champagne bottles {Clary Pfeiffer Photography/Bride’s Vision}; stationery suite {Cheree Berry Paper}
Row 2: Cracker {Jennifer O‘Donnell Photography/La Fete Event Design}; glitter blue confetti; breakout lounge area {Frenzel Photographers/Joyful Weddings and Events}
Row 3: Bride; gold shoes {Ever Whim Photographs}; gold cake {Metro Custom Cakes}; table setting {Lisa Dolan Photography/Lauren Field Design}; balloon.

 

SouthBound Sundays {29 Sept 2013}

by gaby

Hello friends, how has your weekend been? I am still in manic catching up from my month off phase, but took some time to celebrate my Dad’s birthday with him this weekend, which was awesome, as I am almost never home in SA for birthdays! Anyway, I still have a TON to do, so I won’t make this long – just to wish you a fab week and hope you enjoy all my web finds! ;)

♥ WEEKLY FAVES


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Real Forest Wedding {Marli & Kosie}

by gaby

Happy Thursday, friends! Just the one post today, as I am buried under a mountain of work at the moment… eish. Anyway, I do have this little lovely to share with you, which is full of rustic + farm + forest wedding goodness. No bride’s questionnaire today, but all the more excuse to focus on the beautiful, lush pictures by Splendid Productions. I must say, I know bad weather is most brides’ nightmare situation for an outdoor wedding, but you just have to look at the overcast skies in this wedding to see how dramatic it’s made the pictures – absolutely breathtaking. Marli and Kosie didn’t over-fuss their decor, but they’ve used lots of gorgeous rustic textures to make it fit perfectly with their venue – my faves are the wooden boards under each place setting, custom made for the wedding. Isn’t that the coolest idea? Enjoy – and I’ll be back tomorrow with lots more loveliness.Read More

Rosa Clara 2014 Collection

by gaby

Wow. I thought I was in love with the Rosa Clara collection last year, but… wow. This year, they have outdone themselves. Just scrolling through the collection of floaty, lacy, ivory, super-feminine gorgeousness, I am blown away. All the big trends are there – illusion, Gatsby, peplums. But what I love so much about this design house is that there’s a little (beautiful, not gimmicky) twist in every single dress, a combination of detailing and shape that mixes things up a little but retains the elements that we’re all so in love with. It’s an astonishingly beautiful group of dresses, and I can’t WAIT to see these on brides! Rosa Clara is stocked exclusively in South Africa by Olivelli, so give your local branch a call to try on or order one of these beauties.Read More

Cascade Bouquets

by gaby

WAIT until you see the beautiful bouquets I have to share with you today. At the risk of sounding like a total kugel, you are going to daaah. Now, you may associate cascade (or waterfall or trailing, whatever you want to call them) bouquets with the ’80s and early ’90s, Princess Diana style. But in fact, they are this year’s hottest flower trend. And if you had any doubts before, the pics in this post will convince you that the new wave of these bouquets are absolutely, beyond, incredible, gorgeous. And so romantic! Most cascade bouquets use a variety of flowers from large to smaller and hanging foliage, creating that pretty trail at the bottom. You can stick with a single type of bloom, but my favourites are those that use a variety, the next step from the loose handtied look that has been so popular and so inspiring this last while. Pinning fingers at the ready! You’re definitely going to want to keep some of these on file ;)Read More