When you start planning your wedding, friends and guides will tell you there are three things you need to book first: venue, DJ and photographer; the first of these being the venue. Finding one in the Western Cape is not a difficult task – they are there in abundance! Finding the right venue for your wedding (and that from a distance) = not so simple. More so if you’re picky. And Chris and I are picky. Boy, are we picky!
We had a whole list of requirements. The venue had to be beautiful, of course. It had to be a one-stop venue with ceremony and reception site in one place. It had to have onsite catering and accommodation. It had to be available until after twelve. The chairs at the venue had to be nice so that they didn’t have to be covered (I despise a seat cover). Linen, crockery and cutlery had to be included in the venue hire. And, last but not least, it needed to be available for the date we had chosen. Well, that narrowed down the search all right!
Sometimes I get the COOLEST requests for inspiration boards, and I have been looking forward to this one for a while. Reader Leigh-Anne mailed to tell me about her trendy urban meets country chic summer wedding, with bold black and white stripes and punches of yellow. The relaxed but elegant celebration will feature a number of fun touches to reflect their hip personalities, including black Converses, a braai menu, orchids, peonies and a Vespa! Wow. The board kind of created itself! First stop was a great table setting (check out this wedding for more) – I love the striped table runners and the yellow chargers, and bringing in an organic yellow (lemons) is a fun nod to the country chic aspect. I love the soft flowers, especially this yellow orchid bouquet, and the white painted mason jars are the coolest. Stripes of course are a big motif – as well as the table runners and invitations (how stylish are those envelope liners?), I have fallen in LOVE with these striped Bruno Frisonis, but alternatively you could pair a yellow shoe with a striped sash (I know Leigh-Anne is planning some Louboutins). Bridesmaids could also do stripes, but I love these black belted yellow numbers (especially if paired with soft white bouquets) and stylish heels. I love the idea of the groom in a yellow bowtie and suspenders (reflecting the stripes) – and they go perfectly with the Converse look. I love the sound of a braai menu, and it made me think of what photographer Christine Meintjes told me about her sister’s wedding, where they had a braai station with all sorts of mini braai treats during cocktail hour. So cute. Finally, for equally stylish guests (and fun photos), give cheap shades as a favour, and then ride off into the sunset on a yellow Vespa. Just one last tip for Leigh-Anne, not pictured here, is to grab some black and white striped washi tape – there will be a zillion fun last-minute uses for it. Good luck with the rest of your planning Leigh-Anne, can’t wait to see your wedding!
All weddings are lovely, no question. But there are some that seem to have a special kind of glow, where the joy and love seem to radiate from every photograph, on every face. Where I find myself smiling as I’m editing. Today’s is one of those. Kate and Steve are clearly made for each other, and they celebrated their union in a day that reminds me a little of a wedding in a French village, with a procession from the church, an open air reception under acres of bunting, sunset toasts and late night dancing. It’s just so LOVELY. And it’s inspiring, because it makes me want to rush out and discover new, unusual venues like the Chartfield Guest House, that showcase some incredible Cape views but lend themselves to this kind of relaxed celebration with a backyard feel. Even better, US photographer Julie Wilhite was in town to capture every detail as only she can – lucky for us she has a sister in Cape Town, as we just love featuring her work!Read More
Good afternoon, lovelies, I have some eye candy for you. Because we all love to look at gorgeous dresses, don’t we? Especially when they come from a local designer – in this case, Molteno Creations. I am hearting the hell out of the way that these pretty, unique but extremely wearable dresses have been styled with a slight vintage edge – I’m LOVING the red lip and feather headpiece (from Carrie B.) especially. Fab Cape photographer Abigail K. was behind the lens, capturing all the bridal fashion loveliness to share with you.Read More
Some days do not go the way you planned. Yesterday was definitely one of those days, not least because I spent a good portion of it hiding from a mouse that the cats brought in, while simultaneously trying to make sure they didn’t torture it to death. Because I’m an animal lover, even with animals that I have a massive phobia for. It’s complicated. Anyway, so our second wedding of the week happens today, and we’ll have the third on Friday, for a change. Because a change is as good as a holiday, right? And boy do I need a holiday… Fortunately, today’s wedding is sure to brighten up anyone’s morning. It has a vintage travelling circus vibe, with top hats and peacock feathers, and feathers and ribbons. I probably don’t even need to say much more than that for you to know it’s ace. But as well as checking out Taryn Rahl‘s beautiful pics, you’ll want to give the story a read because we have a his and hers version going on – so cute. Claire and Ryan are clearly one very fun couple, and I’m super excited to share their big day with you!Read More
Good morning, friends! I have another fabulous wedding coming your way later, but first I thought I would change things up a bit and bring you some inspiration for the boys. Didn’t think bridesmaids were going to have all the mismatching fun, did you? Seriously though, this is one trend that will make your future husband (and his best friends) love you – allowing them to express themselves a bit and to be comfortable in what they are wearing is bound to be a huge plus. Like the same trend for girls, there are lots of different levels of mismatch, from having the same suit and different accessories, to having different looks for the groom and the groomsmen, to a general colour or style guideline, to a full-scale mix and match. What you choose will depend on practical aspects like hire versus purchase, as well as the overall style of your big day (this works particularly well for vintage or boho weddings, for example). And here are some pretty pics to get you started. (Pretty pics? That feels weird when they’re all boys. Handsome pics.)Read More
I’ve had such a brilliant reaction to the inspiration board I posted last week, with rich shades of red, orange, yellow and copper, that I know you’re going to love today’s classic autumn wedding. In fact, autumn seems to be a bit of a thing here this week, but it’s such a beautiful season – I have only to look out of my office window at the tapestry of leaves all over our garden to be inspired. So I was delighted a while back when my lovely friend Nicola told me she was booking an autumn wedding and really embracing the season and the palette; I knew it would be gorgeous. Nix is another of my varsity girlies – she was my partner in crime back in the day (we even shared a 21st – it rocked, if I say so myself) and I’ve seen her grow from a farm girl from Estcourt into a switched-on sophisticate (albeit a fun and down-to-earth one), and this was one wedding I was devastated to miss. Especially since Nix married the loveliest man, and I wanted to be among the first to wish them the happiest of lives together. But instead, I get to do that here, and to relive their special day through Nix’s words, and KZN photographer David Rees’ pictures. I am so loving the colours in this wedding, especially since they work perfectly with the natural backdrop of the season. Who needs a summer wedding, right? I for one think Nix and Col are onto something.Read More
It’s less than three weeks until the day we are married and the craziness of wedding planning has officially hit. With all the loose ends to tie up some things are of course going awry, others better than expected – fun, excitement, stress – but what is standing out more than ever in all this planning madness is how incredibly remarkable my ‘almost-husband’ is. He’s been like anti-stress on this planning adventure. Wonderful in every way and with the wedding drawing nearer even more wonderful as the stressors increase. More than five years have passed and I still miss him when he leaves a room and get excited to see him upon his return. And I get to marry him. SOON! To say that I am excited to meet him at the church may be the greatest understatement that ever leaves my lips. :)
But what on earth will we do once the wedding is over? When everything has been taken down and the boxes of goods used on our special day are packed away and returned? Shall it be London, Paris, New York? All these amazing options were under serious consideration until our search was interrupted by a perfect find and we both knew we had found our answer. A Mauritian paradise it was destined to be. :)
Today’s board was one of those unexpected little surprises. It came from helping a friend who was looking for autumn wedding ideas, particularly incorporating pumpkins and gourds (love how these have become a lovely decor option recently). I started thinking about colour palettes and how, while the more typical autumn colour combinations – russet, yellow and orange in particular – are always rich and gorgeous, they wouldn’t be for everyone. I often think of blue and yellow as a spring or summer combination but looking at some of Pantone’s current feature colours including dusky blue and sunflower, I began to think they would make a beautiful, unusual autumn palette especially when paired up with yellow squash and white pumpkin textures. I’d keep flowers simple (although LOVE the pumpkin ‘vase’) with a big statement sunflower bouquet and then include warming autumn touches like a cardigan for the bride or bridesmaids, beeswax candle favours, and delicious cold weather menu options. It’s also a good chance to include prints, which as you know are a big deal right now. What do you think?
Colours: Dusk blue, sunflower yellow, ivory and soft grey
Hello friends! Time for a brand new inspiration board, and this time we’re veering from the traditional summer wedding to a rich autumn look. Reader, Claire, has a cozy cold weather wedding in mind for her June celebration at Toadbury Hall, where she and her fiance are planning a forest ceremony followed by a marquee reception, in a bedouin tent filled with fairy lights and heaters. They’re looking for a rustic style in red, orange, yellow, bronze and gold, and want to enhance their natural surroundings rather than distract from them. I’m a big fan of this idea, so with the palette settled I went on the hunt for easy ideas that incorporated materials that would naturally be found in the forest surroundings. Pine cones are certainly one, and they have a multitude of possible uses, from escort cards to place holders, or just sprayed gold and placed on a plate or even in vases on the table – so pretty. I’ve even seen adorable pine cone bouquets – a fun alternative to flowers! Wood is another texture to use of course, and cut wooden circles can be used everywhere from under plates to table numbers or cake stands. Or what about stones? I loved these metallic painted ones, and the surfaces would reflect candlelight beautifully. Flowers should be rich, but I’d probably focus more on candles and natural materials on tables to make the whole place as warm and intimate as possible – a real winter oasis. And don’t you just love the fairy light bottles? So pretty. Bridesmaids could be in a mismatched array of your colours, but they could also have a neutral like a mushroom colour, with bright flowers popping against them. Another aspect of a chilly wedding that is super fun is the menu – make the most of it with warming soups, a hot chocolate bar, maybe mulled wine or cider stations, toffee apples, etc. And finally, how much do you love these invites? The wording as well as the design. Just perfect. Hope you like your board, Claire!
