Q&A with Essie Letterpress

by gaby

Happy Friday, my lovelies! And time for me to introduce you to another fabulous South African service provider. Essie Letterpress is one of SBB’s sponsors, which I’m thrilled about because I love their work so much – not just the beautiful letterpress printing they offer, but the designs they produce as well. It makes me want to reach into my screen and stroke the invitations (is that a publishing thing? an obsession with paper?) just so I can feel those delicious indentations and smell the ink. My love affair with letterpress aside, Vanessa and Ben of Essie Letterpress are just the nicest people to work with, so I asked them to share some behind-the-scenes info and advice with my readers.

Hi Vanessa – thanks so much for taking the time to answer a few questions about your business! How did you get into letterpress?
I was living in San Francisco twelve years ago, whilst studying interior design, when I first came across letterpress, as one of my housemates was doing a part-time course. I immediately fell in love with it! I went on to work as an Interior Designer, but when I moved to a farm from Cape Town two and half years ago and wanted to do something creative, I instantly thought about starting a letterpress printing company. There was also a gap in the South African market for letterpress, so it seemed like the perfect venture.

As well as straightforward letterpress printing, what other services or products do you offer?
We offer a design service, and on the printing side we have just started doing hot foiling as well.

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Engagement Shoot Allsorts

by gaby

Styling an engagement shoot is never the easiest thing – how do you settle on the perfect look and location to sum up the two of you as a couple (and make you look hot)? After all, you might be a couple who like to glam it up on a Saturday night, but think there’s nothing better than wellies and a walk in the countryside on a Sunday. One way that many couples work around this is to rock two or three different outfits during an engagement shoot, and today’s is a perfect example of how to do that beautifully! Megan and Eugene were photographed by Inecke de Kock in three different outfits and locations, and each says something special about the couple. I love their save the date calendar idea, as well as how they had fun including some of the local kids in their more formal shots. So cute! Thanks for sharing, Inecke!Read More

Real Wedding at Val de Vie Estate {Lee & Garth}

by gaby

You know what one of my favourite things about being a South African in London is? It’s that when I say “ja”, people think I’m posh. Because actual posh people say ja here (or, actually, yah, but it sounds the same to a Londoner apparently). I mean, you can be from the back of beyond in SA, and you can make an impression in one of the most class-driven nations in the world. That’s hilarious. The reason I bring it up, though, is that today’s wedding takes place on a polo estate, so we are totes talking like Made in Chelsea, yah? OhEmGee, and wait till you see the gorgeous grounds of Val de Vie, which I have been dying to showcase since, like, forever. I love that they offer the unique twist of a polo display to a wedding. Definitely more Kate Middleton’s wardrobe (classy and fabulous) than Harry’s night in Vegas (awkward). And I think Kate would be proud of today’s bride, who’s as graceful and beautiful in her stunning dress and headpiece as any princess. She and husband Garth enjoyed the culmination to their own fairytale romance, and Warren Williams was there to take lovely pictures on the day.Read More

Pantone Spring 2013 Colour Report

by gaby

It’s my favourite time of year again – Pantone have just released their latest spring fashion palette, and man, is it a good one! I absolutely love every one of these pretty, preppy colours, from punchy Poppy Red or Lemon Zest to cool Monaco Blue (best name ever) and Linen, which pretty much go with everything. Greyed Jade and African Violet are lovely soft versions of purple and green, and Tender Shoots and Nectarine offer chilled out alternatives to chartreuse and coral. I also love emerald and dusky blue – lovely, cool colours you just want to dive on into. There are SO many combinations of these colours that would look amazing at a wedding, but I’ve put together a few mini palettes to get you started. Which is your favourite?

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Real Wedding at Die Walskipper {Carmen & Evert}

by gaby

Ah, Jefferys Bay. Home of the Supertubes. During my high school surf chick phase (and by that, I mean, wore Roxy t-shirts, not actually had the balls to surf) this is where you could find me during the Billabong, sitting on the beach trying to look cool and pretend I wasn’t eyeing up all the pretty surfer boys whose tans were better than mine was ever going to be. I loved JBay, so I’m stoked that today’s wedding at Die Walskipper gets to be from there. It perfectly reflects JBay’s laid back beachy style, and there’s such clever use of readily available materials. For example, brown paper printed up with ‘sand, see en liefde’ (sand, sea and love) used as a wall hanging and again as a table runner. Shell lanterns, string globes, a typography motif. Tin cups and twine-wrapped napkins. Tropical leaves instead of flowers (except for a beautiful protea bouquet). It’s coastal rustic at its finest, and perfectly reflects Carmen and Evert’s casual style. Pictures were taken by Monica Dart, and they’re absolutely mesmerising – I love how Moni combines her fine art eye with documenting genuine moments, and you just have to look at guests’ faces to see what a special day this was.Read More

Real Wedding at Café Felix {Elmiene & Johan}

by gaby

I don’t think I’ve said this before, but my first love as a wedding blogger was inspiration boards. Even before they were ‘invented’, I was always putting together ideas for friends who were getting married and I’ll never forget stumbling across Snippet & Ink and The Perfect Palette and just adoring what they were doing (and that was before I even was introduced to the other board legends who are Magnolia Rouge and Postcards & Pretties). You guys seem to like what I do with the boards every week, but the truth is that even if you didn’t, I’d probably still be making them, because they’re a piece of creative work that gives me a lot of pleasure. So when I started the blog, a day I really looked forward to was when I could feature a wedding that owed some of its inspiration to one of my boards. And friends, that day is today. I didn’t create the ‘Valentine Red‘ board especially for reader Elmiene, but when she wrote to tell me that it had been part of her design concept, I was thrilled – and even more so when I saw pictures of her cherry red, white and navy wedding with its cheeky touches like bright red shoes and heart-shaped sunglasses. I love love love how she included handmade elements like crocheted flowers and sewn hearts and acres of Petersham ribbon. Not to mention her candy-striped cake and cake toppers. It all works perfectly with their venue, Café Felix, which is the perfect mix of elegance and whimsy to offset this super fun wedding. I couldn’t have dreamed it up better myself. The cherry on the cupcake for me is that Elmiene and Jonny had Jaco le Roux as their photographer, as I’ve been looking forward to sharing his lovely pictures with you here on SBB. Which all in all, makes this a very good day for me. Yayness.Read More

Let Them Eat Wedding Cake #4: The Cake

by gaby

What isn’t there to love about cake?

A cake is an experience. From the whisking and mixing of the ingredients to its delicate artistic finishing it is a feast for the every sense. A cake is a birthday with re-lightable candles, a celebration, a gathering, a gesture of love. It’s happiness on a sunny day, sprinkling breadcrumbs in the garden for the birds and eagerly waiting for your mum to call your name to lick the spatula. It’s running through excitedly and devouring every last bit of the raw cake batter goodness, sometimes wondering why it ought to be baked at all. It’s that distinct, warm scent of deliciousness that makes you hold your hands over your face whilst you stare longingly into the oven, barely waiting for your creations to achieve the much anticipated golden brown colouring. It’s wearing pearls in the kitchen pretending to be Julia Child. Indeed, a cake is a memory, and so being, is a wedding decision deserving of some thought.

In the movie Father of the Bride, wedding planner Franck suggests that one begin the planning process by thinking of the cake, as the cake will determine the wedding that one ends up having. The cake suggests colour, formality, tone, and in line with Franck’s advice, choosing the cake was actually the very first wedding planning decision that I remember making… A 2005 decision to be exact! :) Flipping through a magazine, I had seen it, torn it out and kept it. A decision easily made, and a cake I just can’t wait to see!

Recently, however, it is actually this, the Father of the Bride movie cake, that I have found myself staring at bizarrely often. The rich butter coloured cake seems to almost twinkle with the magic, warmth and comfort of the Disney classic and seems to say ‘wedding’ with an inspired confidence.

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Inspiration Board: Country Elegance

by gaby

There’s nothing I love better than when I get a request for an inspiration board using a fresh theme or colour combination, and this might be one of my all-time favourites! When reader Vanessa (who is getting married all the way over in the Rocky Mountains of Canada – you don’t have to be in South Africa to request a board!) wrote in with her coral, green, purple and grey colour scheme I immediately knew she was on to a winner. She and her husband-to-be have a theme of ‘simple elegance, wedding in the woods’ – doesn’t it sound beautiful! They’ll be using burlap and lace accents, and combined with these colours, I think that will be beautiful. I would really let the colour combo speak for itself wherever possible – in mismatched bridesmaid dresses, florals, and stationery – either in a four colour display or in mini combinations of one or two of the shades. Add classic touches for elegance – beautiful chairs, anemones, a lavender wreath. Simple tables with burlap and lace runners (and maybe a single sprig of lace-tied lavender at each place setting) complete the look. Hope you like your board, Vanessa – I loved putting it together!

Colours: Mint, coral, lavender & grey

Top row (l-r): Dress {S: Joy Thigpen for Once Wed}; bouquet {P: Leo Patrone Photography; C: Bluebird Events}; bridesmaids {P: Paula O’Hara Photography; D: Laurens Norton}; table setting {P: Elizabeth Messina; S: Canvas and Canopy Events}
Row 2: Purple bottles {Dreamy Whites}; coral shoes {P: Cameron + Kelly Studios; C: Peak Events/KD Event Designs}; coral and grey letterpress invitations {Coral Pheasant}; lavender wedding cake {D: Bash, Please C: Susie Cakes; P: Amy and Stuart Photography}
Row 3: Couple in row boat {P: {oh, darling!}}; lavender wreath {P: Paula O’Hara Photography D: Laurens Norton}; coral, white and purple flowers {P: Summer Street Photography; F: Dogwood Floral Design}; pods in bark vases {Jaden Rai Inspired on Etsy}; coral ombre escort cards {P: onelove photography; S: La Boheme Events; D: Prim and Pixie}.

 

Mira Zwillinger Reflections Collection

by gaby

To celebrate the publication of our Sparkle & Blush images in My Wedding Day, I thought it was high time I shared with you the jaw-dropping dresses we were lucky enough to include in this shoot. I am seriously so in love with them, possibly even more so now than when I first saw them. They’re the kind of dresses that will have your guests gasping as the church doors open, that will bring a tear to your husband’s (father’s, mother’s, bridesmaid’s) eye, that you’ll still be sneaking into the spare bedroom cupboard years after the wedding just to steal another look at. They’re works of fashion art, simple as that. The designer behind all this gorgeousness is Mira Zwillinger, who established her studio in Israel in 1991. Her couture designs are now available in New York and London (where Browns Bride were kind enough to lend them to us), and will soon be in Australia too. Her 2012 collection, Reflections, is a collaboration with her daughter Lihi (after whom one of my favourite dresses is named) and is inspired by glass sculpture – designs which appear to share the light, reflective qualities, but are made from the softest fabrics, sourced from Paris and Milan. Get ready to do some actual swooning.

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Featured in My Wedding Day

by gaby


 

A while back you might remember me mentioning a shoot I was co-styling, loosely based on the Sparkle & Blush inspiration board I created last year and featuring the gorgeous matching Invitation Gallery stationery suite. Well, I am thrilled to announce that brides-to-be in South Africa can finally see the results in the brand new My Wedding Day, which should be out in shops next week! (Although you’ll have to fight my mom for a copy if you’re in Westville.) You can also read all about the amazing team of suppliers I worked with, including photographer Chanelle Segerius-Bruce and stylist Louise of b.loved Weddings, and find Louise’s top tips for recreating the look or adapting it for your own wedding. We had so much fun putting it together – I just hope you love it as much as I do!

I have to say that women’s magazines (particularly South African ones) are very close to my heart – I used to read my mom’s stack of Fair Ladys literally from cover to cover, many times over, and in fact I wonder why I went into books instead of mags (actually, I think it was because I didn’t want to write, which is ironic for a now-blogger, right?). As much as I love the online world, featuring in a South African magazine for the first time makes this little journey of mine feel more real, and I’m really quite proud and excited! Big thank you to everyone I worked with (full list below) and to the lovely Chanel over at MWD – it was a pleasure working with you and I can’t wait to see a copy!

Full credits: Photography: Chanelle Segerius Bruce | Videographer: The Dreamcatchers | Styling:b.loved Weddings and Southbound Bride | Flowers: Wildabout | Dresses: Mira Zwillinger | Makeup Artist: Kaz Fernando | Hair: Severin Hubert at The Hepburn Collection | Cakes: Janet Mohapi-Banks | Hair Accessories: Debbie Carlisle | Jewellery: Olivier Laudus | Model: Chloe-Jasmine Wichello