It’s the ciiiiiiircle of liiiiife…. Okay okay, maybe that’s a bit dramatic (and also? the last time you’ll hear me singing a song a) by Elton John and b) from a musical), but there’s no denying that a circle is an appropriate symbol at a wedding. It represents connectedness, eternity, the wedding rings. And when it’s made out of flowers – well, it’s just so gosh darn purdy. I’ve been noticing wreaths all over weddings for a while now, and every time I do they catch my attention, so today I thought we’d just bask a little in the eye candy.Read More
So what happens when your uncle is one of the most famous and celebrated designers in South Africa and you’re planning your wedding? Well, you ask him to design you a dress, of course. This was the fortunate position today’s gorgeous bride was in, and not only is her Errol Arendz wedding dress stunning, but it shows off all her best features – she’s definitely putting the haute in haute couture! Beyond that, I also love that Laura and the dapper Bradley chose to have a classically elegant white wedding at Rhebokskloof, with a beautiful tent, touches of silver and glass and an extravagance of white roses. This is certainly a style that won’t date, and their images (gracefully shot by Veronique Norval) will no doubt still look as fresh in twenty years as they do today. Sigh. I do love a classic.Read More
I have a very cool wedding for you today! Bride Leigh is not just the little sister of my dear friend Melissa (whose wedding I featured here), but during her engagement she was an avid reader of Cap Classique (the old SouthBound Bride) and we were often in contact chatting about her plans. Knowing all the thought and love that goes into a wedding always makes it extra special when you see the final result, and with my well-documented protea obsession, you can imagine how much I loved Leigh’s decor – so perfect for a wedding in the bush. I also loved how she’s taken ideas she’s spotted online – the ‘here comes the bride’ sign carried by the flowergirl, the thank you note to guests at each setting, or the succulent boutonnieres, for example – and made them her own. Cari Eksteen was there to take the pictures, and she’s captured every detail in a way that really tells the story of the day and captures Leigh and Clayton’s love for one another and the warmth that surrounded them as they made their vows together. Congrats, guys! Wishing you a lifetime of happiness.Read More
I think it’s a gut thing. Or an equilibrium thing. Or something to do with getting that sense of peace and calm and ‘wow, I can imagine it this way’ feeling. That’s how I knew that the church was ‘the one’, that’s how I chose my dress, it’s how I chose my cake, and it’s how I have been trying to choose all the many things in between. And so when we started thinking about themes and places that have inspired us, it didn’t take us long to decide.
Versailles. Paris. Does one really need reason to be inspired by such things? I had heard of the beauty and magic of France and was proud of my French heritage, but it wasn’t until I’d climbed up from the metro and experienced it, that I really knew. And I say experienced because it wasn’t just a storybook-like beauty that greeted me, but an air of something, a feeling, a magic – you couldn’t get this from pictures. “Every man has two countries – his own and France”, and we felt just that as we stood looking over the Seine with perfect snowflakes falling ever so gently, or when we went back in the spring and sat around a fountain in the Jardin des Tuileries eating our breakfast baguettes. Paris swept us off our feet, filling our minds with possibilities and creative aspirations. A day trip to Versailles made the word ‘wow’ seem completely overused, but it was on a return trip to Marie Antoinette’s Petite Trianon and Hamlet where we really found the four-year-old-in-Disneyland, ‘I can’t quite believe this is real’ type of happiness. And so that was it. Marie Antoinette had seemed to love beautiful things – dresses, cakes, shoes, opera – interests which she’d famously indulged, but she’d also loved nature, and the sanctuary of her Hamlet. And these are the elements we would like to bring into our wedding. There will be no palace or attempts at creating one, but perhaps the finer things might be brought through in the details. Marie Antoinette enjoying tea in her garden perhaps. Royal, but familiar.
When I picture our wedding I picture one of three things. The first is the ceremony, walking down the aisle with my dad, and seeing Justin waiting for me at the altar; another is an aerial view of myself, arms out and spinning slowly, taking all the prettiness in, taking in the magnitude of the day, trying to store it all in memory, and trying my very best not to let it pass too quickly. The third is more of a feeling that accompanies the image of myself staring at our finishing reception through a window, feeling excited, happy, content. Feeling that everyone knows how much we love them, everyone knows how incredibly special they are, people are happy, and that it was a good day.
Good morning, wedding belles! Sorry for the late start this Monday, but I’m sure you’ll grant me a bank holiday lie-in. Anyway, I’m super excited about today’s board, which was a request from lovely reader Cara. It just makes my day when I get unusual themes and ideas for inspiration board requests, and ever since I read Cara’s email I’ve been dying to put this one together. Cara and her fiancé are planning a French bohemian style for their Johannesburg wedding. They hadn’t chosen colours yet, but were looking for something rustic, hippy and down to earth, but classy. I also didn’t start out with a colour scheme, but this evolved into a palette of rust, copper and green, and I think it has just the right amount of French country boho charm (although, as an alternative to neutrals, I’d recommend purple, including lots of lovely lavender). A headband (or a crown of flowers) for the bride is a must, and bridesmaids should be put in a range of lacey dresses with mismatched accessories (matching bridesmaids is a definite no here). Flowers are rustic and slightly wild, and I’d probably incorporate fruits as well, like figs and grapes, into the mix. Heavy urns with overflowing greenery, whimsical adornments like feathers (love how these just sit in the groom’s pocket instead of a boutonniere), long tables, rugs and scatter cushions. To some degree, anything goes. Hope you like this Cara – I am sure it’ll be absolutely beautiful!
The girls and I at the wedding this weekend – how exquisite does my friend Kerenze, the bride, look? And we had SO MUCH FUN!
Hello friends, hope you’re having an awesome weekend! I’m just stopping by to let you know there’ll be no love list this weekend, because I am enjoying some much-needed long weekend down-time, and spending it with some very special friends. Starting with an amazing wedding I attended on Friday and carrying on today with one of my varsity girls out from SA with her hubby.
The wedding on Friday was, in fact, the sixth I’ve attended this year – and before you ask, because everyone does, they’re all friends (sadly this job doesn’t extend to me actually attending your weddings!). Two have been dear friends I met here through my publishing job, and four were at home, mostly with friends from my Stellenbosch days. Without exception, they have been absolutely wonderful. And they’ve also got me thinking about weddings in general.Read More
I’m sneaking in a last bit of inspiration before the weekend! This super soft and romantic board is another reader request, this time for Yvonne, who is getting married at Zorgvliet wine farm in summer. She loves whites, creams and soft colours, as well as classic elements like lace and pearls. And I have to say, I think the results are just beautiful! I’ve taken my inspiration from the palette of the invitation I chose (bottom left), and used a majority of whites and creams with just a little hint of the palest blush creeping in. This would be a great wedding to wear a blush dress, in fact, as it would stand out just that little bit against the white on white. I’ve included lots of lovely lace – in the cake detailing, the bride’s accessories, the place setting (just can’t get tired of this glass plate and doily combo – it’s so simple and affordable, but definitely has the wow factor), even that stunning lace-wrapped branch (which was used as a ceremony arch – amazing, no?). Other elements are classic – chandeliers, candelabras, peonies, tall white table arrangements, a chic updo. And then there’s that sweet little touch with the vintage key escort cards. All in all, it wraps up very, very pretty. Hope you like it, Yvonne!
Hey hey, it’s Friday! And it’s the best kind of day for me, as I’ll be heading over to Cambridge as you read this so I can attend my lovely friends Kerenza & Matt’s wedding. Yay! Not only do I love weddings, but Kez and Matt are the loveliest. Anyway, never fear, because not only do I have a lovely bonus inspiration board for you this afternoon, but this morning I’ll be leaving you in the very capable hands of my friend Theresa of Creation Events. Theresa is a full service wedding c0-ordinator based in Cape Town, and as one of our treasured SBB sponsors, I’ve been keeping a close eye on what she’s been doing this season. Recently, Theresa has been sharing her extensive expertise in planning on her own blog in a series of ‘how to’ posts, and I’ve convinced her to share one of them exclusively with you here today. And it couldn’t be a more important one, since the venue is the cornerstone for any design you are going to put together, and probably the first thing you’ll book after saying ‘yes’. Over to you, Theresa!
PS You can download a free worksheet to help you follow Theresa’s advice in this post HERERead More
*UPDATED FOR 2018* London, baby! Now this one might not seem like an obvious choice for a bridal shower theme or hen party theme, but London has been a big part of many young South Africans’ lives, and now that Harry and Meghan have tied the knot, there’s no shortage of royal wedding fever to revel in. After all, every bride wants to feel a little like a princess, right? So if your bestie used to live/currently lives in the UK, or met her husband-to-be there, or is honeymooning there, or is an anglophile, or even is just someone called Kate or Elizabeth or Victoria or Meghan, a London theme bridal shower makes a really fun (and very easy to decorate) theme. A British party theme is also one that works well, whether you’re doing the sedate day shower (aka tea party!), or if you want to make it the start of a night on the town. So all aboard, because next stop, London! *Links in bold denote affiliate links. The cost to you remains the same, but SBB may receive a commission for any sales made.
You know, sometimes people in South Africa ask me why I bother living in London. The weather’s the first thing they comment on. The crowds of people. Living on top of one another. Long commutes. Everything being incredibly expensive. All true. But I think unless you’ve lived here, it’s hard to understand the quirky charm of this city, or the way that, being so big, it allows everyone to find their place and be exactly who they want to be. The unique way Londoners pull together in a crisis. The thrill of a sunny afternoon by the river. It’s very close to my heart and is also a special part of being South African for so many of my generation – at one point you couldn’t walk down a street in SW London without hearing a Saffa accent. And, of course, with the Olympics just gone and the Paralympics about to start, there’s no better time to celebrate this city. So it was a little bit of synchronicity when I heard from bride, Katherine (who I’d been lucky enough to meet at an event last year) – I loved the idea of her London theme, but I was really swept off my feet when I saw her beautiful pictures by Garyth Bevan and the incredible floor to ceiling backdrop of Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament. I can’t believe how it transformed the space – definitely one of my all-time favourite decor pieces! It was a very classy nod to my home city, which is where Katherine & Sam fell in love (and talking about synchronicity, they met at an Olympic-themed party!). In fact, the whole wedding at Steenberg Estate is full of class, with a subtle neutral palette, soft flowers and vintagey details. You’re going to love it. Oh! And if, like me, you’re not quite done celebrating lovely London, pop back this afternoon where I’ll be showcasing a London bridal shower theme…Read More
