Real Wedding at Sea Trader {Misha & Henri}

by gaby

You know, a lot of people, when they find out what I do, comment that organising a wedding these days is such an over-the-top thing. In the same way as I think my mother believes you can only be either a teetotal or a budding alcoholic (guess which side of that line I fall on?), I think many of them believe a wedding can either be a three day zillion Rand extravaganza with ice sculptures, chocolate fountains and swans in the swimming pool, or a pared down civil ceremony with zero decoration and lunch at a nearby restaurant. Well, you and I both know that’s rubbish. There’s a spectrum of weddings, and that’s what makes them so interesting and exciting. But one thing I do know is that adding just a few key details will raise your wedding’s game. Take today’s Sea Trader wedding (photographed by the lovely Bernard Bravenboer), for example. It isn’t over the top, but it is beautiful. Clever Misha and her wedding planning team knew exactly where to add those special details. Coloured glass on the tables. A beautiful rose bridesmaid dress and a flower girl in a baby’s breath crown. A picturesque beach ceremony. Interesting boutonnieres. Wedding newspapers. Pretty cocktails. No swans in the pool. No ice sculpures. Just the gorgeous pink fairytale wedding that Misha and Henri dreamed of. Simples.Read More

Kalk Bay Engagement Shoot

by gaby

Ah, Kalk Bay. How I do love you. Except for the parking. True story: last time I went to Kalk Bay was a couple of months ago to meet my cousins for lunch. Beautiful hot day, summer Sunday afternoon… some kind of military show in Simonstown… traffic chaos. Kippie here decides to park right in the harbour, and let me tell you, after eleven years in London my parking skills are a**. Somehow I managed it, but came back to find an SUV wedged in next to me. What followed was ten minutes of stalling the car, twenty-point turning and an eventual offer from a complete stranger to drive my car out of the spot for me, which I politely declined before stalling the car yet again and finally getting on my way with the parking guard shaking his head after me. So. Humiliating. Meh, whatever, I still love Kalk Bay. And today I’m especially missing it as I’m featuring this sunny e-shoot by SBB friend and sponsor Cheryl McEwan. You saw her wedding last week, and today she’s showing you her moxy behind the lens. The result is a sweet and intimate engagement session for couple Riana and Shaun that captures the colour of this special part of the world. I especially love Riana’s styling – that dress is PERFECT for Kalk Bay! It’s definitely worth taking some time to think about the location of your shoot and dress to complement it (or the other way around) – I promise that the results will be worth it! Thanks for sharing, Cheryl!

Oh, and psssst! Come back later for another gorgey porgey wedding. Huzzah!Read More

Real Wedding at The View Boutique Hotel {Manilla & Mark}

by gaby

Hello, lovelies. We had some minor technical gremlins today, but I have fought them off just for you and can’t wait to share this incredible Johannesburg wedding which I know will get your evening wedsite browsing off to an amazing start! It begins with a film-worthy romantic meeting, through a phenomenal, original, beautiful dress and a gaggle of elegant green-clad bridesmaids and dashing groomsmen, on to a sweet ceremony and a bright and breezy carnival-tastic reception, and ends on a packed dance floor. (As all the best weddings do.) And you guys, these photos by Rensche Mari will have you gasping. Seriously. This is the kind of wedding that makes me love what I do, so without further ado…Read More

Real Wedding at Schoone Oordt {Harriett & Craig}

by gaby

Needless to say, I love every wedding I feature here on SBB. You brides are so full of creativity and general awesomeness. But there are some where as I go through the pics I am just blown away by the level of detail, and today’s lovely intimate high tea wedding at Schoone Oordt is one of those. I mean, even the ice cubes are pretty. I love all the paper decorations, love the cupcake menu placecards, love the picnic blanket ‘guest book’, love the vintagey paper pinwheels, love the gift bags, love the individual cakes, love love love. I could go on, but I’d just be wasting time that you could be feasting your eye holes on the English country tea party goodness, photographed so beautifully by our friends at Real Simple Photography (who, PS, will be in London for a visit in August – drop Jacques an email if you’d like to book a consultation).Read More

Inspiration Board: Gucci Green

by gaby

Good morning friends! I felt like doing something a bit different today – a stylish city wedding inspired by the latest catwalk trends. I adore the idea of a rooftop wedding (not enough couples trying this in SA to my mind – just think of the views from the Grand Daddy in Cape Town, for example, or the bar at the Hyde Park Hotel in Johannesburg, and check out two of my favourite Cape Town weddings with city views here and here). This time I’ve looked to Gucci’s Spring/Summer 2012 collection and created a bold palette of emerald green, gold and black (with a touch of geometrical art deco) that would really blow your guests away in the style stakes. It’s so striking. And OMG check out this bride wearing a green Gucci dress – one of the most elegant alternatives to the traditional white dress I have seen. Perfect for swanning around a terrace with your new husband, greeting your guests and drinking Emerald Isle cocktails, no?

Colours: Emerald green, black, gold

 

Top row (l-r): Rooftop table with gold sequin runner {S: Alchemy Fine Events & Invitations/P: Scott Lawrence}; Art Deco cake {D: Lael Cakes; P:Jen Huang Photography}; chevron manicure; green Gucci wedding dress {P: Q Weddings}
Row 2: Emerald Isle martini; gold chevron tray; emerald and diamond Art Deco ring; green and gold place setting {S: Sweet Emilia Jane; P: Captured by Aimee}
Row 3: Gucci spring/summer 2012; Gucci shoes; green flowers; gold bottles.

 

Hen Party Theme: Circus

by gaby

Image via Pinterest

Time for the weekend, lovelies! Hope you have a good one planned. Before I get on to today’s feature, I wanted to apologise for things being a little slower than usual here on the blog (and on my email, sorry anyone who’s been in touch!) – if you follow on Facebook you’ll know I managed to sprain a finger (nothing serious, but having your right index finger strapped to your middle one kind of gets in the way of typing very quickly!). Things will be 100% back to normal next week. Hey, these things happen, right? ANYWAY, so it’s been a while since I did a hen party theme roundup, and I’m very excited about this one! Circus weddings have been a big trend in the last couple of years, and I adore them, but not everyone wants to go so ‘themey’ for their actual wedding. The perfect solution? A Big Top Bridal Shower! SUCH a fun theme, and you can really make it classy (and shape it around whatever level of activity you’re planning).Read More

Real Wedding at Anura Vineyards {Cheryl & Sven}

by gaby

SOOOO excited to share today’s (bumper!) post with you – it feels like it has been in the pipeline since forever! Of course, that’s because today we’re sharing the wedding of Cheryl McEwan, our friend and colleague, SBB sponsor, and of course, Real Life Bride. Together we’ve followed Cheryl on her planning journey, from inspiration to reality. And wow. That reality is so much more gorgeous than I could even have imagined. Not just because it’s photographed by the legend that is Nastassja Harvey (although it helps). As a photographer, Cheryl has an amazing eye for detail, and putting that together with her wedding experience, she created a masterclass in shabby chic/country vintage styling that must have been a pleasure to shoot and attend. She’s also collaborated with her friends in the industry – Doodles Laser in particular – to add sweet new twists to the ideas that inspired her (read her Real Life Bride archive to see how these evolved). The result is an incredible wedding, blessed with rainbows (literally) and laughter – here’s wishing Cheryl and Sven many blessings in the next chapter of their lives together.Read More

Real Wedding at Molenvliet {Liesl & Andrew}

by gaby

I’m very excited to showcase today’s wedding. It comes from one of our industry favourites – the always creative and inspirational Aleit Group, and the styling is seriously cool (not to mention the gorgeous pics by the incredible Jean Pierre Uys). I mentioned Delft a couple of weeks ago as an element I have found interesting recently – well, this wedding used it as a motif throughout. Think place settings, origami menus, cookies and (OMG I die for this) even a Delft-patterned dancefloor! That said, the theme is never tacky or overdone, it just blends in beautifully with the winelands venue (Molenvliet) and the safari-inspired details. Another element that must be mentioned is the aisle – how cool is this one? I’ve never seen anything quite like it, and I’m in love! Yet another reason I am loving this wedding though, is Liesl and Andrew’s super cute story, which includes one of the most romantic proposals ever (I just wish I had space to include the whole thing!). She was a South African girl who finished up her education at boarding school in the UK, he was a born-and-bred Brit. Then somehow, after studying in London and Nottingham respectively, they both landed up in London getting started in their careers in accountancy. And so it began…Read More

Inspiration Board: Village Fete

by gaby

Good morning friends! Today we’re all about pretty country shabby chic style, starting with this inspiration board (and come back later for something extra special!). This is actually a look I’ve seen quite a bit recently in the UK. It’s a really pretty alternative to the vintage look that was everywhere in SA this season, and is all about pastels and mixed floral fabrics (in this case inspired by Cath Kidston style). This board is a request from one of our lovely readers, Jenny, who is getting married in her local church and travelling on to the reception (in a tented marquee in a field) on a motorbike and sidecar – so cute! She’s made loads of bunting using Cath Kidston fabric, and will be serving sandwiches, pastries and cakes at their tea party. It reminds me of a village fete, and Jenny could even consider having some of the games and entertainment you find at a fete – tombola stalls, hay rides, etc. I really like the idea of having a cake table with lots of different cakes and labels for each of them, just as if they were a baking competition, instead of one cake. She could even use Cath Kidston cupcake cases to tie in with her bunting. Other Kidston touches that I love are the mini cake bunting, the escort card board, and the LOVE letters (you could also make these yourself into table numbers). Carry a beautiful rose bouquet (I’m in love with this one, which has a slightly wild, natural touch). Teacups should be a big part of the decor – collect random ones on eBay and place them at each table setting with a rose inside – this doubles as a favour. Another cute favour is the little button badges, which are just adorable. You could also pile teacups up under bell jars or hang them at different levels from the ceiling. Serve a range of teas, as well as lemonade (or better yet, this marital bliss special cocktail) and consider hiring in a specialist coffee machine – I’ve seen how popular these are! Hope you like your board Jenny – good luck with the rest of your planning!

Colour: Pink, blue, green, cream pastels

Top row (l-r): Marquee in field; bouquet {P: Odalys Mendez Photography S: Storybook Wedding Consulting}; teacup decor {P: Allan Zepeda}; motorbike with sidecar {Wild Weddings}
Row 2: LOVE letters; Cath Kidston cupcake cases; cake with bunting {source unknown}; button badge favours; cake table {Cynthia Brown Studio}
Row 3: Teacup with rose; marital bliss cocktail; Cath Kidston escort card board {My Vintage Tea Party}; flower girls {Loverbird Photography}

 

William Clarke Flowers Workshop

by gaby

Sometimes I get to do the coolest stuff. Like a couple of weeks ago, when I got a certain invitation in my inbox. Did I, it asked, want to go and hang with William Clarke Flowers and a bunch of fabulous wedding bloggers, learning to make a hand-tied bouquet while sipping champagne? Did I? Pff. Stupid question. So the following Saturday, off I went to the William Clarke studio in London. My dear friends Louise of b.loved and Amma of Beyond Beyond were there too, and I also got to meet the lovely Meryl of Homegrown Bride, Michele the Bridal Coach and of course Nicola of Propose PR, not to mention William Clarke himself, the delightful Brian, and associate Deborah Zwetsloot of Wedding Day Hire. (And you know that thing I said yesterday about South Africans secretly taking over the world? Well, William’s in on it. He’s a born and bred Saffa, who started out in hotels and moved into flowers, and now posh people pay him to make their dining room tables always look like they’ve been styled by Homes and Gardens.) So there we were, drinking Pimms and champagne before noon (well, it was five o’clock somewhere) and snacking on breakfasty canapes and generally just feeling impossibly glamorous. Brian and Deborah took us to see their secret stash of awesome in the showroom next door, where brides and grooms can have a full consultation to weigh up their decor options.Read More