There are some weddings that are so totally synchronous that when I’m putting the post together it feels more like an inspiration board than an actual wedding, and that’s what today’s is like for me. Seriously, it is flawless. The decor, the styling, even the weather seem to pull together into a cohesive whole that is just elegant, rustic perfection. Green and brown are two colours that work beautifully and bring so much depth to one another, especially when they reflect the lush spring gorgeousness of the Cape winelands. Details are cleverly chosen – clouds of baby’s breath and roses in copper pots and teacups, twig hearts, fruity water in glass bottles presented in an old wheelbarrow, wicker baskets for the ring bearers. And I love the whimsical little details, like Diana’s long veil and the embroidered bathrobes for her bridal party. In fact, there’s not a single thing I don’t love. Co-ordination of all this swoon-worthiness is down to Absolute Weddings, who are based in Cape Town, and the breathtaking images are from top photographer Christine Meintjes. Christine’s crisp style is perfectly matched to all that is light and bright, and her pictures in the blossoms are just inspired. *sigh* So grab a cup of coffee this Tuesday morning, and dive in!
Real Wedding at Straightway Head Hotel {Kedi & Alex}
So yesterday was Thanksgiving, and even though I’m not American, I found myself giving a lot of thanks. As in, THANKS to a certain South African broadband network who shall remain nameless, we couldn’t get the pictures through for yesterday’s real wedding. But THANKS to the hard work of the one and only Monica Dart (I am totally the president of her fan club today), it’s all here for you right now. And THANK goodness, because this is just the bestest way to end off your week (or start your week, or continue your week… it’s that sweet). As usual, I am in love with Monica’s photos, which seem to dance off the screen of their own free will. Combine that with a beautiful summery day, a haawt couple (seriously, how beautiful a bride is Kedi? – and she’s a doctor no less!), the prettiest of summer flowers against crisp damask tablecloths and a breezy garden setting, and I am pretty much smitten. So big THANKS to everyone involved for sharing!Read More
Farm-Style Engagement Shoot
Oh, I just love today’s engagement shoot, don’t you? It’s so dreamy and chilled out, and the couple (Celeste and Nathan) are so beautifully styled (not to mention in lurve). The large silver milk containers also get a bit thumbs up from me. This slice of rustic heaven was sent over by photographer Eileen Laubscher of Bright Girl Photography, who is based in Durban, and who takes the most gorgeous wedding pics as well – check out her blog here.
Inspiration Board: Cherries & Gingham
It’s miserable weather in London at the moment and summer seems a very long way away, but only 3 weeks until I get to fly back to Cape Town and enjoy some South African sunshine (the best kind!). So I thought it was time for some cheerful, summery inspiration. I’m a great lover of cherries, which have been popping up (like other fruit) in a few weddings recently, and I think they go perfectly with pretty black and white gingham print. Add a bit of hay and burlap, and you have the perfect rustic combination!
Colours: Red, black, white and beige
Top row (l-r): Cherry punnets & white flower; wedding dress; lantern; gingham ribbon; cherry favours
Row 2: Cherry pie; gingham napkin; tulips; vintage truck
Row 3: Table number; cherries with flowers; red barn; wedding cake; wooden sign.
Rock ‘n Romance Hen Night: The DIY
In terms of DIY, I wouldn’t exactly call myself an expert. I take on craft projects on a need-to basis – when I need to make something, I figure out how to do it. And I could pretend that I am one of those super awesome creative people who came up with all the completely original projects for Heidi’s hen night all on my own, but I didn’t. I did exactly what most of you do. I found things I needed and liked on this here internet, and I adapted them. I learned by doing, and I made things up where necessary. It was time consuming, and fun, and crazy, and I’m pretty sure my housemate (who happens to be a beefy rugby player) mustn’t have loved the den of pink and girliness that our dining room table became (cheers, Mark!), but it was 100% worth it to see everything come together on the day. So I thought I would share my DIY inspirations and links, so that you can see how to follow and adapt them to create something YOU love. The best thing is that many of these can be used for other parties, or weddings – whatever takes your fancy.
The Invitations
Real Wedding at Mofam River Lodge {Marilet & Herman}
I first came across Warren Williams when we featured Monique & Kaz’s engagement shoot, and I’m thrilled to be able to feature our first of his weddings today. If you haven’t checked out Warren’s blog yet, you definitely should, since not only are the pictures gorgeous, but the way he writes up each wedding always gives me a chuckle! When he described Herman and Marilet’s celebration, it was clear that the two of them had the kind of relaxed attitude that most brides and grooms (and service providers!) can only dream of, and you can see from all the images that this allowed them to really enjoy every second of the day. And when the couple are having fun, everyone’s having fun!
London Hen Night
Happy Tuesday, folks! Instead of a wedding, today we have a real hen party, organised by yours truly for my lovely friend Heidi. It’s actually kind of nervewracking showing off something I’ve designed myself, especially since the printer and I had a little last minute disagreement (machines! pff!) and the fonts are a little, shall we say, pedestrian as a result. Fortunately, I’m pretty sure that Cheryl McEwan could make anything look good with her beautiful photographs. She seriously went above and beyond for us, and I cannot sing her praises loudly enough. (I’m only sorry she’s leaving London, but our loss is Cape Town’s gain!)
Q&A with Elizabeth Stockenström
The bad news is that the second real wedding I planned to share with you this week has been postponed. The great news is that I have something equally awesome lined up for you today. Because let’s be honest, if you’re not oohing and aahing over wedding details, you want to be gawking at pretty pretty dresses, and that is exactly what we have here. BEYOND pretty dresses. Elizabeth Stockenström has become one of the top bridal designers in South Africa, and not only is everything she designs completely gorgeous, but she is much beloved of every one of her brides, some of whom have already featured in our real weddings. Elizabeth was sweet enough to find time in the middle of wedding season to answer a few questions from us.
Parisian Stripes
Oh, I do like a trend! It’s no secret that stripes have been all over the catwalks recently, and they’ve been showing up in subtle wedding details and especially in stationery for a while. But recently I’ve noticed a lot of bold black and white stripes showing up on tables, including in yesterday’s gorgeous featured wedding, and I couldn’t help but wonder, are stripes the new damask? It’s true that they have the same magic of allowing pops of colour to really stand out against a black and white print. And they have the added bonus of a bit of Parisian ooh la la. Aaaand they perfectly walk that narrow line between bold and sophisticated. In fact, I can’t think of a single reason not to love them!
Real Wedding at Morgenhof {Alicia & Winston}
We’re back to real weddings this week, and today’s is a blinder – although of course we wouldn’t expect anything less from the Wedding Concepts team! They had an unusual challenge this time – to turn the historic cellar venue of Morgenhof into a contemporary, formal space using lush, modern colours. They also had to mix two cultures (Alicia from the US and Winston from Liberia) and create a space where all the couple’s guests could feel at home. I think they more than pulled it off, as evidenced by the huge smiles on Winston and Alicia’s faces! I’m also absolutely thrilled that I finally get to feature the work of photography team Zarazoo, who I’ve been a fan of for aaaaages. Their style always makes me homesick, since they capture the big sky we are lucky enough to have in Africa (as well as the fun and personalities of the people they shoot). In fact, so much about this particular wedding reminds me why I love my home continent – it just seems to radiate with the glow of the warm earth, the light of the sun and the love of family and friends. I hope you love it as much as I do.
