Oh, how I LOVE this wedding! It’s just bursting with colour and life and joy, and with personal touches, and most of all, with family and friends having a great time celebrating the two people who are joining their lives together (not to mention the kind of fab details we’ve come to expect from the Wedding Concepts team). It’s everything we all want our wedding days to be. And no matter how hard I tried, I just couldn’t narrow down Jules Morgan’s beautiful, beautiful photos to a single post. So – yay! – you get two of them! And even better, the bride, Jacqui has been sweet enough to send over plenty of background that you won’t want to miss. So… tada! Here’s Part 1, and be sure to come back later for Part 2.
Inspiration Board: Curacao, Peony & Russet
This weekend I’ve been having a play around with the colours included in the Pantone spring colour lineup – love all of them! There are endless combinations to consider for your wedding, all fresh and pretty and effortlessly current. This is one of my favourites (and so easy to use) – trendy aqua always makes an impact, especially against the palest of pinks, and russet provides a great neutral contrast. It works perfectly with pretty garden wedding details, cupcakes, chandeliers, ruffles and, of course, peonies. (Will I ever get tired of these? Don’t think so!) Just add guests and sunshine for the perfect, laid back, happy day.
Colours: Blue Curacao, Silver Peony, Russet
Top row (l-r): Bridesmaids; peony bouquet; chandeliers
Row 2: Cupcakes, Just Married banner; aqua mason jars; chandelier invitation; aqua shoes
Row 3: Flower girl moustaches; bride & groom; dancing shoes; outside reception.
Real Wedding at Rockhaven Farm {Kyle & Jamie}
There are some weddings where just looking at the photos can instantly brighten up your day, and Kyle & Jamie’s (Kyle being the girl and Jamie the boy!) is definitely one of them. Their flowers are AMAZING. Their venue is one of my all-time favourites (Rockhaven Farm, with its resident dogs, cats and ducks, which we also featured here and here). And the two of them just radiate a sense of calm and joy that has had a smile on my face the whole way through putting this post together. Not to mention the incredible light and detail that photographer Jani B manages to get into her pictures – it’s like taking a big gulp of fresh air on a spring morning. (Oh, and regular readers will also spot the flawless cake and biscuit making of one of our own brides, Roxanne Floquet – how gorgeous is her work?) Love!
Real Wedding at the Steenberg Hotel {Irene & Hans Joachim}
Oh, I do love me a winter wedding! I don’t see nearly as many as I’d like to coming out of South Africa. And yes, I know the Cape is spectacular in the summer, and many of you want an outdoor ceremony and reception, but if you’re just setting out in the planning process it’s worth considering the winter months, as they have their own very special beauty. Today’s wedding is a perfect example of that for me – an elegant couple, rich jewelley colours, and one of my favourite ever bride’s outfits. You have to love a girl who gets married in red boots! Photographs are by the ever wonderful Nikki Meyer – every wedding she photographs is serious eye candy, so make sure you head over to her blog (and make yourself a cup of coffee before you do, because you’ll be there a while!). Big thanks to Nikki and of course to Irene and Hans – congratulations again, you two!Read More
Real Wedding at Klein Genot {Nicole & Konrad}
Today’s bride is kind of a friend of a friend. I ran into her a couple of months ago the morning after her hen do, looking WAY too radiant and serene and non-hungover for someone who’d been drinking vodka at the Ice Bar the night before, and she told me she was getting married in a couple of weeks. Once I heard about the details, I was super excited to see how it all turned out, and even more excited when I found out that her photographer was Brenda Wardall from Hearts in a Shutter, whose fantastic photographs I had featured before. But when I finally did see the pics from Nicole and Kon’s big day, it was just above and beyond any expectations. Soft colours, beautiful Winter light, lemon groves… and the biggest, happiest smiles from the bride and groom. Settle in and enjoy!
Carnations
Yep, I said it. Carnations. For your wedding. And I know this is going to be controversial, and that right now you’re making a face and thinking you may not bother reading to the end of the post because this isn’t for you. I know this because every single time I mention carnations to friends in any context, they get that same look and say “I’m not such a big fan of carnations, personally…”. Who is? They’re the flowers we overlook at the market stall, that we wouldn’t be caught dead giving a friend for her birthday, and probably the only flowers that can get a guy negative points for giving us. I get it. But bear with me, because you’re wrong. Seriously. Carnations. Trust me.Read More
Real Wedding at Morgansvlei {Sheyenne & Reynhard}
Details, details, details. I know I go on about them all the time, but really, it only takes one or two really lovely ones to engage the imaginations of your guests and make your wedding stand out (too many and it can just feel fussy). The clever use of detail is exactly what today’s wedding (photographed by the ever-fabulous Judy Stofberg of Just Judy Photography) manages, for me. Simple neutral colours and classy indigenous flower arrangements are set against floaty fabrics, beautiful metalwork and one of the best guest book ideas I’ve seen in a while (not to mention the perfect cheese cake). And how incredible does the bride look? She’s got that whole poised/elegant/serene/joyful Audrey Hepburn thing going on – seriously, this is how we all hope to look on our wedding day. In fact, I think poised/elegant/serene/joyful pretty much describes the whole wedding. Enjoy!Read More
Real Wedding at Bon Cap {Lenise & Lourens}
When photographer Anel Smit sent me today’s wedding I couldn’t help but be struck by the verve and energy of the couple – and by bride Lenise’s big smile! I loved that they had so much fun with their couples session, and couldn’t wait to see the rest of the wedding. As it turned out, it was a fusion between the bride and groom’s different styles, and a warm family centred celebration in the true sense of the word, and I’m sure it’ll brighten up your afternoon the way it did mine! Big congratulations to Lenise and Lourens, and thank you to Anel for her lovely pics!Read More
Movie-themed Engagement Shoots
Now I admit, I wasn’t an immediate convert to this particular trend. I’m a big fan of engagement shoots, but my favourite are those that show off a couple’s personalities, what they like to do together, etc. But there’s something kinda fun and silly and romantic about recreating the style and mood of a favourite film – and when else will you get the chance to do it? Ultimately, what won me over was the images I’ve seen coming out of these shoots – thanks to some amazing photographers, they are nothing short of spectacular. So grab your popcorn and check out my favourites.
The Twilight Saga
Inspiration Board: Citrus Martini
This week we’re featuring three citrus-themed inspiration boards inspired by Cape venues to show how a single theme can be interpreted in a number of different ways. Which one is your favourite?
**************************************************************
Today’s board is something completely different from the rustic vintage vibe we featured yesterday. It’s all about funky, modern design, using bright orange and yellow, and playful citrusey details. I adore the ceiling-high table arrangements and stationery (which both come from this amazing concept shoot), and the way grey makes the brighter colours pop. Not to mention the use of actual oranges in the bride and bridesmaids’ bouquets – so fun! And what’s a sophisticated orange and lemon-themed soiree without a signature martini? The perfect Cape venue space for this light, contemporary design is The Conservatory in Franschoek, with its huge glass panels and mod grey accents – ideal for a lunchtime wedding where your guests can really appreciate the views. For more on The Conservatory see our venue spotlight, and for more chic modern options, have a look at the Amazing Spaces website.
Colours: Bright orange, yellow and slate grey
Top row (l-r): The Conservatory ; table with branch arrangement; martinis; bride & groom
Row 2: Bridesmaids; ribbon wands; ring; The Conservatory
Row 3: Naartjie name tag; place setting; invitation; tulip bouquet.
If you’d like to see more lovely examples of fruit as part of wedding design, have a look at our feature here.
Note: None of the posts in this series have been sponsored by the featured venues, including The Conservatory.