Organic Heritage Wedding Inspiration

by gaby

Nothing makes my blogger heart happier than when talented wedding pros whose work I admire and support get together to create something beautiful, and that’s just what I have to share with you today. A few months back, I shared Durban-based designer, Hanrie Lues’ ballet-inspired collection, Fleur de Ballet, here on the blog, and we got to do lots of dramatic swooning over her dreamy gowns. Well, today you get to see the second part of that collection. These dresses are amazing! But even better, you’ll see them brought to life by an incredibly talented team of KZN vendors, including Christy Hosking, Labola Weddings & Events, Bash Paperie and one of our favourite venues, The Venue Fontana. I mean, seriously, can you handle? The dresses (and the models) are beautiful, the florals are amazing, the stationery, the decor, the cake… I’m in blogger heaven right now! So let’s get on with some swooning, shall we?

Read More

Mismatched White Lace Boho Bridesmaid Dresses

by gaby

Boho Beach Bridesmaid Dresses

A couple of weeks ago, we rounded up some gorgeous boho wedding dresses here on SBB. But boho isn’t just for brides – oh, noho. Because the only thing better than a stylish gypsy bride is one with a retinue of gorgeous bohemian bridesmaids rocking their own indie bridesmaid dresses. But what does that look like? Of course, the very nature of ‘bohemian’ is that there are no rules, but my favourite look (which happens to gel perfectly with an organic, chilled out, festival wedding vibe) is white lace or crochet dresses, mismatched (of course). Just add some pretty sandals and some wildflowers, and you have the perfect look for your ladies. Which of these white boho bridesmaid dresses is your favourite? *Links in bold denote affiliate links. The cost to you remains the same, but SBB may receive a commission for any sales made.

Read More

Intimate Surf Lodge Wedding by Long Exposure

by gaby

Surf’s up! This laid-back, beachy wedding took place at a local surf lodge – the perfect venue for a couple who first started noticing one another during early morning sessions. With this natural coastal setting in place, they set about infusing their ‘I do’s with soft blooms (including the bride’s sweet flower crown!), rustic elements, and nods to their love of sea and sand. With an intimate guest list and long trestles set up under the trees while paper lanterns swung in the breeze, Alice and Joel’s wedding has the feeling of a family dinner in the garden rather than a buttoned up formal do, and it’s no wonder, as all the details (including the customisation of Alice’s dream dress) were a labour of love by the bride’s mum and other dear family and friends. It really makes you smile, and happily, Christie Long was there to capture all of the love!

Read More

20 Wild & Wonderful Bouquets

by gaby

When I picked ‘wild beauty’ as an editorial theme, there was one thing I couldn’t wait to include, and that was a roundup of wild bouquets. Wild, organic, hand-tied, unstructured – however you want to refer to them, these beautiful bouquets never fail to catch my eye and tug at my heart when I see them in a real wedding or styled shoot. I’m a huge flower lover and am definitely of the opinion that more can be better – plus, the other thing I like about these bouquets is that floral designers love to make them, especially when you give them a bit of free rein when it comes to texture and size. Giving a creative the chance to have some fun almost always results in something extra beautiful and extra unique, and you’ll see when you look at these twenty gorgeous posies what I’m talking about. So, let the wild (floral) rumpus begin!

Read More

Ocean Blue Wedding at Maroupi by Lightburst Photography

by gaby

Can you smell the salt air? A breezy colour palette of sea blues and greens makes for a soiree guaranteed to evoke the ocean, even if you’re not throwing a toes-in-the-sand beach bash. When you add in elegant florals, a to-die-for lace gown, and bridesmaids in gorgeous Gelique gowns for that extra touch of mismatched blue, and the whole wedding becomes that much more beautiful – a fusion of coastal and chic that we adore. Lightburst Photography was there to snap these dreamy pictures that make Sam and Darryn’s happy day come alive, including the most romantic, windswept beach portraits you can imagine.

Read More

Pastel Boho Beach Picnic E-shoot Inspiration

by gaby

When we think boho, we often think of a neutral palette, or an organic one – the colours of field and desert and stone. But today’s pretty little styled shoot turns that on its head, and harnesses a bit of boho style combined with a beach location and soft spring pastels to create the sweetest little picnic e-sesh ever. This is perfect inspiration not just for a couple shoot or elopement, but would make for the basis of a gorgeous wedding design too. We especially love the floral teepee, the dreamy dress, and OMG the flower crowns! One combines soft florals with urchin shells, and has given us all the heart eyes at SBB HQ! This gorgeous shoot was created by Deborah-Ann Photography, Wildeflower and their team of talented creatives, and I’m super excited to share it with you today!

Read More

Vibrant Greenery Wedding at Anura Vineyards by Ruby Jean

by gaby

When I started putting together Dianne & Damian’s wedding for you all, I had my eye on the thing that we always look for – the details (after all, that’s what wedding blogs are here for). And the details of their wedding are lovely – long tables covered with sweet swags of greenery, glass mason jars and candles, a ballerina bride in a lace gown, bridesmaids in Grecian-style swathes of chiffon, a tower of chocolate brownies in place of a cake. But what I kept getting distracted by, were the people in Ruby Jean Photography‘s lovely pictures. There’s such a sense of fun and excitement and vibrancy on everyone’s faces, from bride and groom, to wedding party, to guests. The atmosphere is so bubbly and fun that you can’t help smiling with them – and smiling wide! Better yet, the fun continued long into the night, with SBB faves Your DJ at the helm!

Read More

Inspiration Board: Sea & Sky

by gaby

Hello lovelies! How was your weekend? I had such a lovely one, taking some time to celebrate a landmark birthday for my dad, Italian-style, with a table groaning with gorgeous food and my first (successful, yay!) attempt at tiramisu. This month, we’ll be continuing on with our ‘wild beauty’ theme, as there’s lots more boho and naturally-textured inspiration I have to share with you all and I didn’t manage to get to most of it in a busy September. So I thought I would start this week off with a natural, boho take on beach weddings, in shades all the way from deep indigo to the palest of greys, and some absolutely adorable ideas (that arch!). I love it! *Links in bold denote affiliate links. The cost to you remains the same, but SBB may receive a commission for any sales made.

Top row (l-r): Beach bride & groom | Starfish on vintage tray (JoPhoto/Honeybee Events) | Beach ceremony arch (Lace and Likes/Swoon by Katie) | Mussel escorts (Greyberry Design)
Row 2: Invitation suite (NotablePaperCo) | Boho beach sandals
Row 3: Beach table decor (Shefter Polina/Studio Victorias) | Beach bride earrings (Marolsha) | Bouquet (Tamara Gruner Photography/Life In Bloom/Veronica Sheaffer)

Shop the Look

Row 1: Laurel Wreath Earrings by Marolsha (left); Shell Beach Destination Wedding Escort Place Cards by Greyberry Design (right) | Row 2: Hawthorn suite by NotablePaperCo | Row 3: Blue Grey Boho Wedding Dress by Cathy Telle (top left); Bridal Sea Urchin Ring by Star of the East (bottom left); Natural Starfish from Seashell Collection (top right); Beach Pebbles from My Family’s Nutz (centre right); Bridal Barefoot Sandals by Barmine (bottom right) | Row 4: Silk Runner by Lino and Co.

Elegant Pink & Gold Wedding at 12 Apostles Hotel by Tasha Seccombe

by gaby

Today’s wedding really has it all. An absolutely breathtaking Cape Town destination wedding location (12 Apostles, caught between sea, mountains and big blue sky), sweetly sophisticated Africa wedding details (including gorgeous foiled stationery, a marimba band, and a biltong food bar – love!), and crazy gorgeous florals from our favourite ladies at Green Goddess. Dieter and Daniella met in another iconic Cape Town location (the Waterfront) and decided to seal the deal with their familes and friends with one of the best views in the country (and in my opinion, the world). From their elegant gold and pink palette, to the dreamy beach portraits, to a darling gold-touched cake, and not forgetting Tasha Seccombe‘s beautiful pictures, it’s the perfect mix of classic and contemporary with a healthy helping of homegrown. *This post includes affiliate links. The cost to you remains the same, but SBB may receive a commission for any sales made.

Read More

Wedding Dresses for a Boho Bride

by gaby

Boho Wedding Dresses

*UPDATED FOR 2020* Hello lovely friends! Sorry we’ve been a bit quiet on SBB – been having a bit of a tech upgrade! Which is a good thing, obvs, but interrupted normal workflows. So I’ve actually decided to extend this month’s ‘Wild Beauty’ theme on through October – after all, I have so much more natural/boho wedding goodness to share with you! Starting with some fashion fabulousness, because oh my word, but Etsy is just a treasure trove for a bohemian bride. I rounded up some gorgeous boho wedding dresses a while back, and today I’ve found 25 more – just wait till you see them!

*Links in bold denote affiliate links. The cost to you remains the same, but SBB may receive a commission for any sales made.

Read More