Floral Print Bridesmaid Dresses from Plum Pretty Sugar (PPS Couture)

by gaby

floral-print-pastel-bridesmaid-dresses (1)

Well, this morning we were all about autumn, but this afternoon we’re taking a step back into spring and summer for a second, because I have the most beautiful collection of bridesmaid dresses to share with you from Plum Pretty Sugar‘s new PPS Couture line. I mean, I’ve seen and been crushing on floral print dresses for some time, but these really take the cake. You may already have spotted them on a couple of the US wedding blogs, but with gowns this gorgeous (and dreamy pics by the legendary Jose Villa), I just had to share them with my lovely South African brides too. The four gowns in the collection are made from silk and chiffon, and are full of pretty little details to complement the ethereal floral prints (which just happen to mix and match to perfection). With boys names (cute!) but a distinctly feminine aesthetic, I have a hard time picking my fave. And just in case you think they’re out of local reach, you’ll be happy to know that PPS ships worldwide.Read More

10 Autumn Wedding Colour Palettes

by gaby

Weyhey! It’s a new week! Hope you all are back renewed and refreshed after your long weekend, and ready for a new month of inspiration here on SBB. I certainly know I am ready to start a fresh page, with a pretty stressful week behind me. And what better way than with our new theme. This month, seeing as Autumn has finally started to Fall here in South Africa (see what I did there, huh huh?) I thought that it was the perfect time to focus on everything wonderful that the cooler months have to offer a bride and groom – everything from colours to fashion inspiration to a bit of sound advice. To kick things off, I thought I would round up some of my absolute favourite autumn wedding palettes from over the years. You’ll find the more traditional colour schemes here – the shades of autumn leaves that so many seasonal brides favour – but you’ll also find some fresh twists to inspire. Click on to find your favourite!
*Links in bold denote affiliate links. SouthBound Bride may make a commission if a sale is made.

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Intimate Red & Grey Wedding by Maré Rootman {Dominique & Gerrie} PLUS Top 10 Tips for Planning an Intimate Wedding

by gaby

When weddings are what you do for a living, it can feel a little like you’ve seen it all, and a traditional Big Day is sometimes the last thing you want to plan for yourself. So it’s no surprise to find that what happens when two Johannesburg wedding photographers decide to get hitched is a fun-filled, intimate weekend wedding in Cape Town! Dominique (and her company Hello Love Photography) is already a member of the SBB Directory, so when I asked for intimate weddings for April, I thought it was awesome that she submitted her own! Not just because it’s fun and relaxed with lots of grey and red handmade details, beautifully captured by Maré Rootman, but because I could pick Dominique’s real bride brain, and ask her to give you her words of wisdom on planning an intimate celebration. So be sure to read ahead to the end of he feature, where you’ll find her Top 10 Tips! (Be sure also to check out the Hello Love profile in our directory to hear more from Dominique.)Read More

Inspiration Board: Rings & Arrows

by gaby

Hey lovelies! It may be a public holiday in South Africa (mmm… sleeping in), but I just had to stop in with a sweet little inspiration board. I’m finding pink and blue so satisfying at the moment, and while I really loved the navy/fuschia and pastel pink/blue combos of the last few years, the marriage of the two is what’s really catching my eye right now. A bold, dark blue mashed up with a soft pink or peach, and a touch of gold. I mean, come on, it’s pretty right? Anyway, add in a few little arrows like the ones shot from Cupid’s bow (or just because they’re kinda cool) and you have yourself a wedding inspiration. Enjoy the day off, friends!

Colours: Navy, blush, flamingo & gold

Top row (l-r): Bride & groom {Bia Sampaio Photographs}; ornamental arrows {Sepia Smiles}; shoes {Melissa Kruse}
Row 2: Marquee light arrow {Lauren Peele Photography}; blush wedding gown {Samuelle Couture/Elizabeth Messina Photography}; groom {Catherine Mead}
Row 3: Cake {Sweet & Saucy Shop}; forever in love invitation {Wedding Paper Divas}; blue bridesmaid dresses {Julina Marie Photography}

Let’s take another look at those adorable ornamental arrows, shall we? They’re made by Sepia Smiles, one of the awesome Etsy makers who’ll be exhibiting at this year’s London Etsy Wedding Fair. If you’d like to be in with a chance to win a ticket, be sure to leave a comment on this post before 30 April!

 

How to Cut Your Guest List

by gaby

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If you read our popular post in January on How to Write Your Guest List, you may be A-for-away on the whole guest list front. But for those of you planning a small wedding (and here’s why you might want to), maybe you need an extra bit of help. After all, while we love the intimacy and lower budget of a bijoux bash, nobody loves having to cut friends and family out of a very special day. So today we’re bringing you our seven top tips for making the snip, as well as some extra tips for how to break the awkward news.Read More

DIY Sparkle Birdcage Veil

by gaby

I could tell it was a good day when not only did a fab city elopement editorial land in my inbox, but the lovely Rebecca of Runaway Romance offered to share some of her crafty expertise in the form of a DIY from the shoot (which we featured this morning – didn’t you love it?). As you know by now, I’m besotted with all things bling, so when I laid eyes on the sparkly birdcage veil she custom made for model Setsoali, I knew you all would want to know how to recreate this stylish and subtly glamorous look for yourselves! To be honest, I’m trying to figure out where I could possibly get away with wearing a sparkly birdcage veil myself, just so I can make one. Supermarket run? Dog park? Rugby? I’ll figure it out. Meantime, let’s get to grips with the how to. Thanks so much for sharing, Rebecca!Read More

Romantic Rooftop Elopement Inspiration by Black Frame Photography & Runaway Romance

by gaby

Holy cannoli, do I have something special to share with you guys today! As you know, it is our month of small weddings, and this fine morning we have a super creative elopement inspiration from a brilliant team. It combines a few of our favourite things – a wedding for two, urban chic, and a city skyline. But what tickled me was the little details – a naked red velvet cake, a table runner made of 5 cent pieces (seriously, I LOVE THIS), and a sparkly birdcage veil (which huzzah, we’ll be sharing a DIY tutorial for later on today). It’s so fun and unique and South African – basically everything we like to celebrate here on the blog. Thank you so much to the awesome Rebecca of Runaway Romance and her team for sharing!Read More

Intimate Orchid-Inspired Dullstroom Wedding by Jack and Jane {Cindy & Carsten}

by gaby

We always love when a couple use the details of their wedding day to tell their love story, but when it’s a bijoux wedding, those details often become even more unique and special because there’s more focus (and often more budget) to invest in them. Take today’s gorgeous pair of lovebirds – Carsten proposed to Cindy in tropical Singapore, where she fell in love with a specific type of orchid in the botanical gardens. So when planning their small wedding back in SA, it was those very flowers that the couple chose to remind them of that special time, and which formed the basis of their wedding and floral design. Sweet, simple and truly intimate, we’re so excited to share their happy day with you, beautifully captured by SBB faves Jack and Jane Photography.Read More

30 Super Chic Short Wedding Dresses

by gaby

30 Super Chic Short Wedding Dresses

*UPDATED FOR 2020* With micro weddings and minimonies on the rise in a big way right now, I couldn’t help but jump at the opportunity to showcase short wedding dresses. I know they’re not everyone’s cup of tea, but if you think about it, some of our greatest fashion heroes over the years have opted for chic and short for their weddings over long and lovely. Audrey Hepburn, Marilyn Monroe, Kiera Knightly, Natalie Portman, Carrie Bradshaw… With that kind of inspiration, it’s actually surprising that more brides don’t opt for the cropped cut. Of course, there’s also a ton of variety under the short dress banner – from mini to tea-length to hi-lo, and so on. All of them have a sassy elegance that’s beautiful at any wedding, but has become especially synonymous with stylish elopements and small weddings (or even as reception dresses for the bride for whom one pretty dress just won’t do). So it’s high time I rounded up my favourites, no? Maybe I can even convert some of you fashion-conscious brideys to the short dress brigade ;)

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

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Musical Pastel Wedding at Kleinevalleij by Nikki Meyer {Alexia & Wimpie}

by gaby

Wimpie and Alexia’s wedding had me at hello, if by “hello” I mean the giant Mumford & Sons quote that dominated one wall of their reception venue. Being a lyric lover myself, I just adore it when couples incorporate quotes and lyrics that mean something to them into their big day – it adds such a special touch, and gives a little insight into their taste and what resonates with them. Of course, that’s not where my wedding crush ends, because with a soft pastel and neutral palette, sparkly bridesmaid dresses, elegant details, fairy lights and even rhino bouts for the boys, there’s a lot to love. I’m also super excited to welcome photographer Nikki Meyer back to SBB – we love Nikki, and we think it’s been far too long since we’ve worked together. Just look at the beautiful pictures below and you’ll see why we missed her.Read More