Inspiration Board: Marsala Blush

by gaby

Hello again friends! This time of year, I usually do a whole special on the Pantone colour of the year, but this year, I’m saying no. And why? Because I think that this year’s colour, Marsala, is quite frankly, a bit shite. Now don’t get me wrong, because I don’t have a problem with Marsala itself – it’s actually a pretty awesome interior accent and I’ve even seen some fashion bits and pieces that I liked coming through. It’s entirely possible it will grow on me even more. But as a primary wedding colour… it’s brown. I don’t care how many times the internet says it’s red-influenced or muted claret or berry, it’s BROWN. And you guys, don’t have a brown wedding. Because in 20 years time, you don’t want to be looking at your wedding pictures with your children asking why your bridesmaids are in dresses the colour of poop, saying (for the hundredth time): “It’s NOT brown, it’s Marsala” while they roll their eyes and think “people in 2015 were SO DUMB”. Now here’s the good news. Claret and berry shades are actually pretty hot right now. So if you don’t get too intense about the colour matching charts and veer over towards burgundy or ruby, you have yourself a winner. And I suspect that’s where most of the ‘Marsala’ wedding inspiration that’s about to be all over wedding blogs will go. And that’s sort of where I’ve gone today, combined with blush, in the one and only Marsala inspiration board you will see on SouthBound Bride.

Colours: Pantone Marsala (ish), blush pink, gold & ivory

Top row (l-r): Bride with bouquet {Eric Kelley Photography}; shoes; bouquet with ribbons {Lucy Munoz Photography/Divine Blooms & Designs}
Row 2: Centrepiece {Lani Elias Fine Art Photography/Ashley Nicole}; tassel garland {Your Cloud Parade}; gold place setting {The Nichols/Clink Events}; ribbon with ring {Lani Elias Fine Art Photography/Ashley Nicole}
Row 3: Candles in gold bottles {Sonya Khegay Photography/Latte Décor}; serving spoons {Lani Elias Fine Art Photography/Ashley Nicole}; bridesmaids {Tealily Photography/White Runway }

 

Best of 2014: Moments

by gaby

HAPPY NEW YEAR, lovelies! I hope whatever you did over new year, you had a good one, and that 2015 brings you all kinds of wonderful – both imagined and un-dreamt of. At the heart of what we do here on SBB – beyond all the decorations and the dresses and the flowers – is the actual heart of a wedding, those moments of pure joy and emotion and fun that live long in the memory and are especially beautiful additions to the photo album. So to celebrate the new year, we’ve gathered 20 of our favourite moments from 2014. I dare you not to get a little choked up! We’re also giving a special shout out to the amazing photographers who captured these meaningful moments, because it’s by their talent that we get to share in them at all.

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Best of 2014: Bridal Style

by gaby

Hello lovelies! Yesterday I shared with you our top 20 dresses for the year, and today we’re taking a closer look at bridal style – those little accessories and accents that complete a bride’s big impression beyond the dress itself. And as with their dresses, our brides’ choices have ranged from classical to quirky with everything in between. There has been lots of boho loveliness in particular this year, as well as winter brides in the prettiest capes and coverups. Here are our favourite looks and trends.

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Best of 2014: Wedding Dresses

by gaby

Okay fact: it’s hard to narrow down all of the categories in our annual ‘best of’ roundups. But harder than hard – almost impossible, in fact – is selecting just 20 dresses that represent the absolute amazingness that our fashion-forward brides bring to the table each year. I swear, 2014 has been the most difficult choice yet, because so many of our real weddings showcased an incredible, on-trend, super-flattering and often original take on current bridal fashion, making each bride look like a movie star. From illusion lace and portrait backs (and boy, was this ever the year of beautiful lace!), to soft colour infusions, statement backs, shoulders and sleeves, and beautiful accessories – as well as some one-of-a-kind standalone creations – SouthBound Brides had it ALL going on. The result is not only a gallery of gorgeousness from SA’s top designers (and the world’s, hello Vera Wang!), clever brides and talented family members, but a collection of inspiring and stylish ideas for brides-to-be. Bravo, brideys, bravo. And to make it extra special, I’ve let those very brides describe each creation and how they chose it in their own words.

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Best of 2014: Stationery

by candice

Hello lovelies! We’re making another weekend house call to stop in and share some of the beautiful stationery that has graced the pages of SouthBound Bride this year. Being a paper aficionado (and designer) herself, Candice has been trawling through the archives to bring you fifteen stand-out stationery moments from both weddings and styled shoots, and featuring the work of some of our favourite SA talents, including Seven Swans, indieberries and Lezanne’s Designs (whose designs feature a fantastic three times in this countdown!). Over to you, Candice…

Glamorous Gold Art Deco

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Happy Christmas!

by gaby

Happy holidays, friends! Whatever, or whether, you’re celebrating today, we hope you have a well-deserved rest and quality time with family and friends. We’re sending you huge love from SBB HQ, and so Candice made you this pretty wreath to wish you a lovely day. Be safe, and we’ll see you back tomorrow with more Best of 2014 goodness!

SBB_MerryChristmas_wreath2014

Gaby & Candice xxx

 

Best of 2014: Bridesmaids

by candice

Hello SouthBound Brides – Candice here! I am so excited that I get to chat to you guys about all of our favourite bridesmaid dress trends from 2014.
I have been a bridesmaid six times and counting (hint hint, sis!) and have loved each experience. I have worn a ’50s style mint green tea dress, a floral and lace strapless number, a frilly country style sundress, the classic satin and organza creation with a waist sash, a gorgeous J.Crew-esque floor length gown and also been left to my own devices to choose a dress of my choice in a specific colour palette. Each dress was perfect for the relevant bride’s big day, and wearing them signified that I was somehow specially involved and invested in each amazing celebration. Whether the dress itself is flattering or not, putting it on and getting ready with the bride before such a big and wonderful occasion is what it is all about. Having said that, here are our top 20 picks for 2014 (in no particular order). Hopefully they inspire you to choose gorgeous dresses for your bridesmaids as there is not a single unflattering gown to be seen! (Lucky girls!) How do we even begin to choose our favourites?!

1. Sleek Winter White

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Best of 2014: Aisle & Ceremony Decor

by gaby

You know, sometimes on wedding blogs we get so caught up with the details of reception decor and dresses and colours, that the ceremony can get a little lost, but as we all know, that’s where the good stuff happens. That’s where you make the promises that will change your life in front of the people you love most in the world. After all, it’s the one part of a wedding day that you can’t do without! So I absolutely love when couples lavish the same sense of style and care on their ceremony that they do on the rest of their Big Day. Here are 15 of our aisle and ceremony decor favourites from the last year – sure to give you some inspiration!

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Best of 2014: Groom & Groomsmen’s Style

by gaby

Happy Friday, lovelies! And happy last-day-of-work for so many of you. Today we’re focusing on the boys, and you guys, this has DEFINITELY been the year when grooms have started to really hold their own in the fashion stakes. From coloured suits (in a good way!) to smart casual and casual looks for less formal weddings, and of course, original boutonnieres. And it’s also been the year of the bowtie in South Africa – a few years back I predicted these would be a huge trend and then noted it hadn’t happened, but apparently it just took our boys a little longer to fall in love with a look that many American grooms were already rocking. This year I have seen loads of bowties, and I love them! Another key look this year is the ‘country gentleman’ as I think of it – tweeds, flatcaps, and winter textures. All of these are included below, so let’s take a gander at our most stylish grooms!

Formal & Fabulous

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