Bales & Blossoms Styled Shoot by Dillon Kin

by gaby

Happy Friday friends! I’m away spending some super girly time with one of my besties today (YAY), but there’s plenty of prettiness going on here on SBB while I’m gone. And we’re starting with a gorgeous spring styled shoot (with a horse!) from photographer Dillon Kin, who comes SBB-recommended as a member of our directory. I just love the bright berry colour scheme of this shoot – so on-trend – as well as the boho feel of the styling and all the blossoms, wow. It’s the perfect inspiration for rustic SouthBound brides!Read More

Retro Pinup Bridal Boudoir by Angie Capri

by gaby

It’s been a while since I featured a boudoir session here on SBB, but I couldn’t squeezing one into the schedule when I saw the fun 1940s pinup style that photographer Angie Capri and her bride-to-be, Rachel, put together for this shoot! For me, it’s the perfect example of how a boudoir session doesn’t have to be nudey to be sexy (in fact, Rachel was pretty much covered up throughout), and best of all, how much fun and confidence boosting it can be! Rachel looks like she’s having an absolute ball in these pics, and looking amazing while she does it. Be sure to read her account of the day too, because it really reflects what the boudoir experience should be all about. So what are you waiting for, ladies?Read More

Wine Cellar Wedding at Bramon Estate by Christelle Rall {Karien & Martin}

by gaby

I just love a vineyard wedding, don’t you? Maybe it’s my years at Stellenbosch that gave me such a love for wine farms (and, er, wine), but I do think there’s nothing quite like the gorgeous serene scenery that you find at the wedding with a leafy backdrop of vines and mountains. Usually we feature vineyard weddings from the Cape, but today’s comes from the gorgeous Garden Route, which is really an emerging market for brides and grooms in SA. And this one includes a ceremony right in the cellar – how cool is that? Karien & Martin chose a neutral palette for their big day, with gently rustic details and a super fun vibe, and photographer Christelle Rall was on the scene to frame every moment from behind the lens. Oh, and PS – pastel macaron tower? YES PLEASE.Read More

20 Ways to Incorporate Lavender Into Your Wedding

by gaby

With summer fast approaching, it’s time to start thinking about summer blooms, and one of my absolute favourites is lavender. This pretty, fragrant (and yay, relatively inexpensive) bloom is a regular feature in wedding design, and it never fails to hit the pretty buttons for me! So today I thought I would round up 20 gorgeous lavender wedding ideas – pick your favourites and adapt or reproduce to add some lavender loveliness to your own big day.Read More

Romantic Barn Wedding at Rosemary Hill by Ginger Ale Photography {Christa & Jaco}

by gaby

DIY details are always pretty awesome, but some of my favourite weddings are those where the bride or groom apply their particular creative talents to the big day, resulting in something that’s not just personal and special, but truly one of a kind. Today’s wedding is one of these – bride Christa is a ceramic artist and textile designer, and she created a series of absolutely gorgeous, unique fabric elements for her rustic chic wedding to Jaco. And speaking of Jaco, I love when we get to hear from our SouthBound grooms, and today’s wedding story is all in his words. Enjoy reading them, in between sighing over the breathtakingly romantic pictures by Ginger Ale Photography!Read More

Protea Farm Wedding at Wychwood by Kate Martens {Jess & Jon}

by gaby

This wedding had me at ‘protea farm’. I mean seriously, what could be more perfect for a protea lover like myself, than a wedding where our beautiful national flowers are grown, amid fields the colours of a Camps Bay sunset? So it’s no wonder that Jess and John chose to accent their wedding design with proteas – dozens of them. But the charm didn’t stop there – think curtains of rose and blush ribbon, bridesmaids in tulle ruffles, elegant lace for the stunning bride and a ballerina flowergirl. There’s even a ruffley cake. It’s just SO PRETTY, and we loved finding out that SBB was Jess’s favourite planning blog – clearly we think her taste in weddings and wedding blogs is impeccable! As is her taste in photographers – Kate Martens was on the scene to capture these gorgeous pics full of movement and life.Read More

Inspiration Board: Golden Leaves

by gaby

Good lord, how is it Monday again already? And how is it NOVEMBER? There’s only one way to deal with my standard end-of-year panic that time has almost slipped by me today, and that’s with some wedding pretty. I must say, I am loving today’s combination. Partly because I’m a sucker for leaves and garlands, but also because I think that gold, kraft paper and mint make such a sweet mix I’m amazed I haven’t stumbled upon it before. Leaves make an elegant motif in this design, showing up everywhere from stationery to cake to shoes, and it’s a subtle but effective way of tying everything together. Add a mint suit for the groom, and I’m in style heaven.

Colours: Mint, kraft paper beige, gold

Top row (l-r): Wedding invitations {Minted}; leaf hair garland {Aya Jewellery}; dress {Shell de Mar}; cake {Alante Photography/Honey Crumb Cake Studio}
Row 2: Gold shoes; bridesmaids {Bryce Covey Photography/Adrianna Papell}; gold bunting {Toast}
Row 3: Kraft chair sign {Hunter Photographic/Baci Designer}; mint suit; gold stripe straws {Thatch & Thistle Co.}; tablescape with candle {Amanda K Photography}

 

A Haunted Affair Styled Shoot by Pickle Photography

by gaby

And now, as the Monty Python boys would say, for something completely different. Halloween’s never been my favourite holiday (I am a WOES with scary movies, can’t cope at all), but when I saw today’s spooky, kooky, totally gorgeous styled shoot by the fab Pickle Photography and a brilliant team including Carolyn McNeil of Adore Weddings & Events and Sarah Reynolds of Urban Lace, I knew we’d be celebrating it in style on the blog today. It’s a tale of two little ghouls in love – complete with Day of the Dead-style makeup – along with a series of spine-chillingly lovely details. THAT CAKE. So okay, you’re probably not going to go ahead and have a wedding that looks like this one, but there are still some lovely antique woodland-style details to inspire. Happy Hallows, folks!Read More

Pearl & Ivory Spring 2014 Lookbook

by gaby

Who’s ready for some wedding gorgeousness? Well you, obviously. And also me. And we’re both about to get our wishes granted with a whole heap of prettiness courtesy of the fab Pearl & Ivory, a bridal label based in Somerset West, South Africa. These fine folks (who sell everything from dreamy dresses and accessories to elegant stationery) are relaunching their website today, and SouthBound Bride is super happy to be able to share their latest lookbook, which also happens to have been shot by one of our favourite photographers, Yolande Marx. Happy dances all round!Read More

Trend Alert: Blue & Silver Wedding Dresses

by gaby

South African brides may not be aware, but the international bridal and fashion worlds have been ablaze these last couple of weeks with news from New York’s annual Fall Bridal Market, which is where we get a first peek at the hot new looks designers will be including in their collections for the coming year. It’s a great place for spotting trends, and we’ll be telling you more about all of them soon, but today I wanted to focus on a trend that I particularly love and that really made an impact in this year’s shows: dresses in the colour range from blue to silver. Some are saying it’s inspired by the Disney movie Frozen, since one of the gowns that made its debut was part of Alfred Angelo’s Disney range, but for me it has more to do with a move from glorious gold to seductive silver, and everything cool and icy in the colour department in general. Blue has been gaining popularity as a wedding colour in general, and with colour wedding dresses no longer being ‘out there’, this is another gorgeous option for brides to be (and one that’s very flattering). Here are some of our favourites from the recent shows – look out too for silver detailing and ice and snow motifs on the rest of the collections!

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