Tag: baby’s breath

Summer Greenery Wedding at Ou Stal Equestrian Estate by Liesl Le Roux

by gaby

If you ever thought that planning a wedding on a budget meant sacrificing style for your big day, then take note, because today’s wedding is budget beautiful. And that’s partly because bride and groom Bianca and MJ made some seriously smart decisions. First, they picked a venue that had a lot of natural beauty going for it and didn’t need a whole lot of dressing up, and that’s immediately half the battle right there. Then Bianca followed her own personal style preference, for casual minimalism, and picked a palette of white, green and gold, which allowed the use of budget-friendly florals that still look super elegant, like paper white baby’s breath and sage green eucalyptus. They still managed to add some adorable personal touches to the classic tables, like giant scrabble table ‘numbers’ and little terracotta plant pot favours. And finally, Bianca and MJ picked great suppliers they could rely on, and let them do their thing, including photographer Liesl Le Roux. The result? A perfect summer wedding day in the countryside, with all of the pretty but none of the fuss.

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Rustic Drakensberg Wedding at Dalmore Guest Farm by Casey Pratt Photography {Kelly & Duncan}

by gaby

It’s sweet little rustic weddings with a big heart like this one that really make me melt. Kelly and Duncan chose a venue for their wedding that isn’t even an actual function venue (although you wouldn’t know by the fantastic show of hospitality that Dalmore put on for the couple). Rather, it’s a place that’s close to their hearts, a country getaway where they feel relaxed and happy, and where they could bring their guests to experience the same, among the spectacular scenery of the Natal Drakensberg. Add in some DIY rustic detailing, a few Madiba proteas (wow, but they’re gorgeous, aren’t they?) and a glam lace dress for the bride, and you have the perfect lil’ mix for a wonderful day. Casey Pratt captured every lovely moment from behind the lens.Read More

Real Wedding at Jan Harmsgat {Annali & Gerhard}

by gaby

Okay, you all know by now that I love all things wedding (duh) but if there’s one mental image that’s going to immediately push the swoonage count up to the maximum, it’s the idea of an al fresco wedding, under the trees, on a beautiful summer afternoon in the winelands. I’m sort of drooling just thinking about it, except that I don’t actually drool because that would be totes unladylike. But you get the point. So that was what made me immediately fall in love with Annali and Gerhard’s wedding from the fab Just Judy. What I didn’t realise at the time was that they planned this gorgeous day in two months. Two months! Now, I wouldn’t recommend this to anyone, but at the same time, it’s proof that it is possible. The key thing that Annali got right? Making quick decisions based on her personal taste, and not getting too hung up on colour schemes or themes. She trusted her gut, and it worked. As well as the outdoor reception under a sea of string lights (yep, swoonage happening again here), I loved that the couple used bushels of baby’s breath, which was absolutely perfect with the whole look, and easy to boot. Perfection!Read More

Real Wedding at Groenrivier {Ilne & Herman}

by gaby

Whenever people ask me how I choose which weddings to feature, I end up talking about the Ooh Moment. The detail or idea or photograph that makes me go “ooh”. Literally. If you sat next to me while I was looking at it, you would hear that I actually say “ooh”. There were quite a few oohs in today’s beautiful wedding from photographer Heather Steyn (Hello! Bride and bridesmaids hairstyles! And dresses! Wildflowers! Wreaths!) but the biggest one came when I realised that each table had its own little decor theme. Each cleverly thought out (and super pretty) and each meaningful to the bride and groom. It’s like awesome table decor using found objects, times multiple. Or like a little art installation. It’s completely adorable, and it turns an already lovely wedding into a veritable ooh-fest. And that’s not all, because this sweet couple, who have careers as Afrikaans teachers in common, also share another commonality – that their fathers are both ministers. So who’s to perform the ceremony? Well, both of them! How cute is that? Very, that’s how. Now go forth, and ooh.Read More

Real Wedding at Anura Vineyards {Cheryl & Sven}

by gaby

SOOOO excited to share today’s (bumper!) post with you – it feels like it has been in the pipeline since forever! Of course, that’s because today we’re sharing the wedding of Cheryl McEwan, our friend and colleague, SBB sponsor, and of course, Real Life Bride. Together we’ve followed Cheryl on her planning journey, from inspiration to reality. And wow. That reality is so much more gorgeous than I could even have imagined. Not just because it’s photographed by the legend that is Nastassja Harvey (although it helps). As a photographer, Cheryl has an amazing eye for detail, and putting that together with her wedding experience, she created a masterclass in shabby chic/country vintage styling that must have been a pleasure to shoot and attend. She’s also collaborated with her friends in the industry – Doodles Laser in particular – to add sweet new twists to the ideas that inspired her (read her Real Life Bride archive to see how these evolved). The result is an incredible wedding, blessed with rainbows (literally) and laughter – here’s wishing Cheryl and Sven many blessings in the next chapter of their lives together.Read More

Inspiration Board: Snow White

by gaby

I’ve been wanting to do this inspiration board ever since I saw the winning dessert table design in the European Sweet Table Contest by Belle Amour. Debs took a vintage fairytale approach, and with that forest wallpaper and the blood red, snow white and black as ebony colour scheme, it was simply stunning. I thought it would be a great starting point for a winter wedding. Obviously you want to avoid Disney cheese, but you can take design elements straight from the story – dozens of mirrors lining the walls, red apples at every place setting – just try to avoid the temptation to dress your seven bridesmaids up as dwarves! ;) Colette Dinnigan currently has a Snow White bridal collection, and this pretty dress has the perfect mix of drama and whimsy. Pile on the red lipstick, and you’re sure to be fairest of them all!

Colours: Red, white, black, grey.

Top row (l-r): Snow White dessert table; wedding dress; bride with ornate hairband
Row 2: Red shoes picture by Elizabeth Messina; ‘fairest of them all’ ring; red apple place setting; glass ring box; invitation
Row 3: Red apple picture by Love Made Visible; mirrors; baby’s breath; cranberry red bridesmaid’s dress.



Real Wedding at La Petite Dauphine {Diana & Ross}

by gaby

There are some weddings that are so totally synchronous that when I’m putting the post together it feels more like an inspiration board than an actual wedding, and that’s what today’s is like for me. Seriously, it is flawless. The decor, the styling, even the weather seem to pull together into a cohesive whole that is just elegant, rustic perfection. Green and brown are two colours that work beautifully and bring so much depth to one another, especially when they reflect the lush spring gorgeousness of the Cape winelands. Details are cleverly chosen –  clouds of baby’s breath and roses in copper pots and teacups, twig hearts, fruity water in glass bottles presented in an old wheelbarrow, wicker baskets for the ring bearers. And I love the whimsical little details, like Diana’s long veil and the embroidered bathrobes for her bridal party. In fact, there’s not a single thing I don’t love. Co-ordination of all this swoon-worthiness is down to Absolute Weddings, who are based in Cape Town, and the breathtaking images are from top photographer Christine Meintjes. Christine’s crisp style is perfectly matched to all that is light and bright, and her pictures in the blossoms are just inspired. *sigh* So grab a cup of coffee this Tuesday morning, and dive in!

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