Tag: bouquets

20 Utterly Gorgeous Peony Bouquets

by gaby

I saw an article the other day that was all ‘every single wedding these days has peonies, boring, snark blah blah’ and I laughed, because in South Africa we wish we had that problem. Peonies unfortunately are few and far between for our brides, although in the past few years it’s been a pleasure to see their use in weddings increasing – at least during the tiny short window in which they’re available. Which is basically now, you guys. End October, early November, they briefly show their beautiful fluffy faces and we fall in love with them all over again. So in honour of peony season, I decided to round up 20 seriously amazing peony bouquets. Flowerswoon!Read More

Flowers in Season: Spring

by gaby

Hello lovelies! It might not look like spring outside my window today, but TECHNICALLY we’re supposed to be all about this fresh new season, so I thought it was the perfect time to take a squizz at some seriously gorgeous spring bouquets. Seasonal flowers are a big thing with me – I really think that whatever time of year you choose to get married in, you’ll get the most beautiful, vibrant blooms when you go seasonal. And spring… well, when it comes to flowers, spring is king. We’ve already covered autumn and winter in this series, matching up some drop-dead amazing bouquets with invitations, and highlighting seasonal blooms, and today we get to play with some of my all-time favourite flowers. Hello, peonies! Let’s have a look, shall we… Read More

20 Mixed Pastel Wedding Bouquets

by gaby

What can I say about pastel bouquets, you guys? I mean, I could use the word ‘pretty’ a bunch of times, or gorgeous or dreamy, or even throw a couple of ‘swoonworthy’s about. I could, but I’m not gonna, because come on, you just KNOW these bouquets are going to be amazing. Ice cream pastels at their most beautiful and natural, all in one perfect bunch, and created by some of the most talented floral artists I could find on the internets. So basically… is there anything better?Read More

Flowers in Season: Autumn

by gaby

Hello lovelies! You don’t normally see me on a Sunday, but with load shedding and internet issues this week, I didn’t get to bring you this little bit of floral loveliness, and I couldn’t wait any longer to share it with you. In South Africa we’re lucky that we don’t have such clear-cut seasons, so some blooms are available for longer in the year, but even so, I always think it’s a lovely thing to consider seasonal flowers when planning your wedding. Not only do they look amazing and natural, but they’re also often a little friendlier on the budget (and the environment). A while back we rounded up some winter flowers, and today, in line with our theme for the month of May, we’re showcasing a few beauties you might not yet have considered for your autumn wedding – along with some pretty bouquet and stationery inspiration, of course! Let’s go!Read More

20 Wedding Bouquets with Feather Details

by gaby

Oh I do love a good bouquet roundup! I swear, I could browse through pictures of flowers all day. For a boho wedding, there are lots of options – think loose, unstructured bouquets or little posies, wildflowers, proteas, or greenery. But one look I really love because of the extra texture it has to it is the bouquet with feather accents. I’m particularly fond of pheasant feathers (as you’ll see by this roundup, are many floral designers!) but guinea feathers, ostrich, wild turkey… you name it. As always though, I’d urge you to try to ensure that the feathers you use are ethically sourced. That said, here are 20 absolutely beautiful arrangements in an amazing range of colours and styles – pick your favourites to inspire!Read More

20 Gorgeous Protea Bouquets

by gaby

Ah proteas. The love affair that just keeps on going. Everytime I think I might have seen enough protea bouquets to last a lifetime (and let’s be honest, as the editor of a South African wedding blog, I’ve seen a LOT), I see just one more that melts my heart. Not to mention that everytime I buy myself one of these blooms, I spend hours looking at it. Proteas are just so cool. And that’s how you should feel about your wedding flowers, right? So I thought it was high time I did another roundup of gorgeous protea bouquets. Good luck picking a favourite – they’re all so lovely! And remember, you can find all my latest protea finds on our Protea Bouquet & Centrepieces Pinterest board.

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Best of 2014: Bouquets

by gaby

Happy public holiday lovelies! Today in our countdown of 2014 favourites we are all about bouquets (my best!). Last year I called 2013 the year of proteas, but this year (although we’ve seen lots of gorgeous inclusions of our national flower), I’ve seen the most colour and variety and general gorgeousness yet. Cascade bouquets (as predicted!) have been huge, and speaking of huge, I’m loving how big and bold some of you have decided to go with your blooms. Not that big is the only way, of course, but I do love a floral statement. So here are 20 of them!

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A SouthBound Guide to Flower Meanings

by gaby

wedding flower meanings

*UPDATED FOR 2021* I did a post on the language of flowers a few years ago, when Kate Middleton selected the blooms for her bouquet to represent various sentiments, and I thought it was about time to update it and introduce some of you to a beautiful tradition you might not be aware of. In fact, the language of flowers goes back about 200 years, and was especially popular in the Victorian era, when young ladies consulted one of the many flower dictionaries available at the time in constructing their ‘tussie-mussies’. These days the interest in ‘florigraphy’ has largely been lost, but I think it’s a super romantic vintage tradition to bring into your wedding (as this real bride did to gorgeous effect) and a really sweet, meaningful way to construct your bouquet. You can find meanings for dozens of blooms online, but today I’ve drawn together ten of our favourite wedding flowers together with their meanings, which come from The Knot Book of Wedding Flowers by Carley Rooney. And some gorgeous wedding flowers to get swoony over too, of course!

*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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25 Yellow Wedding Bouquets

by gaby

I’ve been hearing lots of rumours in the SA wedding industry that this summer is going to be the summer of yellow weddings, and I for one couldn’t be happier to see this happy shade go mainstream. It reminds me of a friend at university who had a bright yellow dress, and every time she wore it, said she noticed how everyone smiled at her – literally, it’s a colour that makes you smile. Which is the best mood to put your guests in, right? Absolutely. So I’ve pulled together 25 of my absolute favourite yellow bouquets – so much sunshiney goodness! And of course, even if you’re not planning a full on yellow colour scheme, there’s no reason why you shouldn’t have a pop of bright in your bouquet, especially when it looks as gorgeous as these do.Read More

25 Fresh Pincushion Protea Bouquets

by gaby

Morning, lovelies! We have been having some hosting problems, so the schedule is a bit out of whack, but never mind – today is just going to be FULL of inspiration! We’re starting off with a roundup of no less that 25 gorgeous bouquets incorporating one of our favourite South African flowers, the pincushion protea. Since I first wrote about this spiky bloom a few years back, I’ve been delighted to see it used in some really creative and beautiful ways, so I thought it was about time I shared them. If you’d like a very South African feeling to your flowers, but are a bit over King Proteas, then this is a great choice.

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