Cape Town Chic Grand Café Wedding by Stephanie Veldman {Sally & Shaun}

You know, if I think back to Std 5 discos, all I can remember is serious amounts of awkwardness. Sitting on opposite boy/girl sides of the room, wanting to rush out whenever a slow song came on, then dancing stiffly and super far apart (except if you REALLY liked the oke, and then it would be head on shoulder). Once I danced with a boy and mouthed along with the song (Did I think it was sexy, Dirty Dancing style? Probably. It wasn’t.) and he was all “Gabs, what are you doing?”. OMG, so much awkwardness. I definitely did not find lurve at the disco, but I’m delighted to find that someone did. Specifically, today’s gorgeous couple. SO ADORABLE. And that’s just the meet-cute. The stunning wedding itself was held in one of my favourite Cape Town venues, the gorgeous Grand, with its combination of incredible views, bold pink and industrial edge. The photographer was SBB fave, Stephanie Veldman, who captured every dreamy moment from ceremony to sunset.Read More

Pink & Gold Nantes Estate Wedding by Daniela Zondagh {Suhaifa & Jacques}

There may come a day friends, when I’ll get sick of the combination sparkly gold, soft pink and mint green, when my heart won’t thrill at the sight of a pair of sparkly shoes or gold chevron detailing on a cake or proteas teamed with peonies (sigh!) and roses. But that day is definitely not today. Today we’re celebrating all of these beautiful details and more, because they come as part of the sweetest multicultural wedding, with a bride not just in a floaty white gown but in a spectacular Indian lengha with jingling bracelets and delicately hennaed hands. An aisle made gorgeous with rose petals, little mirrored Indian trinket boxes for favours, a dashing groom. Whether you’re planning your own fusion wedding or one with vintage or modern glam elements, you’re going to ell-oh-vee-ee love this!Read More

Romantic Fynbos Matjiesdrift Wedding by Illuminate Photography {Amy & Karl}

Being back in South Africa for a few months has reminded me just how amazing the nature is here. Right outside my bedroom, in a garden full of indigenous plants and trees, are mongooses, monkeys, incredible birds and insects. It’s very cool. And so I love when couples take their natural environment as inspiration for their wedding, as Amy and Karl did for theirs. The blue of the sky and the soft blush of the earth formed the basis for their palette, and they filled their bouquets and venue with roses and fynbos, including garlands hanging from the ceiling (LOVE) above the long tables. It’s pure countryside romance, captured to perfection by Illuminate Photography. Oh, and PS? A brownie wedding cake. Yum!Read More

Something Red, Something Blue La Petite Dauphine Wedding by Jules Morgan {Ndoni & David}

Get ready for wedding greatness people, because this one is a game changer! I am pretty much obsessed with this incredible wedding from the dream team of Wedding Concepts and photographer Jules Morgan, at the amazing La Petite Dauphine. Ndoni and David (what a gorgeous couple!) dreamed of a day that allowed them to chill out with their favourite people, and was designed in their favourite colours, red and blue. As a colour combo, that can be a challenge, because two primary colours are pretty strong together, so Wedding Concepts had the stroke of genius of splitting the decor into a blue period (so Picasso) and a red one. And that wasn’t the only innovation, because they also decided to throw the usual wedding timetable to the wind, starting instead with a relaxed jazzy blue-themed luncheon, followed by a sunset ceremony and a dazzling red reception. And not only does that mean a whole lot of decor amazingness, but it meant two dresses for Ndoni – LOVE a bride in a blue dress, not to mention the fairytale white one. As I say, wedding greatness. Let it begin!Read More

Colourful In the Vine Wedding by Linda Fourie {Kerstin & Trevor}

Some weddings have me at hello, some have me at a beautiful bouquet or an unusual theme, but this one had me at putt-putt. Ja, putt-putt (that’s mini golf to you, America, and crazy golf to you, Brits). Most awesome wedding lawn game ever, right? Of course, that was just one fun detail in what’s an incredibly fun wedding – a fun, fresh and colourful wedding at that. Instead of canapes, Trevor and Kerstin had carnival-style booths with eats and drinks (with a boere-orkes for entertainment). Their theme was ‘colourful’, their flowers and decor were mix and match brights, and the smiles… well, the smiles were huge and infectious. This wedding brings the love in buckets, and Linda Fourie‘s pictures capture it to perfection.Read More

Organic Farm-Style Wedding at Babylonstoren by Monica Dart {Allie & Carl}

When I was a kid, I was weird about vegetables. Not weird in that I didn’t like them, like most children, but weird in that I did. But only raw. My mom would have to leave whichever ones (short of potatoes and onions, obvs) she was serving uncooked for me. I just thought they were better that way. These days, I cook my veggies, but I think the same philosophy applies to a farmer’s market-style wedding, with veggies on the decor menu. They’re just so pretty in their natural state! The whole idea of organic or farm-to-table weddings has been a big thing in the last couple of years, and in South Africa we got especially lucky with the opening to weddings of Cape venue Babylonstoren, which has to be the ultimate for farm weddings with its eight acre fruit and vegetable garden. I know I have been dying to feature something like this here on SBB, so when Monica Dart sent over Allie and Carl’s wedding I was hooked! This wedding looks like it grew in the most perfect of wedding greenhouses (no wonder, since the bride has co-ordinated a number of weddings before) – I love that it’s completely unfussy, and just lets the natural beauty of the venue and the farm pickin’s shine through. Vegetables on the table, donkeys at the door, and Monica’s gorgeous fine art photography to capture it all. It’s the best possible start to a lovely Wednesday.Read More

Coral Watercolour Stellenrust Estate Wedding by Moira West {Carla & Jeremy}

Morning, lovelies! It’s time for our first real wedding of 2014, huzzah! In the spirit of the new year, regular readers will notice we’ve had a little makeover (the ice cream parlour look, as I like to think of it) – this year we’ll be making some bigger changes to our look, but this is just a little freshen up. What do you think? I’ve also added some new features, and modified others – the biggest change to come will be in our supplier directory, but more on that soon. We’re also trying a new format for the wedding posts to reflect a few changes in the questionnaire I send real brides. SBB is always working to give readers a better experience, and I’d love to hear your feedback. ANYWAY, back to today’s wedding, and I can’t think of any that I’d rather start the year with than this coral watercolour dream from Moira West. Carla and Jeremy make such a gorgeous couple, and their wedding ‘brand’ was sweet and modern and romantic, complementing ombre lace bridesmaid dresses with hanging lanterns, soft and simple white blooms, and an amazing portrait back wedding dress, as well as fun touches like a wedding bingo game for guests to complete. Start as you mean to go on, right? It’s going to be a VERY pretty year :)Read More

Real Wedding at Langkloof {Anchen & Endri}

All love stories are beautiful, but some have all the hallmarks of a fairytale. A serendipitous meeting, a few heavenly signs… and of course, a happy ending. So it is with today’s couple, Anchen and Endri. They have a very cute ‘how we met’ story (see below), and Anchen also told me how light has become a symbol for them in their relationship. Wouldn’t you know it, but there was light streaming in through the windows of the chapel as they got married (captured beautifully by the fab Veronique Mills Photography!). Added to the bright corals and other summer colours of this gorgeous wedding, it’s a celebration of joy and love and colour. But of course, the best light is the glow of happiness on the happy couple’s faces. Now THAT’s how you know it’s a fairytale.Read More

Real Wedding at Diamant Estate {Suzanne & Nick}

Hello lovelies! I am rushing to catch a plane to Cape Town as I write this, so no big spiel from me this morning. Suffice just to say that this is a really gorgeous wedding! And that the pics from Illuminate Photography certainly speak for themselves, as do the happy faces of bride, groom, bridesmaids, guests… So much prettiness and happiness and pastel goodness in one place! Enjoy :)Read More

Real Wedding at Allesverloren {Amanda & Stephen}

What an exciting day it is when I get to feature a new photographer, but today is especially exciting, because the lovely Tamryn Henn of i.am.tamryn is no stranger to SBB. In fact, I’ve known Tamryn ever since she was a SouthBound Bride herself! Now she’s a fully-fledged photographer, and I’m absolutely thrilled to be featuring one of her weddings. Even more so because it is gorgeous: proteas, lace bridesmaid dresses, adorable little people in the wedding party, a stunning wedding dress and one of my favourite ceremony areas ever. Wait till you see it! So much loveliness to kick off your Tuesday. And look out for the super romantic moment when the groom sings his bride a song he wrote just for her! Sigh…Read More