Tag: coral

Inspiration Board: Country Elegance

by gaby

There’s nothing I love better than when I get a request for an inspiration board using a fresh theme or colour combination, and this might be one of my all-time favourites! When reader Vanessa (who is getting married all the way over in the Rocky Mountains of Canada – you don’t have to be in South Africa to request a board!) wrote in with her coral, green, purple and grey colour scheme I immediately knew she was on to a winner. She and her husband-to-be have a theme of ‘simple elegance, wedding in the woods’ – doesn’t it sound beautiful! They’ll be using burlap and lace accents, and combined with these colours, I think that will be beautiful. I would really let the colour combo speak for itself wherever possible – in mismatched bridesmaid dresses, florals, and stationery – either in a four colour display or in mini combinations of one or two of the shades. Add classic touches for elegance – beautiful chairs, anemones, a lavender wreath. Simple tables with burlap and lace runners (and maybe a single sprig of lace-tied lavender at each place setting) complete the look. Hope you like your board, Vanessa – I loved putting it together!

Colours: Mint, coral, lavender & grey

Top row (l-r): Dress {S: Joy Thigpen for Once Wed}; bouquet {P: Leo Patrone Photography; C: Bluebird Events}; bridesmaids {P: Paula O’Hara Photography; D: Laurens Norton}; table setting {P: Elizabeth Messina; S: Canvas and Canopy Events}
Row 2: Purple bottles {Dreamy Whites}; coral shoes {P: Cameron + Kelly Studios; C: Peak Events/KD Event Designs}; coral and grey letterpress invitations {Coral Pheasant}; lavender wedding cake {D: Bash, Please C: Susie Cakes; P: Amy and Stuart Photography}
Row 3: Couple in row boat {P: {oh, darling!}}; lavender wreath {P: Paula O’Hara Photography D: Laurens Norton}; coral, white and purple flowers {P: Summer Street Photography; F: Dogwood Floral Design}; pods in bark vases {Jaden Rai Inspired on Etsy}; coral ombre escort cards {P: onelove photography; S: La Boheme Events; D: Prim and Pixie}.

 

Real Wedding at Constantia Mist {Sarah & Peter}

by gaby

Coral, you guys. I have been preaching coral (along with my fellow wedding bloggers) for the last year, and I’ve seen it in inspiration boards and inspiration shoots and weddings on other people’s blogs. But today, coral is making a personal appearance here on SBB and let me tell you, get ready to do some Beatles-style shouting and crying, because it is everything I thought it would be and more. Of course, the colour scheme’s not the only reason I fell in love with Sarah and Peter’s beautiful Constantia Mist garden wedding (shot in glorious colour and detail by friends and SBB sponsors Andre and Selma of Expressions), but it’s the first one. Close behind were super sweet details like button badges, wooden tableware, divine stationery, sweet white folding chairs and paper pom poms. It’s like the posh version of a country picnic, and manages to be charming and sophisticated and a little bit retro all at the same time. It is LOVE. More like this one please, people. Make a blogger happy. ;)Read More

Coral and Aqua Styled Shoot

by gaby

My goodness am I excited to share this little beauty with you! I spied with my little eye, something beginning with coral and aqua on the Wedding Concepts blog last year when this shoot, which was styled and co-ordinated by the WC team, was featured in Wedding Inspirations magazine. That single pincushion protea place setting really stuck in my mind, and I was so thrilled to get hold of a copy of the magazine and devour every gorgeous pic by one of my photography faves, Annemari Ruthven. So you can imagine I was even happier when the lovely Hannes of Wedding Concepts asked if I’d like to feature it right here on SBB. Um, yes please, Hannes! The thing with styled shoots (and it’s a reason some blogs don’t always feature them) is that it’s unlikely you can replicate the whole thing on the grand scale of a wedding, unless you’re getting set to be a Real Housewife of Constantia maybe. The art of it all is to be inspired, by the mood of the shoot perhaps, by the colours (although don’t forget you can translate a look you like to a whole new palette), or by a single detail or set of details. And that’s what’s so great about this one, because it is just teeming with original and inspiring ideas. First, the colour scheme – we’ve seen it before, and both coral and aqua are huge colours right now. But this shoot shows you how to be bold AND classy in the way that colour is used. Natural textures like the pincushions and coral itself, set against the clean lines of milk glass and graphic stationery are the way to  go. The table base is neutral, but through ribbons, flowers and lovely homeware items, the palette comes through. And that’s not where it ends. I love unexpected touches: the bride’s boho styling, the macaroon lollipops, the Bloody Mary bar, or DIY details like the ribbon garland or the paint dipped glass vases. It’s awesome, and I hope you enjoy poring over it just as much as I have!Read More

Inspiration Board: Mint to Be

by gaby

Good morning, everyone! Did you all have lovely weekends? It’s Inspiration Board Monday here on SBB, and I have to say, this might be my new favourite colour combination. I stumbled across it somewhere, and I knew I had to turn it into an inspiration board. There’s something about the way that coral and mint (two of the trendiest colours in weddings right now) work together that I just love, and when you add in navy it just has a whole new depth to it. I would have thought that it might come out a little retro or mod, but (while you could certainly use these colours that way) the board I’ve come up with is all sweet, slightly French shabby chic, with a touch of glam gold and lovely lace. Put your husband-to-be and his groomsmen in navy suits, and carry lush coral bouquets with your girls – the key to this look is knowing which of the colours to combine when, so that it doesn’t look too matchy matchy. Done right, this could make the prettiest of weddings.

Colours: Mint, coral, navy and gold

Top row: Love napkin {The Stationery Studio}; Claire Pettibone dress; heart shutter; blue shoes {Shewanders Photography via Wedding Chicks}; chevron cake {Erica O’Brien Cake Design}
Row 2: Table plan {via 100 Layer Cake}; invitation {Minted}; dessert table {Tracey Kiansky Photography via The White Library}; antique tin {Dreamy Whites}; ribbons {Andi Mans Photography and Design via The Wedding Chicks}
Row 3: Ranunculus {via Wedding Chicks}; mint heart earrings {Dariami on etsy}; confetti cones {Pink Cherry Mama on etsy}; coral bridesmaid dresses {Jose Villa via The Wedding Chicks}.

And don’t forget that you can request your own inspiration board by clicking on the button below:

Inspiration Board: Just Peachy

by gaby

Happy new week, friends! Hope you had a lovely weekend. I spent it catching up with friends and indulging in a little side of rugby – what did you get up to? I wish weekends could last forever, but here we are, back at Monday, *sigh*. On the upside, Monday means pretty inspiration boards, and today’s is exactly that. I love peaches as a motif for a wedding – not only are they symbolic in Chinese culture of marriage and longevity, but in Renaissance art a peach with a leaf attached represented truthfulness and speaking from the heart. Plus, they’re totally pretty and a little bit rustic. Soft peachy pink goes beautifully with a warm coral orange and green, and pair that with brown neutrals like wood, craft paper and even copper, and you have the perfect combination. I just LOVE the idea of these peach pouches at each place setting – a totally sweet and affordable favour – but you could also treat your guests to homemade peach jam in pretty glass jars. For escort cards, try this sweet rustic option of little labels tied to birdcages – the cages can also be used to house gift envelopes from your guests.

{Pssst! Like this? Check out our Rustic Peach & Apricot board as well.}

Colours: Peach pink, coral, white & green

Top row (l-r): Peach pocket; outdoor ceremony area (Jesi Haack);peach jam favours; flowers in copper pot (Simply Bloom Photography)
Row 2: Tie; kraft/brown paper menu and wooden utensils (Austin Gros);folk art wedding invitation; peach shoes (Troy Grover Photography); bouquet with lace accent (Simply Bloom Photography)
Row 3: Bride & groom (Austin Gros);fruit cooler in mason jar; bridesmaids; birdcage escort cards (Jen Huang).

Inspiration Board {1 Theme 3 Ways}: Vintage Safari

by gaby

This week we’re featuring three safari-themed inspiration boards to show how a single theme can be interpreted in a number of different ways. Which one is your favourite?

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Thursday, hooray! Almost the end of the week. You’ll have noticed by now that the blog schedule’s been shaken up a bit what with 3 inspiration boards due to appear this week and then the unexpected quiet day on Tuesday. But whatever, let’s just go with it. So today I have the next in our inspiration board series, and the latest trend roundup due this afternoon. And tomorrow is going to be jam packed, so be sure to keep checking back!

I’m really excited about today’s board, because it’s a reader request as well as the second variation on the safari theme I’m featuring this week. Simone contacted me to help with ideas for her game farm wedding. She didn’t want the ‘typical’ safari decor, with animal prints and Big Five table decorations, but preferred vintage decor and softer colours. (It should go without saying that this is a style reference to Sydney Pollack’s Out of Africa, rather than suggesting any kind of glorification of colonialism, obviously.) You’ll remember a few weeks back we touched on this as part of the Blog Around the World post, and Alicia put together that look so perfectly that I couldn’t help using a few of her images again (click here and follow round all the blogs to get all the pictures) but I combined them with a palette of sage green and soft coral which I hope Simone will love. It’s inevitable that there are going to be lots of brown neutrals in a bushveld environment, and these colours lighten and modernise things up a little and complement them perfectly. The real key to this look is in the interplay between wild natural surroundings and classic fine dining elements, so for table settings you’ll want patterned crockery, crystal glasses, silverware (I love the idea of using old silver to contain flowers) and pressed linen. The really fun part is in including lots of found vintage objects – gramophones, compasses, storm lanterns, binoculars, and of course old suitcases (which you can use as props in a number of ways). Scout around your friends and family’s homes to begin with – you may find some gems! I’d have the bridesmaids in floaty, slightly vintage green dresses, and the bride in a gorgeous vintagey gown (birdcage veil is a must!). Fill your table with lush white blooms and pops of coral, and a few succulents. And don’t forget the cocktails! This is the perfect place to serve a classic (and delicious) G&T.

Colours: Sage, coral, white, beige and bronze

Top row (l-r): Bouquet; bride with giraffes (Fancy Fin Photography); bride with binoculars (Fancy Fin Photography); safari tent
Row 2: Out of Africa book cover; cocktail; compass escort cards; table setting (Jose Villa); hurricane lamp with jewellery (Fancy Fin Photography)
Row 3: Bridesmaid dress (Nadine Photography); gramophone (Justin & Mary); flowers (Jose Villa); boma reception; vintage suitcases.

 

Inspiration Board: Coral & Grey

by gaby

Happy Monday! We’ll soon be featuring a stunning wedding in Simonstown, and looking at the pics got me to thinking about vintage naval prints and nautical weddings. Although navy and red is the most obvious colour combination for this theme, I love the subtler beachy beauty of coral and grey, which also happen to be two colours that are bang on trend right now. Then I remembered these gorgeous invitations from Ruby & Willow and I knew I had to do a board. I think the final result is classy and just a little rustic – perfect for a venue by the sea.

Colours: Coral, grey, charcoal and white

Top row (l-r): Bride & groom; Anthropologie whale ornament; coral invitations
Row 2: Coral cufflinks; heart pin boutonniere; ship’s wheel; succelent with rings; coral earrings
Row 3: Shell necklace; vintage naval print; coral peonies.