So, are you as crazy in love with this tropical bridal shower inspiration as I am? Yep, of course you are. So fun! We’ve already published our guide on how to throw a tropical themed shower for yourself or your bestie, but I thought I would round up some fun stuff that you can use to make it extra pretty. Starting with invitations, because ALOHA, there are some seriously amazing invites on Etsy for a tropical theme shower! Like, enough to make me want to throw one just so I can buy them. Good luck picking your favourite – I know I couldn’t ;) Links in bold denote affiliate links. The cost to you remains the same, but SBB may receive a commission for any sales made.
I am definitely not what you’d call an early adopter. I’m not the person queuing up to get a new iPhone, and it would scare you to know how long it took me to get a flat screen. It’s a policy that actually works really well for me, because usually I miss out on all the early tech problems and bugs, and by the time I get round to buying something, there’s a shinier version for the first adopters, so I get a better price. (I’m sounding like an old woman now, aren’t I? Oh well.) Sometimes, with wedding trends, it’s the same. There’s something new and hot and awesome, and then over the following couple of years, the trend doesn’t die away, it just stops being hot news on wedding blogs. But the good news is, meanwhile more people get involved in becoming suppliers of that thing, which gives you a lot more choice (and more options for your budget). A couple of years ago, love story infographic invitations were HUGE news – I wrote this post about them, which has remained one of the most popular on SBB (and that shows how many of you all still love this sweet idea). I also still think they’re completely adorable and a very personal way of celebrating your history together (setting a great tone for your wedding day), but I was glad to see when revisiting them recently that now there are loads of options when it comes to designs, designers – and price points, based on how much of the story and design is customised, and whether you buy a printable PDF or fully printed invites. So, why not consider one of these suites for your big day? As Taylor Swift would say: It’s a love story… baby, just say yes.Read More
*UPDATED FOR 2020* So here’s the question: what do you guys really think about wedding garters? Personally, in the past I never really liked them – most of the ones I came across looked a little cheap and nasty, and I kind of hate the whole bouquet/garter toss traditions anyway. But here’s where I love a bridal garter – in a bridal boudoir shoot or in those getting ready shots where you see the garter isn’t just an unnecessary extra, but a really pretty part of the bride’s foundation garments. Something delicate and decadent and spoiley that makes her feel extra pretty. And sexy. And fabulous. Now that I can get behind. So I thought it was high time I rounded up some really gorgeous handmade wedding garters from Etsy that could easily fit the bill.
*Links in bold denote affiliate links. The cost to you remains the same, but SBB may receive a commission for any sales made.
*UPDATED FOR 2021* I swear, every time I spend a few minutes (okay, a couple of hours, but who can help it?) browsing on Etsy, I swear the wedding dresses get more gorgeous. I think it’s extremely cool that brides these days not only have the option of dresses from established designers, but up-and-coming indies from around the world. Which really opens up your choices when it comes to style. Recently, I’ve been absolutely LOVING wedding dresses with sleeves (especially lace ones), so I just had to round up my fave long sleeve wedding dresses from Etsy. And wow, but they are all kinds of winter wonderful and autumn awesome!
*Links in bold denote affiliate links. The cost to you remains the same, but SBB may receive a commission for any sales made.
Texture, you guys. I am all about texture. From wood to velvet to sequins to linen, it’s the addition of a texture to a palette or wedding design that often takes things from pretty to pretty amazing, in my book. Since we’re talking autumn weddings, I thought it was appropriate for us to talk about a texture that works for many autumn weddings (especially those that lean toward the rustic) and that’s wood. And of course, there are lots of ways to incorporate wooden texture into your wedding day, but one of my faves is through the invitations themselves. Here’s the really cool bit – with lasercut and printing techniques being what they are now, you can get invitations that are actual slices of wood. So unusual! And, as it happens, better for the environment than processed paper invites. I love this idea, as well as paper invitations that have a woodgrain effect – and the good news is that lots of designers have wood invitation options these days. So I turned to my favourite online market, Etsy, to pick a few favourites. ‘Wood’ you like to see them? (Yes, I know. Poor. I couldn’t help myself ;) ) Just click on the links (or any of the images) below, and you’ll be taken straight to Etsy to get more information and make your purchase. This post includes affiliate links (in bold). SBB may receive a commission on any sales, but the cost to you remains the same.
Ever since I left London to come hang out in South Africa, there are a few things that I miss a lot. Sunny days in the park. Public transport. Yorkshire puddings. Not having to wait in endless bank queues (that’s a side-eye for you, Eugene). But one of the things that always makes me want to teleport (seriously, would someone just invent this already?) is when I get invited to awesome London wedding events, and this year’s Etsy Wedding Fair (which takes place from 16-17 May at Oui 2 Rooms, 89 Tichfield St., London) is definitely one of them. I mean, I LOVE Etsy, so what could be better than being able to browse wedding goods from some of their most talented makers and chat to them in person? Etsy have just announced the list of exhibitors, and oh my word, there are some seriously AMAZING sellers on the list! But good news for you readers living in or near London, because even if I don’t get to be there, you do. On me! Well, on Etsy actually, since they have been lovely enough to give me one pair of tickets to give away. Just leave a comment at the end of this post telling me which of the awesome sellers/exhibitors below you’re most looking forward to meeting, and I’ll announce the winner at the end of April. SO! Let’s get to it – here are some of the gorgeous labels you’ll be able to see up close and personal! (And for those of you shopping at home like me, just click on any image to head over to the Etsy store).Read More
*Updated for 2020 + Coronavirus Elopements* A few years ago, when my friend Sarah and her lovely fiancee stopped in London after a round-the-world trip, a group of us girls threw her a fairly impromptu hen night. All night, we drank trays of flavoured vodka and toasted their lives together, and sent them off back to Joburg expecting them to set a wedding date. Instead, as soon as they’d had a chance to tell their parents in person, we got an announcement – the sneaky minxes had in fact eloped while on their trip. And you know what, we loved it! There were all these gorgeous pics of the two of them, so in love and sharing this special secret moment on the other side of the world. I still think they looked like one of the most relaxed couples I’ve ever seen on their wedding day. So ever since then, I think elopements are pretty awesome. Sure, they’re not for everyone (and there can be hurt feelings from family members and friends who want to be included), but there really is something special about a wedding with a guest list of ‘just us two’. And in the era of COVID-19 wedding options, an elopement may be your best option for getting wed in 2020. BUT here’s the thing – if you’re going this route, you’ll want a classier way to let your nearest and dearest know than just changing your status on Facebook. Something to let them in on the excitement, to let them know they were in your heart if not at the ceremony. Maybe even something to invite them to a party that you throw back at home or when social distancing restrictions relax. And that’s where the elopement wedding announcement comes in. The good news? There are tons of sweet, fun and pretty elopement announcements for you to say ‘we did’. Here are some of my favourites from the makers at Etsy, including 12 designed specifically for a Coronavirus elopement.
*Links in bold denote affiliate links. The cost to you remains the same, but SBB may receive a commission for any sales made.
If you loved the look of bridesmaids in flower crowns that we shared last week, but don’t necessarily want to work with fresh flowers, then you’ll love today’s supplier spotlight. Of course, these lil’ beauties are great for brides too, or for festivals, or for parties, or just for sitting around watching Suits and feeling pretty. Whichgoose is a fab Etsy store with all kinds of little treasures, most notably for me the collection of hairpieces and crowns. They ship internationally from the US, which means that South African brides can get orders within about 2-3 weeks, so be sure to build that in to your order time. Let’s take a look, shall we? Just click on any of the images below to be taken to the item listing on Etsy.Read More
*UPDATED FOR 2021* For those of you planning a bridal shower at the moment, one of the details that can really be a pain in the pachanga (unless you’re actually a designer) is the invitations. The last shower I organised, I spent DAYS making them from scratch, complete with fabric envelopes (nobody even commented on them, gah). Frankly, I would have been better off going with one of the gorgeous printable bridal shower invitations you can get these days – Etsy in particular is full of these lovelies. The best part is that printable invitations are either an immediate download, or are sent to you once customised, so they’re quick, reasonably priced and can be bought from anywhere in the world. All you do is take them to your local printshop or online print service, or even send the file via email (for extra eco points) and you’re sorted with your DIY shower invitations! There’s loads of choice too – in fact, so much choice, that it can be time consuming to sift through all the options. That’s where today’s post comes in, because we’ve picked out 20 of our absolute favourite Etsy printable bridal shower invitations for you to choose from. Yay!
*Links in bold denote affiliate links. The cost to you remains the same, but SBB may receive a commission for any sales made.
*UPDATED FOR 2020* Looking for the most gorgeous romantic bohemian wedding dresses for hippie, festival or indie brides? Whether you’re getting married in a field or on a beach or just have a free spirit, these gorgeous gowns from Etsy will set your wild heart aflutter. And while I know buying gowns online can feel like a risk, but I think the boho style particularly lends itself to it, since the cut is usually a little looser, the style a little more flowing than your average ballgown. Plus, there are lots of small, up-and-coming designers in this space (where many an independent bridal label began). I’ve rounded up just 20 of my favourite romantic bohemian wedding dresses, but be sure to click through and see more from each of these fab Etsy stores.
*Links in bold denote affiliate links. The cost to you remains the same, but SBB may receive a commission for any sales made.
