Hello lovelies! Looking out of my office window (into my GARDEN! How cool is that?) all I can see is a beautiful mess of autumn leaves all over the lawn, but today’s wedding just smacks of freshness and sunshine and the summer sun. I haven’t had many breakfast weddings on Cap Classique yet (although it’s actually a trend I’m looking at right now for a friend), but if I had to dream one up, I couldn’t make it more perfect than this one. Louise and Clive planned their big day at Rickety Bridge all the way from Australia in just five months, which is quite an achievement in my book! They kept it simple, but all the elements of Extreme Pretty are there: bright white linens in a white marquee, fresh lemons and lavender, pretty country flowers, a ruffly dress (adore this one, by the way). It makes me want to stand up and burst into a rousing rendition of Morning has Broken. (I won’t, lucky for you.) Instead, I’ll let you sit back and enjoy the loveliness, courtesy of one of my favourite photographers, Ms Monica Dart.Read More
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.
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?
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.
Happy Monday folks! We have one of my favourite features on Cap Classique this week – 1 Theme 3 Ways, where I bring you three inspiration boards around a particular theme or motif, all with very different looks. Safari style isn’t something we always associate with the Cape, since there are such spectacular bush venues around the rest of the country, but I’ve had many requests recently for safari style (more about venues later this week). In fact, one of this week’s boards was designed specifically for a reader who is considering vintage safari as her theme. But today I thought I would start with a more modern palette – one that is bang on trend in fact: green, grey, black and white. I know lots of you want to avoid the very obvious animal motifs, but I think a touch of zebra works perfectly here – just be sparing and use it wisely. I love the combination of pale green and grey bridesmaid dresses and a delicate white and green bouquet with a touch of brunia, and then bolder graphic touches like the zebra stationery and the black and white striped rosette. And this being 2011, we can’t not have a bit of sparkle – how gorgeous is this bride’s bolero? This look is ideal for a couple who want an elegant modern wedding that still has a touch of the bushveld about it, or who want to reflect elements of a game lodge setting without going overboard, and it’s very easy to achieve. I love it – what do you think?
So the other day there I am watching Glee, and that Mercedes chick is singing – really singing, not just wailing at the end of the song – and it’s Aretha and she’s nailing it and I’m thinking what must that be like? You know, to just open your mouth and God comes out. Because when I open my mouth to sing, it’s more like dog comes out. But that’s what makes talents special. Not everyone has them. And watching someone do that one thing that only they can do, and love, is just magic. I’m getting to the point here. Today’s bride is one of those magic, talented people. I have no idea if she can sing, but what she can definitely do, is flowers. I’ve been dying over the weddings she’s worked on through her company, Flowers in the Foyer, for a long time now, so you can imagine how insanely excited I was when Mandie from Joe Photography told me about her wedding. And as soon as I saw Joe’s stunning photos, I was obsessed. Read More
Good morning everyone! My apologies that last week I didn’t get to post everything I had planned – bear with me, as there’s an awful lot going on behind the scenes. For now, here’s this week’s inspiration board and it’s one of my personal favourites! Green and gold are very special colours to South Africans, as they’re our national sporting colours and also represent our beautiful land and its natural resources. So I can’t think of a more appropriate palette for a South African wedding, and don’t they just look beautiful together?! By adjusting the details slightly you could make this work for just about any season, and add more rustic or more sophisticated touches depending on your venue and taste. One of the details I love is the elegant use of green glasses and gold utensils to get the colour scheme across on the table without going overboard. In terms of flowers, you could really go with any white flowers but I ADORE the combination of ranunculus and baby’s breath in this bouquet, and baby’s breath makes a great filler for elsewhere around the church or venue, which can allow you to have a bigger floral presence than you may otherwise be able to afford. Green shoes are a must for the bride, and this is a perfect opportunity to dress your girls in trendy white bridesmaids’ dresses. In terms of DIY, moss monograms are simple and incredibly lovely, and I also love the gold spraypainted wishing tree for your guests to leave messages on. And you guys, how gorgeous is this cake? All in all, I think it makes for a beautiful wedding. Who knew you could be patriotic so prettily?
Happy Friday lovelies! I have to be honest, this week has kicked my butt, big style. So apologies if you missed your posts on Weds and Thurs, but the good news is, we have triple – triple! – the loveliness today! And the even better news is that this is a long weekend for us in the UK, starting with me having the afternoon off. I’m going to a schnazzy hair place to be primped, highlighted, blowdried and manicured. Best Friday ever! Anyway, time to kick off with an amazing wedding I have been saving for all of you. Sarah and Pete were married at The Cape Farmhouse in a laid back, intimate, daytime and very African country-style celebration. I love their earthy colour scheme, succulent table settings and eco-friendly approach. And I am completely in AWE of Sarah’s look. Wow can this girl accessorise! I absolutely adore not only her look, but that of her bridesmaids – don’t you? Sarah also happens to be a photographer, which is always a little intimidating, but Brenda Wardall of Hearts in a Shutter has done such an awesome job in capturing all the rustic gorgeousness of the big day.Read More
Happy Monday folks! Hope you had a great weekend. I had a great one catching up with friends, although I wish the fabulous spring weather we saw last month would come back! I could do with some more sunshine. Anyway, on with today’s inspiration board, which I have to say, has me feeling all girly and giddy. A bit of glitter will do that for you. As you already know, metallics are big this year and they’re often paired with a gorgeous soft pink. I’ve added just a touch of pistachio to the mix, and I think it looks delicious – an updated version of the sharper candy pink and bright green that was popular a couple of years back. This would work beautifully in just about any venue, and you could adapt it depending on the season. Just perfect!
Morning folks! First of all, I want to say a big thank you to all of you for your patience with me while I try to juggle everything this month – it’s been tough keeping up with the blog, Twitter and email when I don’t have much time to myself. I can’t promise we’ll resume normal service 100% this week, but I do have some seriously cool stuff coming your way. First of all, three weddings instead of two. Yayness! Secondly, we’re starting the official countdown to the Royal Wedding (which I will totally be checking out as your London ambassador, so follow me on Twitter if you want all the updates!). And finally, this inspiration board, which I am kind of in love with. What makes it extra special is that it’s a reader request, and I had soooo much fun doing it! (Seriously, send me more!) Gina wrote to me looking for some ideas for her Cape wedding – she wanted to bring in Moroccan details without it looking like a costume party. She also had some great ideas for colour schemes, but my favourite was white, green, grey and silver with just a touch of deep purple.
This would be SUCH a gorgeous look for a summer wedding. Think lots of crisp whites – lovely linens, soft curtains billowing in the breeze… With grey/silver and green, the overall look is light and bright and classic, and definitely steers away from the Arabian Nights party look. Being selective about colour and decor against a background of white means you get all the exotic flavour without going overboard. And I love the idea of a few select purple touches – bridesmaid dresses in a rich plum, a plate of figs on each table perhaps, maybe a few cushions. Guests would sit at long, low tables – either use Moroccan inspired fabrics like the one shown below, or choose white tablecloths with decorative tiles forming a runner. Succulents make a surprising and modern accent – I especially love the one used in the place setting here. Also include pretty tea glasses – fill them with flowers or use as a votive candle holder. And lanterns are a must – as many as possible! How incredible does the ceremony area look below with all of those lanterns hanging at different heights? Bedoin-style breakout areas (and of course a Moroccan menu!) complete the desert chic details. Hope you like this look Gina, and can’t wait to see your wedding!
It’s like ray-eee-aynnnn… on your wedding day… Pretty much every bride’s worst nightmare, right? You spend months, sometimes even years planning an outdoor wedding with the decor and the entertainment and the sunshine, and of course you’re relying on the good old South African weather so at no point in all your visions of loveliness do you imagine yourself huddled with your new husband under an umbrella. But for all that, rain happens. And actually, it’s not the train smash that many brides imagine it will be. Yes, it changes the game plan and yes, it’s a little disappointing, but with a bit of forethought and creativity, it can be one of the things that breaks the ice for your guests and makes your wedding day extra memorable. And today’s wedding at Honeywood Guest Farm is the perfect example. When I first saw a few pics of it on one of my favourite blogs, Lanalou Style (Lana was one of the lucky guests), I was drawn not only to the quirky, handmade details, but to how sweet everything looked even after a bit of a downpour. I had to know more, and as soon as I saw Alan and Heather van Gysen‘s photographs I fell in love with them. The sun may not have shone, the bunting may not have been strung from the trees, and the meal may not have been a picnic as planned, but this eco-tastic, heartfelt wedding was every bit as special for it. I think the final photo, with all of the colourful beach umbrellas and an intimate moment between bride and groom, has to be one of my favourites ever – this is love, come rain or come shine. Suck it, Alanis.Read More
