You all know by now that I love lush, beautiful floral arrangements, and you definitely know I love anything glittering and gold. Put the two together? I’m in blogger heaven, floating around like a cherub, on a cloud of pretty, playing my happy harp. That’s what Erin and Rob’s wedding is full of – luxe berry tone florals throughout, touches of gold and rose gold (including the bridesmaids’ glitzy cocktail dresses!). With a breathtaking tulle gown, an abundance of romantic winelands scenery, and the most darling little details, like gold-sprayed pears at every setting, it’s lovely to the max, and with SBB fave Cheryl McEwan behind the camera, the puzzle is complete!
It’s a new month, you guys! That means a new editorial theme, and BOY am I excited about this one! This August, we’re all about the fashionable and the fabulous, hot trends and haute couture, and everything Vogue. We’ll be featuring some avant garde ideas, some fresh-from-the-runways inspiration, but also plenty of achievable ways to make your wedding fashion forward without losing sight of the fact that it’s a wedding and not a show. We’ll be spotlighting designers both local and international, breaking down the hottest trends, and most excitingly for me, I have the most INSANELY amazing styled shoots to share (alongside our usual crop of beautiful real weddings, of course). Starting with this absolute showstopper. I can’t think of a better way to kick things off than with this high concept editorial by Samantha Clifton and her very talented team, including Blank Canvas Event Design and paper genius Hermien from PLANK Create, who created a whole shoot around the idea of using paper as fabric on your wedding day. You heard me – paper. And if you already think you know what paper can do, just wait until you see what they came up with, because from headpieces to bouquets to clothing to giant angel wings, each piece is not just beautiful (and recyclable!) but a totally covetable work of art. And if you can’t wear art on your wedding day, when can you? I’m blown away by the whole thing, and I know you will be too!
Not being funny, but I’m pretty sure I have the best job ever. Howcome? Well, because every day I get to read and tell love stories. And look at pretty details, sure, but I like to think the love stories are at the heart of this blog. Today’s wedding features an epic one of those – a transcontinental connection, a tale of (almost) star-crossed lovers and long distance love, and making big decisions and sacrifices, all because Jenna and Philipp felt like when they met, they KNEW. Because they shared an unshakeable believe that what they felt was real. And what could have so easily been a story of ‘the one that got away’ for both of them, came to fruition in a beautiful Stellenbosch vineyard, at a heartfelt ceremony and a modern chic reception – and happily ever after, of course. The lovely Tasha Seccombe captured this fairytale ending in these beautiful images. Also, a very special shoutout to SBB Directory members Bright and Beautiful for the gorgeous florals, especially the bride’s deliciously South African protea bouquet.
When I talk about a city wedding, I’m often thinking of chick city slicker style, or an edgier industrial urban look. But there’s another kind of city wedding, and cities like Cape Town are absolutely perfect for them. I’m thinking of those that tap into the historical aspects of our cities, the period architecture and antique decor that are the hallmarks of a bygone era. That’s what today’s couple, Rouxle and Shaun, who were married in beautiful Cape Town, chose to do. They selected a formal dresscode for their guests and then rocked the look themselves (with the groom in top hat and tails and the bride in an exquisite Janita Toerien gown – oh, Janita, we love you so!). And, after a church ceremony, they had their reception in a beautiful historical building, the Cape Town Club, which was the perfect atmosphere for their vintage-loving style. With a touch of Delft and a few (handmade!) nods to the winter weather, as well as a fit-for-royalty palette of rich jewel colours, the picture was complete. Lilac Photography were there to commit that beautiful picture to film.
Some weddings land in my inbox and I feel like an elegant symphony should be playing when I open them. For others, it’s more like a carnival band, and those celebrations full of colour and life always make me smile just a little wider! Today’s is one of those – Kelly and Kieran’s big day has that delicious laid-back feeling of a summer afternoon, with one element more common in the colder months: wool. From the most adorable crochet bunting to table numbers, yarn makes its appearance, bringing a sense of brightness and playfulness. This is underscored beautifully by the flowers, which were created by SBB faves Green Goddess flower studio – I just love the magic these ladies create! Kieran and Kelly (who looked particularly gorgeous thanks to another SBB fave, Ida Webster) seem like such a lovely couple – you can sense that special bond in the way they laugh together in all their photos. They also completed the questions together, so you get both groom and bride’s perspective on the big day, which I love. And finally, let’s not forget to mention that these beautiful pics were taken by Katherine Newman, who captured all of that colourful, smiley goodness in her images. Strike up the band!Read More
Goodness but I’ve been looking forward to sharing this wedding with you all! From the minute I spotted Naomi and Willem’s modern wedding on photographer Jules Morgan‘s blog, I was in love – every little detail is so personal, so fun and so completely unique that I ended up with a bumper crop of pictures. I’m in LOVE with the idea of their escort cards being attached to little paper replicas of houses and buildings that have meant something to their relationship, not to mention the fortune cookies at each place setting, the art they created themselves around favourite quotes (perfect for an art gallery venue) and replicated in the custom calendars that were given to all the ladies as gifts. And Naomi’s dress! In fact, I adore her whole look, from the sash that ties the dress, to her lace gloves, to her tied veil. I could rattle on, but that’s not what you’re here for, is it? So go on, enjoy the lovely :)Read More
Today’s real wedding was a submission from the bride herself, the lovely Elmarie, who worked her pretty socks off to pull off the handmade vintagey country look for her big day. It’s all here: pastel painted faux milk glass vases, bunting, doilies, ribbons, flags and bunting. It’s like a Pinterest board come to life! I ADORE the bridesmaids’ dresses and even more so their bouquets – I just never get tired of these little wooden proteas as a truly South African floral alternative. But I think my favourite touch is the sheepies – the bride and groom come from farming backgrounds and they brought this in in such a cute way through both the boutonnieres and the table plan – such a simple but effective and memorable design! I have a feeling this one is going to have a very high Pin count – enjoy!Read More
Time to meet another SouthBound bride and groom, and today’s stroke of candy pink gorgeousness comes to you courtesy of Carol and Carl, two South Africans who currently live in Copenhagen, Denmark. They share a love of nature and animals, especially their miniature wire-hair Grayhund, Puppy Choo. Carol’s a former lingerie designer who loves being creative and has a passion for fashion, so when it came to planning the big day from abroad, she put it in the hands of the equally creative Megan Fleitmann of Mr & Mrs In Love. I’ve been a huge fan of Megan’s stationery for a while, so I wasn’t surprised to see that she has a fabulous flair for event design too, and she gathered a really brilliant team of suppliers to make Carol and Carl’s dreams a reality. From the striped linens and soft pink and white florals to the hanging bottles of blooms, right down to the sweetest cake topped with a miniature version of Carol, Carl and Puppy Choo, it’s everything you could want from a garden wedding. Oh, and how much do I love the bride and bridesmaids’ statement necklaces? The fantastic Lauren Kriedemann was there to make it look even more luscious and lovely with from behind the camera.Read More
Hello lovelies, are you ready for your daily portion of wedding gorgeousness? Well, we’re serving it up hot, with awesome on the side. Today’s wedding is a mixture between fun and elegant, with a cheeky nod to the bride and groom’s M&M initials with M&M favours and cute monogram details throughout. Lush white flowers, cute cartoon stationery, soft stripes, grey bridesmaids dresses with billowy baby’s breath bouquets and adorable personalised cake toppers continue to walk the line between classic and light hearted. It’s a combination that really appeals, especially since the gorgeous wedding pics were taken by none other than SBB fave Nastassja Harvey. Tash’s clean, bright style is just perfect for this wedding – enjoy!Read More
Who’d be a matchmaker, eh? For the most part, introducing two friends is a disaster. Sometimes it works but mostly it doesn’t, and there’s always the risk that your friend will feel that the person you choose for them shows how little you know them at all. It’s certainly never been my forté, but the hero of today’s wedding story is a guy who really did know a friend well enough to spot the woman of his dreams when he met her, and to introduce them. Impressive. And hey presto! Just a few years later, you have this beautiful wedding, complete with proteas and bicycles and general awesomeness. I love the chalkboard details (especially the place mats) and the printed words-as-decor runners, the soft pink bridesmaid dresses, and the bicycle boutonnieres. And I’m especially in love with Catherine Mac‘s beautiful pictures, which as always really capture the essence of the day and the couple in glorious colour!Read More
