Inspiration Boards - SouthBound Bride

Inspiration Board: Secret Garden

6 February, 2017 by gaby

Our theme this month, Secret Garden, is one really close to my heart because The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett is one of my favourite books (and one of the few I read in school that didn’t suck). I’ll never forget reading it for the first time and just feeling wrapped up in it, and that feeling has never really gone away, although I’m no kind of gardener as an adult. I still adore the idea of a walled garden (not to self for when have mansion), and I really can’t think of a prettier theme for a wedding. I’ve tried to recreate that for today’s inspiration board – whimsical, organic, lush, but actually quite simple and natural. I’m a little in love with it. What do you think? (Links in bold denote affiliate links; the cost to you remains the same, but SBB may receive a commission on any sales)

Top row (l-r): Bride at gate (Elizabeth Messina/Ginny Branch/Claire Pettibone) | Centrepiece (Jose Villa Photography/Flowerwild/Coastside Couture) | Swing with flowers (Xavier Navarro)
Row 2: Invitation suite (Oak and Orchid) | Key necklace (Mony Art) | Cake with flower topper (Corbin Gurkin/WED: Wedding Event Design/Kathy Allen Fine Cakes) | Claire Pettibone dress (Lucy Munoz)
Row 3: Bouquet (Rory Wylie) | Floral juliet cap veil (Marisol Aparicio/Lara Lam Photography) | Table in garden (Caroline Lima Photography)

Top left: Juliet Cap Veil by Marisol Aparicio | Top right: Silver Key Necklace by Mony Art | Bottom: Real Wood Wedding Invitations by Oak and Orchid

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How to Create a Wedding Inspiration Board

27 January, 2017 by gaby

Credit: Deborah-Ann Photography/Wildeflower on SouthBound Bride

So I’m guessing that for those of you who just got engaged, unless you’re in a design or creative field, you may never have heard the term ‘inspiration board’ or even ‘mood board’ before. And suddenly, you’re a bride, and it’s everywhere, right? To be fair, inspiration boards are a little less all over the wedding blog landscape than they were a couple of years ago, but they’re still very much part of the planning experience. Here on SBB, I’ve been creating inspiration boards for many years now (and several for styled shoots that put those ideas into practice as well) and I love doing them, but if you’re a newly minted bride-to-be, it can seem a little intimidating. Well, worry not. Today we’ll cover everything you need to know, step by step. And I’m sharing some of our prettiest boards from the archive. Read on!

Inspiration Board: Rise & Fall

10 October, 2016 by gaby

It may be spring here in South Africa, but it’s been autumn all over the blogs of my fellow wedding bloggers in the US and it weirdly has me almost longing for the chillier season again (don’t worry, I’ll get over it). So in honour of that, I’ve put together this ‘fall’-themed board, a seasonal take on this month’s boho/wild beauty theme. Using traditional copper and red earth tones and adding in soft mocha and ivory, it still looks like a classic autumn palette, but the details enjoy that natural, organic, unbound look that we’re loving so much at the moment. I’m especially loving the ceremony area, including a glorious branch ‘tipi’, as well as the shiny pops of copper against the florals.

Top row (l-r): Bride with curls (Michael Radford Photography/Jen Plus Colour) | Copper table number frame (Dawn Charles/Seven Stems Design and Events/Mary Me Bridal) | Copper bottle candle holders (OctaviaplusKlaus/factsandfeelings/Goldregen florales Design)
Row 2: Autumn bouquet (Archetype/Rebecca Rose Events) | Plum & thyme prosecco smash cocktail (My Diary of Us) | Semi-naked cake (Petra Veikkola Photography)
Row 3: Place setting (With Lov3- Emme Wynn Photography) | Boho ceremony area (Lauren Fair Photography/Oleander) | Invitation (Christine Gosch/Camel & Birdie)

Inspiration Board: Desert Serenity

5 September, 2016 by gaby

It’s been a while since we did an inspiration board, and I have to say, I am loving this one! Desert wedding chic is definitely a growing trend at the moment (look out for more about this on SBB this month) and I love the mix of soft neutral colours, air plants and succulents, and dreamy wild florals that this style evokes. Add in pops of blue in this year’s Pantone colour of the year, Serenity (not ready to let go of this one at all yet!) and a few spots of true blue, and you have a gorgeous combination that works whether you’re getting married on shifting sands or in a more traditional, but rustic, venue.

Colours: Taupe, Pantone Serenity, sage green

Top row (l-r): Bride in desert (Connie Whitlock Photography/Katie Grant Photography/Houghton NYC) | Serenity blue dress (Sarah Ingram) | Aloe ring shot (Pinkerton Photography)
Row 2: Calligraphy invitation (JOSHUA AULL PHOTOGRAPHY/THE LEFT HANDED CALLIGRAPHER) | Tablescape with succulents and cacti (Gaby J Photography/Amanda O Creative/Flower Story) | Succulent cupcakes (Sugar and Charm)
Row 3: Blue place setting (Connie Whitlock Photography/Katie Grant Photography) | Blue crystals | Protea bouquet (Tyler Rye Photography/Forever More Events/Bloomers Flowers and Decor/Chantel Lauren Designs)

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Inspiration Board: Berry & Teal

20 June, 2016 by gaby

Morning lovely ones! I’m super excited to get started with this week, as we have so much beautiful inspiration to share with you, and lots of ideas for winter weddings, in line with our theme for June. We’re kicking things off, as we usually do, with an inspiration board. This weekend, I found myself pinning a couple of teal images and I suddenly realised it had been AGES since I did a teal inspiration board. It’s one of those colours that can be a little overwhelming, and I’ve been favouring more natural shades. But I do love a teal, especially a deep shade, and I thought it would be perfect combined with plum and burgundy for a rich winter palette. I have to say, I’m loving it!

Colours: Teal, plum, burgundy, grey & white

Top row (l-r): Bride with bouquet (Nadia Meli/The Blue Carrot/Marianna Lanzilli/The Love Affair Workshop) | Vintage style invitations (Laura Gordon Photography/House of Hannah) | Bride at window (Enchanted Atelier by Liv Hart/Laura Gordon)
Row 2: Draped ceremony arch (Brandon Kidd/Be Inspired PR/Chic Celebrations/The Hidden Garden) | Grey tweed suit (Chantal Lachance-Gibson) | Teal ring box (The Mrs Box)
Row 3: Cake (Carmen Santorelli Photography/Beau & Arrow Events/Hey There, Cupcake!) | Flowers in urn (Jo Bradbury/Wild Orchid) | Bridesmaid dress (Jenny Yoo) | Tablescape (Emily Millay Photography/A Charming Fete/Twig Florals)

**This post contains affiliate links. SBB may receive a commission if a sale is made.

Inspiration Board: Blue Agate

30 May, 2016 by gaby

I’ve had so much fun creating blue inspiration boards this month – it really has been one of my favourite themes, and it’s reminded me how much potential there is when using blue as one of your colours. Or rather, blues, because there are so many shades and each one has something special about it. So I definitely had to do a board using blue ombre, and when I connected that with blue agate and its degrees of blue, I knew it was the perfect basis for a beautiful wedding design! Pretty, modern and elegant. (Note: This is not a sponsored post but contains affiliate links)

Colours: Navy, cobalt, powder blue, sand

Top row (l-r): Gilt agate wedding invitation (Minted) | Agate calligraphy escorts (Fox and Sparrow Design) | Anemone bouquet with blue ribbons (Vivian Chen Photography/Southern Social Events Experiences/Bella Vita Event Productions)
Row 2: Couple with agate name markers (Kristen Joy Photography/Weddings & Events by Emily) | Blue ombre bridesmaids (Virgil Bunao)
Row 3: Bride with veil (Kristen Kilpatrick/Monique Lhuillier) | Tablescape with hanging greenery (Jessica Lorren Organic Photography/Jessica Sloane) | Blue ombre icing wedding cake (Esther Sun/Sarah Park Events/M Cake Sweets)

Gilt Agate wedding invitation by Minted

Brazilian agate wedding place cards by Fox & Sparrow Design on Etsy

10 Blue Wedding Colour Palettes

30 May, 2016 by gaby

Happy new week, brideys! We’re almost at the end of our ‘something blue’ journey, and I actually have a brand new blue inspiration board to share with you later today, but first I thought I would round up 10 of my favourites from the archives. There’s a whole range of styles and combinations from elegant to beachy here, but what they share is an anchor shade from the cool blue range. Whether you decide to mix your blue with similar shades and keep things cool and beautiful, or pair them with a hot bright shade so that the colour really pops, you pretty much can’t go wrong! Which is your favourite?

Inspiration Board: Berries & Blues

16 May, 2016 by gaby

Something pretty for your Monday, lovelies? Don’t mind if we do. I’ve always loved the combination of navy blue with rich reds and berry tones (navy & Marsala was one of my favourite board combos last year), but when I saw an image of a bridesmaid in a slightly lighter French blue holding a bouquet in the same shades, I knew I’d found my new colour crush. I just love how these colours work together, and while it’s a natural autumn palette, I’d love it just as much at any other time of year. What do you think?

Colours: French blue, indigo, burgundy, red, pink & white

Top row (l-r): Bridesmaid (Olivia Leigh Photographie/Fleur) | Blue menu (Minted) | Blue door villa (Charla Storey Photography/Grit + Gold)
Row 2: Groom in blue suit (Natalie Schutt/Krista Jon/Banana Republic) | Bouquet (Jose Villa/Stacy Mccain Event Planning/Flowerwild) | Napkin with blue ribbon (The Lauren & Delwyn Project/Southern Belle Styling & Events)
Row 3: Tablescape (Rach Loves Troy Photo + Cinema/Posh Petals & Pearls/August Event Design) | Cake (Samantha Broderick Photography/Allison Baddley/Annie Bee Cakery) | Bride & groom (Le Sueur Photography)

Inspiration Board: Rose Quartz & Concrete

4 April, 2016 by gaby

You guys. HOW is it April already? Seriously, it kills me how fast this year is going (again), but at least with a new month comes a new ‘theme’ and this time we’re turning sharply from country to city weddings, and rustic to glam. Well, maybe not glam, since April is all about industrial wedding themes, and it’s the use of utilitarian industrial elements combined with romantic and glam elements that makes this look so awesome (and such a huge trend for 2016). And actually, you don’t have to be having a city wedding to pull it off (for example, you’ll find industrial chic details at The Venue Fontana, which works beautifully in a converted barn setting too). To demonstrate that contrast, I’ve picked a big one for today’s inspiration board, by combining one of the least romantic textures (concrete) with the soft rose quartz, one of Pantone’s colours of the year. It’s a distinctly modern twist on the blush and grey wedding trend, which also happens to go spectacularly with mixed metallics, and I have to tell you, I’m in love. What do you think?

Colours: Pantone Rose Quartz, concrete grey, white & mixed metallics

Top row (l-r): Blush wedding dress (Carousel Fashion) | DIY concrete candle holders | shoes (Kerry Bartlett/Harriet Wilde)
Row 2: Silver stripe invitations (Minted) | bride with ring box (Kristin Partin Photography/Caryn’s Bridals/Kays/The Mrs. Box) | pink martini
Row 3: Concrete & gold effect cake (Sweet Bakes) | concrete geometric votive holders | mismatched bridesmaid dresses (Michael and Carina Photography) | peony bouquet (Joy Proctor/Melanie Duerkopp Photography )

Inspiration Board: Each Peach Pear Plum

14 March, 2016 by gaby

Time for some colour inspiration, lovelies! I’ve said it before, my favourite thing about using fruit and veg (since farm fresh decor is what we’re talking about this month) is the purity of natural colour, which is just never quite the same in synthetic form. So when it came to designing a board in the colour plum, I knew I wanted to follow the natural variation of actual plums instead of just the deep paint shade – a mix of Marsala or burgundy red moving right into rich purple. And to keep things bright and romantic, I’ve combined it with peach and white. I’m pretty much in love with the result – how about you?

Colours: Plum, burgundy, peach & white

Top row (l-r): Bouquet (Twig & Twine/Adelphi Productions/Christina McNeill); place setting (Hudson Nichols Photography/Bottle Pop Party Co./Fresh Designs Florist); plums (Claire Thomson)
Row 2: Flower crown (Heather Hawkins Photography/Bows And Arrows/Makeup Santa Fe); peach bridesmaids (Belle and Beau); peach cocktail
Row 3: Plum escort cards (Adam Barnes); peach wedding dress (Sara Hasstedt/A Vintage Affair Events & Rentals/Violet Floral Design); ruffle cake (Kina Wicks)