Tag: organic

Beauty & the Beast Organic Wedding Inspiration

by gaby

Tale as old as time… yep, that’s going to be in my head all day now. Possibly all month (sorry!), because today we’re kicking off our June editorial theme, ‘Fairytale’. (After all, every wedding should be a fairytale, right?) And with the live action screen version of Disney’s Beauty and the Beast being such a thing right now, this shoot was the perfect way to get started. I absolutely LOVED photographer Jaqui Franco and her team’s take on this fairytale from minute one – it has an organic, natural edge to it as well as a big helping of glam, and with jewel tones a-plenty in the palette, it also happens to be perfect for this time of year. With a real Beauty, a table feast, and gorgeous paper elements, not to mention a cake that’s a fairytale on its own, you’ll find plenty to inspire!

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20 Wild & Wonderful Bouquets

by gaby

When I picked ‘wild beauty’ as an editorial theme, there was one thing I couldn’t wait to include, and that was a roundup of wild bouquets. Wild, organic, hand-tied, unstructured – however you want to refer to them, these beautiful bouquets never fail to catch my eye and tug at my heart when I see them in a real wedding or styled shoot. I’m a huge flower lover and am definitely of the opinion that more can be better – plus, the other thing I like about these bouquets is that floral designers love to make them, especially when you give them a bit of free rein when it comes to texture and size. Giving a creative the chance to have some fun almost always results in something extra beautiful and extra unique, and you’ll see when you look at these twenty gorgeous posies what I’m talking about. So, let the wild (floral) rumpus begin!

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Glamorous Greenery Wedding at Netherwood by Vanilla Photography

by gaby

Set amid the emerald hills of the Natal Midlands is this wedding, which defines ‘organic elegance’ to a T. My first glimpse of Kyllie & Tom’s big day was a pic of the bride and her maids – I was completely won over by the mix of wild natural and chic formal style, and when the lovely Bron of Vanilla Photography sent over the rest of her incredible images I knew my instincts had been right on the money! With the amazing Carolyn of Adore Weddings decking out Netherwood in swathes of greenery and white blooms, from Delicious Monster centrepieces to green runners and chandeliers (not to mention the bride’s fabulously oversize foliage bouquet), the organic part of the equation was definitely covered, and combined with Kyllie’s amazing feather-embellished Pronovias gown, the suited-and-booted groom’s party, and that classic monochrome palette, it’s beautiful from start to finish. Special mention to the one spot of bright colour – a Smarties wedding cake! This fun, personal detail is what SBB weddings are all about.

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Handmade Natural Wedding at DuVon Estate by Marli Koen

by gaby

For a couple who love the outdoors, it’s a natural (pardon the pun) choice to bring a sense of Mother Nature’s own elegance to their big day. Hannes and Wilna decided to keep things simple, focusing on the things that really mattered to them, keeping the details simple and beautiful, and letting the stunning setting of the area they grew up in speak for itself. Add to that: lovingly crafted handmade details (including the bride’s gorgeous fits-like-a-glove lace dress, made by her mama), a mix of greenery and white blooms (including oversize bouquets – LOVE), good food, good wine and good company, and you have the magic combination. Marli Koen captured it all in these lovely pictures.

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Inspiration Board: Organic Blues

by gaby

I’ve cut back a bit on inspiration boards this year, as you may have noticed – not that I don’t still love creating them, but after six years, I feel like quality is the priority over quantity. But this month, with our editorial theme a colour, how can I resist? While blue is beautiful mixed in with other shades, no doubt, I also absolutely love the look of different shades of blue – right across the range from dark and formal navy to the softest whisper of baby blue – making up the whole. And when you add in a touch of organic wedding style (hands down my current fave), you get a look that’s cool and calm and beautiful. So I’m pretty much head over heels in love with this one, how about you?

Colours: Navy, grey, Serenity, powder blue, baby blue & green

Top row (l-r): Envelopes with blue seal (Michelle Boyd Photography/Westcott Weddings/Bristol Lane Florals/Graceline Art) | Bride & groom (Photographs by Caileigh/Ginny Au/Erich McVey Workshop/Ashley Beyer) | Place setting (Photographs by Caileigh/Ginny Au/Erich McVey Workshop/Ashley Beyer)
Row 2: Blue bridesmaids (Austin Gros Photography/Jessica Sloane Event Styling & Design/Vintage Florals) | Blue engagement ring (WOOKIE Photography/Coco Wedding Venues/St Erasmus Via Liberty In Love) | Organic bouquet (Lauren/Ginny Au/Tinge Floral)
Row 3: Figs on blue plate (Tulle & Grace /Belle Lumière/Ginny Au/12th Table) | Groom in grey suit & blue tie (Taylor Lord Photography/Lindsey Zamora/Suit Supply) | Bride in grey-blue dress (Cathy Telle)

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Wild Industrial Wedding Inspiration

by gaby

Sometimes a submission crosses my desk that makes me fall in love with wedding design all over again, a submission I literally cannot wait to share with you all, and this exquisite little gem from Jenna Henderson and Cedarwood Weddings is one of those. As you know, I love contrast, and that’s one of the reasons why I picked industrial chic as this month’s theme, but I’ll be honest, when I think of that contrast it’s still more in an indoor setting. Like industrial + glamour or industrial + romantic. This shoot turns that on its head, combining industrial elements with organic, bohemian style and my goodness, it is GORGEOUS. The mix of cool metals and silvery eucalyptus and olive, for example. The industrial-style chairs in an alfresco setting. A signature drink that’s as sophisticated as it is natural. And a Claire Pettibone dress that has me swooning all over my keyboard (that back, though!). This is a look that really resonates with the modern bride, bringing together both her urban and rural sides, and culminating in a design that’s as inspiring as it is do-able. Thrilled to share it with you today!

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Natural Winter White Wedding at Netherwood by Carmen Roberts {Lauren & Andrew}

by gaby

If there’s one motif that has quietly been making it’s way into South African weddings recently, it’s cows. Yep, cows. We love ’em, and considering our African roots, maybe that’s not surprising. What’s very cool is that our brides and grooms have shown how a motif like this can be incorporated in a classy way, and never more so than in today’s ‘organic, white and candlelight’ wedding from the lovely Carmen Roberts. Lauren and Andrew were married at the beautiful Netherwood in the Midlands (so the cows were super appropriate to their farm venue) and created a sweet motif that was branded on to the boards at each place setting – cows also popped up in the cake toppers, in signs and table plans, and even in the table names. The rest of the wedding design was classic, white and natural – clouds of baby’s breath and succulents, dapper bow-tied groomsmen and a bride in a beautiful long-sleeve lace dress. It’s everything a winter bride could dream of.Read More

Eco Chic Botanical Wedding at Rosemary Hill by Van der Bijl Photography {Leigh & Byron}

by gaby

When Brownwyn of Van der Bijl Photography sent over today’s gorgeous organic-lovely wedding, I had to go back and double check her email after the first few pics that this was a real wedding and not a styled shoot, since the florals and details are that perfectly styled. Of course, once I saw Leigh and Byron’s ceremony pics, the happy tears and the love between the couple (and on the faces of all their guests) there was no doubt this was as real a wedding as you’ll find, which of course makes me love every pretty botanical detail put together by Carol-Anne of Eco-chic Weddings even more. And eco-chic is the right word – everything right down to Leigh’s gorgeous frothy dress was created with an eye on upcycling and sustainability. It’s a beautiful day with a big heart, and I’m delighted to be sharing it with you all!Read More

Organic Elegance Babylonstoren Wedding by welovepictures {Janina & Léan}

by gaby

It’s a happy day when we get to feature a wedding by welovepictures. This Cape Town duo never fail to deliver images that are fresh, personal and oh so gorgeous! Today they’ve worked their magic with a wedding that personifies the principle of simple elegance, enhancing but not competing with its beautiful natural setting (the organic gardens of Babylonstoren), and generally sitting as gently on the mind as a cool breeze on a summer’s day. I love love love Janina’s dress, the bridesmaids in white, the hanging café lights over the dancefloor and the general sense of wholesomeness and love that wraps around the happy couple as they promise to spend a lifetime together.Read More

Autumn Fruits Wedding Inspiration by Ecozest & Riaan Lourens

by gaby

We started off the week with some autumn inspiration, and we’re ending it the same way, with a styled shoot in a rich harvest palette from the team at Ecozest (a floral design studio based in the Garden Route). The colours and decor in this shoot are absolutely gorgeous, with touches I love like pear plates grey strips and oh my goodness, the most gorgeous naked cake. In fact, all the food looks amazing, from cupcakes topped with pomegranate seeds to little apple & walnut loaves wrapped up in lace, to tiny pumpkin pies. This is a great example of how your food can really be used not just to complement but to enhance your chosen theme – it’s pretty much decor in its own right (and delicious too). I love the idea of a loose bouquet made up of nature’s bounty, and the young lovers’ boho, organic chic outfits totally work with the general feel. There are loads of ideas to inspire, so be sure to read the background that Ecozest sent over to find out more!Read More