Real Wedding at Groenrivier {Huibré & Schalk}

Time to kick off our real weddings for 2011!! And I can’t think of a better one to get us started than Schalk & Huibré’s. It’s the PERFECT balance between laid back, vintagey farm cool and stylish sophistication; I die over the little details every time I look at them. The stationery is, quite simply, amazing. Playful and eclectic and totally covetable. (Of course, it never hurts when the groom’s aunt is the fabulous Elsje of Elsje Designs!) The venue is gorgeous (Groenrivier in Riebeek West, about an hour from Cape Town). And Ian Mitchinson‘s pictures are quite simply… wow. (Wait till you see the couple shoot taken around Riebeek Kasteel) I can’t even pick which is my favourite part – the plum coloured dresses, the antique brooches on the bride’s bouquet, the SHOES, the homely little vintage touches like coffee cans and kitchen scales adorned with roses… and the truly astounding part is that it was organised in THREE MONTHS! Yes, it’s actually possible (although I’m convinced Huibré must be some kind of wedding savant to pull this off). So prepare to be awed!Read More

Real Wedding at Constantia Uitsig {Anne & Simon}

I always know it’s going to be a good day when a wedding arrives in my inbox from The Aleit Group, since the events they design are all phenomenal! I’m especially excited about today’s though, because it’s the first one of their smaller weddings I’ve featured. A huge part of the Cape Town wedding market is made up of couples from overseas having intimate celebrations in our most beautiful of cities, but just because there are fewer guests doesn’t mean the prettiness quotient has to be any lower. In fact, the opposite is often true, and ‘pretty’ is definitely the word that should be used to describe Anne and Simon’s wedding. It has pretty in abundance. Pretty venue. Pretty flowers. Pretty pictures (thanks to the always awesome Joe Dreyer). And a wedding dress that is the definition of pretty. Love that Anne chose to wear something beautiful and unusual – for me it’s the detail that brings everything else together. And I LOVE that the in-case-of-rain Plan B turned out to be even more spectacular than Plan A might have been. Proof yet again that rain on your wedding day doesn’t have to spoil a thing.Read More

Real Wedding at the Stellenbosch Hofmeyrsaal {Mona & Paul}

We’re kicking off this week’s weddings with a sweet and sunny celebration from Maree Louw of Natural Light Photography. Pinks and purples are a popular colour combination for South African brides at the moment, and they’re the perfect complement to the Cape sunshine that blessed today’s couple on their wedding day! I especially love the use of bougainvillea flowers tucked into the napkins and filling baskets for confetti. It makes such a difference when a couple thinks outside of the box when it comes to which flowers they use – although I adore the classics like roses and peonies, there’s something very fresh about spotting something a little more unexpected, and bouganvilleas just scream summer to me. (And, since we’re having a last late burst of summer here in the UK, it perfectly matches my mood. Now, if I just had an ice cream…)

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Inspiration Board: Curacao, Peony & Russet

This weekend I’ve been having a play around with the colours included in the Pantone spring colour lineup – love all of them! There are endless combinations to consider for your wedding, all fresh and pretty and effortlessly current. This is one of my favourites (and so easy to use) – trendy aqua always makes an impact, especially against the palest of pinks, and russet provides a great neutral contrast. It works perfectly with pretty garden wedding details, cupcakes, chandeliers, ruffles and, of course, peonies. (Will I ever get tired of these? Don’t think so!) Just add guests and sunshine for the perfect, laid back, happy day.

Colours: Blue Curacao, Silver Peony, Russet

 

Top row (l-r): Bridesmaids; peony bouquet; chandeliers
Row 2: Cupcakes, Just Married banner; aqua mason jars; chandelier invitation; aqua shoes
Row 3: Flower girl moustaches; bride & groom; dancing shoes; outside reception.

Real Wedding at Rockhaven Farm {Kyle & Jamie}

There are some weddings where just looking at the photos can instantly brighten up your day, and Kyle & Jamie’s (Kyle being the girl and Jamie the boy!) is definitely one of them. Their flowers are AMAZING. Their venue is one of my all-time favourites (Rockhaven Farm, with its resident dogs, cats and ducks, which we also featured here and here). And the two of them just radiate a sense of calm and joy that has had a smile on my face the whole way through putting this post together. Not to mention the incredible light and detail that photographer Jani B manages to get into her pictures – it’s like taking a big gulp of fresh air on a spring morning. (Oh, and regular readers will also spot the flawless cake and biscuit making of one of our own brides, Roxanne Floquet – how gorgeous is her work?) Love!

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Real Wedding at Klein Genot {Nicole & Konrad}

Today’s bride is kind of a friend of a friend. I ran into her a couple of months ago the morning after her hen do, looking WAY too radiant and serene and non-hungover for someone who’d been drinking vodka at the Ice Bar the night before, and she told me she was getting married in a couple of weeks. Once I heard about the details, I was super excited to see how it all turned out, and even more excited when I found out that her photographer was Brenda Wardall from Hearts in a Shutter, whose fantastic photographs I had featured before. But when I finally did see the pics from Nicole and Kon’s big day, it was just above and beyond any expectations. Soft colours, beautiful Winter light, lemon groves… and the biggest, happiest smiles from the bride and groom. Settle in and enjoy!

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Real Wedding at Bon Cap {Lenise & Lourens}

When photographer Anel Smit sent me today’s wedding  I couldn’t help but be struck by the verve and energy of the couple – and by bride Lenise’s big smile! I loved that they had so much fun with their couples session, and couldn’t wait to see the rest of the wedding. As it turned out, it was a fusion between the bride and groom’s different styles, and a warm family centred celebration in the true sense of the word, and I’m sure it’ll brighten up your afternoon the way it did mine! Big congratulations to Lenise and Lourens, and thank you to Anel for her lovely pics!Read More

Real Wedding at La Petite Dauphine {Lojanka & Jaco}

Wowsers. Just when you think you’ve seen every new idea in the vintage stable, a wedding comes along that combines familiar elements in a whole new way, and makes you fall in love with this look all over again. This wedding is 100% style and gorgeousness. Bride Lojanka is an interior designer (and clearly a girl with an incredible eye for detail) and she and husband Jaco, together with their superstar co-ordinators Wedding Concepts, really hit this one for a six. I have a long, long list of things that made me go “ooh!”, but right at the top is the ceremony arch covered with vintage vessels and suitcases (love!), the antique sewing machines holding menus in place, the bride and bridesmaids’ outfits, and OMG the fairy lights strung over the tables! Quite simply, I love this wedding. Thank you so much to Lojanka, Jaco and the Wedding Concepts team for sharing it here, and to Ian Mitchinson, who took the simply stunning photos.

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Real Wedding at Cafe Felix {Monique & Danie}

Let’s be honest, organising a wedding is hard work. Even for those who give themselves a full year or more, it can be a little crazy trying to juggle all the different ideas and demands with the practicalities of booking a venue and service providers and staying within a budget, not to mention preparing yourself for married life. Which is why today’s couple just blows my mind. They organised their wedding – and a truly fabulous wedding it is too – in just three months. Yep, THREE months. Wow! Even with that timescale, the attention to detail is amazing. It just shows that you don’t need all the time in the world to come up with something spectacular. (And speaking of spectacular, I am loving the vibrant photos taken by Drikus le Roux – hopefully we’ll see lots more of his work here on Cap Classique in future!) But enough talking – time for the eye candy!

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Inspiration Board: Dreams and Love

This week’s board is inspired by the gorgeous Miss Dior Cherie advert (top left) – with its pretty pastels and Parisian backdrop it makes the perfect starting point for a chic and whimsical wedding. Balloons are also bang on trend, with many couples already inspired by the movie Up! Finish the look with dashes of cerise, pale pink and aqua – and don’t forget the macaroons!

Colours: Pastels plus aqua, pale pink and cerise

Top row (l-r): Miss Dior advert; cake; bridesmaid; macaroon placecard holders; bubbles
Row 2: ‘Nothing is real but dreams and love’; Parisian details; cupcakes with flags
Row 3: Flowers; groom details; bride and groom with balloons; bunting table assignments; interior decor