Tag: Real Weddings

Geometric Fynbos Wedding at Maison Estate by The Picturist {Christél & Warno}

by gaby

What do you get when an interior and textile designer falls in love with a landscape/urban designer? Well, besides a whole lot of love, joy and happy smiles, you get a gorgeous, natural, modern wedding with geometric-inspired fabric detailing and a soft yellow and grey palette that blows my little wedding loving mind. Christél and Warno’s wedding was a labour of love where almost everything was DIY, and the result is loads of sweet, clever, whimsical details, from a windmill-adorned dancefloor to little triangle Tillandsia ‘houses’ as favours. Add to that a bride in glittering Maggie Sottero, a Franschhoek mountain backdrop and fantastic pictures by Danieka Erasmus (aka the Picturist), and this is one for the loveliness record books.Read More

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

Sunny Paper Flower Wedding at Old Mac Daddy by Dear Heart Photos {Cornelia & Paul}

by gaby

There’s just something so fairytale-surreal-lovely about oversize paper flowers, and this wedding is full of ’em. Cornelia and Paul’s Old Mac Daddy celebration was a labour of love, quite literally – together with friends and family they created their gorgeous decor from scratch, every petal and every origami fox (yep, foxes – this couple loves them, and they made an absolutely adorable motif woven through the wedding in unexpected places!). With bright pops of yellow, blue and orange – including a peekaboo yellow train on Cornelia’s dress – as well as the sunny Elgin weather, this was a wedding that was full of cheer, and as fun and laid-back as it was original. Lindsay of Dear Heart Photos took these amazing pics!Read More

Gypsy Boho Forest Wedding by Summertown Pictures {Kerry & Jeremy}

by gaby

Do I ever have a gorgeous wedding for you all today! You know, I’m always fascinated to see how people in the wedding industry choose to design their big day – we all see so many weddings, that it can be difficult to choose just one style. Today’s bride and groom are both KZN industry peeps, and instead of worrying too much about colour or theme, they put together all their favourite things – gorgeous decor from the bride’s personal collection (complemented with copper and brass bottles and candleholders – love the gypsy feel of this!), food from all the many local suppliers who stock their market, and an absolutely magical forest location. The ultimate feel is relaxed and organic, with a real bohemian flare – not least from the bride’s beautiful dress and styling! And the bouquet… oh, the bouquet – an amazing job from planner Carolyn of Adore Weddings. I have spent a lot more time poring over these absolutely breathtaking images from Summertown Pictures than I care to admit – and now it’s your turn!Read More

Elegant ShweShwe Mountain Shadows Wedding by welovepictures {Anita & Ulrich}

by gaby

Today’s bride is really, truly a SouthBound Bride, in so many senses of the word. Anita may not be from SA, but she has a deep bond with our country, and when she and her South African-bord husband tied the knot, they went above and beyond to include dozens of gorgeous South African elements in the mix, including loads of beautiful shweshwe. As a regular reader, Anita found all of her suppliers via SouthBound Bride, and having been in touch with her during the planning process, I loved her enthusiasm for every little detail. It’s worth reading her story and advice below to get a sense of just how much thought went into each aspect – right up to a stargazing lounge so guests could see the Southern Cross, sigh. The day was beautifully captured by the wonderful welovepictures.Read More

Pastel Blush Wedding at Lezar Opstal by Laura Jansen {Evette & Emile}

by gaby

The next time I come across a bride who’s wavering about a ‘first look’ photo session because she doesn’t want to spoil ‘that moment’ (you know, the one where you lock eyes from opposite ends of the aisle and even though you’re in a room full of your family and friends you can only see one another and your heart’s beating out of your chest and you’re gripping your dad’s arm but you’re looking at each other and it’s amazing) – well, next time I am just going to show her Evette and Emile’s wedding. Because they had a first look (the sweetest of first looks for this pair of childhood sweethearts) and some gorgeous portraits with their awesome photographer Laura Jansen before the ceremony. But when Evette’s walking down that aisle – wow. The emotion in these pictures is so real, it actually brings a tear to MY eye. I have a feeling these two are going to be looking at one another like that for a lifetime. For their big day, they picked a beautiful pastel palette (including a gorgeous blush dress for the bride), and like the ballerina she is, she danced through ceremony and reception, right through to a first dance with her handsome groom that looks like it came from a movie. Ah, love. It gets me every time.Read More

Something Blue Fairway Hotel Wedding by Jack and Jane Photography {Gugu & Bongani}

by gaby

Happy heritage day, folks! You know, with some things in life, a little really does go a long way. Chanel No 5, kindness, chilli oil. And colour, especially when you’re dealing with the clean lines of a bright, modern wedding style like Gugu and Bongani decided to do. They chose blue as their accent colour and added just the perfect amount into their venue’s blank canvas of white and soft grey – adorable baby blue bridesmaid dresses, dusky blue tablecloths and then a pop of electric colour from sprays of dendrobium orchids and individual blooms placed at each setting. The couple themselves are the picture of city wedding chic – love the sparkled-up sweetheart neckline of the bride’s dress especially! Our lovely photographer friends Jack and Jane Photography (who you may remember as Laura Jane Photography until their fabulous recent rebrand) were there to capture these gorgeous images of the big day.Read More

Ruffles & Romance Môreson Wedding by Lauren Kriedemann {Claire & James}

by gaby

There are a lot of reasons I love today’s wedding, but can we just start by talking about THAT DRESS? Holy moly, it’s a showstopper. I have no idea if bride, Claire, started with the gown or matched it into her vision, but for me, it’s the centrepiece of the whole understated, feminine but also very modern elegance of the whole day. Everything from lush white blooms in ornate vases on the tables to the whimsical floral chandelier, to the clean, calming neutral palette (with just a touch of lavender from the bridesmaids) complements Claire’s look (a gorgeous job by Just Jack, by the way). She dances through her big day like a ballerina, through the vows exchanged with her fabulous kilt-sporting Scottish groom, to the cocktail hour with tables piled high with cheese and antipasti and guests full of love and well-wishes, and right on to the cafe light-lit dancefloor. An all-lily bouquet is the perfect, structured accessory for the ruffled rosette skirt. If I ever saw a bride ‘wear’ her whole wedding, it’s this one. And if I ever knew a photographer who would do this lovely celebration justice, it’s Lauren Kriedemann. Enjoy every one of these lovely pics!Read More

Italian Inspired Rockhaven Wedding by The Picturess & Bright and Beautiful {Debra & Chris}

by gaby

How is it already a year since I was in Italy? Those weeks on a vineyard in southern Tuscany were absolute bliss, and I’ve been missing Italy soooo much recently  (especially since every Instagram account I follow seemed to have an Italian trip this year, jealous is not the word!) But today I get to flirt with my love of Italy again, with this lovely little Rockhaven wedding sent over by the talented bunch at Bright and Beautiful, which was inspired by the groom’s Italian heritage. I just love the way that a fresh white and green palette was used – especially the ferns, so pretty! – and all the fun little activities that the couple set up for their guests (including a vespa ‘photo booth’), not to mention Cinzano and Prosecco cocktail hour! Leanne Evans, the Picturess, was there to capture every lovely moment of la bella vita.Read More

Country Casual Wedding at The Glades by Summertown Pictures {Ash & Peter}

by gaby

Some weddings just remind me of the simple, wonderful pleasure in life – a cool breeze on a hot day, a new sundress, melting butter on fresh, hot bread. Today’s wedding is like that – pure happiness and country casual chic. Ash and Peter chose a palette of soft neutrals with a touch of peach and a little glimmer of gold (I love how subtly this metallic is used throughout, it’s so perfect), with lovely lace showing up in both the bride and the bridesmaids’ stunning dresses. The florals are a beautiful mix – I especially love the blushing bride proteas. And speaking of these blooms, I just loved how they were used to decorate Ash’s naked cake, and would you believe it, she made it herself! Clever bride, beautiful wedding, happy days. Ooh, and let’s not forget the swooney images from Summertown Pictures too!Read More