Tag: shabby chic

Rustic Shabby Chic Wedding at Nooitgedacht by Cheryl McEwan {Caryn & Geoff}

by gaby

It’s funny how sometimes when someone meets the person they’re meant to be with, it’s obvious – not just to them, but to the people around them too – it just fits. They bring the best out in one another, they make each other happier, more centred somehow, still themselves but in the most awesome way. That’s how it was when Geoff (a friend of mine from London) met the lovely Caryn – pretty much immediately I couldn’t imagine them not being together. So it was with much happiness that I heard he’d popped the question, and much delight that I pored over the beautiful pics of their wedding by SBB’s dear friend Cheryl McEwan. The day was relaxed and fun (a perfect reflection of the couple, right down to Geoff’s Durban-boy flip flops), and full of soft, summery, shabby-chic details that worked perfectly in the elegantly rustic setting of Nooitgedacht estate. I also have to make a special mention of my friend Belinda, the cake making legend, because she’s always been such a big fan and supporter of my blog – awesome job, Bels! So happy to share this particular wedding with you all today :)Read More

Handmade Backyard Zimbabwe Wedding by Nicole du Preez {Karleyne & HD}

by gaby

Morning brideys, how was your weekend? This morning we’re shaking things up a little – instead of starting off the week with an inspiration board (although I do have a lovely board for you this afternoon) we’re launching straight into our first real wedding of the week, and this one was hand made with so much love by SBB reader, Karleyne and her husband. Karley is a chef working in Zim, and married her partner in food and life, HD, on their very own tennis court! Now that’s a venue I haven’t come across before… The couple DIYed every single sweet detail, from hundreds and hundreds of paper cranes to centrepieces made of folded books, linen napkins, stationery, signage, etc etc etc. If the work ethic that they demonstrated in putting it all together in their limited spare time is anything to go by, they’ll have taken over the culinary world in no time. The menu was obviously a big part of the day, with a gourmet take on laid-back comfort food, but Karley’s look was 100% glam in her dress made by Sunday Times fashion editor in chief, Tiaan Nagel. From their vows beneath a mosquito net canopy to eating steak and chips under the African stars, this is one wedding that really reflects the personalities who dreamed it up and made every corner of it from scratch.Read More

Farm Fête Nutcracker Wedding by Anneli Marinovich {Anna & Piet}

by gaby

Oh happy day! I’m super excited to share this wedding with you, because not only is it full of shabby chic, farm wedding gorgeousness, it actually has a little SBB twist. Back when Anna and Piet first got engaged, the bride found her photographer Anneli Marinovich right here, and I was looking forward to hearing all about the (usually London-based) Anneli’s South African wedding. I’ve worked with Anneli loads myself and love her work, so I knew she would do an amazing job! It was such a pleasure not only to see her gorgeous pics, but to hear about how much fun she had with Anna and Piet and their exuberant families, and after a feature in Wedding Inspirations, it comes full circle with me sharing this farm fête here today. Just some of my favourite details: a custom aisle, a cluster of bridesmaids in pretty pastels, flowers in tins and the cheese cake!Read More

Real Wedding at Kronenburg {Lerize & JP}

by gaby

I always smile when I see that episode of How I Met Your Mother when Ted tells his kids that long distance relationships hardly ever work. I mean, he’s right. Most of the time, they’re a disaster. But I’ve read enough love stories here on SBB to know that there’s a big gap between “hardly ever work” and “impossible”. In fact, sometimes it’s weathering the storms of long distance love that can show a couple that the vessel they have built together is made of stronger stuff. Guess that makes it a relation-ship, boom boom. Okay, I’ll stop with the nautical metaphors, except to say that today’s couple, having made it through some time apart in their courtship and been all the stronger for it, were ready to sail off into the sunset. Which they did, figuratively, with a beautiful wedding (and literally, when they emigrated to Australia). I love the sweet little touches they added to their day – Lerize’s shoes that said “I do”, little wooden hearts tied with lace, a ribbon backdrop. And I also love Michelle Joubert-Martin‘s beautiful photos, that really capture the depth of emotion that these two were feeling.Read More

Real Wedding at Pecan Manor {Andrea & Ian}

by gaby

One of the things I love most about wedding planning is that inspiration can strike at any time. Some brides have everything planned down to the last napkin fold, with Pinterest folders and a DIY schedule, and no surprises to deal with. For many, final decisions can be made even days leading up to the wedding. My favourite was my friend Abbie who didn’t want a garter, so after we joked in the car on our pre-wedding errands that her surfer husband-to-be would probably prefer a surf leash, that’s what we ended up buying! We put it on under her dress at the last minute and Phil had no idea – it was so fun. And I’ve never seen so many men try to catch a ‘garter’! So I wasn’t completely surprised when reading today’s story from Ian and Andrea, how the idea of a ribbon ceremony backdrop was a last minute decision. Well, I’m sure you’ll agree, it was an awesome one! I really love a focal point to an outdoor ceremony, and hanging ribbons are just SO pretty (and easy)! Plus, I love how photographer Wesley Poon went ahead and used the ribbons for the couple shoot as well, resulting in some spectacular pictures! The decor for this wedding is awesome – shabby chic with pops of jewel tones. I love love love the blue glass, the hanging bottles, the birds. And of course that ribbon, reflected again in the pretty long ties for the bridesmaids’ bouquets (nice twist on the ice cream pastels trend, no?). So much loveliness, and the moral of the story is, don’t be afraid to indulge one of your last minute whims – it may land up being your best idea!Read More

Real Wedding at Die Opstal {Ilze & Louren}

by gaby

Good morning, SouthBound Brides, did you have a good long weekend? I took a couple of days off for the first time in AGES – although, by “took off” I just mean from the blog, not from work sadly. But sometimes it’s good to give yourself some time off, and I’m back refreshed and renewed for a week of sheer loveliness! Yay. Anyway, speaking of sheer loveliness, today’s wedding is just full of softness and sweetness and stealable details. For example, one of the first that caught my eye when photographer Nadine Aucamp sent over Ilze & Louren’s lovely wedding was the doilies placed delicately under every plate – such a simple way of bringing shabby chic styling to the table, but so effective! I also loved the collection of ceramic vases of all different shapes and sizes that Ilze put together – such a sweet twist on the milk glass and silverware collections we’ve seen a lot of recently. And I love the bird-on-a-wire table listings! As I said, sheer loveliness.Read More

Real Wedding at Delsma Farm {Leandri & Andries}

by gaby

There’s nothing sweeter than a girl-meets-boy-next-door-story, is there? Well today’s couple are literally the boy and girl next door (or across a park anyway), who first fell in love on the swing set and married fifteen years later. So adorable! I just love their pretty wedding, and the bride’s relaxed attitude about it being a rainy day is something anyone could learn from! But I think my favourite thing about their Delsma Farm wedding (or the decor, anyway) is that it’s such a fun twist on the shabby chic decor we’ve seen a lot of this season. It has the main ingredients: mismatched florals, proteas, books tied together with lace, striped tablecloths; but translated into a yellow and grey colour scheme it’s completely fresh. It just shows that you can take a style and really make it your own, be playful with colour, and that adopting a style doesn’t have to just mean one thing. The beautiful pictures full of light were taken by awesome Adene Photography.Read More

Real Wedding at Schoone Oordt {Harriett & Craig}

by gaby

Needless to say, I love every wedding I feature here on SBB. You brides are so full of creativity and general awesomeness. But there are some where as I go through the pics I am just blown away by the level of detail, and today’s lovely intimate high tea wedding at Schoone Oordt is one of those. I mean, even the ice cubes are pretty. I love all the paper decorations, love the cupcake menu placecards, love the picnic blanket ‘guest book’, love the vintagey paper pinwheels, love the gift bags, love the individual cakes, love love love. I could go on, but I’d just be wasting time that you could be feasting your eye holes on the English country tea party goodness, photographed so beautifully by our friends at Real Simple Photography (who, PS, will be in London for a visit in August – drop Jacques an email if you’d like to book a consultation).Read More

Real Wedding at Anura Vineyards {Cheryl & Sven}

by gaby

SOOOO excited to share today’s (bumper!) post with you – it feels like it has been in the pipeline since forever! Of course, that’s because today we’re sharing the wedding of Cheryl McEwan, our friend and colleague, SBB sponsor, and of course, Real Life Bride. Together we’ve followed Cheryl on her planning journey, from inspiration to reality. And wow. That reality is so much more gorgeous than I could even have imagined. Not just because it’s photographed by the legend that is Nastassja Harvey (although it helps). As a photographer, Cheryl has an amazing eye for detail, and putting that together with her wedding experience, she created a masterclass in shabby chic/country vintage styling that must have been a pleasure to shoot and attend. She’s also collaborated with her friends in the industry – Doodles Laser in particular – to add sweet new twists to the ideas that inspired her (read her Real Life Bride archive to see how these evolved). The result is an incredible wedding, blessed with rainbows (literally) and laughter – here’s wishing Cheryl and Sven many blessings in the next chapter of their lives together.Read More

Inspiration Board: Mint to Be

by gaby

Good morning, everyone! Did you all have lovely weekends? It’s Inspiration Board Monday here on SBB, and I have to say, this might be my new favourite colour combination. I stumbled across it somewhere, and I knew I had to turn it into an inspiration board. There’s something about the way that coral and mint (two of the trendiest colours in weddings right now) work together that I just love, and when you add in navy it just has a whole new depth to it. I would have thought that it might come out a little retro or mod, but (while you could certainly use these colours that way) the board I’ve come up with is all sweet, slightly French shabby chic, with a touch of glam gold and lovely lace. Put your husband-to-be and his groomsmen in navy suits, and carry lush coral bouquets with your girls – the key to this look is knowing which of the colours to combine when, so that it doesn’t look too matchy matchy. Done right, this could make the prettiest of weddings.

Colours: Mint, coral, navy and gold

Top row: Love napkin {The Stationery Studio}; Claire Pettibone dress; heart shutter; blue shoes {Shewanders Photography via Wedding Chicks}; chevron cake {Erica O’Brien Cake Design}
Row 2: Table plan {via 100 Layer Cake}; invitation {Minted}; dessert table {Tracey Kiansky Photography via The White Library}; antique tin {Dreamy Whites}; ribbons {Andi Mans Photography and Design via The Wedding Chicks}
Row 3: Ranunculus {via Wedding Chicks}; mint heart earrings {Dariami on etsy}; confetti cones {Pink Cherry Mama on etsy}; coral bridesmaid dresses {Jose Villa via The Wedding Chicks}.

And don’t forget that you can request your own inspiration board by clicking on the button below: