something blue - SouthBound Bride

Enchanted Frost Winter Wedding Inspiration

31 May, 2016 by gaby

We’ve been loving everything blue on SBB throughout May, but I’ve been holding on to this little blue beauty right until the end and I’m so thrilled to share it with you all! And it’s actually the most perfect way to transition to next month’s theme – winter – because this shoot was inspired by snow and frost and blizzard, by ice queens and snow princesses, to create an enchanting wintery world that Elsa herself would be at home in. A super talented local team, headed by photographer Debbie Lourens, stylist Blank Canvas, and Leipzig Floral Design, created something really special here, with the details that range from practical to whimsical, and from pretty to fantastic. The gowns are incredible, the setup divine, and hello, headpieces!

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?

Amalfi Blues Wedding Inspiration

27 May, 2016 by gaby

Italy’s Amalfi Coast is one of my all-time favourite places on earth. Back in my mid-twenties I went there on what we dubbed the ‘blonde roadtrip’ – three blondes in a convertible, ten days, just driving the coast and stopping over where we liked. It was awesome (except, maybe, for the actual driving part). Because fun! But also because it’s seriously one of the most beautiful places you will ever get to visit, with amazing food, and lovely people, and and and. Heaven, basically. So when my friend, Anneli Marinovich, attended a photography workshop (Moda e Arte) there a while back, I was super envious! And now I’m missing Amalfi all over again, as I get to share these beautiful images that Anneli took at the workshop, which was styled by the insanely talented Joy Proctor. We see our couple through their wedding to their clifftop reception, and on to their stylish honeymoon – in a convertible of course! It’s the perfect ‘something blue’ to finish off the week, and fit into our theme this month! Thanks for sharing, Anneli!

20 Something Blue Engagement Rings

20 May, 2016 by gaby

2016 has most definitely been the year that gemstone engagement rings have come into their own. And as much as I do love a diamond, I’m also loving seeing this trend evolve, because why shouldn’t there be as much choice in rings as there is taste in jewellery? A couple of months ago, I rounded up some gorgeous morganite sparklers, and it was such a popular post that I thought I would give a little love to the blue stones of the gem world: the sapphires, the aquamarines, the blue topazes, the blue diamonds, and of course, tanzanite. It’s amazing how many beautiful options there are with these gems, and best of all, they’re at a huge variety of price points to suit any budget. So if blue is your colour and you want lots of bling for your buck, consider this statement alternative. After all, if a sapphire was good enough for Princess Kate…
This is not a sponsored post but includes some affiliate links.

15 Breathtaking Blue Wedding Dresses

18 May, 2016 by gaby

Gentle Grey Wedding Dress with Floral Decoration by Cathy Telle

Get ready for some serious dress love, my darlings! A while back, I rounded up some of the absolute DREAMIEST pastel gowns on SBB, and I haven’t stopped dreaming about them since. So when the theme for May was settled on as ‘Something Blue’, I couldn’t wait to go out and source some spectacular blue (and blue-grey) gowns from our favourite online inspirational marketplace, Etsy. And my word, but did I ever find some beauties. Every single one of them has something that makes it extra special beyond just the colour (which let’s be honest, is pretty awesome on its own) – a lace detail here, a sparkle there, and a whole lot of cloud-soft tulle. If you weren’t thinking of a ‘something blue’ wedding gown before? Well, you will be now!
(Note: This is not a sponsored post but contains affiliate links)

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)

Something Blue Wedding Bouquets

11 May, 2016 by gaby

As you know, we’re singin’ the blues in May, and one of my favourite ways to have a something blue at your wedding is via a blue bouquet. But blue bouquets are a funny thing – because there aren’t that many blue blooms (compared to, say, pink or white), an-all blue arrangement can be a bit… overwhelming, or at least look a bit artificial. Which is why, even when they’re planning a wedding with a blue palette, many brides choose to go with white or silvery flowers and foliage. But with the right flowers in season, and the right combinations and accessories (blue ribbons? love), it can be done – and these 20 incredible bouquets show just how beautifully so.

Inspiration Board: Organic Blues

10 May, 2016 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)

Delft Blue Wedding Inspiration

9 May, 2016 by gaby

When my dear friend Louise, stylist extraordinaire and editor of B.LOVED, mentioned that she would be a guest at the EWC Workshop in the Netherlands and that for the shoot she was creating she had taken her inspiration from Delft pottery, I was super excited to see the results – not just because Louise’s shoots are always amazing, but because I love Delft, and of course it has a South African connection as well with some of our Dutch history. It’s a beautiful accent to a wedding (one that I’ve been lucky enough to feature in real weddings a couple of times) and of course, the perfect ‘something blue’! So when I picked the theme for May, I immediately thought of this shoot, and was delighted that Louise agreed to share it with the lovely SouthBound readers! Light, bright and blue-tiful, it’s a romantic and elegant take on the theme, with spectacular spring flowers, two gorgeous dresses (one of them the most beautiful shade of blue!), and of course, Delft making an appearance on the tables as well as being reflected in the oh-so-pretty cakes and biscuits. I honestly can’t think of a prettier take on a blue palette, or of any way that the pictures by Anouschka Rokebrand could be any more beautiful!