Tag: sponsor showcase

Save It for a Rainy Day

by gaby

Looking out at the sunshine in Durbs today, it’s hard to imagine a wedding ever gets rained out in this country but as you all know, that is not even close to being the case. In fact, of the five weddings I’ve been to in South Africa in the last two years, three had some kind of rain to deal with. And okes, one of them was in Phalaborwa. Chances? Anyway, the point is this: we hope for sunny skies (and we usually get them) but rain is something that you need to plan for. So I asked fab SBB sponsor Lizl Pieterse of Flamboijant to share her top tips as a planner for avoiding those rainy day blues, and she’s here with some really fantastic advice. Not just that, but I’ve rounded up some beautiful pictures from our photographer friends, which just goes to prove – you can still get the most gorgeous images of your day, come rain or come shine! Over to you, Lizl… ;)Read More

Mothers {Sponsor Showcase}

by gaby

Here at SBB, we’re a big fan of moms. Partly because it seems like every friend have gave birth in the last year, but more importantly because my own mom is kind of a rockstar. She’s a poetry-quotin’, environment-savin’, best lasagne in the world makin’ little legend, who has not only taught me a million things about life and love, but has taught human rights and conflict resolution to people from Papua New Guinea to South African prisons. She does things that matter. She has a voice so sympathetic that even when I’m on another continent and I call her to tell her I have a cold, it makes me feel better. She’s also probably the only person on earth who calls me out on rare mistakes in spelling and grammar, which is probably how I ended up being an editor in the first place. So ja. Moms are awesome. With mother’s day last month, I started thinking about the role that mothers play in a wedding day – they often don’t have a formal role, like dads do, and they don’t usually walk you down the aisle or make a speech, but they’re such a huge part of how a wedding day runs. Best case scenario? They help you plan a wedding you’ll love, by supporting you and making your ideas come to life, beam at you from the front row and get the first hug once the marriage is pronounced. I asked our photographer friends to dig through their archives and find pictures that celebrated motherhood in all its wedding day forms, and they came back with such lovely pictures, including some of brides who are moms-to-be themselves, funny moments, touching moments. All of them so very special. I hope you enjoy them as much as I have!

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Landscape {Sponsor Showcase}

by gaby

Get ready for some INSANELY gorgeous photography friends! I had a feeling when I picked this month’s theme for our photography sponsors that they’d like it, but I had no idea just how many incredible pics would flood into my inbox. And the thing is, as much as I know and you know we are all about the details on SBB, sometimes the pics that really take your breath away are those that zoom right out and put you and your new partner in the context of your surroundings. They say that in South Africa we have a big sky, so maybe that’s what makes these pics particularly stunning, or the amazing scenery that we have, from beach to valley to scrub. I also love that the pictures capture the weather’s changing face, and sometimes storm clouds are the most dramatic and wonderful (so don’t be too horrified if you see them on the morning of your wedding!). This is such an afternoon treat, so grab a cuppa and enjoy – and remember that each of these talented photographers is ready and waiting to capture your big day in their own wonderful way, so do click on the links and drop them a line after checking out the rest of their portfolio!

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Shoes {Sponsor Showcase}

by gaby

SHOES, you guys! Sorry, I’ll calm down. A while back, a bunch of wedding bloggers used to post pictures of shoes every Tuesday – doesn’t seem to happen anymore, but as a shoe fiend myself, Tuesday Shoesday used to brighten up my day. Well, get ready, because our photography sponsors have put together a delectable selection of shoe shot just for you. Now I know shoe pictures aren’t everyone’s thing – they are literally the thing my friend Abigail hates most about wedding pictures nowadays. So if that’s you, well, look away now. For the rest of us, a shoe shot can be a fun way of incorporating the details of the getting ready, picking up a dash of the signature colour (great for tying your wedding album together, actually) and just generally celebrating what some of us consider a wearable piece of art. It’s also a great way for our sponsors to show off their very different styles – have a browse and be sure to click through and see more of your favourites’ portfolios!

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The Bouquet {Sponsor Showcase}

by gaby

Time for some inspiration from SBB’s photographer friends! I have to admit, I am a huge sucker for the subject of this month’s pics: bouquets. I know not everyone loves flowers as much as I do, but for me (having been a bridesmaid three times now), the moment the bouquets are delivered is one of the most exciting of the day. I absolutely LOVE how not only has floristry really become such an art but how for wedding photographers they’re no longer just a thing the bride holds, but the opportunity for both breathtaking still lifes, and a way of showing the personality of the bride or wedding. So when I sent out the call for this month’s showcase, I asked SBB’s wonderful photographers not to necessarily choose the most stunning bouquet, but the pic that best represented their style. And wow. Every single one of these images (which actually do show beautiful flowers, by the by) had me floored. So have a look through and be inspired in more ways than one – and remember to show our sponsors some love by heading over from their links to check out more of their lovely work!

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First Look {Sponsor Showcase}

by gaby

Get ready, because I’m about to quote a Katherine Heigl film. I know. Sorry. But when I was putting together this month’s gorgeous Sponsor Showcase full of ‘first look’ moments, I kept remembering what she says in 27 Dresses: “You know how the bride makes her entrance and everybody turns to look at her? That’s when I look at the groom. Cause his face says it all you know? The pure love there.” And it’s true, isn’t it? You only have to look at either the bride or the groom as she makes that walk up the aisle to see pure emotion written all over their faces – definitely one of my favourite moments in any wedding. It’s also one of the hardest to photograph – impossible (unless there’s a second shooter) to get an angle on both bride and groom, and difficult to capture without being intrusive. I think that’s why I’m a fan of the ‘first look’ photoshoot, where the bride and groom share this private moment ahead of the ceremony (and the pics are always amazing). Fortunately, the photographer sponsors here on SBB are a talented lot, and they’ve once again opened their albums to share some absolutely beautiful, inspiring images that show off their different styles. If you’re still looking for a photographer for your big day, be sure to click through from the photos or links to see more of their work, and they could soon be snapping your own first look moment!

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Bridesmaids {Sponsor Showcase}

by gaby

Staying with our theme of bridesmaids today, I have some more lovely eye candy from the fabulous SBB photographer sponsors, who have opened their albums to share a gorgeous collection of bridesmaids – both ready-for-their-closeup and behind-the-scenes. I always think it’s a pity when I don’t see any pics of a bride and her girls – not only do their dresses bring a lot of colour and cohesion to the images (and after all the hours you spend picking them, why wouldn’t you want them to be seen?) but because the time spent between a girl and her best friends on the morning of her wedding is so precious and such a celebration of their friendship. When I was a BM for one of my besties, Nikki, a few years back, she decoupaged a gorgeous black and white of her with us two bridesmaids on a wooden box afterwards and filled it with prints from the wedding – still one of the nicest gifts I have ever received and one I treasure, along with a framed version of that pic. It reminds me not only of how special it was to be her witness that day, sharing bridesmaid duties, laughs and memories with the third of our trio, Tracy, but also of all the other special moments in our friendship. Today’s post is a tribute to that wonderful feeling, and also to all  the jobs both big and small that BMs do to make sure that their bride has the day of her dreams.

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Brides Getting Ready {Sponsor Showcase}

by gaby

To finish off your Friday, I’m trying something new here on SBB. I’m lucky enough to have some wonderful sponsors on the site, who make it possible for me to bring you beautiful inspiration on a daily basis. Many are talented photographers, and while we regularly feature their real weddings, I thought it would be nice to showcase their work on a monthly basis, so you can get a glimpse of their different styles. They’re all taking bookings right now, so if you like what you see, be sure to get in touch! We’re starting off, as any wedding day does, with images of the bride getting ready. My mom reminded me the other day of a wedding that happened in our street in Johannesburg when I was a very little girl, and not only do I clearly remember the awe that my best friend and I had for the bride in her white dress and veil, but I remember the photographer posing her looking into her mirror, and when I saw that picture I thought it was the most beautiful thing I’d ever seen. Photography trends and techniques have changed as those years have gone by, but the images taken as you share special moments with your mom and bridesmaids, the nerves and anticipation, the sense of expectation as you finally put on The Dress (not to mention your immaculate hair and makeup), are going to be some of your most treasured. So without further ado, give it up for the talented SBB photographers!

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