Afternoon, lovelies! It’s time for Part 2 of today’s Sparkle & Blush fest. Hopefully you won’t be tired of seeing this shoot already, but I couldn’t resist doing a full post of all my favourite images (some that you won’t have seen before). That said, I’ll shut up and let you enjoy them! ;)Read More
This afternoon I’m sharing some styled shoot inspiration, courtesy of Joanne Markland and The Mosaic Wedding Company, with a team of talented colleagues from the Nuptian Network of Associated Wedding Specialists. I love seeing industry peeps pulling together, and it’s been a real pleasure to see more styled shoots coming out of South Africa this last season – they’re such a great way to generate ideas and beautiful, inspiring, editorial imagery! This look is particularly do-able, and is the perfect look for a bride who’s having a laid back beach wedding but still wants a classic, romantic look. Simple, lush single blooms combine with natural textures like shells and white stones, with a touch of aqua blue glass from vintage bottles. There’s also a touch of fun with stripey blue straws, cute little cupcakes and the general palette of pink and aqua (which you can amp up or down depending on where on the fun/classic scale you prefer to lie). Add a swishy dress, and you’re set!Read More
You guys, I am doing such a happy dance as I post this feature today! It has been a long while coming, and I am thrilled to finally be able to share it with you. See, this isn’t just a beautiful shoot that someone sent me, I was actually there for this one. I saw it put together from scratch. I even helped make it happen a little. Not that it’s my shoot – ‘assisted’ is the key term here. All of this shimmery, wintery loveliness comes straight from the imagination of styling queen Louise Beukes of b.loved (how pretty must it be inside her mind?) as well as the lens of Liesl Cheney. It’s all about making your guests feel cozy while at the same time sweeping them up Narnia-style into a world of snowflakes and pinecones and sophisticated elegance. And now’s a good time for me to say how proud I am of everything Louise has achieved. A couple of years ago, she approached me as a SouthBound Bride herself, and told me she wanted to start a blog. I thought it was a great idea. Then she told me she wanted to be a stylist, and I thought that was an even better one. The result is not only daily eye candy on her fabulous blog, but a portfolio that is just busting at the seams with loveliness. This was one of her first shoots, so you can see she hit the ground running. Oh, and the reason we didn’t show it to you earlier? Only because it was too busy being featured in UK magazine You & Your Wedding.Read More
Hello! Thanks for your patience today if you tried accessing SBB – we’ve migrated servers (of course, the downtime was impeccably timed by my providers) which is good news, but did result in some nailbiting from me. Because I’ve been waiting to share this little piece of news with you, and I am SO EXCITED. Seriously, I am smiling so huge right now, because today is not just the day I get to fulfil an ambition, it’s the culmination of a whole year’s worth of work behind the scenes. For a while now, you will have heard me mentioning a shoot I co-styled with Louise of b.loved, which was shot by Chanelle Segerius Bruce. You may even have seen the shoot if you picked up copies of You & Your Wedding or My Wedding Day in the UK and South Africa, respectively. The days those mags hit the shelves were immensely good days too, but today is the day I finally get to see those images being set free online. Our little birds are taking flight. Which is actually an appropriate metaphor, because I’m delighted to say that they are featured today on Wedding Chicks. WEDDING CHICKS, YOU GUYS. I’ve loved WC for YEARS – long before I ever dreamed I would have my own wedding blog. They’ve grown and grown since then, but what I really admire about them is they’ve never lost their brand or what they’re about, and they have been wonderful to work with too. The fact that a shoot I co-styled, based on an inspiration board I created, including stationery from the SBB Collection (designed by my very dear friend Anelle of Seven Swans, no less) is on one of the top wedding blogs in the world today kind of blows my mind. I’m so happy! See the full feature here.Read More
Happy Sunday lovelies! I have been having an AWESOME weekend, including having spent yesterday with some brilliant blogging and industry buddies at a full day workshop with top photographer Victoria Grech learning all about photography and even getting to have a go at a styled shoot. So fun to be behind the camera, although my photographer friends will be glad to know that their jobs are more than safe! I might have to invest in a proper camera though… ANYWAY, I’m delighted to have some other fantastic news to share with you today. Back in May, at the tail end of three months in South Africa, I was lucky enough to work with some amazing SA suppliers to style a shoot based on my Toile & Rose inspiration board and stationery suite. It involved: three days of running around like a mad person (big thanks to my lovely friend Robs for the moral support!), turning up to lovely Elbeth Gillis‘ studio drenched from a rainstorm (thankfully she still trusted me with three of her gorgeous creations), pushing rogue shopping trolleys around Canal Walk and losing my car in the parking lot, buying Fairview out of their morning bread stock, a tour around Langkloof with manager Adelaine (who is just the sweetest) where photographer Cheryl McEwan and I basically had our mouths hanging open the whole time from how stunning it is, a courier driver who got lost with half of our decor, an amazing team on the day who not only cheerfully did their jobs but also jumped in and helped out whenever needed to assist Cheryl and myself, and finally, a set of images that I am totally in love with. And I’m delighted that I’m finally able to share these with you in the latest issue of Wedding Inspirations over TEN WHOLE PAGES. That’s a lot of awesome inspiration! The magazine is on shelves now, so get out there South Africans, and grab yours! (Everyone else will have to wait a liiiiittle while longer, but I promise it will be worth it!) HUGE thanks to the Wedding Inspirations team for this opportunity, and to every single one of the dream team (see full credits below). Yayness.Read More
It isn’t every day that I get a couple making a return appearance on SouthBound Bride. Sometimes I hear news of babies and travel adventures from your photographers, sometimes you brides become fellow bloggers or industry pros, and I imagine one day I’ll bump into one of you on the street somewhere (although I probably won’t say hello, since you’ll have no idea who I am!). But today I get to welcome back one of my first couples in a styled photo session, which is actually very exciting. As soon as stylist Tamalin Braun sent over this stunning ‘loveshoot’ (like a cros between an inspiration shoot and a couple shoot – so cute!) I recognised Lauren and Riaan from their wedding (back when we were Cap Classique) – after all, it wasn’t easy to forget their breathtaking wedding pictures in the apple orchards. It’s so special to see them – two years on – still as in love as ever. The theme of the day was ‘I wrote a letter to my love…’ and I absolutely love the dreamy, slightly boho images shot in a canola field with Lauren and Riaan playing model. Aren’t they beautiful? Photographer Tiffany B. is the rockstar behind the camera, and I just love how she’s captured all the little bits and interactions, not to mention that delicious light. Thanks so much for sharing Tam and Tiffany!Read More
A while back you might remember me mentioning a shoot I was co-styling, loosely based on the Sparkle & Blush inspiration board I created last year and featuring the gorgeous matching Invitation Gallery stationery suite. Well, I am thrilled to announce that brides-to-be in South Africa can finally see the results in the brand new My Wedding Day, which should be out in shops next week! (Although you’ll have to fight my mom for a copy if you’re in Westville.) You can also read all about the amazing team of suppliers I worked with, including photographer Chanelle Segerius-Bruce and stylist Louise of b.loved Weddings, and find Louise’s top tips for recreating the look or adapting it for your own wedding. We had so much fun putting it together – I just hope you love it as much as I do!
I have to say that women’s magazines (particularly South African ones) are very close to my heart – I used to read my mom’s stack of Fair Ladys literally from cover to cover, many times over, and in fact I wonder why I went into books instead of mags (actually, I think it was because I didn’t want to write, which is ironic for a now-blogger, right?). As much as I love the online world, featuring in a South African magazine for the first time makes this little journey of mine feel more real, and I’m really quite proud and excited! Big thank you to everyone I worked with (full list below) and to the lovely Chanel over at MWD – it was a pleasure working with you and I can’t wait to see a copy!
Full credits: Photography: Chanelle Segerius Bruce | Videographer: The Dreamcatchers | Styling:b.loved Weddings and Southbound Bride | Flowers: Wildabout | Dresses: Mira Zwillinger | Makeup Artist: Kaz Fernando | Hair: Severin Hubert at The Hepburn Collection | Cakes: Janet Mohapi-Banks | Hair Accessories: Debbie Carlisle | Jewellery: Olivier Laudus | Model: Chloe-Jasmine Wichello
So we went to France for inspiration this morning, and we’re keeping it Mediterranean this afternoon with a gorgeous styled shoot that reminds me a little bit of my beloved Italy. Long tables and long lunches in the sunshine, an abundance of food and wine, white linen, the laughter of children in the background… This was the idyllic inspiration for Theresa Lazarevic of Creation Events when she set about creating this styled shoot for new Somerset West venue Sofia’s @ Morgenster and wow, it is pretty. I kind of just want to jump into the pictures and live there. It’s not just how lovely the winelands venue is (and it is lovely), it’s the way Theresa has used materials local to the farm (which also grows olives) – how gorgeous are those olive leaf details? Not to mention how delicious that food looks! Sigh. Excuse me while I go to my happy place for a while.Read More
That’s right, friends – I am super excited to announce that UK readers can now find a bit of SouthBound Bride goodness in the latest You & Your Wedding, which is on sale now. I can’t wait to get hold of a copy myself!
You’ll have to buy the mag to get all the details, but for now, I can tell you that you’ll find some awesome decor and fashion inspiration. Early this year, I teamed up with the amazing Chanelle Segerius-Bruce and super stylist Louise of b.loved Weddings (as well as a team of fabulous people) to take the Sparkle & Blush concept to the next level. It’s pretty, it’s glam, and it’s totally do-able. You’ll be hearing a LOT more about the shoot and South African brides will have the chance to see it soon too! In the meantime, check out this behind the scenes video exclusively on the YYW site.
Hope you’re all having a lovely day so far! I am rushing around Cape Town like a crazy person in Crazy Town on Crazy Day, so no wedding today. Instead, it’s time for a bit of inspiration, and I hope you all believe in fairytales, because fairytales were exactly where the fabulous Jaco van Loggerenberg of Just Jack co-ordinators looked when he designed his award-winning stand at last year’s Spier Bridal Show (together with Elsje Designs and Floral Affairs). Not only are fairytales a big trend right now in general (just look at how many have been turned into films), but they’re also perfect underlying themes for a wedding, especially if you take the classy, understated approach that Jaco and his team have. There’s the earthy rustics of Rapunzel, the wintery beauty of Snow White, and the soft whimsical romance of Cinderella. Three very different heroines, and three very different looks. All with one thing in common… they lived happily ever after! Which is your favourite?Read More