Tag: Trends & Ideas

15 Free Script Fonts For Your Wedding

by gaby

You’ve probably picked up by now that I (like most other wedding bloggers) am a HUGE fan of calligraphy, especially the modern hand lettering that has taken wedding design by storm the last couple of years. I especially love that calligraphy isn’t just for envelopes and place cards anymore – with lasercut and other processes, it’s become a decor feature too. Now, let’s be clear – if you want breathtakingly beautiful hand lettering, there is no substitute for the talented calligraphers who make this their business. The fees may seem hefty, but it’s labour and time intensive work, and I totally support these small business owners. However, the fact is that many couples just don’t have the budget for this lust-have, even if they want to. And in South Africa, there’s also only a very small number of people offering the kind of work you’ve seen on American wedding blogs. So what’s the solution? Well, as I say, it’s not quite the same, but a very pretty second best is to choose and use one of the gorgeous script fonts that are available online. There are a few premium fonts that lead the way in this area, but if you’re not willing or able to fork out for these, the good news is that you’re not stuck with whatever crappy script fonts you can find in MS Word these days. There are some absolutely lovely calligraphy fonts out there available absolutely free for personal use, and I’ve rounded up 15 of my favourites! If you’d like to download one of them, just follow the links below and hey presto – you’ll have a shiny new font to brand your wedding with.Read More

Sparkler Send-Offs

by gaby

Sometimes I just like to post pretty pictures of things I like, and I REALLY like sparkler send-offs. Maybe it’s because they look so magical and Hollywood ending-ey, or maybe it’s just because sparklers were the only fireworks that didn’t scare the living crabcakes out of me when I was a child (I HATED Guy Fawkes, still kind of do). Whatever, sparkler exits are awesome. It seems to be more of a thing among our friends in the US (and of course some venues won’t allow them for fire insurance reasons), but if you can do a sparkler exit, not only is it a great way to end the evening, it’s also a hell of a photo. Of course, your photographer may have gone home by then, so this is the one time I’m going to say be sure you have a friend who loves photography at the ready, because done right it really is too good a shot to miss. Safety obviously is also a concern – make sure you have a couple of sensible (and sober) friends or family members on fire marshall duty, fire extinguishers at the ready, and metal sand buckets for disposal of the hot sparklers afterwards. To make sure this works, you’ll also need more than the standard little sparklers – large ones are available online, and have about a four minute burn time. Which also means there’s no need to run down the line (often making it a better photo). Needs a little pre-planning, but as you’ll see in the pics on this post, totally worth it.Read More

25 Yellow Wedding Bouquets

by gaby

I’ve been hearing lots of rumours in the SA wedding industry that this summer is going to be the summer of yellow weddings, and I for one couldn’t be happier to see this happy shade go mainstream. It reminds me of a friend at university who had a bright yellow dress, and every time she wore it, said she noticed how everyone smiled at her – literally, it’s a colour that makes you smile. Which is the best mood to put your guests in, right? Absolutely. So I’ve pulled together 25 of my absolute favourite yellow bouquets – so much sunshiney goodness! And of course, even if you’re not planning a full on yellow colour scheme, there’s no reason why you shouldn’t have a pop of bright in your bouquet, especially when it looks as gorgeous as these do.Read More

Gold Foil Wedding Details

by gaby

Afternoon, lovelies! As you know by now, I love nothing like I love a little sparkle, and recently I have been absolutely loving the little touches of gold foil that I’ve seen popping up in wedding design, especially those that have an imperfect textured look. So soft and pretty! I thought I would round up my favourites just for you – you’ll see how versatile this motif is, with everything from beauty ideas (including a stunning idea for short hair brides) to cakes and table decor details, and even an amazing Carolina Herrera dress with handpainted gold leaf detailing. Swoonage!Read More

Floral Ceremony Arches

by gaby

For this week’s roundup, we’re turning to what is positively one of the prettiest trends in weddings at the moment: floral arches. And with so many South African wedding ceremonies happening outdoors, this is a perfect way to make an impact right from the get go. I am kind of obsessed with flowers myself, and the idea of walking up an aisle towards such a lush, incredible centrepiece (imagine the gorgeous fragrance as you say your vows!) just blows me away. Amazing. And I have a feeling you all are going to feel the same way too. Oh, and PS – as much as I love the flower-only arches, I am also kinda dying over the ones with curtains (or even a door). I mean, seriously. So romantic.Read More

Nude Lace Wedding Dresses

by gaby

What do J-Lo, Camila Alves and Beyonce have in common? Probably quite a bit, but for today, it’s that they’ve recently been rocking the latest trend in bridal on the red carpet, and looking oh so gorgeous doing it. Nude lace is one of the key trends in the 2015 bridal collections, a beautiful, feminine, sexy development from the lace and applique detailed look that has been so popular for the last couple of years. The key feature of the style is a nude or blush-coloured underlay with a full or part-body overlay, allowing the detail on the lace or applique to really shine through. Some versions of the look are more daring than others, but one thing’s for sure – it’s taking bridal designers by storm. I’ve been a fan ever since we featured Haloise and Jaco’s wedding earlier this year, when our fashion-forward SouthBound Bride wore an absolutely gorgeous, statement gown. Designers like Zuhair Murad and Mira Zwillinger have made me love it even more since then, but I think my absolute favourite example is the dress worn by European royal, Claire Lademacher, in her wedding to Prince Felix of Luxembourg. And if it’s good enough for Beyonce AND a princess? It’s good enough for me. Here’s a roundup of some gorgeous nude lace dresses, both on and off the catwalk.Read More

Black Natural Wedding Hair Inspiration

by gaby

I thought it was about time we did some hair inspiration, and this one is especially for our beautiful brides of colour! I’ll be honest with you guys, I know next to nothing about black hair care, and what goes into the decision to wear yours straightened or au naturel for your wedding day, but I have to tell you, I absolutely adore this look and I wish I saw it more outside of styled shoots and fashion editorials. Whether it’s a long mass of curls or twists, a stylish fro, or something super-short, Lupita-style, each of these looks is super glam in an unfussy way, but what I like best is that I feel like each of the brides’ best features are really able to shine. Flawless makeup is a must, and as you’ll see, the choice of accessories is wide and wonderful, from chunky statement necklaces to delicate hairpieces and lush flowers. Which is your favourite look?Read More

Yarn, String & Macrame Wedding Details

by gaby

Afternoon, lovelies! It’s time for us to round up another little trend that’s been raising it’s sweet, craft-friendly face in weddings recently. Have you noticed how many variations on knitting yarn, crochet, macrame and string have been making an appearance? It’s got that retro ’70s chic to it, and as I mentioned, it’s super DIY friendly – from macrame hangings and backdrops to string art, to balls of wool or thread-wrapped table numbers, this is a way to bring something new and different to your wedding design that you’ve made yourself. Here are some of my favourites.Read More

Hexagon Wedding Details

by gaby

You all will know by now that geometrics are very much having their day in both wedding and general design at the moment. I feel like I can’t look anywhere without seeing some geometric-inspired design, but as always, it’s a look that’s really grown on me. Of all the shapes, hexagons are emerging as the front runners, and I am loving them! Hexagon cakes aren’t a new thing, but we’re definitely seeing more of them now, along with hexagon (and sometimes heptagon or pentagon)-shaped stationery and design elements, from backdrops to menus to table numbers to cake toppers. What I think works particularly well about hexagons is that when fitted together, they have the honeycomb effect, so they’re a stylish evolution of an earlier wedding design trend. Anyway, I thought it was about time I rounded up some of the hexa-lovely inspiration that has been floating around wedding world.Read More

Fun Favours: Macarons

by gaby

Well, you KNOW it’s going to be a good week when it starts with macarons, right? These little bites of sunshine have firmly engrained themselves in the heart of brides and wedding bloggers alike – and not only are they delicious, but there’s something so pleasing about their smooth round shape, delightful flavours, and mix of colours. Which basically makes them the perfect wedding favour, because not only will they look lovely on your tables, but they’re not going to get left behind (in fact, most won’t make it to the end of the night uneaten – at least if I’m your guest!). For the talented bakers among you, it’s possible to do these as a DIY, but be aware that many a brilliant cook has tried and failed at macarons. Personally, I prefer to leave them to the professionals (more on that later this week). But wherever you procure yours from, here are some of my favourite macaron favour packaging ideas to inspire you.Read More