Chic Velvet Bridesmaid Dresses

Velvet Bridesmaid Dress Inspiration | SouthBound Bride

Ok, I give in. Velvet is officially a thing again. And as much as the fact it’s a ’90s throwback makes me feel old (so, so old), I have to admit, I’m kind of loving the way that velvet’s working out for weddings this time around. Not least when it comes to bridesmaid dresses! There are some seriously pretty velvet bridesmaid gowns out there at the moment, both from big names like Jenny Yoo and Twobirds, and from high street stores like ASOS. As autumn hits us here in South Africa, it’s the perfect time to consider this luxe, elegant fabric for your bridal party – and I have just the inspirational images and shopping choices to help you along the way! *Shopping sources in this post use affiliate links. This means SBB may earn a commission if you make a purchase from our links. 

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Boho Desert Wedding Inspiration

We’re so lucky here in South Africa to have such a range of natural landscapes, from the lush tropical Natal greens I’m surrounded by every day myself, to the shimmering desert textures of the Karoo, and the wild expanses of the bushveld. Today’s shoot celebrates some of that natural beauty, with a palette of matte greens and oranges and yellows with pops of deep red, a backdrop of gorgeous aloes, and rustic, desert-inspired table details and stationery. This makes for such a fabulous wedding inspiration for you brides-to-be to draw from – like a homegrown version of boho chic… especially when you add in the dresses from the Spellekussing Bohemian Bridal range showcased here! I’m a sucker for this kind of wild beauty, photographed here by the talented Natalie Loots!

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Introducing Bride&co’s New 2018 Collection

Bride&co 2018 Collection on SouthBound Bride

If you’re looking for a wow-worthy dress this season, then pull up a chair and get comfortable, because I’m about to sweep you off your feet! Bride&co, South Africa’s most beloved wedding and eveningwear store, have just celebrated their ten year anniversary by launching their 2018 Collection and I have a feeling you are going to love it! It’s not just wedding dresses either, but breathtaking occasionwear for the ladies (matric dance dress, ball, whatever you need), and suits for the boys too. And the wedding gowns… oh my. I’ve long been a fan of the Oleg Cassini and Viola Chan brands, and to see them available in SA (alongside the Bride&co in-house label) is amazing – I can’t wait to feature brides walking down the aisle in these beauties! Last month I was treated to a showcase of all this gorgeousness in Johannesburg and I couldn’t stop snapping away on my phone – each piece in the full 2018 Collection is more spectacular than the last! Whatever your bridal style or body shape, there’s something here for you, from dreamy princess ballgowns to sophisticated, slinky numbers. And as I mentioned, I LOVE that Bride&co is not just for brides anymore (er, someone invite me to a red carpet event now please!) With ten stores nationwide and a wide variety of suits, suit separates and dresses on offer, the Bride&co and Eurosuit team are able to help customers style their perfect look, whatever the occasion. Let’s take a look, shall we? Expect to be wowed.

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Transparent Wedding Signage

Acrylic Wedding Welcome Sign

Acrylic Wedding Welcome Sign by alongthelinesdesign

Transparent signage is nothing new to South African weddings – we’ve been rocking our perspex for a few years now, but that doesn’t make me love the see-through wedding signs that are trending for 2018 any less! It’s the perfect marriage of modern and contemporary with… well, whatever you want really. Add flowers, and it’s the perfect complement to organic or botanical styles. Adorn with foliage and hang on a tree and it’s rustic. Tropical greenery and it’s perfect for a beach wedding. Add white calligraphy and you’re good for a romantic or elegant wedding, gold and you’re immediately glam. Pretty much whatever your wedding style, this is one detail that will be right at home. And you’ll find loads of lovely acrylic wedding signs on Etsy, so of course I just had to round up my faves! * Links in bold denote affiliate links. The cost to you remains the same, but SBB may receive a commission for any sales made.

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Dreamy Autumn Wedding Inspiration by Cara Faye Weddings

Ethereal Fall Bride | Image: Cara Faye Weddings

Today’s feature reminds me why, when I started SBB, I was so crazy for making inspiration boards – there’s something about playing with colour and creating new and fresh and surprising or interesting combos that just makes my heart sing. And I especially love that when it comes to autumn weddings, which can be very clichéd in terms of palette, deferring to the standard golds and burnt reds and oranges and browns of the falling leaves. But in SA we have a gentler autumn mostly, so it seems only appropriate that maybe our autumn weddings are a little less harsh. Today’s styled shoot by Cara Faye Weddings and her trend-setting team of wedding pros really hits a perfect balance – those traditional autumn tones are in there, but balanced against some super pretty purple and pink tones, along with soft flowers and dreamy textures. It’s gorgeous, and such a perfect way to make an autumn wedding feel both seasonal AND romantic!

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Spring Blossom Bridal Shoot

Spring Blossom Floral Crown | Image: Sulet Fourie

Spring has sprung! Okay, not here technically, as we’re heading into autumn (although you’d never know from the pure sunshine outside my window in Durban today) but this time of year it’s always fun to see spring blossoms making their way onto the pages of my Northern Hemisphere blogger friends. So we’re taking a trip into the orchards full of blossoms here too, and filling our lungs with fresh spring air, as we enjoy this beautiful bridal shoot from Sulet Fourie and her team. One of the things I love about this editorial is the soft touches of purple – a great way to incorporate this year’s Colour of the Year, Ultraviolet, in a subtle and super pretty way! Stunning florals, a gorgeous dress, and happy smiles – it’s the perfect way to start the weekend off right.

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Sheer Ever After Wedding Inspiration

Sheer Ever After Wedding Inspiration | Image: Jaqui Franco

I am so SO excited to share this shoot with you all! A few months ago, when I published the SBB trend report for 2018 and announced that we’d be focusing some of our features on the transparency trend, the very lovely Carmen of Two Cherries Events got in touch and told me about a shoot that she was dreaming up with photographer Jaqui Franco and their team of creatives. I couldn’t wait to see the final images and they were even better than I imagined! Sheer fabrics, perspex and acrylic stationery and details, huge glass windows – it’s all here! What I especially love is that, while one take on this transparency trend is to go for a more modern, minimalist aesthetic, this shoot incorporates those details but in a very soft, romantic, fairytale way. It’s the perfect fusion of romantic and contemporary wedding styles! From the clear menus to the dreamy Cindy Bam gowns, to the table laid in a cool green and blue palette, to the beautiful cake, you’re about to be oh-so-inspired! Sheer beauty indeed.

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Reiss Spring Wedding Collection for Stylish Guests, Modern Mothers of the Bride and Best-dressed Bridesmaids

Reiss Spring Wedding Collection 2018

Weddings are the best, obviously, but we all know that finding that perfect occasionwear can be a challenge, especially if you’re going to be front and centre as the mother of the bride (or groom!) or a bridesmaid. After all, there’s a fine line between bold and on trend and… 27 Dresses. So what’s a stylish gal to do? Answer: head to Reiss, one of my favourite fashion retailers, who have just released their gorgeous Spring wedding edit. Taking inspiration from far-flung destinations, the collection includes both polished, city-ready looks and carefree dresses that invoke a sense of wanderlust. From pantsuits to wrap dresses, there’s great choices for both modern mamas who want to avoid the frump, and bridesmaids looking for fresh looks with beautiful fabrics and tailoring – and of course, there’s lots of lovely choices for wedding guest outfits too. I’m super excited to be partnering with this fashion-forward brand to bring you their new collection, shot on location in Morocco, as well as some ideas for how to style some of my favourite pieces. *Links in bold denote affiliate links.

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Greenhouse Romance Wedding Inspiration by Pear & Bear Photography

Greenhouse Romance Wedding Inspiration | Image: Pear & Bear Photography

So as you know, we’re currently crushing on everything sheer and transparent and luminous and lovely, and that includes venues. And while we have some of the coolest glass marquee venues in SA, I have a particular love for greenhouse weddings – something about greenhouses in general that’s sort of vintage and elegant, and then combined with botanical wedding details… well, they get me every time. Which is probably why I fell madly in love with this gorgeously moody greenhouse wedding inspiration the second I laid eyes on it. From the beautiful peachy blush florals to the luxe Jenny Packham gown, it really captures that vintage elegance I was talking about, with a modern, playful edge. Absolutely gorgeous work from Anna at Pear & Bear Photography, and the talented team that came together to make this magic happen! Let’s step inside the greenhouse…

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Top 5 Questions to Ask When Choosing a Videographer with Barefeet Videography

In all the years I’ve been running SBB, there’s two words I often hear brides and grooms say in tones of regret: wedding video. Why? Well, it turns out some people don’t think they want one – at least, until they don’t have one. And then, once the flowers have died and the honeymoon tan has faded, and they’re trying to remember what it was the best man said that had everyone in tears, or a guest mentions this hilarious thing that happened while they were across the room and wouldn’t it be awesome if they had that on video, there’s that feeling of woulda shoulda coulda. But that’s not you, right? No! You’ve already planned to have the most awesome South African wedding video of all time, made by the most awesome South African wedding videographers ever, right? The only problem is, who are they? And how do you figure that out? Fortunately help is here, in the form of the very lovely Barefeet Videography team (who as you may have guessed, really are awesome). They’re sharing the five questions you must ask when choosing a wedding videographer, as well as their top wedding video tips along the way.

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