Posts from the ‘Metallics’ Category

Apr 15

Inspiration Board: Copper & Ostrich Egg

Monday means inspiration board time, and today I’ve decided to do one of my own. I wanted to create a look that was truly South African, but at the same time contemporary, elegant and understated. Neutrals were the way to go, and I love the ostrich shell offwhite combined with black and sage, with copper metallics as a trendy little twist. Another current trend that works well here is the fashion for prints, here using the gorgeous Skinny LaMinx range with their gorgeous pincushion proteas (an ideal complement to the white king proteas in the bouquet and table arrangement pictured here). Add neutral bridesmaids dresses, copper foil stamped stationery and some other shiny copper touches, and you have the perfect fusion of classic black and white, down-to-earth South African-ness and fresh 2013 style. So usable – what do you think?

Colours: Black, ecru, sage and copper

Top row (l-r): Bouquet {I Heart Weddings/flower talk}; copper shoes {Anthropologie}; protea under bell jar {Just Jack/Cari Eksteen}; table setting {Skinny laMinx}; marquee setting {Kym Ventola Photography/Some Like It Classic}
Row 2: Neutral bridesmaids {Kym Ventola Photography/Some Like It Classic}; succulent in copper vase {Kym Ventola Photography/Some Like It Classic}; pincushion protea wall art; copper foil stamped invitation {Jolie Jolie}
Row 3: Bride & groom {rylee hitchner/abany bauer}; print napkin {Skinny laMinx}; copper wrapped boutonniere {Wedding Artists Collective/Gloria Wong Design}; hanging copper tins {Dave Lapham/Laura Helm at Ashton Events}; cake on copper cake stand {A Fabulous Fete on Etsy}.

Mar 11

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Inspiration Board: Amber Glow

And we’re back with another lovely inspiration board, yay! This time, we’re exploring the warm end of the spectrum, in a board that combines red, yellow, peach and gold. Reader Emily made the request for her romantic summer wedding, and I absolutely love it, don’t you? It’s the kind of palette that often gets used for autumn weddings, which is great, but I think also works perfectly for an intimate outdoor summer feel as well. As always, I love the inclusion of organic colour through fruits, berries and flowers, and you can have a lot of fun adding glitz – maybe some spraypainted fruit pomegranate placecards, for example? I’ve really gone for gold with the bridesmaids, all in spangly dresses, as well as a gold stationery suite – love this combined with the magical fairy lights! One of my favourite summer touches is the alcoholic fruit jellies – a fun but sophisticated dessert option! Hope you like your board, Emily and good luck with the rest of your planning!

Colours: Peach, red, yellow & gold

Top row (l-r): Centrepiece {Charlotte Jenks Lewis Photography/Poppies & Posies}; gold sparkly shoes {Tamiz Photography/Belle Destination Weddings and Events}; glitter names {Arrow & Apple}; peach and white lanterns {Lisa Lefkowitz/Rebecca Reategui Weddings & Special Events}; twinkle lights {Emily Steffen Photography}
Row 2: Gold bridesmaids dresses {Tec Petaja/Bash, Please}; gold stationery {Jose Villa Photography/Kristeen LaBrot Events}; gold cake {My Sweet and Saucy/Ashley Rose Photography}; boho headpiece {Kym Ventola/Mignonne Handmade}
Row 3: Bouquet {Kari Crowe Photography/Kate Foley Designs}; table setting {Imagery Immaculate/Wedding Jeannie}; jelly shots {Martha Stewart}; couple {Meghan Christine/Primary Petals & The Vintage Table Co & Carly Williams Weddings & Events}; outdoor tables {Stephen Karlisch/Meredith Commender}.

Feb 25

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Inspiration Board: Sugarplum Fairy

Hello lovely friends – hope you all had a fabulous weekend. London was COLD, so I spent it wrapped up warm inside! Last Thursday I indulged myself in all things Sparkle & Blush, but today I’m moving on to a whole new pink and glitter inspiration board obsession. This one was created especially for reader Marielen, who is planning a spring wedding in Canada. She’s a fan of everything ballerina, and wanted something classic, modern and romantic, as well as warm and inviting, in pinks and golds. Well, pink and gold is one of my absolute favourite combos, and Marielen could just go for basic ballerina blush, pairing it with gold glitter (which is itself a lovely combo), but I really love the addition of a hot pink (this is also a great colour combo if you’re going to use graphic black and white as a base). It just adds that extra bit of warmth and brings the look bang up to date. Adding a bit of ballerina style is no problem – there are many gorgeous ballet-inspired dresses around at the moment, and I do love a bride in ballet slippers. Make sure bride (and maids) are in chic buns, and accessories with lots of tulle and ruffles and ribbon – both in the bridal party and at the reception. I love the use of roses here – they really are a classic – and especially the sweet escort cards and also a little rose bud at each place setting. Another lovely touch is the glittery ribbon for the bouquet. And speaking of ribbon, an idea I really love (that is a subtle but very pretty reference to the ballet stage) is to have a ribbon curtain for the aisle – how gorgeous does it look? It’s something you could do inside (against a blank wall) or out as pictured here, and will really make an impact! If possible, you can also re-use the curtain (now ungathered) behind the main table at the reception. I must say, I really love this look – hope you do too, Marielen!

Colours: Blush pink, candy pink, hot pink, gold glitter

Top row (l-r): Ballerina {Asian Bees}; rose escort cards {A Bryan Photo/Calder Clark Designs}; blush cocktails {Insight Creative/Carbine Avenue}; centrepiece {A Bryan Photo/Calder Clark Designs}; ballet shoes {Yan Photo/Honey of a Thousand Flowers}
Row 2: Gold cutlery; pink and gold invitation {Fine & Dandy Paperie}; pink and gold ribbons {Insight Creative/Carbine Avenue}; sparkly bouquet tie {Confetti Pop }; aisle {Edyta Szyszlo/lovely little details}
Row 3: Pink ombre cake {Edyta Szyszlo/lovely little details}; place setting with rosebud {Q Weddings/Suzanne Court Catering & Events}; bouquet {nbarrett photography/Lavender Joy Weddings}; pink flower boutonniere {Confetti Pop}; bride and groom {Rebekah Westover Photography/Attention 2 Detail Events}.

Jan 7

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Inspiration Board: Carnevale

Good morning friends? How were your weekends? I had a really good one, doing more January planning and organising as well as catching up with Louise from b.loved and chatting about our big blog and business plans for 2013 – all very exciting! You’ll also get to kuier with her a bit later this week. But for now, it’s time for our Monday inspiration board. I wanted to start the year with something bold and new, and after telling you that copper was one of the year’s hot colours, I just had to get stuck in. I’ve decided to combine it with both teal and navy, and it’s rich, opulent and exciting – maybe even slightly mysterious. It reminded me a little of Venice (hence the name). I’d just love to see this one come to life!

Colours: Navy, teal and copper

Top row (l-r): Copper and teal dress; glitter giftwrap {Grey Likes Weddings/T&H Photography}; copper shoes {Desiree Dawn Events/Shea Christine}; sparkly top {Fiona Kelly/b.loved Weddings}; keys {Your Las Vegas Wedding Concierge/Chelsea Nicole}
Row 2: Sweets; teal stationery suite {Sean Flanigan/Lilia DeGregory}; copper cake {Missy Photography/Merci New York}; ribbons {Grey Likes Weddings/T&H Photography}; gorgeous redhead bride
Row 3: Opulent bride {Fiona Kelly/b.loved Weddings}; navy bridesmaids; table settings; Venice.

Oct 29

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Inspiration Board: Cleopatra’s Gold

Good morning, lovelies – did you have a fantastic weekend? Get up to any Halloween antics? Today’s board is one of my own inventions – sort of a mix between my recent Moroccan influences and a decadent art deco interpretation of Egyptian style. The colours – black, white and gold – are classic for an evening celebration of course, and paired with pretty luxe details like these beautiful bridesmaid dresses, gold-detailed glasses and those sandals, would make for a really lovely wedding. The bride’s makeup would be dramatic, and she’d wear a stunning mantilla – maybe with a flash of sequins on her dress and a henna tattoo. With so much going on with the table settings (love these print tablecloths, by the way, even if Kim Kardashian did use them), I’d keep the rest of the decor relatively simple – isn’t this tent-like draping a simple and lovely way to do things? The stationery would be a designer’s dream, and I’d combine several rich patterns in the three main colours. I would LOVE to see someone pull this off!

Colours: Gold, black & white

Top row (l-r): Bride in chair {P: Jose Villa}; bridesmaids {P: My Big Day Photos}; rings {P: Michelle Turner Photography; P: Leah Michelle}; glasses {P: Katie Neal Photo; D: Alchemy Fine Events and Invitations}; art deco mural
Row 2: Invitations; makeup {P: My Big Day Photos}; gold sandals {Elie Tahari}; gold beanbag; mantilla veil {P: Picotte Weddings; D: Wedding Nouveau}
Row 3: Table setting in gold, black and white {P: Katie Neal Photo; D: Alchemy Fine Events and Invitations}; henna tattoo {P: Picotte Weddings; D: Wedding Nouveau}; sequins {P: My Big Day Photos}; draped reception {P: Frenzel Photographers; C: Jesi Haack Weddings}.

Oct 15

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Inspiration Board: Coral & Glam

Tangerine may have been Pantone’s 2013 colour of the year, but if there’s a breakout shade for weddings this season, it’s coral. And boy, am I ever glad! Coral is such a warm shade, and so versatile – I can’t believe how many colours it works with beautifully! It’s also lovely reader Carrie’s favourite colour, so of course she’s chosen it for her summer wedding. And Carrie must be a girl after my own heart, because she also loves a bit of sparkle, and wants to put her bridesmaids in mismatched glittery dresses – how pretty is that? There are some lovely coral or blush and sequin dresses available at the moment, but for this board I’ve gone for one of my absolute favourite bridesmaid combos of recent times – these copper skirt and top sequin and lace mismatches are just amazing and they look so good with the coral and white bouquets! Add in beautiful copper heart Vivienne Westwood shoes, and some good as gold accents and you have the perfect amount of metallic. A good tip with coral is to use it in a sort of ombre way, with everything from a pale blush to the most powerful orange version of the colour, just the way that it is in this adorable stationery suite. Add a few special touches – homemade lemonade, a ruffly chair back, sparkly mason jars, and you have everything you need for coral and glam wedding wonderful. Hope you like your board, Carrie!

Colours: Coral, blush, white, copper & gold

Top row (l-r): Bridesmaids {P: Jarvie Digital Photography}; table layout {S: Envision Wedding Studio; P: AC Ellis Inc.}; pink lemonade {P: White Loft Studio}; blush ruffle chair back {S: Envision Wedding Studio; P: AC Ellis Inc.}
Row 2: Coral & gold stationery suite {P: Jean-Pierre Gary and Kiera Ormut-Fleishman}; coral macaroons; Vivienne Westwood shoes; fireplace ceremony {P: Justin Demutiis Photography; S: Olivier Events}
Row 3: Sparkle mason jars; lace sheath dress with keyhole back {P: Paul Johnson}; cake {Elizabeth Messina}; single bloom centrepiece {Martha Stewart}.

Jul 30

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Inspiration Board: Olympian Blue

Hooray for Mondays, SouthBound Bride! And it’s no surprise I have the Olympics on my mind today. I was going to do a gold, silver and bronze board, but having just done mixed metallics last week, I thought I would focus on Olympian Blue, one of the beautiful colours from Pantone’s Fall 2012 lineup, mixed in with a bit of shiny gold, for obvious reasons. Hopefully there’ll be at least one gold to South Africa’s name by the time you read this! This blue is lovely and fresh, but it’s also quite intense, so I’ve added a light denimy blue in as well, and gone for a look that’s kind of a cross between urban and rustic, and just a bit Anthropologie. It works beautifully with the BHLDN dress top left, which I have been in love with for the last year. Another detail I absolutely adore is the calligraphed tiles for place cards (no surprise, an innovation from Martha Stewart). And for a final Olympic touch, there’s a pretty laurel-inspired gold headband. Hope you like it, and hope you’re all enjoying the games this week! (To find out more about the Pantone range and see some colour combos, check out this post.)

Colours: Olympian blue, pale blue, grey, gold

Top row (l-r): BHLDN dress {S: Alchemy Fine Events & Invitations; P: Mike Larson Photographers, Inc.}; blue bridesmaids dresses and anemone bouquets {C: Bluebird Events; P: Leo Patrone Photography}; ceremony backdrop {P: Jason Durnin}; gold cake
Row 2: Calligraphy invitation {Sycamore Street Press/Betsy Dunlap}; laurel headband; gold and white bunting; calligraphy tile place cards: topaz ring
Row 3: Olympic rings; blue shoes {C: Jenny Brown; P: Alea Lovely Photo + Video}; reception venue {P: Jason Durnin}; spraypainted bottles.

Jul 23

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Inspiration Board: Beach Tinsel

Woohoo, we’re getting our sparkle on today! Reader Tracey sent me a request for help with her summer wedding at the Oyster Box hotel – she and her fiance were leaning towards neutal colours but weren’t yet decided. They’re a young couple, so they also wanted to add a bit of fun to the event, and make their design simple and fresh. I love the Oyster Box as a venue (it’s actually one of my all-time faves) and I thought neutral colours were a great idea as not only will they work perfectly with the hotel’s interiors, they’ll also play up the colours of the beach. Flat neutrals, especially with natural and linen accents, can make for a gorgeous beach-style do. However, with Tracey’s request for fun, I immediately thought of the metallic and shimmer trends we’re seeing at the moment – there’s just something about a few sequins that puts everyone in a good mood. And it’s so easy to bring a bit of New Year’s Eve spirit into your design. Start with a basic palette of lots of clean white, with ivory and cream variations, and a bit of taupe, and then metallics like gold, silver and bronze. Add in fun sparkly accents – shiny bridesmaids dresses, metallic garlands and (my best) a blingy pinata! Pair this with beachy touches like shells and cute ‘message in a bottle’ escort cards. Finally, have fun with the food (this is an easy way to delight your guests, and makes the whole thing a fun experience) – you could have an unusual cake (like donuts) or serve mini ice-cream cones instead of dessert. Tracey can afford to be daring in her wedding attire – I just love the idea of a single (or multiple!) bold statement necklaces. What makes this look easy to pull off is that it’s essentially a classic white wedding with selected over-the-top moments, that add a real punch. And my, but isn’t it pretty? Hope you like your board Tracey – good luck with your planning!

Colours: White, neutrals, metallics

Top row (l-r): Oyster Box foyer; starfish accents {P: Deborah Zoe Photo}; gold sparkle dress {P: Shira Weinberger}; silver sparkle dress {S: Ginny Branch Stelling Styling & Design; P: Harwell Photography}; Eat, Drink & Be Married sign {S: La Fete Event Design; P:Jennifer O‘Donnell Photography}; bride with statement necklace look {S: Canvas and Canopy Events; P: Elizabeth Messina}
Row 2: Shells {S: Wed Perfect; P: Denise Bovee Photography}; garland by Confetti System ; silver pinata by Confetti System; message in a bottle escort cards {S: Wed Perfect; P: Denise Bovee Photography}; Oyster Box chandelier {Jacki Bruniquel}
Row 3: Bride & groom {S: Canvas and Canopy Events; P: Elizabeth Messina}; shell place card {Fairyfolk Weddings on Etsy}; champagne with drink flags {S: Joy de Vivre Wedding Design & Coordination; P: Michael & Anna Costa}; powdered donuts {S: Alchemy Fine Events; P: Justin Lee}: silver accent bouquet {S: Imagine… Weddings and Special Events; F: Couture Flowers; P:The Youngrens}; mini ice cream cones {S: Your Special Day by Joni; P: Chelsey Boatwright Photography}

Jul 9

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Inspiration Board: Gucci Green

Good morning friends! I felt like doing something a bit different today – a stylish city wedding inspired by the latest catwalk trends. I adore the idea of a rooftop wedding (not enough couples trying this in SA to my mind – just think of the views from the Grand Daddy in Cape Town, for example, or the bar at the Hyde Park Hotel in Johannesburg, and check out two of my favourite Cape Town weddings with city views here and here). This time I’ve looked to Gucci’s Spring/Summer 2012 collection and created a bold palette of emerald green, gold and black (with a touch of geometrical art deco) that would really blow your guests away in the style stakes. It’s so striking. And OMG check out this bride wearing a green Gucci dress – one of the most elegant alternatives to the traditional white dress I have seen. Perfect for swanning around a terrace with your new husband, greeting your guests and drinking Emerald Isle cocktails, no?

Colours: Emerald green, black, gold

Top row (l-r): Rooftop table with gold sequin runner {S: Alchemy Fine Events & Invitations/P: Scott Lawrence}; Art Deco cake {D: Lael Cakes; P:Jen Huang Photography}; chevron manicure; green Gucci wedding dress {P: Q Weddings}
Row 2: Emerald Isle martini; gold chevron tray; emerald and diamond Art Deco ring; green and gold place setting {S: Sweet Emilia Jane; P: Captured by Aimee}
Row 3: Gucci spring/summer 2012; Gucci shoes; green flowers; gold bottles.

Jun 25

4 Comments

Inspiration Board: Together in Perfect Harmony

Happy Monday, folks! Hope you had a lovely weekend! Today’s inspiration board is a reader request from Robin, who is planning a black, white and silver garden/farm wedding for April next year. Robin had already chosen her colour scheme and bought many of her decorations, but couldn’t find a suitable venue in her area, so in the end decided to host the reception at her in-law’s farm, where there is a beautiful garden. I’m not sure what sort of decor Robin has already purchased, so in creating the board, I focused on how you might translate an elegant, slightly formal wedding to an outdoor setting. In fact, the two work perfectly together! Robin already told me she wanted long tables (love this idea, especially with strings of lights in the trees – what could be more romantic) and was considering a collection of glass containers with white flowers in them, which I also think is a great idea. The key then is to balance out the rustic (as a nod to the farm) with the formal. One great idea is to hire at least one beautiful chandelier, and hang it from a tree as a focal piece of decor, which really sets the tone. Stationery can be quite traditional, and calligraphy makes a really lovely detail, especially at each place setting as with the menu cards below. I was going to suggest either white dresses or black ones for the bridesmaids until I saw the pic below – what a great idea to let them wear a combination! The bride can also wear a black or silver sash, depending on the style of her dress. Silver touches come from mercury glass (which you can easily DIY) and just LOOK at this silver cake – isn’t it gorgeous! On the rustic side, consider hessian/burlap table cloths or runners, twine-wrapped bouquets, and wooden or chalkboard details. Make use of pretty features of the garden, like a gate that doubles as a place to hang escort cards. Just because the venue has changed, doesn’t mean that your style has to – in fact, in this case, I think the indoor and outdoor elements work perfectly together. Good luck, Robin – hope the rest of your planning goes brilliantly!

Colours: Black, white, silver