Tips & Advice - SouthBound Bride

Charity Wedding Favours

13 November, 2013 by gaby

Well, this is one wedding trend that really makes me feel good to be talking about. Because, you know, sometimes when you look around at all the need in the world, it can seem a bit obtuse to spend so much time thinking about napkins and sequins. With all the money spent on a wedding, it’s no wonder that so many couples get to wondering if they can share the love beyond the circle of friends and family, and benefit their community or favourite causes. Or perhaps it’s a case of paying tribute to the memory of loved ones, including them in your day in a meaningful way. Whatever the motive, wedding favours are an easy way to have a charitable aspect to your wedding. We’ve all heard stories of brides who spend hours picking out fancy favours, only to find piles of them left behind on the tables – well, this is the perfect way to skip that problem altogether, ensuring that the money you spend on this hospitable tradition ends up doing good somewhere. There are so many lovely ideas out there for charity favours, and it’s been awesome to see local companies and charities getting on board and coming up with fresh options. As always, there’s so much creativity in real weddings too – I’ve rounded up some of my favourites to inspire.Read More

Save It for a Rainy Day

8 November, 2013 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

Budget Tips From SouthBound Brides

11 October, 2013 by gaby

Image above by Adene Photography – see the full wedding here.

Happy Friday friends! You may have noticed, but I’m working hard behind the scenes to bring you more of what you love, and one thing I always get feedback about is practical/advice posts. You’ll be seeing plenty of these in the coming weeks and months! In the Reader Survey, you also told me that one of the ways SBB has really helped you is by reading the advice given by our real brides in each wedding post. So I thought, who better to give you some advice than our own SouthBound brides? Keeping costs down is one topic that always comes up, so I’ve trawled through our archives to find all the very best tips and ideas for budget-conscious couples. Each of them is summarised in a handy card, so go ahead and add the ones that resonate with you to your Pinterest boards as reminders while you go through your planning process. And feel free to share your own advice and ideas in the comments!Read More

How to Wear Statement Bridal Jewellery

30 September, 2013 by gaby

Source: Oak & the Owl/Em the Gem

This morning, lovelies, we’re talking about one of my all-time favourite things. Jewellery! Oh yes indeed, because who doesn’t love looking at (and wearing) pretty jewels? I’m a huge fan of sticking to classic fashion and using interesting accessories to make it pop, so it’s no wonder really that I’m so in love with the current trend for wearing statement jewellery on your wedding day. After all, if it’s not your personal style in day-to-day life, why suddenly revert to a demure string of pearls on your wedding day? The big question for a number of brides I talk to, though, is how exactly to rock this look without going overboard – after all, nobody wants to look like a bride who (as someone once said about Joss Stone) was covered with glue and rolled through Claire’s Accessories. So today, courtesy of the good folks at Fragments Jewelry, we’re bringing you all the tips and inspiration from real brides that you need. And, just because I can’t resist it, I’m sharing some of my favourite pieces from the Fragments collection. If you’re not already familiar with the brand, then do head over to their online store – but you might want to get someone to hide your credit card first, because I warn you, what you’ll find there is seriously gorgeous!Read More

Wedding Dresses for Column Shaped Brides

20 September, 2013 by gaby

*UPDATED FOR 2021* Time for the second installment in our new series on how to pick a wedding dress for your body shape, and I must admit, as an hourglass I am more than a little jealous of the tube shaped body silhouette (we always want what we don’t have, right?).Columns/bananas/rectangles/tubes are slim builds, often athletic, with similar measurements throughout the bust/waist/hip zones.They have narrow shoulders, lean limbs, narrow hips and flat bums. They also tend to have long waists with little definition. The look is angular (and very easy to dress well), with both a small upper and trim lower body to accentuate. And of course, I’ve chosen some beautiful dresses from Etsy to illustrate.

*Links in bold denote affiliate links. The cost to you remains the same, but SBB may receive a commission for any sales made.

Bridal Showers & Hen Nights: Who Pays?

13 September, 2013 by gaby

Happy Friday, lovelies! This post comes out of an email I received from a mother of the bride asking for a bit of etiquette advice in planning her daughter’s shower. Having come across some sticky situations with regard to the financial side of bridal showers and hen parties over the years, I thought it would be a good one to discuss. Because, let’s be honest, none of us like to talk about money, but it can cause all kinds of unpleasantness.

In talking etiquette, I find it really helpful to go back to the principles on which the rules are based. The key ones here are:

Hosting: The rule is that if you host an event, you pay for it.
Gifts: Generally, guests attending an event where they are expected to give a gift should not have to pay for themselves as well.
Consideration: In situations where guests are expected to pay, the organiser should always take their budget into account. Aim towards the lower end of the scale, not the highest. Let people know costs upfront, and allow them the opportunity to withdraw. When the costs are shared, you need to be democratic.

Hen Parties/Bachelorette Nights:
In general these days, costs for hen parties are broken up per head. Guests contribute the cost of their activities, their dinners, their drinks and, if it’s a weekend, accommodation and travel costs. It isn’t a hosted activity (although it may be organised by the bridal party) so this is generally acceptable. Gifts shouldn’t be expected. If there are decorations and goodie bags, the bridal party will usually cover these.Read More

Best Man’s Emergency Kit

30 August, 2013 by gaby

Image: Anneli Marinovich on SouthBound Bride

A few weeks back, we heard from planner extraordinaire Theresa of Creation Events with her top tips & duties for groomsmen, following the popular feature we did for bridemaids. So useful to have everything summed up in one place for the boys! So today I thought that I would follow it up with some more groomsman goodness – a best man’s emergency kit (download our bridesmaid’s one here). So here we go – let’s hear it for the boys! *Links in bold denote affiliate links – SBB may receive a commission on any sales made.

Wedding Dresses for Pear Shaped Brides

23 August, 2013 by gaby

*UPDATED FOR 2020* Today we’re starting a new series, looking at how to buy a wedding dress that suits your body shape. I’m always a bit dubious of body shape stuff (mostly because the things they say for mine are usually nonsense) and I do think that the best thing you can do is to try on lots of dresses and have a chat with the ladies who work at dress shops, because they really know their stuff. But with that said, I think it’s a good idea to have a starting point. You want to look your very best on your wedding day, and the good news is, whatever your shape, there’s a dress (or several) out there that will make you look like a superstar. It’s all about emphasizing your best features and playing a bit of visual trickery to draw the eye towards them. We’re starting today with pear or triangle shape brides – a really common shape, and one which is pretty much made for a wedding dress! And as long as you avoid the wrong type of dress, the answer is no, your bum won’t look big in this. ;)

*Links in bold denote affiliate links. The cost to you remains the same, but SBB may receive a commission for any sales made.

50 Newlywed Shoe Game Questions

16 August, 2013 by gaby

Over the last year or so I’ve been noticing quite a few brides and grooms playing this fun little game at their reception, including Oded and Sarah, whose wedding we featured last week. The shoe game works a little like the Newlywed Game on TV, but with shoes (and anything with shoes is good, right?). But how does it work and what are the best newlywed shoe game questions? Read on! *This post includes affiliate links.

The Groomsmen’s Duties (Plus Groomsman Proposal Ideas)

5 July, 2013 by gaby

Image: Daniel West on SouthBound Bride

Happy Friday, lovelies! I have such a treat for you today! A while back, we asked the lovely Theresa Lazarevic of Creation Events to share her advice for bridesmaids and maids of honour. I knew her advice was good, but I couldn’t imagine how many times it would be read and shared by brides all over the world – it’s been consistently our top post ever since (over 125,000 views so far!), and has been pinned and repinned thousands of times on Pinterest as well. So we thought it was about time that we gave the guys a turn, and Theresa has been good enough to gather more of her straightforward, sensible advice for the groomsmen and best men of the world. Send this off to the hubs-to-be and his besties, pin it for future reference and rest assured that now your whole bridal party will know exactly what needs to be done. Thanks so much, Theresa! Over to you…