Category: Bride

Stunning Off-the-Shoulder Wedding Dresses

by gaby

Off The Shoulder Wedding Dress

I think I may have mentioned this before, but the first wedding dress I fell totally in love with was off-the-shoulder. It was also bloody hideous. Does anyone remember Jennifer & Jack’s wedding from Days of our Lives? (Don’t blame me, it was the ’90s.) Anyway, then like everyone else, I went off of off-shoulder, because nothing dated a dress more quickly, right? And then, the fashion pendulum swung, as it always does. Princess Charlene rocked a gorgeous off-the-shoulder, then so did Amal Clooney, and hey presto, they’re officially one of bridal fashion’s most trendy and romantic looks. And like every good soap opera character, I’m desperately in love again. This time around, the off the shoulder look is all about the fabric – soft lace sleeves and swishes of tulle, ornate jewelled beading, or boho fringes. Instead of creating weird, giant artificial ‘shoulders’, the sleeves fall softly across the arm, giving brides the best of both sleeved and sleeveless dresses. I’ve rounded up 25 of my absolute favourite off-the-shoulder bridal looks to inspire!
*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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From Catwalk to Aisle: 10 Key Wedding Dress Trends for 2015

by candice

Hello lovely readers – Candice here! With all the top designers hitting the runway late last year at New York Bridal Week showing off a variety of new trends, we really have been spoilt for choice. If you’re like me, you get a bit overwhelmed by all the magnificent options. So we’ve picked our top ten, stand-out runway and bridal fashion trends for 2015 – see which style you most identify with and how these trends can be interpreted into your dream wedding dress.

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Best of 2014: Bridal Style

by gaby

Hello lovelies! Yesterday I shared with you our top 20 dresses for the year, and today we’re taking a closer look at bridal style – those little accessories and accents that complete a bride’s big impression beyond the dress itself. And as with their dresses, our brides’ choices have ranged from classical to quirky with everything in between. There has been lots of boho loveliness in particular this year, as well as winter brides in the prettiest capes and coverups. Here are our favourite looks and trends.

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Best of 2014: Wedding Dresses

by gaby

Okay fact: it’s hard to narrow down all of the categories in our annual ‘best of’ roundups. But harder than hard – almost impossible, in fact – is selecting just 20 dresses that represent the absolute amazingness that our fashion-forward brides bring to the table each year. I swear, 2014 has been the most difficult choice yet, because so many of our real weddings showcased an incredible, on-trend, super-flattering and often original take on current bridal fashion, making each bride look like a movie star. From illusion lace and portrait backs (and boy, was this ever the year of beautiful lace!), to soft colour infusions, statement backs, shoulders and sleeves, and beautiful accessories – as well as some one-of-a-kind standalone creations – SouthBound Brides had it ALL going on. The result is not only a gallery of gorgeousness from SA’s top designers (and the world’s, hello Vera Wang!), clever brides and talented family members, but a collection of inspiring and stylish ideas for brides-to-be. Bravo, brideys, bravo. And to make it extra special, I’ve let those very brides describe each creation and how they chose it in their own words.

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Pink & Blush Wedding Dresses

by gaby

Afternoon lovelies! As I mentioned yesterday, this week we’re thinking pink for breast cancer awareness, with a pink-themed post every day. Today is all about pink and blush wedding dresses and man alive, they are gorgeous. I mean, dreamy, super feminine, get-me-to-a-dressmaker-right-now-because-I-want-one, Vera Wang, ballerina fantasy GORGEOUS. There are quite a few dresses included here from real South African weddings – this is definitely one trend that we’ve embraced here and I couldn’t be happier. And while there are other colours that are also making a big impact on wedding dresses (cough cough, blue), I think pink and blush will always have the edge on other shades (other than white, of course). So here we go: 20 beautiful gowns to inspire you!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

Dip Dye & Ombre Wedding Dresses

by gaby

blue and white ombre beach wedding dress

Last year I was blown away when I featured this beach wedding, which included the gorgeous ombréd Rosenworth dress pictured above (you SouthBound Brides are such trendsetters!). Again a few months ago, I featured a stunning dip-dyed wedding dress as part of this photoshoot, and it’s since become one of our most pinned images. Clearly, the ombré wedding dress is having its day, and having done a roundup of these breathtaking beauties, I am an even bigger fan than before. It’s just the perfect way to add colour to your look while still retaining the elegant white wedding dress at the top (and in many of your photos) – a stylish compromise between classic and statement looks. Have a look at these pics and tell me you’re not a convert! 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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Gold Sparkle Wedding Dresses

by gaby

Now here’s a fashion trend roundup I KNOW you all are going to LOVE. Because we’re all a little addicted to glitter, right? In fact, I’m pretty sure a meeting of brides and wedding pros could double as a glitter addiction support group, which should totally be a thing, because I for one (if I were shopping for a wedding dress right now) would not be able to resist one of the gorgeous gowns that have everything from a smattering to a full-scale sheen of sequins and gold beads and sparkly details. Then again, why resist? Designers from the high street to the high end couture catwalk (both local and abroad) have embraced this look, so I thought it was high time I did a roundup. Welcome to magpie heaven.Read More

Wedding Dresses with Sleeves

by gaby

Hello lovelies! The internet was not my friend yesterday, so today we’re jam packing the fabulous content in here on SouthBound Bride, starting with some very lovely bridal fashion. Now, I never thought I would say this, but sleeves are SO my new fashion crush. Of course, there are sleeves and then there are sleeves. And the ones we’re talking here, whether they are little delicate caps perfect for a summer bride or soft sheaths for winter ones, are just as romantic and beautiful as the rest of the dresses they adorn. There’s lace – of course, because lace is a huge trend right now – but not just lace. Dreamy chiffons, sparkly beads, smooth silks. So ridiculously beautiful. The age of the all-triumphant strapless A-line is officially a thing of the past.Read More