Here at SouthBound Bride, I love bringing you all the latest trends. As you know, I believe that each wedding should be an expression of a couple’s unique style and personality, but it doesn’t hurt to get a sense of the ideas that are floating around out there. Eventually, those ideas can get a little repetitive. And while in some ways that doesn’t matter (remember that most of your guests don’t sit on wedding blogs all day and won’t have seen it before), it can be fun to consider fresh twists and new options. So here are eight of my top alternatives for creating your favourite effects.
Here’s my disclaimer: I’ve loved and promoted all of the ‘old’ ideas here, and I’m nobody’s fashion police. So if you love something, you DO IT. This is just about being creative and exploring other avenues along the way!
Category: Decor
5 Easy DIY Origami Wedding Ideas
Hello, lovelies! It’s time for another roundup, and today I’m not only bringing you some detail candy, but also some fab DIYs to help you incorporate the origami trend into your wedding. I’m personally a big fan of wedding origami, and as both an easy DIY and one that’s flexible enough to look great in a number of different styles of weddings, I can see why it’s become more popular recently. Origami cranes are, of course, the big one when it comes to weddings (and they have special meaning – brides and grooms are supposed to fold 1,000 cranes for luck, since the patience and perseverance in folding all that paper is supposed to be a small taste of the qualities needed for a happy marriage). But recently I’ve seen some other lovely (and basic) origami details emerging as well, and I’ve rounded them up here. If you’d like to add a handmade touch to your day without going to DIY hell, if you feel like your tables need that little extra something, or you’re looking for cute escort cards or origami invitations, or or or… this may just be the post for you! Links in bold denote affiliate links. The cost to you remains the same, but SBB may receive a commission for any sales made.
Book Themed Wedding Ideas
Vintage Penguin Book Style Personalised Wedding Poster Print by WizBitArt on Etsy
Today’s post is inspired by my dear friend Shannon, who just so happens to work at Penguin, and just so happens to be getting married next year. I don’t think she’s using Penguin books as part of her decor, but probably because of her I’ve been more aware of a few instances of them coming up in weddings recently. I have to say though, that I wouldn’t call this a trend – it’s certainly not for everyone. But for a certain type of bride and groom (library wedding, love of books, English Lit graduates, writers or editors, etc.) it makes a lovely and personal motif. All books would, of course, but Penguin books marry literature so successfully with iconic design. There are, of course, the original Penguins – those single colour covers that we all instantly recognise. But more recently, there’s been the work of Coralie Bickford-Smith, a senior designer at Penguin who has won awards and acclaim for her beautiful, covetable covers (I own a complete set of the Fitzgerald ones and I’M COMPLETELY IN LOVE with them). Including these in your decor immediately adds an element of great design, and I think that’s why some couples have been using them so successfully. Let’s have a look.
Links in bold denote affiliate links. The cost to you remains the same, but SBB may receive a commission for any sales made.
Dessert Table Inspiration
I don’t know about you, but I’ve been in love with dessert tables ever since I discovered the genius that is Amy Atlas. It takes such a simple concept – a spread of sweets, usually including a cake (but I’ve seen them done with all veggies, or cheeses, or whatever you like really!) and elevated it to a level where dessert meets design. I’d hate to be the first person at these buffets, because it must feel a little like taking a bite of a museum masterpiece, they’re just that pretty. And the best thing is, you can be really creative with them, and incorporate one into just about any style of wedding and make your dessert table a real feature of your reception that your guests will be talking about for years to come! To show you how, I’ve paired up some gorgeous dessert tables with matching Cap Classique inspiration boards. So fun!
VINTAGE BIRDS
This is one of my all-time favourite dessert tables, combining gorgeous green, brown and blue with vintage elements and a bird motif. It’s so usable, and all the different containers at different heights make it so easy on the eye. Perfect for an elegantly rustic wedding, or for a lovebirds theme. It’s paired here with (and partly inspired) the Vintage Birds inspiration board.
Milk Glass
Oh, hello lovely! Is pretty much what I think every time I see milk glass as part of wedding decor. Which, right now, is OFTEN. This is one of those times when being part of wedding world has kind of been an education, because a year ago I’d never even heard of milk (also called opaque) glass, let alone discovered how absolutely gorgeous it can look with a variety of different kinds of fillers from succulents and moss to lush bunches, single blooms or even candles. So what IS milk glass anyway? Well, it was first made in Venice in the 16th century and comes in a variety of colours (although white is the most popular – achieved through adding an agent like tin dioxide or bone ash to the glass). It was super popular at the end of the 19th century. Collecting genuine milk glass can be a pricey business, but while nothing quite compares to the beauty of the real deal, you can achieve a gorgeous and budget-friendly alternative following one of these simple DIY tutorials.Read More
Crowning Glory
Blame it on Elizabeth Messina, who first had the awesome idea of topping her own wedding cake with an antique crown, and then went on to photograph that same crown on some of her clients’ cakes, or in their hands, or on their pretty heads. They’re iconic pictures – the kind that stick in the mind and inspire a flurry of googling. Or blame it on Kate Middleton, for being all royal and getting married, and reminding us why we wanted to feel like princesses on our wedding day. Or just blame it on the tiny piece of gorgeous perfection that is a vintage crown. Either way, these have been popping up as cake toppers (and photo props) in some of the most beautiful weddings and style shoots of the last year, and every time they do, I get a little thrill. So of course I had to do a roundup, but right off I’m going to apologise, because I may be leading you brides up the garden path a little. Truth is, I have no idea where you can find these crowns, especially in South Africa. I did spot a couple on eBay and elsewhere online, and I’d love to hear from anyone who knows of a supplier or rental option in Cape Town, but chances are you may just have to start scouring local antique shops or getting creative. Even so, in the words of Dinky Bossetti (and if you get that 80s film reference I will totally love you forever), it’s good to want things. So here we go. Let the covetfest begin.
Parisian Stripes
Oh, I do like a trend! It’s no secret that stripes have been all over the catwalks recently, and they’ve been showing up in subtle wedding details and especially in stationery for a while. But recently I’ve noticed a lot of bold black and white stripes showing up on tables, including in yesterday’s gorgeous featured wedding, and I couldn’t help but wonder, are stripes the new damask? It’s true that they have the same magic of allowing pops of colour to really stand out against a black and white print. And they have the added bonus of a bit of Parisian ooh la la. Aaaand they perfectly walk that narrow line between bold and sophisticated. In fact, I can’t think of a single reason not to love them!
Sheet Music Wedding Details
Hot on the heels of the book trend comes another piece of paper awesomeness that you can DIY. Sheet music makes the most gorgeous, subtle accent for just about any kind of wedding – it works perfectly with vintage, adds whimsy to formal and can be used cheekily for a modern celebration if you pick your song sheets wisely. And what better way to celebrate your shared love of music? In fact, who can live without it, I ask in all honesty? (And yes, I totally just quoted ABBA).
My favourites? The boutonniere and the pinwheels, which are small enough to be cupcake toppers and omigod the cutest things EVER. I want them. So here they are, along with some other delicious eye candy that’ll have you hitting the high notes. (Sorry.)
Which are your favourites?
Travel-inspired Wedding Details
**UPDATE: Looking for fresh travel themed wedding ideas? Read our latest roundup here.**
One of the mini-trends I’ve noticed popping up in quite a few weddings lately is the use of travel-inspired details. As a keen traveller myself, I love this, especially the way so many couples are using it to bring more of their histories and personalities to the wedding. It might be something as simple as naming tables after places they’ve been, but there are also lots of very cute and creative ideas coming through for making travel even more of a central motif, especially when combined with a vintage vibe. Here are some of my favourites. I’ve grouped them by the different wedding elements, but many of the ideas can be adapted to other parts of the wedding, so there’s plenty of opportunity to make this trend your own if wanderlust is something you and your partner have in common. And while you’re at it, why not have your guests contribute to your honeymoon as an alternative to the gift list? The Wedding Gift List Registry can do this for you in South Africa.
Save the Dates & Invitations
DIY: Easy Paper Bunting
Hooray! Abbie’s back with another DIY project today and this one’s very close to my own heart… BUNTING! I just can’t get enough of this stuff. And if you caught today’s bunting roundup, you’ll have lots of inspiration for how to use this for your own wedding or party (or, you know, just because). Enjoy! Links in bold denote affiliate links. The cost to you remains the same, but SBB may receive a commission for any sales made.