Category: Cape Weddings

Real Wedding at Sante Hotel {Talya & Paul}

by gaby

It’s amazing how a good photographer can not only capture the details and action of a wedding, but give it a story, turn it into a cohesive whole. Take, for example, Gavin Casey – awesome Cape Town photographer and the man responsible for Talya and Paul’s gorgeous pictures today. His images are always bathed in heavenly light, like the whole wedding took place at so-called golden hour, or in a blissful scene from a Hollywood movie. And today, Gavin’s style is the perfect complement to the elegantly woodsy style of the wedding, which is both delicate and rustic, with textures like moss, timber, bark and bloom. And have I mentioned how much I love Jewish weddings? The reveal of the bride, the Chuppah ceremony (made even more special here because the groom made the Chuppah himself) and all that joyous dancing. It all wraps up into a celebration that’s part earth-bound, part heaven-sent, totally lovely.Read More

Real Wedding at The Farmhouse Hotel {Leigh & Andrew}

by gaby

Sometimes weddings are like London buses – I went for ages without a lovely beach wedding to share, and now I have two in a row! Well, no complaints from me, as I absolutely adore a toes-in-the-sand, head-in-the-clouds, chilled out beach do and today’s wedding is one of the most chilled I have ever come across. And you guys, an ombre wedding dress. Seriously, I LOVE. Leigh and Andrew are the picture of Cape Town surfey gorgeousness, and their love story had so much to do with Langebaan that they couldn’t help but decide to get married in this special seaside town. They chose a super fun palette of turquoise with a pop of colour-of-the-moment neon, which not only worked with their wedding style but reflected their complementary personalities. My dear friend Monica Dart was there as the photographer, to capture all the life and movement and colour, as only she can. What a lovely wedding.Read More

Real Wedding at Grootvlei {Vicky & Arri}

by gaby

Get ready, people, because this might be my favourite beach wedding EVER. Bold claim, I know, but just wait until you see it. I don’t know where to start! Of course, I shouldn’t be surprised – this is what happens when two creative people get together and fall in love. Arri is a 3D animator and Vicky is the designer behind the awesome Mocho Loco brand (so you can get a bit of her genius for your own wedding, win). He’s South African, she brings her Argentinian heritage to the table – and you’ll see how much dancing and fun went down, starting right there on the beach. Seriously, this is the only wedding I have seen with the bride and groom hula hooping – it. is. awesome. The couple went BEYOND when it came to DIY – they made everything, and it is all so gorgeous. My favourite is the door entrance to the ceremony area (beach perfection!), and I also loved the swing for two that they sat on during the speeches. The table decor includes some of my favourite DIY elements tied together perfectly with Vicky’s lovely stationery. And my goodness, I can’t not mention Vicky’s beautiful dress! But I keep coming back to the dancing – it’s the heartbeat of this joyous wedding, bringing together family and friends from two continents in an incredible celebration. The amazing Maree Louw of Natural Light Photography was there to capture everything, and capture it she did in the most gorgeous photos. It was so hard to choose, so you’re getting a bit of a photo bonanza today. Okay! Enough raving from me. Here it is! Oh, and PS, if you want to see more, come back later for the video!Read More

Real Wedding at Kleinevalleij {Lana & Albertus}

by gaby

Get ready for wedding gorgeousness you guys! I have been dying to share Lana and Albertus’ wedding for a while now, and you don’t have to look much further than the sparkly bridesmaid dresses to see why! But in fact, that’s just one (very) pretty detail in what is otherwise a light and bright, clean yellow wedding with sweet origami touches and a lovely summery feel. It all comes together so perfectly! Chevron is something we’ve been seeing a lot of, and I think the print is used so perfectly here – nice, subtle touches like the groomsmen’s ties, the ring pillow and the dance floor. The result is a look that’s very much of-the-moment, but to be honest, I don’t feel that you’ll look back on this and feel it’s very dated in years to come, as the basic blank canvas is very classic. And isn’t that what so many brides aim to achieve? Great job, guys! And speaking of great jobs, as always I am LOVING the pics from the awesome Moira West – she always captures the look of a wedding so beautifully.Read More

Real Wedding at Forest 44 {Monique & Christo}

by gaby

Purple, you guys. It’s the new pink. For weddings, anyway. Especially here in the UK, it has really been a breakout colour this summer, but I’m seeing more and more brides pick it in South Africa as well. As versatile, warm and pretty as pink, but with an extra dash of spice and intrigue, it’s no wonder. And today we have another bride and groom who chose it for their big day, in various shades from light to dark. So pretty! But that’s not all I love about Christo and Monique’s wedding, oh no. There are so many fun ideas. The post-ceremony champagne tasting for guests (LOVE this idea). The cohesive stationery ‘brand’. The couple’s shoot at a flying club. And of course, the lacy cake (although when I heard the flavour, I think that the inside might have been even better than the outside!). Photographer Jilda G. was there to capture every moment of these primary school teachers’ (and high school sweethearts’) big day.Read More

Real Wedding at Olive Rock {Mari & Morné}

by gaby

Hello lovelies, are you ready for your daily portion of wedding gorgeousness? Well, we’re serving it up hot, with awesome on the side. Today’s wedding is a mixture between fun and elegant, with a cheeky nod to the bride and groom’s M&M initials with M&M favours and cute monogram details throughout. Lush white flowers, cute cartoon stationery, soft stripes, grey bridesmaids dresses with billowy baby’s breath bouquets and adorable personalised cake toppers continue to walk the line between classic and light hearted. It’s a combination that really appeals, especially since the gorgeous wedding pics were taken by none other than SBB fave Nastassja Harvey. Tash’s clean, bright style is just perfect for this wedding – enjoy!Read More

Real Wedding at Nooitgedacht {Bridget & Quinton}

by gaby

What’s the expression – ‘we plan and God laughs’? Well, that was certainly true for me this week, when I had a full week of goodness planned for you that got halted by some dodgy code that crept into my beloved little site and shut things down for a bit while I sorted it all out (that’s me: owner, editor, office manager and tech support! ;) ). Anyway, I’m trying to be philosophical about it all, and so we’ll just have to wait until next week for me to share our lovely real life bride’s wedding with you, and I’m sure it’ll be all the more awesome for the wait. For this morning though, we have a gorgeous wedding from Abigail K. It was just a couple of weeks ago that I rounded up ice cream pastel bridesmaid dresses, and now here the look is in all its lovely glory – really, I think this might be one of my absolute favourite wedding styles. It’s so soft and pretty, and works beautifully with country vintage touches like proteas, lace and antique books. But I think what really makes Bridget and Quinton’s wedding stand out for me is the way that they used the space available to them at Nooitgedacht, employing the beautiful drive as a ceremony area, with colourful bunting and lamps strung high across the trees, lending everything a celebratory, festival vibe. So pretty! I also love the bridesmaids’ single king protea blooms, tied with pretty ribbon and looking so lovely against their dresses. It all wraps up to be incredibly pretty and colourful in quite a classic way. Enjoy. (Oh, and psst, be sure to stop by this afternoon for some great advice on planning a beach wedding!)Read More

Real Wedding at Tanglewood {Maria & Gerrit}

by gaby

Serendipity. It’s the loveliest of words, isn’t it? Happy accidents. And with some couples, it really seems to fit, so it was no surprise to me that when I read Maria’s story of her beautiful wedding it was a word that she used herself. See, Gerrit and Maria have a serendipitous beginning – both religious, they decided to ready themselves for a lasting relationship with a marriage course at their church, and it was there that they found each other. They share a surname – another happy accident – and you can see from the love and happiness surrounding them on their wedding day that that’s just one of many things that they share. And goodness me, how much am I in love with Maria’s incredible grey silk dress and floor-length mantilla combo? Wow. Not to mention the really fresh styling of their decor, in bold green, navy and pink with an adorable cartoon stationery touch. My favourite part is the ficus trees they’ve used as centrepieces – such a unique touch, but one that is part of their story, as all the best wedding day details are. This is really a wedding to pore over and fall properly in love with, and that’s in no small part down to the stunning images from Cari Photography – love, love, love!Read More

Real Wedding at Molenvliet {Christelli & Heinrich}

by gaby

Another day, another BEAUTIFUL wedding! And while I’m always a fan of unique colour combos or fun themes, sometimes it’s good to remind ourselves that a classic white wedding will never go out of fashion. Today’s gorgeous nuptials, photographed to perfection (as always!) by Catherine Mac, are the ideal example. This wedding is elegant, it’s romantic – it’s the blank canvas on which a grand love story is written. Christelli and Heinrich make a stunning couple, and everything from her diamond solitaire engagement ring and ribbon tied bouquet to her sweeping lace gown whispers classic beauty. But there are also fun touches – the tables named after wines (so appropriate at Molenvliet, one of our premier vineyard venues) or the ice cream dessert, for example. So for all you classic brides (and lovers of romance everywhere), this one’s for you.Read More

Real Wedding at Little Stream {Lynsay & Graham}

by gaby

As a blogger, there have been a few times unfortunately where I’ve had to face the question of whether to blog in the face of unhappy events, whether home or abroad. This isn’t a news blog, but it can seem trivial to talk about weddings when there’s a major earthquake, or when my American readers are dealing with a national tragedy like what happened yesterday in Boston. I’m a runner, and my heart goes out to everyone who was injured or was there, and their friends and families. But if there’s one thing I’ve learned as a runner, it’s to carry on, even when things feel bad, when your legs are pounding and a part of your brain is telling you you’d be crazy not to stop. And if there’s one thing I’ve learned as someone who has also experienced loss of my own and through others, it’s that one of the very reasons that we have to hold tight to those shining moments of joy like the celebration of two people falling in love and promising a lifetime to one another, is because life isn’t always cupcakes and toile. So I’m blogging today. And frankly, there couldn’t be a wedding that is more full of life and love and promise and light than this one. Lynsay and Graham opted for a picnic wedding at the picturesque Little Stream in Constantia, and everything from the luminous bride and her boho bridesmaids to the high tea-style tables laden with food, the hanging teacups and acres of bunting, to the ice cream cart bringing smiles of delight to adults and kids alike is a gentle celebration of family and friends, nature and romance. Charlene Schreuder is a genius at capturing this sort of wedding, and she’s done so in her usual gorgeous style.Read More