Inspiration Board: Modern Romantic

by gaby

Another Monday, another inspiration board, and I have to say, I am more than a little in love with this one. I’ve had a lot of requests over the last year for blush and mint weddings, and when I came across this invitation suite from Hey Look I was BLOWN AWAY by how amazing this soft, romantic colour combination works with the modern graphic black and white. With just a touch of gold, of course. It immediately got me thinking of how I often hear brides saying they want something modern but also vintage, and I think maybe this board is a little of what they mean – a contemporary feel without being too stark, and a romantic dreamy backdrop without being too fluffy. The combination sort of reminds me of Audrey Hepburn, who managed to be cutting edge stylish and incredibly classic all at the same time. Beautiful!

PS Just a little reminder for anyone who has been trying to contact me, that I am currently on leave without access to emails. I will get back to you asap!

Colours: Blush, pastel green, graphic black and white with a touch of gold

Top row (l-r): Invitation suite {Michaela Egger/Hey Look}; shoes {Harwell Photography}; striped umbrella
Row 2: Bridesmaids {Alison Mayfield Photography Studio}; boutonnieres {Simply Bloom}; vintage wedding car {Jose Villa}; tassel garland
Row 3: Striped tent; lily bouquet {Jose Villa/Mindy Weiss}; striped tie back {Landon Jacob Productions/Parkside Wedding Studio}; macaroons; cake with chevron.

 

BHLDN Summer Bridal Lookbook

by gaby

We’re off to sunny climes for our afternoon adventure today. And my goodness, are you about to be swept up in a tropical bohemian haze of beautiful dresses, chic accessories and a dreamy location. If I were to be shipwrecked, I think I’d be quite happy as long as I also had a treasure chest full of BHLDN wedding and bridesmaid dresses to dress up and frolic about in! Head over to the BHLDN website to check out their full collection of dresses – although be ready to spend some time there, as each one of their collection is more swoony than the last. I can’t WAIT to see these on real brides.Read More

50 Newlywed Shoe Game Questions

by gaby

Newlywed Shoe Game Questions

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.

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L is for Love

by gaby

I have such a fab shoot to share with you today! I absolutely love a bit of colour, and this styled inspiration, from the awesome Louise of b.loved and EFC Photography, is ALL about colour. And not just in the decor, which has a super fun pop art vibe to it, but in four different, really gorgeous looks perfect for a statement bride. This is the kind of shoot that is a perfect example of why I think inspiration shoots are good for the wedding industry. Sure, you might not reproduce the entire ensemble for your big day, but everywhere you look here, there’s a great idea. Pick one or two, and they’ll really jazz up your wedding with that extra edge of ‘specialness’ (for lack of a better word).Read More

Real Wedding at La Petite Dauphine {Natalie & Alex}

by gaby

It’s such a pleasure to me to be able to share the stories of so many brides and grooms here on SBB. But it’s even more of a pleasure when I get to share the love story of someone I know, and that’s what I get to do today! Natalie is a fellow Minervianer (which for the non-Stellenbosch crowd means we were in the same res at uni). She’s the loveliest person, and very beautiful, and I always knew some dashing man would sweep her off her feet. It turned out to be one of those stories where Nats fell in love with her best friend (love those, right?!) – I finally got a chance to spend some time with the couple here in London recently and they are ADORABLE. What I love most about their wedding day is that you can see the sheer joy radiating from both of their faces, and in fact this is the first thing Cheryl McEwan, their fab photographer, said to me afterwards, that the love on their big day was so tangible. This is what it’s all about, people! Well, that and a lovely in lavender intimate French-style reception at La Petite Dauphine and a bride in a romantic Suzanne Neville dress… but mostly the love. ;) Don’t miss Nats’ goosebumpworthy description of how they met and got together!Read More

Fruit & Vegetable Bouquets

by gaby

Hello lovelies! You know, when I first did posts on fruit and vegetables in wedding design three years ago, I had no idea how much they would become part of the floral landscape, but I have to say, I absolutely LOVE them. It’s the texture that’s added by the unusual shapes or colours, as well as the pop of something unexpected. Not to mention, of course, that many brides and grooms now choose to include them because of the green credentials of working with something that can be eaten and not wasted. I’m amazed by the creativity of wedding floral designers (or should that be floral, fruit & veg designers nowadays?). So today I thought I would round up 25 of my absolute favourite bouquets that include a combination of flowers, fruit, vegetables and herbs. They’re all so deliciously beautiful! Keep an eye out for veg patch favourites like kale (very much of the moment), cabbage, artichokes and then fruity berries and citrus, although the possibilities are really endless.Read More

Real Wedding at Kronenburg {Lerize & JP}

by gaby

I always smile when I see that episode of How I Met Your Mother when Ted tells his kids that long distance relationships hardly ever work. I mean, he’s right. Most of the time, they’re a disaster. But I’ve read enough love stories here on SBB to know that there’s a big gap between “hardly ever work” and “impossible”. In fact, sometimes it’s weathering the storms of long distance love that can show a couple that the vessel they have built together is made of stronger stuff. Guess that makes it a relation-ship, boom boom. Okay, I’ll stop with the nautical metaphors, except to say that today’s couple, having made it through some time apart in their courtship and been all the stronger for it, were ready to sail off into the sunset. Which they did, figuratively, with a beautiful wedding (and literally, when they emigrated to Australia). I love the sweet little touches they added to their day – Lerize’s shoes that said “I do”, little wooden hearts tied with lace, a ribbon backdrop. And I also love Michelle Joubert-Martin‘s beautiful photos, that really capture the depth of emotion that these two were feeling.Read More

Nautical Wedding DIY Roundup

by gaby

It’s actually hilarious that I love nautical style as much as I do, considering the complete lack of sailing skills that I have. Seriously, if I ever gave it a try, I’d probably get smacked with the boom before I even figured out which side was starboard. Even so, nautical wedding details never fail to raise an excited “ooh!” from me – they’re just so preppy and punchy, and the perfect combination of contemporary, vintage and rustic. You all clearly feel the same, since our roundup of nautical wedding details is still one of SBB’s most popular posts. So today I thought I would round up some of the seriously ship-shape DIYs that are sailing about the internet. Awesome, ahoy! (Yes, I’ll stop now.)

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Real Wedding at Brenaissance {Carin & Marius}

by gaby

Today’s bride and groom are, quite simply, my kind of people. Carin’s philosophy of weddings could probably be my motto for life: good food, enough drinks, excellent music – add in lovely people and a gorgeous view and that’s pretty much all you need to be happy as far as I’m concerned. Luckily the couple had both of those too, surrounded by family and friends and getting married in the heart of the Cape winelands at Brenaissance. I love the classic style of their wedding, the perspex decor accents, the white tulips, the duck egg blue tablecloths, Carin’s pretty dress, her mismatched bridesmaids and OMG I love their food stations. Like, LOVE. Such delicious and fun combinations and there’s even a braai station! Stylishly presented, of course. It’s the perfect combination of old school elegance and minimalist modernism, and it works perfectly. Plus, there are the crazy beautiful pictures taken by Yolande Marx. So what are you waiting for? Get pinning!Read More

Inspiration Board: Lazy Hazy Days

by gaby

Some weddings are all tradition and formality and classic palettes. Invitations are engraved, etiquette is followed. They’re lovely, of course. But the other kind of wedding I love is when a couple takes their cue from their favourite kind of party: a brunch, a dinner party, a picnic,  a festival even. Or, in the case of this board, a summer garden party. Sundresses for the ladies, lemonade, alcoholic popsicles, ribbon wands. Red, pink and orange were a popular colour combo a few years ago, but they’re updated here with melon, pink and a punch of yellow – and how gorgeous is that bright citrusy table and bouquet? This would be such a fun wedding to host and attend, and is perfect for a couple who would like to keep things more lighthearted with their palette.

Colours: Orange, yellow, pink

Top row (l-r): Bridesmaids in sundresses {KT Merry/David Arthur Fittin/Lucia Paul Design}; lemonades {KT Merry/David Arthur Fittin/Lucia Paul Design}; bouquet {Cliff Brunk/A Bride’s Best Friend}
Row 2: Parfaits; cake {Anne Robert Photography/Dana FitzGerald/Blackbird Bakery}; billy buttons {Andrea Dozier}
Row 3: Table arrangements {Laura Jane Petelko/Cynthia Martyn Events Inc.}; popsicles in wine; ribbon wands {Cameron + Kelly Studios/Sedona Bride}

 

Lazy Hazy Days Inspiration Board | SouthBound Bride