Inspiration Board: Green Gables

by gaby

Good morning, brideys! How was your weekend? I’ll admit, I spent most of yesterday dying on the couch after an awesome day with my university girls – gosh, I love them, but when we get together it usually means a day of recovery! Anyway, in between feeling sorry for myself, I put together this pretty board, which was a reader request from Bonnita. I don’t know much more than her palette of peach, green and grey and while this is a combo I’ve done before, I always think that the balance of warm, sweet peach and cool, fresh green is so perfect for a wedding. Clearly Claire Pettibone thinks so too, because her gorgeous 2013 range has peach and mint accents like the back detail shown here. I’m totally in LOVE with the ceiling garlands at the reception pictured below – what a way to bring outside in for a marquee wedding especially, and I also love the handpainted feel of the invitations, with a chic envelope liner setting the tone. And I have to admit, I am coveting that ring, big time! Anyway, Bonnita, hope you like your board!

Colours: Peach, grey, mint

Top row (l-r): Table setting {Joy de Vivre Wedding Design & Coordination/Michael & Anna Costa}; dress {Elizabeth Messina}; reception decor with ceiling garland detail {Liz Banfield}; Claire Pettibone dress {Brian Leahy Photography/Claire Pettibone}
Row 2: Bouquet {Depict Photography}; peach diamond ring; invitation suite {Clark Creative}; green bridesmaid dresses {Elisabeth Millay Photography}
Row 3: Bride & groom {Depict Photography}; petal strewn aisle {Gabriel Harber Photography}; flower girl {Rebecca Arthurs Photography}; rose {Elizabeth Messina}; cake {Joy de Vivre Wedding Design & Coordination/Michael & Anna Costa}.

 

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

Landscape {Sponsor Showcase}

by gaby

Get ready for some INSANELY gorgeous photography friends! I had a feeling when I picked this month’s theme for our photography sponsors that they’d like it, but I had no idea just how many incredible pics would flood into my inbox. And the thing is, as much as I know and you know we are all about the details on SBB, sometimes the pics that really take your breath away are those that zoom right out and put you and your new partner in the context of your surroundings. They say that in South Africa we have a big sky, so maybe that’s what makes these pics particularly stunning, or the amazing scenery that we have, from beach to valley to scrub. I also love that the pictures capture the weather’s changing face, and sometimes storm clouds are the most dramatic and wonderful (so don’t be too horrified if you see them on the morning of your wedding!). This is such an afternoon treat, so grab a cuppa and enjoy – and remember that each of these talented photographers is ready and waiting to capture your big day in their own wonderful way, so do click on the links and drop them a line after checking out the rest of their portfolio!

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Inspiration Board: Seafoam Vineyard

by gaby

Good morning friends, and what a beautiful morning it is in London. The sun is out again, the garden’s freshly mowed (thanks Olly), and there’s still the hint of woodsmoke in the air from using the outdoor stove last night (unfortunately temperatures aren’t quite summery yet). Today’s board is a reader request from Kate, who’s planning a summer wedding at Constantia Uitsig (one of my favourite venues, and somewhere I am dying to stay!). Even though it’s very much a wine country wedding, with a rustic boho vibe and an incredible view of the vineyards and Table Mountain, Kate’s chosen a palette inspired by the sea, with soft blues, greens and cream as her colours. I love this – in fact, it’s the same palette my friend Heidi chose a couple of years ago for a garden-style wedding, and it looked fantastic. Using these cool colours is sure to make everything seem fresh and natural, and it’s also easy to warm them up with tiny touches of peach or pink. Kate had some really lovely ideas that she’ll be including, and hopefully I’ve added a few more to the mix with her board. Hope you like it, Kate!

Colours: Pastel blue, green and cream

Top row (l-r): Boho bride {Rylee Hitchner/Joy Thigpen}; barrels as tables {Caroline Tran Photographer/Malibu Family Wines}; loose bouquet {Erich McVey}; blue and green glass containers with white flowers
Row 2: Bridesmaids {Judy Pak Photography}; hanging carnations; doily cutlery wraps; reception sign {Braedon Photography}; cake {Abi Q Photography/Sugar & Fluff}
Row 3: Constantia Uitsig; cork escort cards {Braedon Photography}; hydrangea bouquet {Scott Piner}; dress {Scott Piner}; groomsmen {Jenna Walker Photographers}

 

SouthBound Sundays {21 April 2013}

by gaby

Heya SouthBound brideys – how has your weekend been? Everything in Gabyland is AWESOME, because the sun is out and everyone in London has a smile on their face. Seriously, it just takes a few days of sunshine to feel the mood lift here, and we even pulled off our first braai of the year last night (English housemates: chicken and burgers; South African housemate: glorious steak – once a Saffa, always a Saffa! ;) ). Today I’m off to spend time with two of my favourite girls – there MAY be some wine involved. ;)

♥ WEEKLY FAVES

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Friendship Shoots

by gaby

Since featuring Joanne Markland‘s Five Brides shoot, it’s become a bit of a sensation! These images have been pinned and tumblr-ed all over the internet, with so many ladies loving the concept of five cousins who dreamed up a shoot to celebrate not just their friendship but the fact that all of them had found true love. When the last of the five got married, all of them dressed up in their wedding dresses and rocked the frocks on a Cape beach – so much fun. I love this cross between a Trash The Dress shoot and a portrait one, and I’m sure we’ll be seeing similar ones soon!

In fact, friendship shoots are a bit of a trend at the moment, with beautiful professional photography being something that’s integrating itself into our everyday lives. Some ladies are dressing up for the camera as part of a hen party, while some choose to do it when they are reunited, or when one member of the group moves away. You could even organise a shoot as a way of thanking your bridesmaids (which doubles up as a very special memory for you) – invite them to breakfast or tea and surprise them with a photographer! They’ll love you even more if you splurge on a professional hair/makeup artist, to make sure they look their best.Read More

Honeymoon Inspiration: 10 Most Romantic Tables for Two

by gaby

Time for some honeymoon inspiration! I don’t know about you guys, but I love looking at far off places and luxury destinations and imagining myself chilling out there in my next life as Mrs George Clooney. It’s been a while since I travelled, and I am definitely getting itchy feet! Of course, a honeymoon isn’t so much about exploring and adventure as it is about togetherness, and I can’t think of anything more romantic than a private table for two with one of the world’s best views, just taking in the scenery, enjoying delicious food and wine, and revelling in the company of your favourite person on earth. In amongst the wedding planning, it’s good to take a moment to be inspired by those moments of togetherness, not to mention the gorgeousness that the world has to offer, so I’ve rounded up ten of the ultimate romantic dinner spots, just for you! Feel free to print ’em out, circle your favourite and put it on the fridge to inspire your sweetie in his honeymoon planning… PS: Did you know that if you book your trip via Expedia and become an Expedia+ Rewards member, you’ll save 10% or more just by logging in? WIN.
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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

Coloured Glassware

by gaby

Image source: We Love Pictures/Wedding Concepts via Style Me Pretty

Hello lovelies! Sorry today’s post is a bit late – I had the most random technical failure in the history of SBB, no kidding. My laptop charger died, which very quickly meant a dead laptop. Gah. Thank goodness for the SBB technical department (aka my incredibly helpful housemate Olly) who had a spare. ANYWAY, it’s Wednesday Trendsday (how is it the first time I’ve called it that?) and we’re taking a little break from our bridesmaid dress series to look at one of my very favourite decor trends. Coloured glass, you guys. It’s such a simple thing, but it seriously makes a table, which is no wonder that every stylist I know uses this whenever they can (in fact, I think I myself have done it somehow on all of my shoots!). I first fell in love with it at this wedding, and since then I have always noticed the subtle but very cohesive look it gives a table, and the way that it brings a colour palette to life in such an elegant way, not to mention the visual interest it adds. Now, I know what you’re thinking – fine for a shoot, too expensive for a 100 people right? Well, actually, no. For one thing, you can hire coloured glasses, sometimes for not much more than those you’d be hiring anyway. (Of course, if you’re having an intimate wedding, I’d go ahead and buy a set of glasses, which will always be a treasured addition to your diningware.) Or try buying a particular colour of glass at charity shops and car boot sales – you wouldn’t believe what treasure’s you’ll unearth, and if you have a vintage or boho vibe, then they don’t need to match. Another way to recreate the look is to use the glasses as vases instead of drinking glasses – that way you need fewer per table, and you could even buy cheap clear glasses at second hand shops and colour them with glass paint or dip them in gold paint (colour at the base of the glass only works just as well). Today’s pics focus on coloured wine glasses, but you can find many, many inspirational pics on Pinterest for coloured glassware in general.Read More