Tag: Cape weddings

Real Wedding at Grand Dedale {Catherine & Mark}

by gaby

One of the things I love about SouthBound Bride being a destination wedding blog, is that I’m not limited to a particular aesthetic in the weddings I feature. Which suits me perfectly, since I have pretty eclectic tastes myself. I’ve featured beautiful vintage weddings, boho beachy celebrations, African-tastic bush scenes, city slickers, even themed weddings. I adore them all. Today’s wedding doesn’t fit into a particular mould – it’s set in the beautiful Cape countryside but has elements of classy city minimalism; it’s elegant and sophisticated, but with fun touches like fresh oyster shucking and a pimped up dessert table. And all of this within the most gorgeous white on white palette. It’s quintessentially Capetonian, and no surprise that it’s been so perfectly rendered, since it was co-ordinated by the awesome team at Wedding Concepts and photographed by Jan-Hendrik. I know you’re going to love it as much as I do!Read More

Real Wedding at Constantia Mist {Sarah & Peter}

by gaby

Coral, you guys. I have been preaching coral (along with my fellow wedding bloggers) for the last year, and I’ve seen it in inspiration boards and inspiration shoots and weddings on other people’s blogs. But today, coral is making a personal appearance here on SBB and let me tell you, get ready to do some Beatles-style shouting and crying, because it is everything I thought it would be and more. Of course, the colour scheme’s not the only reason I fell in love with Sarah and Peter’s beautiful Constantia Mist garden wedding (shot in glorious colour and detail by friends and SBB sponsors Andre and Selma of Expressions), but it’s the first one. Close behind were super sweet details like button badges, wooden tableware, divine stationery, sweet white folding chairs and paper pom poms. It’s like the posh version of a country picnic, and manages to be charming and sophisticated and a little bit retro all at the same time. It is LOVE. More like this one please, people. Make a blogger happy. ;)Read More

Real Wedding at Constantia Uitsig {Kate & Christian}

by gaby

Wakey wakey, SouthBound Brides! I have a lovely wedding for you this morning, and it was a lovely morning for this wedding! A few weeks back, I ran a story about brunch weddings (only one of my most popular, so I guess this is an idea that’s gathering speed) and bride Kate contacted me to tell me about hers. She and her husband, Christian, decided on an autumn champagne brunch at La Colombe, Constantia Uitsig, so they could dash off on their honeymoon afterwards, and chose a neutral, slightly vintage palette. The gents wore morning suits and all the ladies at the wedding were asked to wear hats and fascinators (I just love this!). The result is classically beautiful wedding that really captures Cape Town’s autumnal charm (although lucky for Kate and Christian, they just missed the Cape Town rains!). Warren Williams was there to take the pictures, and as always has done an awesome job in capturing the spirit of the day – I love the fashion editorialey style of these shots. And here’s the even better news – come back in an hour and I’ll have a lovely bit of video from this wedding to show you too!Read More

Real Wedding at Ongegund {Ruenda & Sean}

by gaby

We often use the word ‘inspiration’ on wedding blogs, but today’s bride and groom really are an inspiration. It’s not just the love story they share (and wait till you hear what the groom planned for the reception – it actually choked me up properly!), but the way that they succeeded in ensuring that their wedding would leave as little impact on the environment as possible. They made sure that nothing was unnecessary or in excess, and they used recycled or recyclable materials as much as they could. Which sounds terribly sparse, but in fact, the decor at this wedding is some of the prettiest I’ve seen. There are so many original touches, and then hearing where they come from and often, where they will be re-used, is really enough to make even the most extravagant bride think. So I hope that as you look through Annemari Ruthven‘s gorgeous pictures, that you will be inspired beyond the pretty, and maybe take something away for your own wedding as well.Read More

English Country Style Beaumont Wines Wedding by Glee Photography {Nombuso & James}

by gaby

As a wedding blogger, it’s sometimes a bit of an odd experience going through someone else’s wedding pictures. The ones I tend to leave out (when I’ve been sent a full set) are the family shots, pictures of the guests, dancefloor pics. Those are personal pics, not really for a blog, but they do give me an amazing insight into a couple. And let me tell you, Nombuso and James have a lot of love around them, not to mention friends and family that really know how to party! There’s so much joy and good feeling and even pride on every guest’s face, that you just know what an awesome couple they are. Of course, that’s not the only reason I love this wedding at Beaumont Wines. I’m a big fan of the English country style they’ve employed in neutrals, with little pops of pastel and raspberry pink. I’m a big fan of their adorable cake, their old fashioned jars of sweets for favours, their hessian (burlap) bunting. The haybale seating at the ceremony (so cute!). The cool lanterns on their dancefloor (what a lovely alternative to the large round lanterns we usually see.) The bride’s shoes – how I do love those Westwoods! All in all, it’s a truly lovely wedding, perfectly captured by Glee Photography – enjoy!Read More

Real Wedding at Bloemendal {Candice & Jacques}

by gaby

Yay for summer, SouthBound Brides. It’s finally hit London, and I am loving it! Yesterday I spent a brilliant afternoon with the lovely ladies of The Pretty Blog over at Peggy Porschen, eating cake and drinking champagne, and was home in time for sundowners in the garden. Delightful! Today’s Bloemendal wedding has the same lazy, hazy, glorious feeling that a good summer afternoon always gives me – Kim du Toit’s pictures are so dreamy and yummy! I adore the romantic details done just right – the peachy neutral palette, the mismatched bridesmaids dresses, the outdoor photobooth, the papel picado gardlands, the ribbon backdrop, OMG. I’ve seen these in lots of inspiration shoots, but I love that this couple incorporated it into their décor. Having it over the door to the venue meant that it was a focal point both inside and out, and they placed the bridal table in front of it accordingly. Very clever! But it’s no surprise the bride has great taste, since she’s one of the team over at the fantastic Secret Diary Designs, one of my favourite SA wedding stationers. I know you ladies are going to lap this one up!Read More

Real Wedding at Sea Trader {Misha & Henri}

by gaby

You know, a lot of people, when they find out what I do, comment that organising a wedding these days is such an over-the-top thing. In the same way as I think my mother believes you can only be either a teetotal or a budding alcoholic (guess which side of that line I fall on?), I think many of them believe a wedding can either be a three day zillion Rand extravaganza with ice sculptures, chocolate fountains and swans in the swimming pool, or a pared down civil ceremony with zero decoration and lunch at a nearby restaurant. Well, you and I both know that’s rubbish. There’s a spectrum of weddings, and that’s what makes them so interesting and exciting. But one thing I do know is that adding just a few key details will raise your wedding’s game. Take today’s Sea Trader wedding (photographed by the lovely Bernard Bravenboer), for example. It isn’t over the top, but it is beautiful. Clever Misha and her wedding planning team knew exactly where to add those special details. Coloured glass on the tables. A beautiful rose bridesmaid dress and a flower girl in a baby’s breath crown. A picturesque beach ceremony. Interesting boutonnieres. Wedding newspapers. Pretty cocktails. No swans in the pool. No ice sculpures. Just the gorgeous pink fairytale wedding that Misha and Henri dreamed of. Simples.Read More

Real Wedding at Kronenburg {Carla & Johann}

by gaby

Good morning, SouthBound Brides! Today’s wedding at Kronenburg has been waiting in our vaults to come out and play with you for a little while, and I can’t wait to share it with you. Think proteas, for one thing. Lots and lots of very luscious proteas. Proteas as favours even – how good is that? Carla and Johann have paired them with the most gorgeous shade of sage green, which is so elegant and really makes the flowers pop (not to mention looks gorgeous on the bridesmaids). One of my very favourite details is the way that on the tables, boards wrapped in wallpaper are used to create a base for the centrepieces – it really adds visual interest and texture, and is such a simple DIY! But I think my favourite thing about this wedding (captured in glorious colour and detail by regular SBB contributor, Bernard Bravenboer) is the way that you can see that laughter is a big part of the bride and groom’s relationship – just look at the irrepressible smiles on their faces! And, as somebody called August Wilson once said: “All you need in life is love and laughter. That’s all anybody needs. To have love in one hand and laughter in the other.” Baie geluk, you two! I hope that sense of joy always stays with you in your marriage.Read More

Real Wedding at Glen Carlou {Rochelle & Henry-John}

by gaby

So a couple of weeks ago, I got behind the idea of a brunch wedding, and you guys have been loving it. I think one of the reasons is that it offers an alternative to a full scale canapes-cocktails-sit-down-meal-dance-all-night reception (much as I love them), and that can be a great thing not just for budget reasons, but also for brides and grooms who are hosting on a Sunday and don’t want to send their guests home drunk on a school night, or want to make use of a venue that wouldn’t cater to an evening crowd, or just want a different sort of vibe. Brunch is one option, but today’s bride and groom got creative and decided to host a high tea reception for their party. Not only did the two chocoholics get to serve their favourite kind of food (and just check out the spread here), but they also achieved a laid-back daytime vibe at pretty Glen Carlou wine estate. Guests didn’t have to worry about formal table settings, but could sit and chat with their goodies at a number of smaller tables and other seating areas. It’s all so civilised. And it doesn’t hurt that Rochelle and Henry-John played up the pretty high tea inspiration using details like a ‘tree’ of hanging teacups to complement their black and white colour scheme. I’m all about making it your day, your way, and this is one couple who lived that philosophy completely. The lovely Taryn Ward was there to take pictures.Read More

Real Wedding at Rustenberg Estate {Stacey & Greg}

by gaby

There’s just something about a garden in summer, isn’t there? I came back from South Africa to find my housemate and his mum had been hard at work and ours looks amazing, all lush and green and dappled in sunlight. And in the evenings (which are long), it’s the perfect place to sit with a glass of wine and some dear friends and talk until it’s dark. Stacey and Greg’s Rustenberg Estate garden wedding captures that feeling, and turns it into the most gorgeous mixture of elegance and romance. I’m in love with the way that they mixed fruit and flowers on their table in beautiful platters and vases (all the different heights and textures are such a feast for the eyes!) and I’m in LOVE with the way that the amazing Lauren Kriedemann has so beautifully captured every last detail – I feel like I could step into these photographs, hear the laughter and chatter around the koi pond, smell the roses, taste the wine. Enchanting, intoxicating. I may have gone a little overboard on the pics, but there was just too much pretty to cut down! PS This was only the second event at Rustenberg Estate, a must-check-out new venue in Stellenbosch. Oh, and PPS future Cape brides: Stacey and her friend have just set up a new event lighting company called Let’s Get Lavish, so head over to their Facebook page to find out more. Read More