It’s been a while since I featured a ‘country vintage’ style wedding here on SBB, but this has become such a South African classic, that I can’t resist it once in a while! Pastels, lace, old books tied into little packages, succulents and beautiful roses – it’s the perfect fusion of ‘masculine’ rustic and pretty ‘feminine’ style. Which is more than just a style preference with today’s bride and groom (who met on the dance floor and have been dancing ever since!), a farmer and a designer whose combination of these elements also perfectly represented the beautiful balance of their relationship. There are some truly South African touches here – LOVE the groomsmen’s windmill bouts, reflected in the ribbon used to tie up the napkins, and of course in the gorgeous rural surroundings of Delsma Farm. SBB sponsor, the lovely Nicole Rich, was there to capture every glorious moment!Read More
So there I was just a few weeks ago, declaring my love for garlands, and here’s a wedding that shows off everything I love about this gorgeous floral trend. They’re pretty, they’re whimsical, they’re rustic-pretty-perfection, and in the case of Gem & Ben’s gorgeous barn wedding, they’re fynbos, which makes the heart of this South African girl soar! But beyond the lovely greenery, there is so much more to love about this wedding from the fab Abigail K. – a palette of cool blues and greens with a touch of protea pink, the spectacular gardens of Natte Valleij bathed in ethereal light and OMG Gem’s amazing illusion back, frothy tulle skirt dress! This was a wedding where family was central, where love was tangible, and where lovers of rustic romantic style will find their home.Read More
We’re closing out a week of lovely weddings with this blush and gold winelands wedding from Lara Scott Photography. It’s a garden wedding meets a ballroom wedding, with just a touch of antique/vintage, and from the dreamy portraits of the bride in her incredible gown to a curtain of fairylights glittering behind the bride and groom as the sun goes down, it’s pure romance. You’ll be smiling (and maybe swooning, just a little!) over Lara’s lovely pics and Melissa’s sweet description of the day all through your lunch hour!Read More
I just love when foreign couples decide to spend their big day under our big sky, don’t you? I mean, it’s no surprise – we already know how gorgeous South Africa is – but we love sharing it with others who have fallen for with our beautiful land and want to have it as the backdrop to their big day. Which by the way, is also an awesome way of ensuring you always have to come back for your anniversaries ;) Nina and Bernd are just such a couple – their love of SA runs deep, and they brought all their favourite people here to celebrate with them. I just love their concept of a chilled out high tea after the ceremony, with a civilised little siesta break, and then an elegant dinner. And the sophisticated design reflected these two parts of the reception, from colourful protea and fruit arrangements in rustic crates, to blush and white peonies and ranunculus on creamy tables over candlelight. Let’s just talk about those peonies for a second too, because I can’t help being in total love with Nina’s bouquet, can you? I’m so glad we’re seeing more and more of these very special blooms here in SA now. Two of my favourite wedding ladies were behind the scenes of this lovely wedding – Theresa Lazarevic of Creation Events (one of our long-time friends and sponsors), and the awesome Nikki Meyer, whose photos never fail to delight! And here they certainly do – I’m especially in love with the mountain backdrop, which has me longing for a trip to the Cape.Read More
Every wedding we feature here on SouthBound Bride is special, but some are absolute heart-melters, like this gorgeous boho forest fairytale from the lovely Jo-Ann Stokes, which includes the most spectacular couple shoot images! You won’t believe this, but it was pulled together in SIX WEEKS. As in, total. Which is pretty incredible by anyone’s standards. Of course, the only way to accomplish such a feat of wedding planning is to get friends and family involved, and that’s exactly what Chris and Christine did, right down to Christine’s amazing dress made my her mother-in-law and crown of flowers made by her sister-to-be. These two have such a lovely, earthy vibe, right down to the words Christine used to describe their big day: “Love. Bliss. Petrichor.” Even I had to look that last one up, and it’s my new favourite word – it means the smell of rain on dry earth. Which, I thought to myself, in some ways is exactly what love is. The coming of rain – a blessing, a miracle. And the perfect way to sum up the boho perfection of these childhood sweethearts’ big day.Read More
It’s not every day we get to feature a Springbok rugby player on these pages, so of course as a HUGE rugby fan myself I jumped at the opportunity when Charl Smith of Agapé Studio asked if I’d like to cover Gio Aplon‘s recent wedding! As many of you will know, Gio is a Stormer when he’s not in green and gold, and (whether by coincidence or design) his wedding to long-term sweetheart and fellow athlete Stacey was decorated in the vibrant blue and red of the Stormer’s logo. Stacey rocked not just one but two gorgeous gowns, and together with her handsome groom and seriously adorable daughter, Gia, made a picture perfect family as they celebrated this milestone together with 180 friends and family. You’ll see quite a few familiar faces from the rugby world among the guests, of course! And you can see even more from this happy day on Top Billing, where it will be featuring next month.Read More
I always know it’s going to be a good day when a submission lands in my inbox that features some of SBB’s favourite suppliers, from the heartfelt photographic stylings of Love Made Visible to a stunning Elbeth Gillis gown, to stationery by Mocho Loco and a cake by Edible Art (not to mention a guest appearance as a bridesmaid by one of my favourite bloggers). But Samantha and Paul’s wedding isn’t just a collection of talent and prettiness – it’s unique, because it tells their story (and you know how much I love personalisation!). To compliment the fresh spring green and pink palette of their wedding, they added a bunny motif, which has very special meaning on both sides, and then brought it in through some super cute (and not at all cheesy) ideas, like little rabbit topiaries on the tables and bunny brooches for the groomsmen. It’s this kind of detail that makes a wedding really unique, and adds just the right amount of whimsy to your celebration. Plus, it’s bound to put a big ol’ smile on your face – so enjoy!Read More
When people ask me how I choose weddings for the blog, I often talk about the ‘ooh factor’ – those little inspiring details that make me go ‘ooh’ (yep, I make the noise and everything). But when I saw today’s gorgeous bride in her Johanna Johnson dress, it was more like a WOW than an ‘ooh’. And everything just got more gorgeous from there – crisp modern whites on the tables, stylish chalkboard details, and an unexpected (but oh so lovely) pop of red on the elegant bridesmaids. I just love everything about Georgie & Brad’s big day, especially that in amongst all of that style, the priority was on a day that was relaxed, happy and romantic, and the talented Lauren Kriedemann was there to capture every bit of it, as only she can!Read More
It’s always fun when I get to share the wedding of a bride whose journey SouthBound Bride has been a part of in some way, and today’s was the source of one of my favourite (and most popular) inspiration boards, Mint & Peach. Of course, that’s just a starting point, but with such a gorgeous colour scheme, with a venue as charming and rustic as Rockhaven, with incredible florals (peonies, yum!) and with breathtaking photos by the always awesome Tasha Seccombe, Tam & Jim’s wedding was always going to be beautiful. And I absolutely love that they wove a single quote through their decor: “Once in lifetime you meet someone who changes everything”. It reminds me of a longer quote from Bob Marley, one of my favourites (which by the way, is awesome for a wedding reading). Inspiration boards are fun, but come to life and filled with fun, laughter and love, this one was so much better than I could have imagined.Read More
Oh my word, I am SO excited to share today’s wedding, as it features none other than my very beautiful cousin, Caitlin. I remember when I was younger and we would visit Caty (then just a little girl) and her awesome family on their farm in Elgin – I thought that it was the most gorgeous place in the world. (I admit, there was a part of me at Stellenbosch that was half on the lookout for an apple farmer husband, just so I could move there myself one day!) Fast forward a few years, and Caty was all grown up and set to marry her beau, Mike. Caitlin’s mom, Carol, has absolutely exquisite taste, so I knew it would be lovely, especially after Caty shared some of her own ideas with me (you can see the inspiration board I made for her here). The plan was a super romantic springtime wedding among the new blossoms and abundant roses on the family wine farm. Well… sometimes, life has other plans. Turned out that the weekend the couple picked for their big day was the one in which the Cape was beset by floods. Now, I’m sure there were some brides that weekend who let the weather get them down, but not this one, and not her groom or their families. The night before, the Facebook updates were full of laughter as everyone pulled together to raise dancefloors, move ceremony areas, and build extra marquees. I have so much admiration for their attitude, and it made all the difference (along with a team of awesome suppliers). The result was not only stylish, but unique and memorable and filled with smiles as much as it was filled with showers – as Caitlin summed it up herself: ‘rain, dancing and love’! And if the way these two look at one another is any indication, this is one love story that deserved a legendary celebration. The awesome Tasha Seccombe was there to capture every moment in what was essentially a photographer’s worst nightmare from a technical perspective. She hit it for a six, and I’m so happy to share the results with you today! (Caty and Mike, congrats again and big love to you both, and to the rest of the family who read this too! xxx) Read More
