Posts tagged ‘flowers’

Jun 12

New Ways with Proteas {Bouquets}

Hello lovelies! As you’ll remember from last week, I am currently taking a fresh look at some of SBB’s most popular trend roundups, and this I know is going to be hands down my favourite. Seriously, putting this post together I have a goofy smile on my face, like I’ve ODed on sugar. Except that this is a protea rush. Totally a real thing. After all, why else would so many South African brides choose to use our national flower in their wedding bouquets? Because they’re AWESOME, that’s why. And it’s not even just a South African thing anymore – proteas have taken the wedding world by storm. I have mixed feelings about this, because sometimes when I see gorgeous proteas at an American wedding, for example, I feel like I’m seeing one of my friends in the photos from someone else’s party. But I am trying to be cool, because after all, there is plenty of protea-inspired love and goodness to go around. Plus, even though I hate to admit it, some of those overseas floral designers are applying their fresh eyes and coming up with some astonishingly gorgeous arrangements. Especially when it comes to bouquets. Rustic textures, bright pops of colour, interesting shapes and structures… there’s a lot of ooh factor going on here. I’ve been collecting it on the SBB ♥ Proteas Pinterest board for a while, and today I thought it was high time for a roundup. Here are 25 striking protea-filled bouquets. Get ready for that rush. Read more

Feb 27

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Wedding Flowers: Blushing Brides

Move over, kings and pincushions – there’s a new protea in town! Okay, not new exactly, but this season blushing bride proteas (maybe the most perfectly named wedding flower ever) have really come into their own. This recent SBB wedding featured a ton of them, and I had quite a few queries about what the pretty blush blooms with the lacey edges were, so I thought it was time for a dedicated roundup. One of the things I love best about these flowers is that they’re native to SA and, while you can find them all over the world now, they are one of our very own. The story has it that they’re nicknamed blushing brides because men on their way to propose to their beloveds would wear one in their buttonhole, and everyone in town would know (hence the bride’s blushes) – true or not, it’s such a sweet story! I absolutely love them on their own, but combined with other flowers, fillers and even berries, they add a special something in terms of texture to any arrangement. With a combination of romantic folklore, South African pride and sheer gorgeousness, they are perfect for your wedding day. Here are some of my favourites from around the web. Read more

Jan 21

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The Bouquet {Sponsor Showcase}

Time for some inspiration from SBB’s photographer friends! I have to admit, I am a huge sucker for the subject of this month’s pics: bouquets. I know not everyone loves flowers as much as I do, but for me (having been a bridesmaid three times now), the moment the bouquets are delivered is one of the most exciting of the day. I absolutely LOVE how not only has floristry really become such an art but how for wedding photographers they’re no longer just a thing the bride holds, but the opportunity for both breathtaking still lifes, and a way of showing the personality of the bride or wedding. So when I sent out the call for this month’s showcase, I asked SBB’s wonderful photographers not to necessarily choose the most stunning bouquet, but the pic that best represented their style. And wow. Every single one of these images (which actually do show beautiful flowers, by the by) had me floored. So have a look through and be inspired in more ways than one – and remember to show our sponsors some love by heading over from their links to check out more of their lovely work!

Nov 7

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Wedding Flowers: Hydrangeas

Image: J. Crew

It’s been a while since I did a focus on just one flower type, but I think that a shout out for hydrangeas is long overdue. Along with the trends for lush but affordable flowers as well as watercolour/ombre, hydrangeas have become way more popular in the last couple of years, and I couldn’t be happier about it. There’s something about them that just epitomises summer for me. They also come in a beautiful range of colours (even within the same bloom – hence the watercolour effect). There’s just one caveat: these are seasonal flowers, and they’re usually at their peak for 2-3 weeks, changing colour as they go. So if you’re buying them yourself (or even sometimes if you’re using a florist), you may need to be a little bit flexible on the exact shade you’re using. That said, they’re worth it for their price point and ability to fill up a bouquet with a small number of blooms. Use them on their own, or together with other flowers – both ways are truly lovely. Here are some of my absolute favourite hydrangea bouquets and arrangements. Read more

Sep 5

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Bouquet P♥rn

Does what it says on the tin. That’s the principle we follow in naming educational textbooks in my other life, and that’s what I’m doing today. No crazy preamble, just 20 gorgeous bouquets that have been making my little heart skip a beat lately. Lush!!

Aug 29

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Wedding Wreaths

Sources: Meg Perotti /The Stylish Soiree via Style Me Pretty (left); Paula O’Hara Photography/Laurens Norton via Southern Weddings (right)

It’s the ciiiiiiircle of liiiiife…. Okay okay, maybe that’s a bit dramatic (and also? the last time you’ll hear me singing a song a) by Elton John and b) from a musical), but there’s no denying that a circle is an appropriate symbol at a wedding. It represents connectedness, eternity, the wedding rings. And when it’s made out of flowers – well, it’s just so gosh darn purdy. I’ve been noticing wreaths all over weddings for a while now, and every time I do they catch my attention, so today I thought we’d just bask a little in the eye candy. Read more

Aug 10

olive-leaves-wedding-decor-feature-image

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Olive Leaf Accents

Sources: left – Kelly Oshiro /Jose Villa via Once Wed; right – Merci New York/Elizabeth Messina via Green Wedding Shoes

Now here’s a little trend I’ve been wanting to bring you for ages, but I can’t think of a more perfect time to do so than during the Olympics! (Back in Ancient Greece, an olive wreath was given to the winner of each event.) Olive leaves make an amazing accent for your wedding decor, especially if you’d like to introduce a Mediterranean accent. There’s something rustic but also quite clean about them, and the silvery green colour works brilliantly against most decor, but especially a clean white. This really could work for a number of different wedding styles – an outdoor afternoon lunch, a beach wedding, a rustic farm wedding, an elegant wine farm affair. Beautiful. Here are some of the ways to use olive leaves in your decor. Read more

Jun 29

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William Clarke Flowers Workshop

Sometimes I get to do the coolest stuff. Like a couple of weeks ago, when I got a certain invitation in my inbox. Did I, it asked, want to go and hang with William Clarke Flowers and a bunch of fabulous wedding bloggers, learning to make a hand-tied bouquet while sipping champagne? Did I? Pff. Stupid question. So the following Saturday, off I went to the William Clarke studio in London. My dear friends Louise of b.loved and Amma of Beyond Beyond were there too, and I also got to meet the lovely Meryl of Homegrown Bride, Michele the Bridal Coach and of course Nicola of Propose PR, not to mention William Clarke himself, the delightful Brian, and associate Deborah Zwetsloot of Wedding Day Hire. (And you know that thing I said yesterday about South Africans secretly taking over the world? Well, William’s in on it. He’s a born and bred Saffa, who started out in hotels and moved into flowers, and now posh people pay him to make their dining room tables always look like they’ve been styled by Homes and Gardens.) So there we were, drinking Pimms and champagne before noon (well, it was five o’clock somewhere) and snacking on breakfasty canapes and generally just feeling impossibly glamorous. Brian and Deborah took us to see their secret stash of awesome in the showroom next door, where brides and grooms can have a full consultation to weigh up their decor options. Read more

Jun 14

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Watercolour Wedding Details

Good morning wedding belles! We’ll have another fabulous South African wedding on the blog this afternoon, but in the meantime, I wanted to share some fresh inspiration. First there was the pastel trend, then ombre, so it shouldn’t really be a surprise that watercolour-style design has been one of the biggest trends to emerge in 2012. It’s everywhere, from gasp-inducingly beautiful invitations and other paper elements, to cakes, decor and even to bridesmaids dresses. It’s soft and romantic, and heart-stoppingly pretty. I know you’re going to love it.

Here’s a roundup of all my favourite watercolour details – look out in the credits for the DIYs and printables (in bold), as this is a look you can pull off on any budget!

WATERCOLOUR STATIONERY
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Nov 23

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Single Bloom Bouquets

I don’t care what De La Soul think. Sometimes, one is the magic number. The number of children in my family. The number of hits Chesney Hawkes will ever have. The number of times I hope I will ever break down near Mooi River. And also, the perfect number of blooms for a chic but cost conscious bride (or just one who is in love with this trend as much as I am). Ladies and gents, the single bloom bouquet. Isn’t it PURDY?

I know, I know. You’re thinking it looks sad and sparse. You’re picturing a sad little rose clutched in your hands as you walk down the aisle, or a lone lily on your arm. No no no. Sparseness (sparsity? what will I do without my OED) is not the point here. This trend is all about allowing one lush bloom to provide focus and structure as a bouquet – to be centre stage and steal the show. Exhibit One: The Magnolia.