Inspiration Board: Polka Promise

I’ve had lots of requests from real brides recently for pastel pink and green boards – clearly this is one colour combination that isn’t going anywhere! These two colours always give me such a good feeling – they’re so balanced, but at the same time so pretty and fresh. They’re ideal for a (spring or) summer wedding, which is just what real bride Jeani will be having. She wrote to tell me of the elements they’re considering: proteas and herbs, lace, DIY details. They also want to include polka dots as a motif, which I think is super cute! The key to using something like polka dots is not to go overboard, but to use them carefully and then echo them in shape or texture. So I’ve suggested some gorgeous DIY dot garlands (Jeani can use these hanging in the ceremony area, as a backdrop to the cake table or main table, draped from the ceiling – lots of options!). I’ve also suggested a polka dot cake (how sweet and subtle is this one?), pink paper polka straws, and even a dotty dress (look closely at the image bottom left). Then the circles are reflected in elements of the protea and rose bouquet, and the fun balloon accents in the ceremony area. Other fun DIYs that Jeani and her man can try are origami heart place settings, lace-wrapped votives and jars, a pretty lacy ring dish and ribbon-tied chair backs (use this on just the bride and groom’s chairs if you don’t want to spend a fortune on ribbon). Add a pretty sash to a wedding dress, and carry that fresh green into herbs under bell jars and inside found objects like this old fashioned filing drawer. There’s lots here to play with, and it all adds up to handmade summer sweetness! Hope you like it, Jeani!

Colour: Pastel pink, green, cream and beige

Top row (l-r): Dress with sash {Lisa Poggi}; origami heart DIY; lace-wrapped mason jar vases; paper dot garlands; herbs under glass {S: Paul Lowe & Paul Vitale; P: Alexandra Grablewski}
Row 2: Protea bouquet; balloon ceremony area {P: Simply Bloom Photography}; herbs in drawers {S: Paul Lowe & Paul Vitale; P: Alexandra Grablewski}; lace-wrapped votives
Row 3: Bride & groom; polka dot cake; DIY lace ring dish; paper polka dot straws; ribbon chair backs {P: Rebecca Wedding Photography}.

Inspiration Board: Market Day

Hello friends! How are you enjoying your Tuesday? Where I am (in Durban) it’s raining like mad… hm, time to head for the English summer again, I think. ;) Big thanks to all of you for the blog, facebook, twitter and email love for the new site – very, very much appreciated! This afternoon I have a fun little inspiration board for you, which was created especially for one of our featured brides whose sister is now taking the plunge. The plan is to have a sort of market feeling, celebrating ‘the abundance of life’. Guests will get to serve themselves from an amazing spread of market-style food – how fun is that? I just love this idea, and I was pleased to find that farmer’s market-style weddings are a growing trend across the pond. There are so many cute things you can do here, and you all already know how much I love including fruit and vegetables in your decor. So here’s my take, using bright colours and rustic natural textures. Mason jar lights are perfect here, as are the adorable vegetable escort cards (and a carrot as a boutonniere? why not?!), kraft paper and chalkboard details, and Bashews soft drinks. I love the idea of creating a whole market display, especially when guests are given brown paper boxes or tote bags, and able to take home produce as their favours. Flowers are mixed and natural, and I like the mix of little jars and potted arrangements. I can just imagine the bride wearing a pretty short dress, like the one shown here – so fun! Hope your sister likes this, Kerri – keep us posted!

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Inspiration Board: Pastel Protea

Happy Monday my friends! Sorry last week was a little quiet – I’m afraid it was just one of those weeks. Anyway, today I have a board that I am SO in love with. And even better, I got to create it for a friend. The lovely Louise came into my dear friend Sven’s life a little while back and he was immediately smitten, so we were all thrilled when they announced their engagement. They’ll be getting married in Natal next year, and are planning a brunch wedding (so fun!). When Louise described what she was after, I immediately knew what she was looking for, since it’s a look that I’d had in the back of my mind for ages, and I think it came together beautifully. It uses soft pink and green, proteas, brown paper (how much do I love the table plan?), chalkboard and watercolour, and I’ve added in a few pretty paper details as well. Isn’t it lovely? Oh, and look out for brunch ideas coming your way this Wednesday if you’re also planning a morning wedding!

Colours: Soft pink, green and neutrals

Top row (l-r): Bride with single bloom protea bouquet (Jose Villa); brown paper escort cards (Katie Stoops); pastel table arrangement (White Room Events/Pobke Photography); chalkboard pancake menu (Green Wedding Shoes/Lauryl Lane/My Bride Story/Birds of a Feather); wish jar (White Room Events/Pobke Photography)
Row 2: Tablescape (White Room Events/Jennifer Sando); watercolour wedding invitation suite (oh my deer); bride and groom with pancakes (Green Wedding Shoes/Lauryl Lane/My Bride Story/Birds of a Feather); papel picado decorations (Erica Velasco)
Row 3: Brown paper menu/favour bag (Nancy Liu Chin via Snippet & Ink); protea bouquet (White Room Events/Jennifer Sando); brown paper table list; doily details (source unknown); bride with bridesmaids (Jose Villa)

Inspiration Board: Elegant Pewter

Hello lovelies! I’m back from my holiday, feeling refreshed and tanned and enjoying a last little day off for the bank holiday today. Greece was spectacular, and apart from having tonsilitis for a few days, I had the best time. And the food! Oh my word. I’ve eaten enough fresh fish, feta and calamari to feed a small Greek army. Not to mention the spectacular sunsets… Sigh. Back to reality. Of course, when reality is getting to make pretty inspiration boards for Cap Classique brides, then reality aint so bad! As you know, I just love when readers get in touch to ask for their very own inspiration boards, and today’s was created especially for Elana, who has chosen pewter and white as her colours. Elana is getting married at Dieu Donne, a stunning Franschhoek venue that is all light and glass and views and facebrick, and she wanted to create a look that was classic and elegant. Think all white flowers (with touches of fynbos), long silvery bridesmaids’ dresses, mirrors and chandeliers, with macaroons as favours. I don’t know what Elana’s planning for her dress, but I love the idea of including a brooch detail either on the dress or shoes, and picking this up with the cake later on – a subtle way of pulling everything together. But the idea that really made me excited was including suspended blossoms either above the tables or as a backdrop in a key part of the space like the dancefloor or dessert table. This is a hot trend at the moment, and it’s just the kind of quirky, memorable detail that can set the decor apart. The overall effect is beautiful and timeless. Hope you like your board, Elana!

If you’d like to request your own inspiration board, email me at capclassique {@} yahoo {dot} co {dot} uk.

Colours: Pewter & white

Top row (l-r): Rose and fynbos bouquet; bride & groom (Bowersock Photography); Badgley Mischka shoes (Amy Wellenkamp Photographers); champagne flutes (Natalie Spencer); fynbos confetti (Nikki Meyer)
Row 2: Chandelier detail at Dieu Donne (Roxy Laker); suspended blooms; ornate mirror table plan (Shoot Lifestyle); grey and white macaroons (Taylor Jackson Photography)
Row 3: View at Dieu Donne (Lizelle Lotter); hanging flowers; centrepiece (Amy Wellenkamp Photographers); bridesmaids in pewter dresses (Shoot Lifestyle); cake with brooch and ribbon detail.

Inspiration Board {1 Theme 3 Ways}: Vintage Safari

This week we’re featuring three safari-themed inspiration boards to show how a single theme can be interpreted in a number of different ways. Which one is your favourite?

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Thursday, hooray! Almost the end of the week. You’ll have noticed by now that the blog schedule’s been shaken up a bit what with 3 inspiration boards due to appear this week and then the unexpected quiet day on Tuesday. But whatever, let’s just go with it. So today I have the next in our inspiration board series, and the latest trend roundup due this afternoon. And tomorrow is going to be jam packed, so be sure to keep checking back!

I’m really excited about today’s board, because it’s a reader request as well as the second variation on the safari theme I’m featuring this week. Simone contacted me to help with ideas for her game farm wedding. She didn’t want the ‘typical’ safari decor, with animal prints and Big Five table decorations, but preferred vintage decor and softer colours. (It should go without saying that this is a style reference to Sydney Pollack’s Out of Africa, rather than suggesting any kind of glorification of colonialism, obviously.) You’ll remember a few weeks back we touched on this as part of the Blog Around the World post, and Alicia put together that look so perfectly that I couldn’t help using a few of her images again (click here and follow round all the blogs to get all the pictures) but I combined them with a palette of sage green and soft coral which I hope Simone will love. It’s inevitable that there are going to be lots of brown neutrals in a bushveld environment, and these colours lighten and modernise things up a little and complement them perfectly. The real key to this look is in the interplay between wild natural surroundings and classic fine dining elements, so for table settings you’ll want patterned crockery, crystal glasses, silverware (I love the idea of using old silver to contain flowers) and pressed linen. The really fun part is in including lots of found vintage objects – gramophones, compasses, storm lanterns, binoculars, and of course old suitcases (which you can use as props in a number of ways). Scout around your friends and family’s homes to begin with – you may find some gems! I’d have the bridesmaids in floaty, slightly vintage green dresses, and the bride in a gorgeous vintagey gown (birdcage veil is a must!). Fill your table with lush white blooms and pops of coral, and a few succulents. And don’t forget the cocktails! This is the perfect place to serve a classic (and delicious) G&T.

Colours: Sage, coral, white, beige and bronze

Top row (l-r): Bouquet; bride with giraffes (Fancy Fin Photography); bride with binoculars (Fancy Fin Photography); safari tent
Row 2: Out of Africa book cover; cocktail; compass escort cards; table setting (Jose Villa); hurricane lamp with jewellery (Fancy Fin Photography)
Row 3: Bridesmaid dress (Nadine Photography); gramophone (Justin & Mary); flowers (Jose Villa); boma reception; vintage suitcases.

 

Inspiration Board: Pretty in Purple

Happy 4th of July to all my American readers! Today’s board is another reader request (I’m loving how many requests I’m getting these days!) – this time from the lovely Ingrid – and I have to admit, it was a bit of a challenge. I knew exactly what I was looking for, but it wasn’t easy to find in the right colours. I’m so excited with how it turned out though, and I hope you are too, Ingrid!

When Ingrid emailed me, she knew exactly the sort of colour palette she was after for her Kleinevalleij wedding. She’d also fallen in love with the table arrangements for this unbelievable Style Me Pretty wedding, which pretty much inspired everything else. Let me break down this look a bit. The key is in its contrasts: modern paired with a bit of vintage and a touch of rustic. Succulents and silver? Shouldn’t work, but they SO do. The components – lush purple flowers (dahlias! so gorgeous!), succulents, mercury glass, wooden boxes, moss, distressed ceramics and silver. I’ve added in a few avian details and some blackboards and lilac for even more of that French country style. Doesn’t it look amazing together?

Ingrid’s bridesmaids are going to be getting their own dresses, so she wanted to make it easy for them, and chic little black numbers are a great way forward. To distinguish the girls, I suggested giving them long strings of pearls that they can all wear in a different way, but purple shoes are another alternative (Ingrid could wear sparkly and silver if she wants to stand out). I love that guests would start off with a classic black and white wedding (maybe with a couple of small purple touches in the stationery at the ceremony) and then be wowed by the whole look when they move into the reception hall. I see a lot of weddings currently at Kleinevalleij using some pretty grey/silver damask tablecloths, and these could also work brilliantly here. I don’t know about you, but I’m dying to see how this wedding turns out! (And don’t forget – if you’d like me to create a board just for you, drop me an email and let me know a bit more about what you’re looking for.)

Colours: Deep purple, lilac, grey and green

Top row (l-r): Purple bouquet (JL Designs/Marianne Lozano); silver and succulents (Stephanie Williams); printer’s tray (Stephanie Fay/Jasmine Star); feather boutonniere; lavender wreath
Row 2: Bride with succulent hair accessory (Stephanie Williams); arrangement with candles (Stephanie Fay/Jasmine Star); bird ornament (Amber Events); bridesmaids in little black dresses
Row 3: Shoes (Jani B); blackboard escort cards (Millie Holloman); signature drinks; purple envelope with calligraphy (Corbin Gurkin); distressed ceramics.

Inspiration Board: Pewter & Rose

Today’s board is another reader request – my favourite kind! Natasha emailed looking for help with her chosen palette of pewter with a rose or dusty pink. She’d had trouble finding an inspiration board using these colours that embodied the romantic elegance she was looking for from her wine farm wedding, with a touch of formality. I have to say, I LOVE these colours! Pink and grey are very hot right now, but there are many different shades of both colours to work with and pewter is absolutely gorgeous. I think the colours on their own embody the romantic (pink) combined with the more formal and elegant (pewter), which will really help to create the atmosphere Natasha wants.

There are some key foundations to the look I’ve built up here. One is the use of lots of white (since too much pewter could be a little dark), with soft, floaty textures and classic white stationery. A second is the use of calligraphy, which again adds that romantic but formal touch and ties everything else together beautifully. Use it on everything from fun fortune tellers (these make super cute orders of service or place settings) to a table of pretty escort cards to understated place settings (don’t you just love the pink ribbon?). Of course, bringing in the metallics is equally important, which I’ve done here on the wedding dress (I die for this Vera Wang, but a sparkly belt or even brooch detail on a dress would also work beautifully), in the pewter vase and in the bridesmaids’ dresses. Of course, you could just as easily go for soft pink dresses or even a combination of pink and dove grey, but I loved these formal, full-length pewter gowns. Combine with pink bouquets to get both colours across. And speaking of flowers, I adore the single oversized bloom trend and think it would be perfect for this wedding! It adds that little something quirky and different. However, if Natasha chooses to go more traditional, then roses, peonies and anemones are all possibilities, combined with other soft pink and white blooms.

Natasha also asked about favours, as she’s considering white fans for the ladies but is a bit stumped for the boys. One thing to bear in mind is that men tend to forget to take their favours home with them, so in my experience giving them something they can use on the night is ideal. I’ve suggested cigars to play into the elegant theme, but if you don’t want them all disappearing for a little while at some point, then scratchcards, alcohol minis or something edible also work well. Otherwise you could consider bottle openers (in line with the winelands setting), playing cards, or even mini hip flasks.

Hope you like your board, Natasha! And don’t forget, if you would like your own inspiration board, just drop me an email!

Colours: Dusky pink, white and pewter

Top row (l-r): Invitation; Vera Wang Dorothy dress via The Knotty Bride; cigar favour (Joanne Markland); getaway car (Jose Villa)
Row 2: Pewter jug; bridesmaids’ dresses (Kristin Vining); ribbon place setting (Nastassja Harvey); fortune teller; rose shoes
Row 3: Outdoor vineyard ceremony (Jose Villa); calligraphy escort cards; large single bloom bouquet (Imago Vita Photography); fan favour (Brett Buchanan); pink and pewter cushions (Jeremy Harwell).

Inspiration Board: Aqua & Rose

Happy Monday, lovelies! I have so much goodness coming your way this week, it’s going to be like awesome real wedding palooza. But first, I have a very special inspiration board. This one was created especially for one of our readers, who wrote to me for some help a couple of weeks ago. She wanted a pretty, romantic look for her wedding at a beachside venue, and she wanted lots of white and aqua for her bridesmaids, but she wasn’t sure if she should introduce any other colours. Although aqua and white on their own are lovely, I always think the addition of another colour adds more dimension and gives you more options when you’re sorting out your details. There’s so much that goes with aqua – coral, lemon yellow, pretty taupe neutrals, for example – but the couple’s favourite was a mixture of aqua with rosy pink tones, inspired by the gorgeous image top left. So here’s the rest of what I came up with – light, clean and very romantic!

The key to a look like this is to base everything on a white on white palette, so that you don’t overuse the bright pink and aqua shades – you can also bring in a bit of grey or silver to help. Chantel wondered if a grey or silver damask may work for the tablecloths, and it would, but I think only if it was very subtle (as lovely as damask is, it can really dominate when used in black and white, for example). I’d suggest runners or square overlays as an alternative, and for this palette you could use pretty Cath Kidston-style prints like the pattern seen below from photographer Christine Meintjes’ gorgeous aqua and pink wedding. To bring in the aqua on the tables, I love the idea of using milk glass (or, if not actual milk glass, then glass containers spraypainted white and differing shades of aqua as in the original picture). So pretty! I also added in some beachy touches with shells and starfish, or you could get hold of some pretty white urchin shells or similar, just for a little bit of beach appeal (starfish may make a lovely motif for a romantic beachside wedding). Another place to bring aqua in is in the bride’s shoes (love these ones!) – another pretty little pop of colour alongside the bridesmaids’ dresses, without going overboard. Keep everything soft, especially the flowers (thinking peonies, roses, carnations –  maybe with a few anemones for extra visual interest). I also think the ombre trend I spoke about last week works beautifully here – in invitations that have a beachy, washed out look, in pretty cake slices, and in pink flowers that graduate from deep pink to pale pink. For a final, beachy fun touch, have an ice cream bar where guests can create their own cones or sundaes at cocktail hour (or late at night). Or why not try the absolute latest trend and have classy jelly shots instead?

Colours: Aqua, pink, white, grey

Top row (l-r): Milk glass containers with flowers; Vera Wang wedding dress (Jose Villa); shell with napkins; bride & groom (Nakai Photography)
Row 2: Valentino aqua shoes; starfish place setting (Mike Adrian Photography); table decor (Julie Lim); milk glass vases (Shay Cochrane); pink ombre cake; beach hair style (First Comes Love Photo)
Row 3: Wedding party; aqua ombre invitation; pink flowers; ice cream cones

Inspiration Board: Modern Moroccan

Morning folks! First of all, I want to say a big thank you to all of you for your patience with me while I try to juggle everything this month – it’s been tough keeping up with the blog, Twitter and email when I don’t have much time to myself. I can’t promise we’ll resume normal service 100% this week, but I do have some seriously cool stuff coming your way. First of all, three weddings instead of two. Yayness! Secondly, we’re starting the official countdown to the Royal Wedding (which I will totally be checking out as your London ambassador, so follow me on Twitter if you want all the updates!). And finally, this inspiration board, which I am kind of in love with. What makes it extra special is that it’s a reader request, and I had soooo much fun doing it! (Seriously, send me more!) Gina wrote to me looking for some ideas for her Cape wedding – she wanted to bring in Moroccan details without it looking like a costume party. She also had some great ideas for colour schemes, but my favourite was white, green, grey and silver with just a touch of deep purple.

This would be SUCH a gorgeous look for a summer wedding. Think lots of crisp whites – lovely linens, soft curtains billowing in the breeze… With grey/silver and green, the overall look is light and bright and classic, and definitely steers away from the Arabian Nights party look. Being selective about colour and decor against a background of white means you get all the exotic flavour without going overboard. And I love the idea of a few select purple touches – bridesmaid dresses in a rich plum, a plate of figs on each table perhaps, maybe a few cushions. Guests would sit at long, low tables – either use Moroccan inspired fabrics like the one shown below, or choose white tablecloths with decorative tiles forming a runner. Succulents make a surprising and modern accent – I especially love the one used in the place setting here. Also include pretty tea glasses – fill them with flowers or use as a votive candle holder. And lanterns are a must – as many as possible! How incredible does the ceremony area look below with all of those lanterns hanging at different heights? Bedoin-style breakout areas (and of course a Moroccan menu!) complete the desert chic details. Hope you like this look Gina, and can’t wait to see your wedding!

Colours: White, green, grey/silver and purple

Top row (l-r): Place setting (Jodi Miller Photography); tiles; plum bridesmaid dress; lanterns
Row 2: Figs; bride & groom; cushion; flip flops; ceremony
Row 3: Table setting (Beth Helmstetter & Steve Steinhardt); Moroccan tea glasses; breakout area by Wedding Concepts.