Elegant Minimalist Wedding at Tokara by Kikitography

Elegant Minimalist Wedding | Credit: Kikitography

Just in case you needed any more reason to love Bright & Beautiful after yesterday’s Halloween wedding inspiration, let me introduce you to this adorable real wedding. Carla and Quintin’s taste was simple and refined – these high school sweethearts let the incredible natural beauty of the Cape winelands and their venue, Tokara, take centre stage, and just added complementary details – armfuls of white flowers and greenery, a drop dead gorgeous two-piece convertible Anna Georgina wedding dress, incredible food from the Tokara kitchens, a naked cake. And the pictures… oh the pictures! Kikitography have done a brilliant job as ever with the most beautiful golden autumn light you can imagine. Warning: dreaminess levels high.

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Honeymoons for Wine Lovers

Travel. Wine. Your sweetie. Three things pretty much guaranteed to make for an amazing honeymoon, wherever you decide to spend it. But since it’s vineyard wedding month on SBB, we decided to take things a little further and find our top honeymoons for wine lovers. Which in this case means both lovers of wine, and lovers IN wine(country). Bliss! I think you can probably guess our favourite destination, but just to make it fair on the rest of the world, we found seven international locales to share with you as well as our own!Read More

20 Vineyard Wedding Ideas

Hello lovelies! Since we’re talking vineyard weddings in October, I thought it was the perfect moment for me to round up 20 ways that you can bring a winery theme to your wedding – even if you aren’t planning a wine route celebration. There are so many cute ideas out there, from decor to favours to guest books, and while of course you’re not going to want to do ALL of them (too themey!), adding in a couple will add that extra layer of detail that makes your guests go ‘ooh!’ I’ve tried to find some fresh new ideas, as well as some classics, so scroll down and find your favourite. But I think you’ll agree, they’re all rather ‘wine-derful’! (Lame joke, I know. Sorrynotsorry.) Read More

Inspiration Board: You Had Me at Merlot

Hello lovelies! Today we’re continuing the wine theme of this month’s inspiration boards (see last week’s, Rosé), with the rich jewel tones of Merlot. This board is like the darker, more dramatic cousin to the Marsala inspiration that’s been everywhere this year, but dark definitely doesn’t have to mean depressing. Rather, with a touch of gold, white and emerald, and some well-chosen wine-inspired details, it’s the perfect, elegant inspiration. I’m loving it. (Oh, and by the way, I totally nicked the title of today’s board from this adorable novel – such a fun read!)

Colours: Merlot, emerald, white & gold

Top row (l-r): Place setting {Ashley Cook Photography/Dream Design}; centrepiece and coloured glassware {William Innes Photography/Kristeen LaBrot Events/Fujiko’s Flowers}; wine cork ring shot {Jarrad Lister Photography/Perfect Italy Wedding}; candles on wine barrel {Abri Kruger/4 Every Event}
Row 2: Wine stain stationery {Jodi Miller Photography}; sparkly burgundy shoes {Studio 563}; bouquet {Jenny Jimenez/Ryder Sloan Events}
Row 3: Burgundy peonies; cake {Gingerale Photography/Absolute Perfection/Pippa and Polly Cakery}; merlot bridesmaids {Sarah Ainsworth Photography}

 

Aubergine & Vine Wedding Inspiration by Debbie Lourens & Kadou

When this little gem of a styled shoot from photographer Debbie Lourens and stylist Kadou crossed my desk, I knew it would be just PERFECT for our vineyard wedding month. Not only was it shot at Spier, but the deep shades featured are so reminiscent of wine and the winelands – aubergine, burgundy, plum, fig, a deep vine green… all accented with glorious gold. This is the kind of colour scheme that often gets used for autumn or winter weddings, but with a vineyard wedding, it would be appropriate all year round as a nod to your surroundings. I just love the way these colours work together, creating something cosy but also very elegant. I also love the way that with an eggplant coloured wrap and a berry lip (courtesy of talented SBB Directory member Corlé Barnard), our model’s look perfectly complements the decor. And a seed pod crown? Adore.Read More

15 Ways to Use Wine Barrels in Your Wedding Decor

Y’all already know that I am all about the details when it comes to wedding decor, and when it comes to winelands weddings, there are a couple of details that can really add an elegantly rustic vineyard ‘theme’ to complement the venue. We’ll be rounding up a whole lot of these ideas soon, but for today, we’re focusing on one of my favourites: wooden wine barrels. I never get tired of seeing these at real weddings – I don’t know why, but there’s something so romantic about them as a feature piece, maybe because they bring to mind the French countryside, or a vintage cellar. Whatever the reason, they’re lovely, and the good news is that they’re also pretty versatile in terms of how you can use them. Here are 15 of my favourite ideas from around the web.Read More

Why Have a Winelands Wedding?

For a lot of people, when you think ‘South African wedding’, one of the images that immediately springs to mind is the beautiful Cape winelands… a bride and groom walking hand in hand among the vines, great food and wine… you get the picture. After all, our wine route is one of the most beautiful places on earth (not that I’m biased as a Stellenbosch alum or anything, but they so are). And yes, we’ve all been to winelands weddings before, but from time to time, when I hear couples say that they avoided estate venues just to be different, I feel a little bit sad. That’s like saying you went to Italy and avoided Tuscany, just to be different. Not because we don’t have a wealth of other fantastic options, but because there are so many more reasons to consider a wine farm wedding than not. And so, since this month we’re celebrating everything vineyard, I thought it was the perfect time to round up my top ten of ’em.Read More

Inspiration Board: Rosé

This month, we’re inspired by everything winelands (which yes, I am totally taking as an excuse to drink more wine). So I thought it might be fun to create some inspiration boards with a bit of a wine theme to them, in a totally stylish and non-cheesy way of course! Today we’re kicking things off with a rosé-coloured board – I have to say, I am LOVING the way that this peachy-coral-pink shade translates to wedding design. Add in lots of white, soft tulle, a smidgeon of grey, and a shimmer of rose gold, and you have a truly lovely palette that would be beyond perfect for an elegant vineyard wedding, no?

Colours: Rosé, peach, grey & white

Top row (l-r): Rosé wine {Claire Marie Photography}; bride in tulle dress {Chaviano Couture}; ring {Tamara Gruner/Belle Soul Weddings/Brian Gavin Diamonds/Nib & Pixel}
Row 2: Bridesmaid dresses {Sisterlee Photography}; table setting {Nancy Ray/Rebecca Rose Events}; rose gold wedding cake {Chen Sands Photography/Med Kärlek/Crummb}
Row 3: Shoes {KT Merry/JCG Events LLC}; bouquet {Melanie Duerkopp/Kayla Ton/Soulflower SF}; bride and groom {Jose Villa}

 

Organic Country Elegance Wedding at Rickety Bridge by Laura Leigh {Helen & David}

It feels like Christmas today, since I’ve been looking forward to sharing this lovely wedding with you all for a while! First featured in Wedding Collection Magazine, Helen and David’s laid-back, intimate, countryside soiree is the epitome of relaxed glamour with the spectacular Rickety Bridge as its vineyard backdrop. There was a real sense of natural beauty too – from the wildflowers and wooden elements, the naked cake and greenery-bedecked arch, to the nods to eco chic, including a pre-loved Jenny Packham dress (just as breathtaking on its second trip down the aisle!). Laura Leigh‘s pictures from the day captured just how intimate, romantic and joyful it all was.Read More

Shimmering Pastels Wedding at Waterkloof by Linda Fourie {Sieglinda & Kobus}

Today’s couple had one of those proposals that could have come straight out of a Hollywood movie, and one of those weddings that would be quite at home on the pages of a glossy magazine – I just LOVE the sparkle and the glitter mixed with soft pastel blush and some absolutely gorgeous soft florals from Sitting Pretty. In fact (and I swear I didn’t plan it this way) this wedding is kind of the perfect transition between our August and September ‘themes’, since it’s both glamorous and full of beautiful spring pastels! Hooray! I can’t not mention the bride’s absolutely amazing lace dress, which combined perfectly with her groom’s navy suit – don’t they just make the most stylish pair? Linda Fourie was on the scene to capture these lovely pictures of every smile and detail.Read More