Tag: vintage

Real Wedding at Molenvliet {Jackie & Japie}

by gaby

Ok, something you don’t know about me – I am a HUGE big band fan. Which may not seem that strange, but when I was in high school, it made me a little unusual. I was, for example, the only kid I knew who begged my father to bring Harry Connick Jnr CDs back from a business trip in America instead of, I don’t know, MC Hammer or Boyz II Men (don’t get me started about my love for Harry). The only person I know who puts Ella, Dean and Frankie on my iPod when I’m feeling the mean reds and can sing along to pretty much any Gershwin lyric. So you can imagine that when I saw Jackie and Japie had pulled off a 1940s Glamour-themed wedding at Molenvliet, I was super excited to feature it! As we all know, love and marriage go together like a horse and carriage, and the two of them wanted to celebrate theirs in style – getting a kick out of champagne with their besties, facing the music and dancing all night and promising to love each other come rain or come shine. (Ya, I know. I couldn’t stop myself. Throw your tomato if you must.) They had a shindig old Frank himself would have been proud to have thrown, co-ordinated by Jaco van Loggerenberg of Just Jack and photographed by the fab Andre from Zara Zoo. And now I get to share it with you. Ain’t THAT a kick in the head?Read More

Real Wedding in Matjiesfontein {Vasthi & Lourens}

by gaby

Happy Friday, folks! You know, I see a lot of Victorian country vintage being in this industry at the moment. Some days, I think I may have seen every bit of vintage I may ever want to. And then I come across a wedding that embraces the olde look so beautifully that my love of lace is renewed. Today’s wedding is one of those. Vasthi and Lourens chose the romantic village of Matjiesfontein for their destination wedding, just two and a half hours from Cape Town, but about a hundred years back in time. The town has a fabulous history tied in with the railways, and is immediately evocative of colonial South Africa, so it was absolutely perfect for the vintage vibe they wanted to create. Look out for their mason jar candle invitations (LOVE 3D invites!) and some of my favourite country florals ever, not to mention the bride and groom’s outfits! Gorgeous. Images are by the wonderful Judy Stofberg of Just Judy Photography, and she has totally nailed the spirit of this wedding in her pictures, which to me is always the mark of a great photographer. Hope this makes your day, just as it has mine!Read More

Real Wedding at Montagu Guano Cave Guest Farm {Carla & Bennie}

by gaby

There are days when writing this blog feels a little like wish fulfilment. Ask and it shall be given unto you, kind of thing. Because it was just a few weeks ago that I was all “I am dying to see someone with a giant chess set” and now here today are the lovely Bennie and Carla and their giant chess set (amongst other awesome lawn games). I don’t know why, but that makes me ridiculously excited. (Come on. It’s a giant chess set!) And that isn’t all! Because I have also been on about how much I love Great Gatsby and the 1920s, and you guys, that is the whole theme of Bennie and Carla’s wedding. Eek! What can I say, you stylish brides and grooms make mama very happy. :) And that STILL isn’t all. Because not only did this couple have the most gorgeous, gorgeous flapper party ever with their friends (who were all fun enough to dress up), but the lovely was captured by Nastassja Harvey, who you may remember from this amazing wedding (yeah, I know you do, because it’s our most viewed wedding EVER). Nastassja is a total superstar in the making, and I am thrilled to have her on Cap Classique again. SO. Get your glad rags on and crank up the gramophone, because trust me, it’s time for a happy dance!Read More

Real Wedding at Natte Valleij {Chené & Andy}

by gaby

I don’t think I’m exaggerating when I say that I love all the weddings I feature here on Cap Classique. Because, let’s be honest, I have been blessed with some seriously unfreakingbelievable prettiness on this blog (and trust me, there’s lots more in the honey jar). But sometimes I don’t realise quite how MUCH I love a wedding until I’m busy putting the pictures together and I start to get butterflies thinking how gorgeous it is and how much you guys are going to love it. Which is exactly how I feel about Chené and Andy’s wedding at Natte Valleij. When I start throwing around words like ‘vintage romance’ and ‘secret garden’ you know it’s going to be beautiful, and boy is it ever. The details are just beyond gorgeous (my favourite is the hanging birdcages – WOW) and the bride and groom look like they stepped straight out of a fashion shoot. It’s pretty much perfect, so get ready to fall in love too! Oh, but first I get to introduce you to Chené and Andy’s photographer. Abigail Klopper of Abigail K Photography is not only an up-and-coming Cape Town snapper, but she’s also leading the way in getting the wedding industry up on their social media. This is one savvy chick, and I’m very excited to have her here on the blog!Read More

Real Wedding at De Hollandsche Molen {Michelle & Frans}

by gaby

Ok, confession. I’ve always kinda had this thing where I wished I was born Southern. As in, Southern American, not from the south of, like, the earth (in which case I did pretty well). For one thing, it’s a beautiful place, and for another I would make a great steel magnolia. Plus, growing up I would have got to kiss boys who sounded like Harry Connick Jnr and called their mothers ma’am. But most of all, I would have got to use expressions like “that dog don’t hunt” and “finer than a frog’s hair split four ways” in my lilting Southern drawl. I’ve tried them in my Saaf Effrikan accent and… well, that dog don’t hunt. But let’s just pretend for today that I AM Southern and that I could say things like that, because y’all, today’s wedding really is finer than a frog’s hair split four ways. Take a beautiful Cape day, add proteas and laughter and pretty vintage details, and you have the epitomy of wedding gorgeousness. Every little part of Frans and Michelle’s day at De Hollandsche Molen seems effortless and graceful and bathed in golden light, and their joy is so beautifully captured by Rebecca Meissner of Love Made Visible, it’s infectious. So grab an ice tea and sit a spell, and enjoy this nugget of Southern (African) goodness.Read More

Real Wedding at Groenrivier {Huibré & Schalk}

by gaby

Time to kick off our real weddings for 2011!! And I can’t think of a better one to get us started than Schalk & Huibré’s. It’s the PERFECT balance between laid back, vintagey farm cool and stylish sophistication; I die over the little details every time I look at them. The stationery is, quite simply, amazing. Playful and eclectic and totally covetable. (Of course, it never hurts when the groom’s aunt is the fabulous Elsje of Elsje Designs!) The venue is gorgeous (Groenrivier in Riebeek West, about an hour from Cape Town). And Ian Mitchinson‘s pictures are quite simply… wow. (Wait till you see the couple shoot taken around Riebeek Kasteel) I can’t even pick which is my favourite part – the plum coloured dresses, the antique brooches on the bride’s bouquet, the SHOES, the homely little vintage touches like coffee cans and kitchen scales adorned with roses… and the truly astounding part is that it was organised in THREE MONTHS! Yes, it’s actually possible (although I’m convinced Huibré must be some kind of wedding savant to pull this off). So prepare to be awed!Read More

Travel-inspired Wedding Details

by gaby

**UPDATE: Looking for fresh travel themed wedding ideas? Read our latest roundup here.**

One of the mini-trends I’ve noticed popping up in quite a few weddings lately is the use of travel-inspired details. As a keen traveller myself, I love this, especially the way so many couples are using it to bring more of their histories and personalities to the wedding. It might be something as simple as naming tables after places they’ve been, but there are also lots of very cute and creative ideas coming through for making travel even more of a central motif, especially when combined with a vintage vibe. Here are some of my favourites. I’ve grouped them by the different wedding elements, but many of the ideas can be adapted to other parts of the wedding, so there’s plenty of opportunity to make this trend your own if wanderlust is something you and your partner have in common. And while you’re at it, why not have your guests contribute to your honeymoon as an alternative to the gift list? The Wedding Gift List Registry can do this for you in South Africa.

Save the Dates & Invitations

Read More

Real Wedding at La Petite Dauphine {Lojanka & Jaco}

by gaby

Wowsers. Just when you think you’ve seen every new idea in the vintage stable, a wedding comes along that combines familiar elements in a whole new way, and makes you fall in love with this look all over again. This wedding is 100% style and gorgeousness. Bride Lojanka is an interior designer (and clearly a girl with an incredible eye for detail) and she and husband Jaco, together with their superstar co-ordinators Wedding Concepts, really hit this one for a six. I have a long, long list of things that made me go “ooh!”, but right at the top is the ceremony arch covered with vintage vessels and suitcases (love!), the antique sewing machines holding menus in place, the bride and bridesmaids’ outfits, and OMG the fairy lights strung over the tables! Quite simply, I love this wedding. Thank you so much to Lojanka, Jaco and the Wedding Concepts team for sharing it here, and to Ian Mitchinson, who took the simply stunning photos.

Read More

Real Wedding at Cafe Felix {Monique & Danie}

by gaby

Let’s be honest, organising a wedding is hard work. Even for those who give themselves a full year or more, it can be a little crazy trying to juggle all the different ideas and demands with the practicalities of booking a venue and service providers and staying within a budget, not to mention preparing yourself for married life. Which is why today’s couple just blows my mind. They organised their wedding – and a truly fabulous wedding it is too – in just three months. Yep, THREE months. Wow! Even with that timescale, the attention to detail is amazing. It just shows that you don’t need all the time in the world to come up with something spectacular. (And speaking of spectacular, I am loving the vibrant photos taken by Drikus le Roux – hopefully we’ll see lots more of his work here on Cap Classique in future!) But enough talking – time for the eye candy!

Read More

Inspiration Board: Vintage birds

by gaby

I’ve been wanting to do a green board for a little while, as I think it makes such an elegant wedding colour. I combined it with the vintage and bird trends that are so popular at the moment and I think it works beautifully – just the right mix of classic and rustic. There are little touches of grey and powder blue here, which you could play up, or you could combine the green with woody brown for a slightly more rustic effect.

Colours: green and white, with touches of grey, blue and gold

Top row (l-r): Birdcage with favours by Merci New York via Green Wedding Shoes; photo of shoes by Lynne Brubaker Photography; photo of nest by  Kristi Wright Photography via Style Me Pretty; photo of dress by Heidi Ryder via Love & Lavender
Row 2: Bridesmaid dresses from Martha Stewart Weddings; chocolate favours by Merci New York via Green Wedding Shoes; photo of typewriter guestbook by  Dana Grant via Green Wedding Shoes
Row 3: Photo of boutonniere by Simple Photo in Ontario via Style Me Pretty; wine lables via The Bride’s Guide; photo of bird escort cards by Henry Shoots via Style Me Pretty; photo of blankets by MIND|Castle Studios via Style Me Pretty; photo of cake by Amy & Stuart via Snippet & Ink.