Oh Darling Bride - A South African Wedding Blog

Help a Bride Out {Week 2}

2012-02-06T09:00:00.000+02:00

Can you help these brides? Amy is looking for a personalised dress hanger and Siân Ashleigh is looking for a make-up artist and someone to make her wedding cake. Wedding vendors and newly-weds, if you can help, please post your recommendations as a comment below.

{Image via EmmalineBride | Dress by Pure Magnolia Couture}

Amy would love to know where she could get a personalised coat hanger made for her wedding dress. Region: Gauteng.
Siân Ashleigh is looking for a make-artist and someone to make her wedding cake. Her wedding date is 30 March 2012 and will be held at Shepstone Gardens in Joburg.

Read more about the {Help a Bride Out} series here and please remember: If you do find a wedding vendor via a comment on the blog, they are no way endorsed by Oh Darling Bride. Please practice the same caution you would when enquiring about any product or service online.

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Rustic Seating Chart Frame {Give-Away and Tutorial}

2012-01-31T07:34:00.001+02:00

What could be better than an inspired DIY bride who shares her wedding decor tutorials with us?
I think it's a bride who offers to give-away the rustic seating chart she made for her wedding!

{Made by Carolyn Roberts. Photo by Nick Coyne}

Carolyn Roberts' made-with-love wedding seating chart stands at 180cm tall and comfortably fits 80 escort cards (four cards per strand). And now that her wedding is over, she's offering it to an Oh Darling Bride reader in Cape Town!

Love to use this seating chart for your wedding? If you're able to collect this frame from Carolyn in Cape Town, follow post a comment below with your email address and/or witter handle before the end of February. The lucky bride will be announced in early March so watch this blog and fan page for details. Terms and conditions apply.

If you have a twitter account, you could tweet the following for an extra entry:

"love to win this #wedding seating chart made by @robertscaro on @Moniqueodb's blog #OhDarlingBride: http://ow.ly/8M9uQ"

But if you'd love to make you're own seating chart, Carolyn has kindly compiled a DIY tutorial just for you!

1. Firstly you need to find distressed wood. I got mine from a really old-school outside laundry door that was going to be chucked or used as firewood (NO!!) Whichever wood you choose make sure you like the effect, or if you don’t then it must be a type of wood you can sand down to an effect you will like. Not all distressed wood is pretty ;)

2. Decide how big you need your peg frame to be (depends on how many guests you will have). This will also determine the wood you can use. Take into account the size, spacing and number of cards you would like to fit on each strand.

3. Make the wood into a frame. My dad helped me with this, so find someone who is good with carpentry and let them help you.

4. Once assembled, create a heading using craft letters. I painted chipboard letters white using acrylic paint and once dry, stuck them onto the wood using super glue (I like the Alcolin glues). This was nerve-wrecking as once the letter is down, it sticks, whether in the right place or not. I recommend loosely arranging the letters as you want them so you get the spacing right and then use tweezers to hold the letters as you put glue onto them. This makes it so much easier as our fingers are sometimes either too big for this work, or too clumsy! Use tiny bits of glue as you really don’t need a lot, and superglue tends to be quite runny.

5. Decorate your peg frame. I chose two white paper flowers with Swarovski crystals at the centres. My mom-in-law gave me the bead which are beautifully brilliant and diamond-like. I really recommend them! Make sure they are the flat-backed version. The flowers I also got from my mom-in-law, but I have seen some samples at Cape Arts & Crafts at Canal Walk shopping centre.

6. Attach wax cord strands inside frame using tiny curtain screw hooks. I used a beige colour wax cord to match the frame colour. Make sure you measure out where to put these hooks exactly, so that when the frame is completed all strands will be level.

It just worked out that my frame on the inside sides had this small groove, which worked well to conceal the hooks.

When attaching the wax cord, make sure you tie it on very tightly, so that the weight of the cards doesn't make the strands droop down. I attached my cards onto the strands with natural coloured tiny craft pegs.

You can find the supplies at most craft stores. I found most of the materials I used at Merry Pak.

Feeling inspired? Me too :) And just wait till you see Carolyn's gorgeous DIY wedding... coming soon! If you enjoyed this, follow Carolyn on Twitter and visit her awesome blog where she's exploring her passion for photography.

*Competition Terms and Conditions apply

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Help a Bride Out {Week 1}

2012-01-30T11:00:00.000+02:00

This is the first {Help a Bride Out} post, a new blog series with the goal of helping brides find wedding vendors and/or products in South Africa (read more about the blog series concept here).

{Image source: The Wedding Chicks | Photography: Jon Duenas}

Can you help the following brides by offering your services or by sharing a recommendation?

Megan is on the look out for an embellished belt or sash for her wedding dress in South Africa (region not specified).
Yolanda is trying to hunt down Swarovski buttons in South Africa (region not specified) buttons for her wedding dress.
Claire is looking for a reasonable chauffeur service in Cape Town.

Post your recommendations or service contact details as a comment below. And if you're a bride who needs help, post your queries on the Facebook page and check the blog next week to see if your questions have been answered.

Please remember: If you do find a wedding vendor via a comment on the blog, they are no way endorsed by Oh Darling Bride. Please practice the same caution you would when enquiring about any product or service online.

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Something Blue... on Budget {Sweet Sunday}

2012-01-29T11:00:00.000+02:00

Contemplating a blue wedding? This beautiful understated blue wedding cake might just seal the deal. With it's darling stitching detail, it's a unique dainty wedding cake which is as sweet as it is sophisticated.

{Image via Ruffled}

It's also bang on trend! Small wedding cakes are one of the top wedding trends of 2012 (I wish I could remember where I read this so I could credit the source). The concept stuck with me because when you think about it, it makes perfect sense. More couples opting for smaller, intimate weddings planned on a budget and of course eliminating unnecessary waste is one of the best ways to minimise costs.

But trends aside, if you're a budget bride who still loves the idea of a big traditional three-tier wedding cake, you can still have your cake and eat it! I did. My three-tier ivory wedding cake had two false tiers. This ensured no cake was wasted (it seems criminal to waste good cake) and allowed me to have the cake I'd been dreaming of, for considerably less. I hope this tip helps you stick to that wedding budget : )

Have a sweet Sunday darlings,

Monique

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Calm {Friday Flowers}

2012-01-27T20:45:00.002+02:00

I'm sneaking in a break to blog this flower arrangement. It just exudes calm and I don't know about you, but I could use a little calm in my life right now.

{Image source: White Room Events | Pobke Photography | via Style Me Pretty}

I'm not sure how much 'calm time' I'll get this weekend with the big move taking place on Wednesday.

There's so much to do, our apartment is a mess, the Mr and I are both on top grumpy form, and right now I'm so tired that I'm dizzy. in short, moving is not fun. But I am looking forward to making a new place feel homely (especially since our current abode looks like disorganised storeroom).

Time's up darlings. I'll be sneaking in more time to schedule Monday's first {Help a Bride Out} series so if you're a wedding vendor, pop in on Monday to see if there's bride looking for your help. You can read more about this series here.

Have a lovely weekend,

Monique

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Chirstie and Marius {Wedding on Good Ground}

2012-01-25T18:46:00.001+02:00

We have this saying in South Africa, "'n Boer maak 'n plan" (a farmer makes a plan), and this aptly describes this breathtaking wedding! When this couple dreamt of getting married on the groom's family farm in Caledon, Marius rolled up his sleeves, ploughed a road through one of the canola fields and created a clearing for their open-air country wedding.

The result... a unique blend of rustic charm and elegance in a red, purple and white, set against the backdrop of yellow canola fields and the Cape Overberg's powder blue sky.

It's an honour to view this beautiful day through the lens of award-winning photographer Kobus Tollig of Dreampix weddings. And what a delight to read their love story, as told by the groom!

{How We Met}

“We met at the Vollies Church in Caledon on the day that Chirstie got baptised. I saw her next to her sister in front of the church and thought to myself I had to get to know her,” recalls Marius, “So after the service I walked up and congratulated her on her step of faith.”

{The Proposal}

“We both do volunteer youth work on Fridays in Grabouw. One week I told Chirstie that we had to go to a friend’s party afterwards. It was the 10th of June 2011. Her parents were visiting from De Aar and we hadn’t spent much time with them yet, but luckily she did want to go with me.”

“I waited for her at a friend’s house in Klienmond in the dark. I had arranged candles, rose petals and an indoor picnic dinner in front of a cozy fireplace. I am a big Stormers supporter and bought each of us a Stormers jersey. I put hers under the picnic blanket. After dinner I told her I had a surprise for her and she is sitting on it. She jumped up and pulled the blanket away only to realise was a Stormers jersey and she is a Cheetahs supporter. After my joke, I went on my knees and proposed. At first she thought I was joking again (I joke a lot) but after persisting she realised this was it."

{The Wedding}

"Our wedding was held at Klip-Heuvel Farm, a family farm, on the 3rd of September 2011, " said Marius, "and our theme was based on the second coming of Christ, when the heavens will open up and all will see Jesus."

"We shot a flare into the sky as a sigh for Chirstie that the time has come for bride and groom to be united. There was the big door in the path way which symbolised that there is only one to heaven and that is Jesus Christ. The door also symbolised Jesus knocking on the door of our hearts, wanting to become part of our lives and live in our hearts."

“My memorable moments from our wedding includes my girlfriends doing everything possible to make the day the best ever, my father waiting for me,” said Chirstie, “and I’ll never forget the moment I first saw my soon-to-husband looking so gorgeous in his suit!”

“There are a few things I’ll always remember, like when the doors opened and I saw Chirstie for the first time, and of course our kiss!” said Marius, “Worshipping God with my wife on our wedding day was a dream of mine and I’ll always cherish that memory.”

{Advice For Soon-To-Be-Wed Couples}

"Have faith in getting the impossible done," advises Marius, "The day before our wedding it rained most of the day, and I thought to myself what is going on? But the next morning the skies were clear and my brother Pieter fixed the muddy roads (thanks boet)."

{Phototographer} Kobus Tollig of Dreampix weddings
{Venue} Klip-Heuvel Farm
{Wedding Dress} Div Beukes (brother of the groom) Royal Couture. Email: div@devilliersroyalcouture.com
{Cars} Oom Johan van Sandbaai van die Bogward Club van SA met sy twee Bogward Isabellas
{Tent and Décor} Distinctive Choice - "Thank you for helping us making our dream come true." - Marius
{Food} Hennie from Stanford Spitbraai

“Everything is possible for one who believes.” - Mark 9:23

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Just for You Darling {Help a Bride Out}

2012-01-24T19:08:00.002+02:00

The most rewarding compliment I get on Oh Darling Bride is, "Hey, your blog helped me plan my wedding. Thanks so much :)"

Now I'm not a wedding coordinator or photographer (FYI for those who have emailed me to ask) but I am bride and I know how overwhelming wedding planning can be (and yes, I'm still calling myself that... once a bride, always a bride).

So for all you frazzled brides looking for that something special or someone to help, I invite you to post your queries on the fan page, and once a week I'll post your questions on the blog in a new series called 'Help a Bride Out.'

{Source: thebridesguide.marthastewartweddings.com via Oh Darling Bride Blog on Pinterest}

Wedding vendors, watch this space because this is your opportunity to reply to brides directly on the blog.

Brides, I'm hoping this will help you find answers you're looking for but please remember, if you find a wedding vendor via a comment on the blog, they are no way endorsed by Oh Darling Bride (I'll only endorse people I have experience working with). So practice the same caution you would when enquiring about any product or service online.

The first 'Help a Bride Out' series will be published on Monday so get posting and let's see if this little experiment works :)

Have a lovely evening,

Monique

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Garden Wedding Cake Table {Sweet Sunday}

2012-01-22T10:43:00.000+02:00

Good morning darlings. I'm sneaking in some blogging time with my morning coffee before the packing and cleaning resumes. Actually I'm finding it difficult to focus on the task at hand (aka The Move) because I'm day-dreaming about our private little courtyard garden at new apartment and designing décor for our house-warming party in it.

The courtyard is not exactly backyard wedding big, and it's not like I'm planning a wedding, but ever since we signed the lease I've been dreaming of garden weddings at home. And in my dreams, I'd have a cake table that looked a little something like this...

{Source: stylemepretty.com via Oh Darling Bride Blog on Pinterest}

Three cakes seems a bit much, but just think of all flavours you could have... dark chocolate, carrot cake and poppy seed cake. Yummy. I'd take dessert right off the menu and let guests eat cake.

Thanks for dreaming with me. Hope you have a sweet Sunday,

Monique

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Indigo Love {Friday Flowers}

2012-01-20T07:27:00.000+02:00

Bright and bold, this indigo bouquet is utterly gorgeous!

{Source: stylemepretty.com via Oh Darling Bride Blog on Pinterest}

Have a lovely weekend darlings,

Monique

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I'm Moving On...

2012-01-18T19:30:00.000+02:00

The time has come to pack my bags. I guess a change is as good as holiday all that.

{Source: cocokelley.blogspot.com via June on Pinterest}

Wait a second, did you think I was going to leave Oh Darling Bride, a little blog lost in the blogosphere?

Don't worry darlings, I may be a little silly at times but I'm not crazy! I'm planning lots of pretty things for you in 2012, but first I have to move house (or more accurately, apartment).

Yes, change is good, but I don't like it! Especially the part about being inflicted with Internetlessness while I wait for our line to reconnected.

I'm going to be a little quiet on the blog front for few weeks but you can still find lots of inspiration, DIY and advice in the Bride Guide, and the featured Real Weddings and Love Shoots are always just a click away.

And on my 'return' expect some particularly pretty posts because I have a some seriously gorgeous submissions in my inbox just waiting to be featured (I may even try sneak some blog time between the packing).

Until then, I have put my laptop down, 'roll up my sleeves' and help my Mr pack.

Wish me luck :)

Monique

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Berlia and Andre {Rose Red Wedding}

2012-01-16T22:04:00.001+02:00

It's a delight to see a beautiful bride wearing the gorgeous Chey Michau jewellery she won on Oh Darling Bride - lucky girl! But my guess is the person who felt the luckiest was Andre, as he watched Berlia walking towards him, red roses in her hair and a look in her eyes that said, 'I've been waiting for this day.'

Berlia and Andre got married on the 24th of September on Naftali estate in Upington. I absolutely love Berlia's romantic hairstyle and if you love sweet stations, you're in for a real treat!

{How We Met}

In August 2009 a friend and I went to Springbok to see Namaqualand in full bloom. We stayed with one of our friends who organised a dinner party for us. Andre was one of the guests.

We had a great time, Andre and I got on very well but by the end of the evening I was disappointed that he didn't ask for my telephone number. I thought, 'Oh well, too bad!' The next day he sent me a friend request on Facebook and since then, we've never stopped talking!

{The Proposal}

We were on holiday in Port Elizabeth back in February 2010. I was expecting him to propose on the beach on the last day we were there. He didn't. I was so upset and almost started crying as we drove to my parents' house. Before we left, my dad said we must visit again soon because Andre still needed to ask parents for their blessing. Oooh I was upset, I couldn’t believed he hadn't asked my dad for my hand in marriage yet!

That Sunday in Uppington, we had a professional photo shoot. I hate having pictures taken but he loves them and suggested we have professional photos taken on the sand dunes. Our shoot started in the fields and Andre seemed so nervous. He kept asking the photographer when we'd be going to the dunes. The photographer asked us if we were about to get married and he said," No, we not even engaged yet," And with that, my mood darkened again.

We started taking photos on the sand dunes. While the photographer and I chatted, Andre bent down on his knees. I couldn't understand what he was doing on his knees, but the next moment he told me how pretty, special and sweet I am and ask me to marry him! H had the most beautiful ring with him... I just said, "YES!" We enjoyed a champagne picnic after the shoot overlooking the orange river. It was so special.

{The Wedding}

The morning of the wedding I woke up with my best friend jumping on me and shouting, “You're getting married today!” That's the moment I realised I was going to get married!

Our wedding colours were deep red, silver, white and black with a romantic theme.

There were a lots of memorable moments but it was amazing to ride to the wedding with my dad and sister on a horse-drawn carriage, I'll never forget walking down the aisle towards Andre and our first kiss as man and wife was very special. Our photo shoot was also a lot of fun.

{Advice for Brides-To-Be}

Relax and don’t try to do to much the week before. Delegate work, I had lists printed for everyone what to do, even the groom had one ;-)
A few days before the wedding, try spend time with friends and family who have travelled from far.
Don't forget to enjoy your wedding food.
Hire a videographer.
Don't stress about the small things.
Most importantly, take a moment or two to stand still, look around and absorb everything around you.

{Venue} Naftali, Upington
{Photographer} Petra du Toit from Kalahari Honey Photography
{Videographer} Frank Swiegelaar Productions
{Hair} Nico from Salano Janine
{Make Up} Liezel Kitshen
{Wedding Dress} Dennis Lloyd Couture
{Bride's Jewellery} Chey Michau

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Ivory Pearls and Roses {Sweet Sunday}

2012-01-15T11:16:00.001+02:00

It's funny the things you can fall in love with while planning your wedding. I hadn't given it much though before, but while planning my wedding I fell for wedding cakes.

I was so blessed that my talented aunt agreed to our wedding cake because it couldn't have been prettier! I took her images from my little cake inspiration collection and she came up with this...

{See more of my wedding}

{Photography by Annemari Ruthven}

Originally I liked the idea of a lace pattern on the cake but as we talked, my aunt mentioned the swirls I had hand-draw on our wedding invite envelops. She recommended creating an embossed swirl effect on the cake.

I couldn't believe I hadn't thought of that! After all, we had chosen ivory swirl tableclothes and was hand-painting a swirl design on the jar lanterns. Needless to say I loved the idea and swirls became a subtle detail throughout our vintage nautical wedding.

Have a beautiful day darlings.

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Simple and Sweet {Friday Flowers}

2012-01-13T08:30:00.000+02:00

I have a little thing for flowers in vintage eggcups. It's such a simple and sweet idea.

{Source: stylemepretty.com via Oh Darling Bride Blog on Pinterest}

Wishing you all lucky Friday 13th and a beautiful weekend!

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You're Pretty {Thought for Thursday}

2012-01-12T12:20:00.000+02:00

The best accessory is a smile. So look up darlings and show off those pretty smiles.

{Source: geniferr.tumblr.com via Oh Darling Bride Blog on Pinterest}

And if you need a reason, it's almost the weekend! Yay :)

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Monique and Kazlin {Vintage Wedding at Sea}

2012-01-09T23:14:00.000+02:00

I have my shy moments and have to confess, I've conveniently focused on pretty blog submissions while my own wedding has been filed away for 'one day.' That one day is here because shy or not, it's only fair I share my wedding since many of you have shared your beautiful weddings with me.

So here we go, it's time to show face. This was my shabby chic vintage wedding held in Kommetjie and Simon's Town, Cape Town.

{How We Met}

Kazlin (aka my Mr) and I met in 2002 as two young South Africans, bags packed full of dreams and passports ready, on route to work in a country club in Florida, US. During the flight our eyes met, he gave me the biggest smile and my heart skipped a beat. We ended up working at the same country club, lived in the same complex and fell in love.

{The Proposal}

Years later, on a Sunday afternoon in March, we were strolling along Muizenberg beach enjoying the late summer sunshine. After walking and chatting for a while, it suddenly seemed like we were the only people on the beach. Everything was so quiet and in that still moment, my Mr stopped and dropped to one knee.

{The Wedding Ceremony}

We got married on Sunday, 20 March 2011 in St. Joseph’s Chapel, a small chapel built in 1948 on the slopes on Slangkop Hill with sweeping, landscape-painting-worthy views over the seaside village of Kommejtie. We loved the chapel's high ceilings, rich oil paintings, marbled floors, wooden pews and the sunlight which streamed in through stained glass windows.

I felt such love as I stepped forward with my dad, walking between the smiles of loved ones and camera flashes. I locked eyes with my Mr and walked as slow as I could. Words can't describe that moment.

I was so pleased that Reverend Eric Dorey, the minister who baptised me many years ago as a wee little baby, conducted our ceremony.

All I wanted to do, from the moment I had arrived at the church, was kiss my man. At one point in the service, we both thought it was 'the moment,' leaned over and kissed.

"I didn't say you could kiss yet," laughed Reverend Dorey. And with that whole church shook with laughter. That set the tone for the rest of our wedding.

{The Reception and Decor}

Our reception was held in a Second World War Cable Restorer turned floating functions venue in Simon's Town. We decided on minimal navy, ivory and gold colour scheme. The décor theme evolved into a vintage shabby chic look with a subtle travel theme and since we met in a plane, bringing a sense of travel to our wedding felt so right :)

The boat had a low ceiling, was rich in wood tones and the white-draped dinning room had windows all round with views over the harbour.

Our wedding included quite a bit of DIY - my mom arranged all the flowers, my sister made navy bunting, my aunt/godmother made our stunning wedding cake, I spent hours making jar lanterns and painted a few vintage suitcases.

I'm a sentimental girl and love vintage décor so we used family heirlooms like vintage brass vases and egg cups, my great grandfather's bowling trophies, my grandfather's leather camera bag and my great grandmother's leather suitcase and hat-box.

I realised that I needed professional on-the-day coordination and good quality tablecloths a few weeks before the wedding. Our budget was already stretched so I hired a friend and ex-colleague, Jade of Jade Customised Events, to help set out our reception decor and The Tablecloth Hiring Company kindly sponsored the gorgeous swirl table linen (which beautifully complemented my jar lanterns).

We opened our reception with our first dance, a rumba which we learnt at Arthur Murray Dance Studio, and after our speeches and our main meal, we cut the the beautiful cake my aunt made. We spent the rest of the night was all about chatting, dancing and drinking wine.

We had such a fabulous time, forgot all about leaving at a polite traditional time and partied like it's 1999! We were one of the last to leave!

Back in our hotel room, the Mr and I kicked off our shoes and agreed that we'd just been to the best wedding... ever!

Thanks so much for joining me as I relived my wedding day. I'll be sharing my advice for brides-to-be in stages (I have a lot to say) so pop back in soon :)

{Photography} Annemari Ruthven See more on Annemari's site here.

{The Church} St. Joseph’s Chapel, Kommetjie, Cape Town
{Minister} Rev. Eric Dorey, Pinelands Methodist Church
{Flowers} Bride's Mother
{Bride's Dress}Wedding gown: Casablanca, alternations and gold lace bolero made by Lizette Bester Email: li-be@telkomsa.net
{Groom's Suite} Fabiani
{Bridemaid's Dress} Bridemaid's own
{Bride's Make-Up} Bride {Bridesmaid's Make-Up} Tracy Neething of Be Beautiful. Email: trats1@hotmail.com
{Hair} Catherine Faull
{Table Linen} The Tablecloth Hiring Company
{On-the-Day Event Coordination} Jade Customised Events
{Reception Venue} Roaring Forties Floating Functions Restaurant (No longer in operation)
{DJ} Ashley. Tel: 072 519 4061

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Top That {Sweet Sunday}

2012-01-08T21:05:00.002+02:00

Cakes pom toppers, what a cute idea! You can see more and buy these from Potter and Butler's Etsy shop.

{Source: via Oh Darling Bride Blog on Pinterest}

Hope you had a sweet Sunday.

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Frangipani Bouquet {Friday Flowers}

2012-01-06T18:07:00.001+02:00

Apparently it's going to be a gorgeous, hot summer weekend in Cape Town. I hope all brides and grooms flocking to our beautiful beaches for their wedding photos have perfect conditions.

{Photography by Claire Morgan}

{Click here to see the Wedding}

Have a beautiful weekend darlings!

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Bloom Where You Are {Thought for Thursday}

2012-01-05T18:23:00.000+02:00

My first day back in the office was terrible. I have a summer cold, the day dragged at snail's pace and other people's holiday tweets didn't help my morale. The second day I went through a box of tissues and wished I could just lay on the couch and watch the soaps. Today I'm feeling a little better and this evening while looking though quotes for today's post, I found this...

{Source: etsy.com via Oh Darling Bride Blog on Pinterest}

...And I was reminded to make the most of what I have, including my job. Too often I take things for granted while comparing myself to other people. I wish for that house, her figure, that kind of bank balance, that title, her job, that holiday home... oh dear, the list is extensive but you get the point :)

And then I look over at my husband, who's watching the cricket as I type, think about my awesome family and few sweet friends, and the fact that I have a job which allows me to write everyday (I love writing) and refer to pinterest for inspiration, and I'm reminded that I'm blessed.

So count your blessings darlings. And this year, bloom wherever you're planted.

Have a lovely week!

Monique

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Behind The Lens with SunkissedStudio Photography

2012-01-04T21:11:00.000+02:00

Wedding photographer Samantha Hanlon shares her photography highlights and advice for couples who want breathtaking wedding photos.

Hello darling. It's my pleasure to introduce you to the lovely and talented Samantha of SunkissedStudio Photography, a Cape Town wedding photographer with an eye for detail, a flair for fashion and love for gorgeous, natural wedding photos.

Samantha has supported the Oh Darling Bride since the earliest days (see her featured photography here) so of course I was thrilled when she became a blog sponsor. Today she's sharing insight into her approach to wedding photography, highlights from her favourite shoots and advice for couples who want beautiful wedding photos.

{Tell us about yourself}

When I was a little girl I wished I had a super power that would allow me to freeze time. I imagined walking around, while everything else is motionless, and taking in the beauty around me.

Now that I am all grown up I get to do this for a living. I capture beautiful moments, freezing them in time, so that the people can recall the joy in that moment whenever they look at their photographs.

I've always loved photography and before I became a fulltime photographer, I worked as fashion designer where I was inspired by gorgeous images in fashion editorials. I'm easy-going, friendly and focused on creative details that make a photograph timelessly beautiful.

{Describe your photographic style}

I describe my photographic style as 'Classic Contemporary Storytelling' which is a unique blend of photojournalism, fashion editorial and fine art photography.

I capture the moments, emotions and details of a couples’ wedding day in a way that tells the story of their unique romance. I aim to capture images that are natural and modern while remaining timeless.

I don't like stiff poses and fake smiles, I prefer to capture the natural, real and heartfelt moments in an unobtrusive, photo-journalistic style of photography. It’s all about your celebrating love story.

{How long have you been photographing weddings?}

This summer is my third wedding season and I have photographed 35 weddings so far with many more booked for 2012.

{What do you love about wedding photography?}

I am a hopeless romantic and love being swept up in the fairytale prettiness of weddings. Weddings are occasions where every carefully chosen detail is an expression of the couple and all the sweet moments, the glances and the kisses, are there to capture. Even if I close my eyes for a minute, I can feel the excitement and emotion in the air, that’s what I love to be a part of and it's the story I aim to tell in photographs.

{What can couples do to ensure great wedding photos?}

I advise couples to have engagement or pre-wedding photos taken. You'll get gorgeous engagement photos (which you could use to create your wedding invites) to share with friends and family, and you'll both feel so much more comfortable in front of the camera on your big day!

Engagement shoots help you find poses that work for you while getting to know your photographer. You will be so much more confident on the day and confidence always produces awesome images!

Remember, photographers need time to capture the beautiful, creative and romantic shots so if your photographer suggests an itinerary suitable for shooting, try stick to it.

Lighting plays a big role in photography so your photographer may suggest the best time of day to take your romantic couple portraits. Listen to their advice if you want dreamy, romantic photos.

{Tell us about your wedding packages}

I offer six hour and eight hour wedding packages. Every package includes a DVD of all your wedding photographs, in a mix of colour, sepia and black and white in high resolution (ready for printing) as well as low resolution images for sharing on Facebook or emailing to friends and family.

I edit each image is individually to ensure the quality of every photograph. Every wedding is unique which is why my packages can be tailored to suit you. I'm happy to add extra time, create customised thank-you cards, prints, or a coffee-table book which best reflects your beautiful day.

{What do you do when you’re not photographing weddings?}

True to my fashion roots, I enjoy fashion photography and shoot for fashion catalogues, marketing material and model portfolios.I also love portrait photography, family, maternity and newborns shoots too.

{Contact}

Samantha Hanlon of SunkissedStudio Photography

{Web} www.sunkissedstudio.co.za

{Email} photography@sunkissedstudio.co.za

{Facebook} SunkissedStudio Photography Page

{Twitter} @SunkissedSam

Golden {Sweet Sunday}

2012-01-01T14:16:00.002+02:00

"Wow!" is the natural response to this specular four-tier wedding cake. And "Wow!" is how I hope you started 2012. Happy New Year darlings!

{Source: brides.com via Oh Darling Bride Blog on Pinterest}

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The Year That Was {Goodbye to 2011}

2011-12-29T23:54:00.000+02:00

Is it just me or does it feel like we blinked and 2011 whizzed by? It's got me thinking about what I did this year. So this was my year, in a nutshell, and Oh Darling Bride's Top 11 Wedding Blog Posts of 2011 as voted by you, the readers.*

{Top 11 Wedding Blog Posts of 2011}

On a personal note, I'm excited about the New Year but sad to say goodbye to 2011 because it's been one of the best years of my life...

I got married, finished an online writing course (and got a distinction), bought a much needed new (pre-owned) car, went for a few lovely weekends away, won a pretty necklace from Antique Fusion Jewellery and an awesome camera bag from Camera Couture (I've been lucky), bought a new lens for my camera (yay!), met lovely South African bloggers Lana, Megan, Kath and Kimberly in person, and watched Oh Darling Bride grow beyond my expectations (thanks to you). It's been a super year!

I'd like to say a HUGE THANK YOU for your support. Thank you for following Oh Darling Bride, sharing the posts with your girlfriends, submitting your weddings, engagement shoots, DIY projects and guest posts. The love and support from Oh Darling Bride readers, wedding vendors and fellow bloggers has been amazing!

Sometimes I mention that a submission makes me jump up and down (confirming to my husband that he married a crazy woman) but that's not the truth... I do a little jump, dance or whoop for every lovely blog comment, new fan, new follower or sweet compliment. Some people might think, 'Grab a hold of yourself lady, it's just a blog' but when I open emails from brides sharing one of the most beautiful moments in their lives, I realise this is more than a blog. Oh Darling Bride is a tapestry of creativity and love stories. And you know what they say... all we need is love!

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*The top 11 blog posts are those that got the most views throughout the year as determined by Google Analytics.

What You Love {Thought for Thursday}

2011-12-29T18:01:00.001+02:00

{Source: lessonsindetail.tumblr.com via Oh Darling Bride Blog on Pinterest}

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Deep Red & Lilac {Friday Flowers}

2011-12-23T00:06:00.000+02:00

Soft shades of fresh lilac peek through large rich red flowers in this bridal bouquet. The effect is utterly gorgeous and perfect for a Christmas wedding.

{Source: stylemepretty.com via Oh Darling Bride Blog on Pinterest}

And on that note, I'd like to wish all Oh Darling Bride readers, contributors and supportive blogging friends and a blessed and beautiful Christmas.

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Wise Men {A Thought for Thursday}

2011-12-22T07:11:00.000+02:00

It's the season of glitter, wrapping paper, shiny baubles, shopping and eating too much... right? It's so easy to get caught up in the details of Christmas and forget the real reason for the season.

{Source: craftily-ever-after.blogspot.com via Oh Darling Bride Blog on Pinterest}

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Tracey and Ryan {Enchanted Secret Garden Wedding}

2011-12-19T23:34:00.000+02:00

If you've ever wondered if high school romances can last, meet Tracey and Ryan. These childhood sweethearts recently said "I do" in an enchanted secret garden style wedding at EnGedi in Krugersdorp. And as you can see, they're still as smitten as two teenagers!

Tracey made a striking bride and also has an eye for striking details. From the flowers to the unique watercolour-marbled-inspired bridesmaid dresses, her attention to detail resulted in an enchanting wedding which I'm thrilled she agreed to share with us. So, what are we waiting for? Let's take a walk down a secret garden path...

{How We Met}

We are high school sweethearts, met in high school and have been going out ever since.

{The Proposal}

The proposal It was a complete surprise, we went for a picnic on a Sunday afternoon and I was presented with a treasure box which contained a clue to our next destination, which was our high school.

I was dropped off there and given another treasure box with clues to different locations and destinations that all had a special meaning to us through our relationship. The final clue lead me home, where I was met by a pathway of candles and rose petals. And at the end of the pathway was Ryan, on one knee…

{The Wedding}

The theme was inspired by the idea of a secret, enchanted garden. We looked at many venues and I kept been telling my dad he was going to have to build me a venue as none of them had the right feel for the theme. Then we found EnGedi.

The centrepieces alternated between high arrangements of dark pink and purple roses with greenery cascading down and low arrangements of roses and greenery.

The main table was loosely draped in white netting with rose petals falling between the creases to give the impression the table was placed on a forest floor. My favourite element of the décor was the wall of flowers and fairly lights behind the main table which just brought he whole theme together.

{Advice for Brides-To-Be}

Make use of a wedding planner, they help relieve your stress and ensure all runs smoothly on the day. Invest in a good photographer because at the end of the day, photos are what you have left.

{Wedding Coordinator} Let's Celebrate
{Venue} EnGedi
{Photographer} Tyme Photography
{Décor & Flowers} Café fleur
{Music} Fast Forward
{Make-up} Studio Diva, Taryn 074 116 2336
{Cake} Sugar ‘n Ice

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Twisted and Braided {Hairstyle Tutorial}

2011-12-17T12:23:00.000+02:00

I'm pretty useless when it comes to hairstyling. So admittedly I was pretty chuffed with myself when I managed a twists and braids side-swept do for a wedding the Mr and I recently went to.

I snapped this photo and if you like the look of this hairstyle, here's a tutorial...

Twist the front sections of your hair as shown in the video below, pulling hair back off your face.
Sweep all hair to one side and secure with bobby pins
Add a fabric flower (the one I wore I had recently made and had been dying to wear!)
Braid a small section of hair in the loose 'ponytail' section of hair and that's it - simple :)

My little hairstyling feat was adapted from this awesome video...

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Silver Roses {Friday Flowers}

2011-12-16T08:12:00.000+02:00

A soft light centrepiece collection. Absolutely beautiful.

{Source: stylemepretty.com via Oh Darling Bride Blog on Pinterest}

Have a gorgeous weekend darlings!

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Let's Have More... {A Thought for Thursday}

2011-12-15T08:00:00.000+02:00

Yay, I'm on holiday! It's a pity I picked up a cold. Oh well, I'm doing my best to shake it because this summer I'm all about doing more, particularly...

{Source: etsy.com via Oh Darling Bride Blog on Pinterest}

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Black, White and Tiffany Blue {Wedding Inspiration}

2011-12-14T07:45:00.000+02:00

I offered to create a inspiration board for one Oh Darling Bride reader. Some lovely ideas were posted on the Facebook page but Yolandie De Jager's suggestion captured my imagination...

"Black and white, vintage glamour with a hint of Tiffany blue. Think old black and white movies and old fashioned romance." - Yolandie De Jager

{Image credits: Style Me Pretty, Feathers and Cupcakes, Hostess with the Mostess, SodaHead, Etsy, Style My Pretty, Historiful, Franschhoek Wedding, Kathleen Barry's Bead Studio, and Style Me Pretty, }

{Bridal Beauty} Ask your hairstylist to give you a vintage pin curls, waves or copy Audrey Hepburn's signature ballerina bun. Aim for classic vintage Hollywood starlet inspired make-up with false eyelashes or lash extensions, and a sweep of strong line eye-liner drawn across the top eyelid, flicking it gentle up at the outer corners of each eye.

{Jewellery} This is a lovely, subtle way to highlight hints of Tiffany blue with crystals. South African brides, have a look at local bespoke jewellery designer Kathleen Barry's range of jewellery here.

{Bridesmaid Dresses} Dressing your bridesmaids in LBDs (little black dresses) takes the hassle out of dress shopping and as a bonus, they can actually wear the dress again! If you're on a tight budget, ask your bridesmaids to wear their own black cocktail dresses and bring the look together with matching accessories.

{Hollywood Romance} Hire a projector and collection of glamorous old black and white movies. Let them run throughout your wedding reception for a touch of vintage Hollywood glamour while you dance the night away!

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Top Knots {How to Create a Ballerina Bun}

2011-12-13T08:00:00.000+02:00

We're expecting summer in South Africa (any day now) and when those sweltering hot days eventually arrive, what could be better than sweeping your hair into a high ballerina bun?

{Image via}

It's classic, cool for summer and a gorgeous hairstyle for a bride with beautiful jawline. One of the easiest ways to achieve this look is with a sock. Yes, it sounds strange but I tired it and it works beautifully! So find an odd black or brown sock and follow this hairstyle tutorial...

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Pink Ombre Cake {Sweet Sunday}

2011-12-11T18:13:00.001+02:00

What a pretty pink cake! I love the swirled rose icing effect. And how very clever that the graduating shades of pink icing has been reflected inside with layers of different colour sponges. Impressive and bang on the ombre trend!

{Source: glorioustreats.blogspot.com via Oh Darling Bride Blog on Pinterest}

From what I've seen on Pinterest and blogs, ombre has been big trend in 2011 weddings and fashion abroad. I wonder if we'll start seeing it reflected in more South African weddings this season. Hmm... What do you think?

Oh, and speaking of weddings...

The Mr and I attended our friends' beautiful picnic wedding on Saturday. It was the most DIY wedding I've ever been to, produced on a tight budget, and what was awesome was every guest helped with some detail of the day. The sense of community was amazing and my Mr and I agreed that it has been one the best weddings we've been to! I've asked so fingers crossed, I'm hoping the bride will share her wedding DIY with us.

Anyhoo, after the wedding, we slipped into jeans quickly and met friends for supper. We only got home after midnight and I woke up early this morning for a outing with my folks, sister and little nephew. He got to ride a 'horsey' while his aunty Mo ran after him with a camera taking photos like only adoring aunties do.

I don't know about you but I could do with a weekend to recover from the weekend :) How was your weekend?

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Soft and Sweet {Friday Flowers}

2011-12-09T07:43:00.001+02:00

Soft and sweet, this bouquet of Gypsophila (also known as 'baby-breath') is a lovely option for an neutral, uncomplicated country-style wedding.

{Source: stylemepretty.com via Oh Darling Bride Blog on Pinterest}

Have a beautiful weekend darlings!

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Love Extravagantly {A Thought for Thursday}

2011-12-08T09:00:00.000+02:00

Words to live by...

{Source: etsy.com via Oh Darling Bride Blog on Pinterest}

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Maggie and Michael {Turquoise West Coast Wedding}

2011-12-07T07:00:00.000+02:00

It's official, I'm utterly smitten with West Coast weddings! It's the light, the seemingly endless bright blue skies, the long stretches of pristine beaches, and the rustic shades of grey, green and yellow fynbos.*

Maggie and Michael couldn't have asked for a better backdrop! And Jacques of Real Simple Photography superbly captured the scene and every lovely detail of their turquoise, silver, black and white wedding.

{How We Met}

We were introduced to each other through a mutual friend. We chatted via mobile phones before we met in person. We decided to meet for a coffee at a coffee shop in a local mall. Michael rocked up in an old Beetle that looked exactly like Herbie! Very cute! We hit it off immediately and as they say, the rest is history!

{The Proposal}

We had been talking about getting married and looking at wedding ring s for a while so the proposal didn’t come as a surprise but the way he proposed did!

It was our three year anniversary. I went over to his house but when I arrived he asked me to stay in the car. I was a bit confused but I stayed put nonetheless. He went back into the house and a little while later, came back out with the bunch of flowers and invited me inside.

Everything looked breathtakingly beautiful! There were candles everywhere, sushi set out and sparkling wine (my favourite) on the coffee table. He asked me to take a seat and left the room.

When he walked back in he was holding a Browns teddy bear holding a little box. I suddenly realised what was happening and was awestruck!

Michael got down on one knee and asked, “Would you do me the honour of being my wife?”

Of course I said, “Yes!”

{The Wedding}

There were so many memorable moments from our wedding day but if I had to choose just one...

... it would be the moment I walked down the aisle with my dad, looking at Michael.

He had tears in his eyes that said to me, ‘you are beautiful!’

{Advice for Brides-To-Be}

The biggest thing to remember is to enjoy every moment. The preparation and planning takes forever but your wedding day is gone in a blink of an eye! Don’t worry about the things that can go wrong. The flops you know about, your guests won’t even notice.

{Venue} Ganzekraal Resort
{Photographer} Real Simple Photography
{Videographer} Crosst Over Videography
{Bride and Bridesmaids' Dresses} Bride and Co
{Groom and Groomsmen’s Suits} Euro Suit Hire
{Hair and Makeup} Salon Elmarie
{Flowers} Moon Drops
{Wedding Cake} Frostings Cupcake Boutique
{Catering} Malita Joubert Catering
{Draping} CM Functions
{DJ} Mr Music {Wedding Bands} Browns Jewellers

*For readers from beyond South Africa: Fynbos' is an Afrikaans word which means 'fine bush.' It is species of plant indigenous and unique to parts of the Western Cape of South Africa. Right, who wants hit the beach with me, kick off our shoes and dig our toes in the sand? Bring on summer holidays!

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* Submit Your Wedding *

Ice-cream Cake {Sweet Sunday}

2011-12-04T12:25:00.001+02:00

It's a perfect summer's day in Cape Town. There's hardly a breeze, which is a lovely reprise from yesterday's howling Southeaster wind, and it's an ideal day for ice-cream cake!

{Source: lovefoodeat.com via Oh Darling Bride Blog on Pinterest}

It's a delicious dessert idea for a summer wedding or party and if there any fellow kitchen clutzs out there, you'll be as thrilled as I am that this no-bake cake is so simple to make! Click here for the recipe.

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Poppy Wild {Friday Flowers}

2011-12-02T18:28:00.001+02:00

{Source: thehousethatlarsbuilt.blogspot.com via Oh Darling Bride Blog on Pinterest}

I love poppies. They might be a bit too delicate to use in a flower arrangement but if you're having a backyard wedding, you could always sew poppy seeds abundantly for that 'field of wild flowers' effect *sigh* or plant two rows of poopies to create an aisle in the middle of the lawn.

Have a lovely weekend darlings!

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All Great Changes {A Thought for Thursday}

2011-12-01T09:41:00.000+02:00

Feeling a bit chaotic? Me too. I think it's that time of the year. You know, when we're all scrambling to get everything done so we can end the year on a high note. It's a exhausting.

And many of us have also become more aware of what's happening to our environment (I hope), thanks to the COP 17 climate change talks taking place in Durban.

{Source: outcamethesun.tumblr.com via Oh Darling Bride Blog on Pinterest}

It's all a bit chaotic but I have hope. I believe that if we all take a moment out of our personal 'to-do' lists and think about what we could do to help protect our environment, we could make real difference. We could even do something great! Are you with me?

Oh, and if you're looking for eco-friendly wedding ideas, click here.

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Colleen and Darrel {Forest Engagement Shoot}

2011-11-30T07:44:00.001+02:00

When I look at Colleen and Darrel's engagement shoot, photographed by Illuminate Photography in the lush green surroundings of Constania Nek, I'm reminded of one of the things I love most about wedding blogging...

I call it 'the look of love.'

It's that moment, forever captured in time, when the love between two people is so real it's almost tangible. When I see that, I have to believe that for all that's wrong in the world, there's something that's still so right, so good, and so pure... and that thing is simply love.

{How We Met}

We met through friends on an evening out, decided a week and a half later we could not be without each other and we moved in together.

{The Proposal}

I've always imagined my proposal to be just between me and him, no-one else involved and not a big scene.

We went away for our three year anniversary to Langebaan in June. Two days after our anniversary, we went out for cocktails and a walk on the beach. When we got back to the cottage where we were staying, he made us coffee and asked me to marry him. It was so sweet, intimate - perfect really.

{The Wedding Plans}

Our wedding date is set for March 17th in Noordhoek. Darrel will be wearing a kilt and our wedding colours, which we changed to go with his kilt, black, white and red. We’re having an intimate wedding with about 45 guests.

{Photography} Illuminate Photography
{Location} Constania Nek, Cape Town

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Red and White {Wedding Inspiration}

2011-11-27T21:35:00.000+02:00

Are you ready for Christmas? I'm still trying to figure out where the year has gone! But even though I'm freaking out a little, I do love Christmas décor! And that got me thinking about a red and white Christmas wedding...

{Image credits: Rock n Roll Bride, Better Homes and Gardens, We Heart It , Krista Jon, Aperturia, ZsaZsa Bellagio and Santa Barbara Chic}

Now I'm not one to wear much red but after putting together this inspiration board, I realised a pair of red shoes would be awesome with my LBD, I would so wear red fabric flowers in my hair, give red lipstick a try and I wouldn't say no to a little red sports car :)

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Blowing in the Wind {Sweet Sunday}

2011-11-27T09:23:00.001+02:00

Flag cake toppers are too cute! I love that they look like they're catching the the breeze. Here are a few lovely examples I found for you...

{Source: thenaturalweddingcompany.wordpress.com via Oh Darling Bride Blog on Pinterest}

{Source: everylastdetailblog.com via Oh Darling Bride Blog on Pinterest}

{Source: oncewed.com via Oh Darling Bride Blog on Pinterest}

And with the wind is howling in Cape Town today, I thought hoisting a few flags on the blog would be appropriate :) Have a sweet Sunday darlings!

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Lavender Bouquet

2011-11-26T08:45:00.001+02:00

Simple and sweet, I love this lavender bouquet, tied together with an ivory ribbon.

{Source: stylemepretty.com via Oh Darling Bride Blog on Pinterest}

You may have heard that the scent lavender has soothing properties, that's why some people sleep with a fabric pouch full of dried lavender under their pillow, and relaxing is just what I need after a migraine attack yesterday. I couldn't even look at a computer screen, which is why you're seeing Friday Flowers on a Saturday.

It was a little scary because this is only the third migraine I've had and this one was the worst. I was so desperate I agreed to take a 'migraine bomb' (a collection of pills known to knock you and you're migraine out). So far, no more migraine which means I'm going to try make the most of this gloriously sunny weekend and pray the migraine stays away.

Have a beautiful weekend darlings!

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Beautiful Life {A Thought for Thursday}

2011-11-23T20:58:00.001+02:00

{Quote & Photo taken in Franschhoek: me}

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Michele and Dave {Colourful Country Fun}

2011-11-21T08:03:00.000+02:00

Do you remember running through a park with your best friend, playing like nothing else mattered, laughing until your tummy ached and seeing the world in technicolour brilliance?
Well that's the feeling Michele and Dave's playful engagement shoot encompasses, so beautifully captured by Niki M Photography.

If events, over which you have no control, have been stressing you out lately, be inspired by this fun-loving couple to get outdoors, explore and play like you don't have a care in the world! After all, life's too short to be taken seriously :)

Dave and I have been together for two and a half years officially, just over three years unofficially (let’s just say he took his time in making any moves). We had a solid friendship for a long while and we both pretty much knew we would end up together! I waited and waited but it turns out the wait was more than worth my while! Three and a half years later and here here we are - a stunning ring on my finger and I'm typing up our love story for Oh Darling Bride!

{The Proposal}

As you can see by our photographs we enjoy the outdoors, love trying new things and since my fiancé is pretty out there, he wanted his proposal to be unexpected.

Dave and I are CRAZY about amazing views so it's something he took in consideration. He had seen this penthouse overlooking the bay and knew it was exactly where he wanted to propose. So he set out to find out who the penthouse belonged to and BEG to use it for our special occasion. Fortunately the owners were only to happy to share their penthouse with us. They even went away for the weekend and asked their domestic worker to help Dave set up!

The 2nd of July started out as a very normal day for me, Dave promised to take me to see a chick flick and that’s as far as my expectations went! On our way to the movie there was a slight detour. Dave had asked his parents to phone us and invite us for coffee at “their friends penthouse” telling us how amazing the view was and insisting that we just had to stop in! I really didn’t feel like going, all I wanted was a good chick flick and popcorn. After debating it, we set out to stop in for coffee with Daves parents at this “mystery” penthouse...

When we arrived, I recognised Daves parents' car outside and didn't suspect a thing. The moment we walked into the lift and made our way up to the penthouse, my whole world changed! We walked inside and of course there was no one there – no parents or coffee.

Dave led me onto the balcony where there was a couch surrounded by a few little tables with all my favourite things on them. He asked me not to say a word, covered me with a blanket (it was really cold), read me a poem he had written me and then... he took my hand, went down on one knee, presented me with a little box and said, “Michelle Ihmig will you marry me?”

I looked at him and said, “Are you joking?” He opened the little box and when I saw the diamonds I knew this definitely wasn't a joke, it was one of the happiest moments in my life!

I thought this was the end of the surprises but little did I know there were a few more! Dave had booked our wedding venue before he proposed and surprised me with a wedding date at Thatchwoods, we had our first date at Homeliegh Farm so it is SO FITTING! He'd also arranged an engagement party with all our family members, including my family who live in Cape Town, which he took me to after he proposed. The entire night was one amazing surprise!

{Photography} Niki M Photography
{Venue} Heather bank, a field in Port Elizabeth, South Africa

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South African Wedding Couture {Styling Advice}

2011-11-21T07:06:00.000+02:00

The Célébrer Luxury Wedding Workshop took place earlier this month and although I didn't go, VIVID Luxury Marketing emailed me a few of Jean-Pierre Uys' event photographs. I was blown away by the breathtaking wedding couture of South African designers Kobus Dippenaar and Hendrik Vermeulen!

I just had to share photos* of the dresses I love and added some wedding dress style advice to help you look your best on your wedding day.

{Wedding Couture by Kobus Dippenaar}

The detailing on this dress made me gasp. Fitted around the bodice and flared into a full skirt, the artistry of this figure-flattering gown is the balance between the flamboyant but intricate blossom details and the classic shaped wedding dress. I also love how there is subtly show of skin while the bride remains oh-so demeanour.

{Wedding Couture by Hendrik Vermeulen}

Bridal belts and sashes has been a huge trend this year and one I believe we'll continue to see in 2012. It's a super way create a slim silhouette by highlighting the slimiest part of your body, the waist. It's also a great way to add colour.

I love with this simple idea: wrap a thin coloured satin ribbon around the waist a few times and secure with a fabric flower. You could also simply tie a bow.

Sophisticated, elegant the classic sheath dress on the left is the perfect option for a modern bride with a slim 'ruler-shaped' figure (think Gwyneth Paltrow). If you'd love just a hint of colour, you'll love the the gentle blend from white to a soft pink on the train on this dress. It's bang on the ombre trend!

This sultry, sexy figure-hugging dress will take your groom's breath away (or make him breathe a little heavier).

Come to think of it, it may have the same affect on most of the male wedding guests! It's a dress best suited to a confident bride with either a slim, toned hourglass figure (think Catherine Zeta-Jones) or ruler-shaped figure. If you want to wear this, you better be wearing the strip on your gym card out.

Fitted on top and flowing out into skirt, the A-line dress is one of the most flattering styles (hence the popularity of this silhouette) and particularly flatters pear-shaped figures (like mine).

Some pear-shaped women have created a balance between a smaller upper body and heavy lower body with diet and exercise (think Jennifer Lopez). But we don't all have four hours a day to workout (lol) so a wide lace bodice like this helps rectify imbalance by emphasising the décolleté and balancing narrow shoulders with broad hips by making shoulders appear broader. Magic!

I hope you've been wowed by our talented South African designers (I am) and the styling advice helps you decide on a dress style for your wedding or event. I've only scratched the surface of picking a dress for specific body types so I'd love to hear from you...What's the best dress styling advice you ever received?

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* Please note: All photography is by Jean-Pierre Uys but some of these images have been cropped by and for Oh Darling Bride to allow you a closer look at the darling details.

Cake Bunting {Sweet Sunday}

2011-11-20T11:18:00.001+02:00

I'm working on some blog posts for the week and just had an idea to post a sweet wedding cake every Sunday. This could be a bad idea - my sweet tooth is aching!

But I can't help myself because this cake is the cuteness...

{Source: thesweetestoccasion.com via Oh Darling Bride Blog on Pinterest}

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Yellow Chrysanthemums {Friday Flowers}

2011-11-18T18:24:00.001+02:00

When I was little, watching my mother put together the odd flower arrangement, I noticed she put the (expensive) roses and only then did she add these daisy-like flowers. I learnt that they were 'fillers' and since then had thought they were a little cheap... a poor woman's rose if you would.

Oh my, I was such a little flower snob! Fortunately realised the error of my ways, chrysanthemums are beautiful! And while seemingly simple individually, clustered together they create a striking arrangement like this...

{Source: stylemepretty.com via Oh Darling Bride Blog on Pinterest}

Have a beautiful weekend!

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What Will We Say... {A Thought For Thursday}

2011-11-17T18:04:00.001+02:00

What will we say,
when our children ask,
why we didn't do more,
to preserve the world for them?

{Source: themessesofmen.tumblr.com via Johnna on Pinterest}

We just have five years to save our world.

Scientists have found that if we can manage to keep climate change to 2°C or lower, we'll be fine. But, at the pace we're "living," we're heading towards a future of catastrophic climate change.

Will this be our legacy?

This is not a drill darlings, the International Energy Agency (IEA) have released this alarming information in their annual World Energy Outlook report (read more here) and with COP17 (Conference of the Parties, a division of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC)) meeting later this month in Durban, South Africa, to talk about lowering greenhouse gases, I think we can take a moment out of pretty wedding posts to think GREEN.

There is hope... but only if we act.

We need to cut global greenhouse gas emissions by between 80 and 95%. It sounds daunting but there are lots of things we can do, including planning an eco-friendly wedding.

I try to do my bit, but if I'm really honest with myself (and my future children), I could be doing more. So let's inspire each other...

Bloggers, brides, photographers, wedding coordinators and you, yes YOU - post your eco-tips as a comment below and let's give each others' green ideas a try!

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Beautiful Bridal Boudoir

2011-11-16T19:00:00.001+02:00

Boudoir shoots, the sweet and saucy gift from a bride to her groom, usually make me blush. The thought of of being photographed while wearing very little and showing a lot of skin, scares me more than the upcoming bikini season! I've always thought, 'Not in a million years!'

But then Samantha of Sunkissedstudio shared this sensational styled boudoir shoot with me...

I love the way the ribbon and soft baby's breath blossoms is wrapped through the model's loosely braided hair.

The use of the veil is gorgeous.

And what a gorgeous fascinator by O My Hat!

I love that the model, Nadine, is proudly pale and wears her freckles like they each one have a story to tell. I'm sure there are other fair girls out there who have had a few hang-ups about being pale and tried to perfect a tan from a can. I was called a 'freckled fairy' in junior school. I was crushed and hated my freckles back then. Now that they've faded (or smooshed together) I miss them. If you have them, don't hide them.

Pretty, sensual and tasteful, these pictures prove that when it comes to boudoir shoots, you don't have to take it all off to pull off.

{Photographer and Stylist} Samantha Hanlon of Sunkissedstudio
{Model} Nadine Van Eeden from Triple Threat Talent
{Make-up} Nadine Crous of Beautiful Spirit
{Clothing}Tatum Kelly of Paper Doll Design Studio
{Fascinators} Jonene Johnson of O My Hat!

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A Country Arrangement {Friday Flowers}

2011-11-11T11:00:00.000+02:00

This rustic arrangement caught my eye and I thought, 'Oh so pretty! Oh so country!'

{Light Country Flowers via Style Me Pretty}

It's my husband's birthday today... well tomorrow really because right now it's still Thursday night and I'm scheduling this post for tomorrow at 11am on 11-11-2011. How cool is that?! I'll be sitting in an office when you read this, trying to focus on ghost writing other people's blogs, checking my watch as I count down to our country weekend away.

Yes, we're off to the winelands this weekend. I'm so excited! All I want to do is walk, breathe, look, eat and just be. I better go pack. Good night or good morning and may you have a beautiful, blessed weekend wherever you are.

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Worth Having {A Thought for Thursday}

2011-11-10T10:00:00.000+02:00

There comes a point in every wedding plan when it feels like it's going nowhere. It doesn't matter how many excel sheets you have, to-do lists you've written or how many hands you have helping, sometimes there's a little bump in the road that, for a moment, seems like a mountain.

Source: icanread.tumblr.com via Oh Darling Bride Blog on Pinterest

Have you been there?

I've stood in the shadow of that mountain, feeling sick to my stomach at the thought of climbing it. And then I felt my husband's hand take mine. He stepped forward and I followed. We started climbing and when reached the top and looked back, I realised it had only been a little hill.

Life's funny like that. Often the things that overwhelm us today are so very small tomorrow.

So if you've lost that map for the the so-called 'perfect wedding', take that step anyway and follow your instincts. After all, saying "yes" was based on your instincts and not a to-do list.

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Claire and Rhynhardt {Cream West Coast Wedding}

2011-11-06T10:17:00.000+02:00

A beautiful love story, a gorgeous couple and...that kiss... oh my!

Claire and Rhynhardt's wedding ceremony took place in a quaint old church in Vredenburg, a fishing village along the Cape West Coast, and their reception was held at The Seatrader overlooking the protected beach of Cape St. Martin Nature Reserve. Their predominantly cream, ivory and black colour scheme contrasted the clear blue Cape West Coast sky beautifully!

{How We Met}

Rhynhardt and I met one evening in a local Pretoria hang out. It was quite a special way to meeting because at the time he was living in Cape Town. He was up in Pretoria for business and had decided to spend the weekend visiting his friend who lived in Pretoria.

He and his buddies decided to go to the same party my friend and I decided to go that evening. I was out "on the town" with my girlfriends, when Rhynhardt and I happened to "bump" into each other on the dance floor (he says I accidentally bumped into him-but I say he carefully managed to make his way through the crowd to dance next to me!)

We fell for each other hook-line-and-sinker from that moment on and managed to have a long distance relationship for over a year. I decided this was the man for me and we made the decision for me to relocate to Cape Town.

{The Proposal}

Rhynhardt proposed to me on the 22nd of October 2009. It was a total surprise! He had convinced me to get all dressed-up for a particular work function he and I had to attend. He asked me to meet him at the venue of this "work function", just around 7pm, as he had to work later than usual. Of course I was running late, and only managed to get there at 7.30pm!

By that time I was so stressed out about being late that could just imagine his boss giving me the evil glare as I walked into the room! You can imagine my surprise when I was led to a private wine cellar, with a romantic table set for two.

And Rhynhardt was nowhere to be seen! I was frantic and kept asking the waiter "what the hell was going on?" I thought they had made a mistake and lead me to the wrong room! The waiter calmly told me to open the big box that was on the table as he popped open some champagne.

I reluctantly opened the big box to find a letter inside from Rhynhardt instructing me to open the box, layer by layer. As I opened the box I discovered layers and layers of boxes within boxes, each layer with a promise of his unconditional love and promises from Rhynhardt for our future together.

I finally got to a small wooden box at the end. At that moment Rhynhardt came into the room opened the small box, got on one knee and proposed. It was the most magical, unbelievable moment of my life!

{The Wedding}

Saying our vows was one of the most memorable moments of the day as we promised our commitment and love to each other. I also loved our first dance as a married couple. I was so nervous, sacred that I would trip over the train of my wedding dress, but as the song started Rhynhardt led me gracefully across the floor and by the time the music ended I was so at ease! We ended up dancing the night away!

{Advice for Brides-To-Be}

Take everything in on your special day! Try not to stress and just enjoy every moment. Remember the small things, like your bridesmaids giggling as they try get you into your wedding dress or the look on your Dad's face as he leads you down the aisle to your future hubby.

At the end of the wedding celebrations make a plan to spend time alone with your husband, whether it’s having a bath together of just sipping on the last glass of bubbly while you chat and laugh about your wedding day activities.

{Wedding Coordination} Jade’ Customised Events
{Venue} The Seatrader, Cape St. Martin Nature Reserve in the West Coast
{Stationery} Paper Paradise
{Photography} Tammy Gardner Email: tammygardner@mac.com

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Friday Flowers {Floating Camellias}

2011-11-04T21:07:00.000+02:00

Sophisticated, simple and budget friendly, I love the idea of floating beautiful blooms in delicate vases. Great for weddings a dinner party or just because.

{Floating Pink Camellias via Cathy Heck Studios}

These pink camellias bloom in winter (so keep this in mind if you're planning a July/August wedding) but if you want to try this now, you could use full blooming roses. Have a super weekend!

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Spend Life {A Thought for Thursday}

2011-11-03T07:25:00.001+02:00

Source: vintageinspiredclothing.net via Oh Darling Bride Blog on Pinterest

I don't know about you but I've been friends with people who talked behind my back, looked me up and down (as though they were the fashion police) and made snide biting comments to me, which actually said less about me and more about them.

My husband couldn't understand why I persevered with them and eventually I got sick of being made to feel 'less than.' It broke my heart a little but with friends like that, I didn't need enemies.

So I stepped aside and started making friends with people who smile when they see me, don't care what I wear, drive or if I've gained or lost weight.

They're disarmingly honest, witty, creative, like pretty things but don't let it define them, and whenever we hang out, we fat silly chats, deep talks and always, a good giggle. Oh, and they were awesome wedding guests!

If you relate to this little story, start spending less time with 'frienemies' and start choosing friends who love you just as you are... because life's too short to spend it with snobs.

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Tessa and Ashley's Wedding {Vintage Tea Party}

2011-11-01T21:11:00.000+02:00

Need proof that you can have a big, beautiful vintage wedding on a budget? This Cape Town wedding is the pudding...or the chocolate brownie at least. Tessa, of starting on saturdays, and her husband Ashley show us just what can be achieved with a little creativity and a whole lot of love.

If you loved their arty urban engagement shoot, you will love their vintage tea party wedding full of made-with-love details and held in a converted garage in Muizenberg, Cape Town (yes, you read that right!) superbly captured by Illuminate Photography.

{The Wedding}

On the morning of the wedding, before the busyness began, I walked down to Muizenberg beach and sat there with a latte. It was a great start to the day, some time alone to think and pray. I was completely at peace knowing that I would start my marriage to my best friend that day.

We are both Christians and it was important to us to include worshipping God together as part of our marriage service. This was one of the most special times of the day; celebrating the gift that God has given us in each other, surrounded by people who love us and Him.

Listening to Ashley say his vows was incredible. I was overwhelmed that such an amazing man was sincerely committing his life to loving and serving me. We spent a lot of time writing vows that were particularly meaningful and reflected our dreams and values, so hearing them ‘for real’ was amazing.

Seeing our venue set up, with all its many finishing touches, full of people who love us; that made my day. From the invitations, hanging bunting, setting out chairs to lemonade, brownies and a delicious giant cupcake; our wedding was a labour of love on the part of so so many of our friends and family.

We decided that our wedding was going to be about getting married and celebrating with people. We made a lot of decisions and sacrifices to make sure we could invite quite a lot of people (there were over 200 people there). At the tea reception, we both just knew that it was the right call; everyone was so happy for us and that just added to our joy!

We did all our bridal party and couple shots right at the end of the day. After taking photos with our gorgeous bridal party, we had a ‘group hug’ as they left us to do couple shots and then go on honeymoon. Their tangible enthusiasm on our behalf, even at the end of what was a demanding day (and week) for them, was so special.

{Advice for Brides-To-Be}

Major in the majors and minor in the minors. There are *so* many decisions to make, so many options available and too many details available to distract you from what matters.
Decide early on in the planning, decide together what your priorities are and remind each other of them.
There is such an emphasis on living up to other people’s expectations, and what you ‘should’ do at a wedding. Traditions are a wonderful guideline but they are not rules.
When it comes to a decor, try to think less about what theme you’re going for and more about infusing your personalities into the day; it will be a lot more meaningful for you and memorable for your guests.

{Photography} Tabitha & Sachi from Illuminate Photography.
{Stationery} Moonbeams & Polkadots.
{Venue} Ceremony & reception in a converted garage, The Blue Bird Garage. Contact Dylan: bluebirdgarage@gmail.com

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Please Vote for ODB {SA Blog Awards 2011}

2011-10-31T21:52:00.000+02:00

If you've popped in here to escape the humdrum of everyday life, found something inspiring and enjoyed this blog, please take one minute to vote for Oh Darling Bride in the SA Blog Awards 2011 as 'Best Entertainment/Lifestyle Blog.'

Click here to vote for Oh Darling Bride
Fill in your email address and check your email for vote confirmation (click on the vote confirmation link as sent to your email address).

Please note:

You can only vote one blog per category
Should you vote for another blog in same category, after voting for Oh Darling Bride, your latest vote will override your vote for original vote
You don't have to live in South Africa

Thanks for supporting Oh Darling Bride, I appreciate every vote :)

Monique

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Friday Flowers {Ivory Roses}

2011-10-28T18:11:00.000+02:00

It's been a long week, we deserve flowers. Have a beautiful weekend!

Ivory Roses from Kim and Liam's Wedding.

{Photography Sam from Sunkissedstudio Photography}

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Ways to Stay Creative {A Thought for Thursday}

2011-10-27T08:00:00.000+02:00

Source: creativeindexblog.blogspot.com via Oh Darling Bride Blog on Pinterest

This week Cape Town was named the World Design Capital 2014. Yay Cape Town!

Ironically this Capetonian has been feeling uninspired. I tend to put everything else (including blogging) before drawing, painting and creating.

Recently a friend showed me a paper mache frame I had made and given her years ago. When I saw it, I thought, 'flip that's cool! When last have I made something like that?' The last time I did something I creative and fun was when I designed jar lanterns for my wedding.

So this weekend a friend and I are going to take a drive, find a little spot to stretch out in the sunshine (I hope there is sunshine) and just draw whatever catches our eyes. FYI, I probably won't be doing any blogging :)

How do you get your creative fix and stay inspired?

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Pretty Perfect Wedding Dress

2011-10-25T20:03:00.001+02:00

Think I've found the perfect wedding dress! If I could go back in time and do it all over again... Oh never mind, I loved my dress. But once a bride, always a bride right? So this is the dress that has me swooning.

And I think you can see why when you look at the detail on the lace bodice...

And then there's the oh-so-romantic full tulle skirt...

At least I think it's tulle. {Insert sigh here} I love this picture!

And when this bride wants to hit the dance floor, all she has to do is step out of the floor length skirt, slip a white miniskirt over the bodice and hey-presto, she's ready to rock a cocktail wedding dress!

Pretty perfect don't you think?

{Original Blog Post} Pretty Little Weddings

{Photography} Andria Lindquist

{The Dress} altelier TAMI

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Bespoke Handmade Hairpieces for Brides

2011-10-22T09:31:00.000+02:00

In a bridezilla state of mind, I had a pre-wedding accessory panic, from my hairpiece to a downright obsessive earrings hunt (I ended up with three pairs). My sister came to the hairpiece rescue but if I had known about these local designers, who create bespoke bridal hairpieces, I wouldn't have become a mall rat weeks before my wedding.

If you're looking for an original hairpiece made in South Africa, here are three lovely designers to consider...

Bella Chiara

From left: 'Venetian Veil', 'Bloom Collection' and 'White Cherry Blossoms' all by Bella Chiara

Claire from Bella Chiara specialises in fine, vintage-inspired hair accessories and garters. Each piece is constructed from scratch with exquisite attention to detail. She often works with clients to create unique designs and all Bella Chiara accessories are packaged in vintage boxes which means you have a gorgeous storage box to preserve your hair piece in long after the wedding day. Prices range from R350 to about R550 depending on the design.

Find Bella Chiara on* Facebook* Email: mybellachiara@gmail.com

Carrie B Accessories

From left: 'Natalie Fascinator,' 'White Starflower' and 'Floral Veil all by Carrie B Accessories

Carrie B creates fantastic fascinators, birdcage veils, cocktail hats and single flower and feather hair accessories. Most of her designs are to custom made to order. Price range depending on the design but the accessories shown here range from R180 to R1000.

From left: 'Gerbera Fascinator,' 'Nicolette Cap' (photograph by Gavin Goodman), 'Lola' and 'Guinivere' all by Carrie B Accessories

Find Carrie B Accessories at www.carrieb.org * Facebook* Email: carrieb@carrieb.org

Dimity EcoBride

All hairpieces by Dimity EcoBride

Eco-concious brides will love the fact that Dimity EcoBride creates each beautiful hair accessory from either reclaimed, vintage, organic, peace silk, wild silk and handmade crochet. They offer to customise hair accessory designs to complement wedding gowns.

All hairpieces by Dimity EcoBride except for the beaded headband, design and made by Chey Michau

Prices range depending on the design but the Dimity EcoBride accessories seen here range in price from R 35 each to R 800.

Find Dimity EcoBride at www.dimity.co.za * Facebook * Twitter *Email: wendy@dimity.co.za

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Finding Balance {A Thought for Thursday}

2011-10-20T08:13:00.001+02:00

It feels like 2011 is running away, at breakneck speed, and I'm trying to catch it. I'm running like a mad woman, waving my to-do list & screaming "Wait, I still have to finish this!"

It's so easy to lose balance, forget what's really important and turn into a crazy lady... especially when your planning your wedding (been there). So today's Thursday Thought is all about balance and I just love this...

Source: imgspark.com via Monique on Pinterest

So let's do what we can, ask for help when we need it, find shortcuts for things that won't matter in a year's time and focus on the big things... because time waits for no woman.

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Richard and Jennifer {Highway to Love}

2011-10-19T06:59:00.000+02:00

Under the bridge of the M1 highway in Johannesburg might seem like an unlikely place for an engagement shoot but this urban space, alive for crazy and colourful graffiti, was the perfect backdrop for a couple who are madly in love!

Today Richard will be sharing their love story with us. You got to love a groom who gets involved with the wedding planning! And as it so happens, planning their wedding inspired him to start importing Signature Keepsakes, a collection of polished silver alloy frames which wedding guests can sign with an engraving pen as a long-lasting guestbook alternative.

I'm seeing a pattern of brides and grooms who find planning their wedding day ignites a creative spark. It leads them to something new, whether it be a blog, a business or a career change! But that's another post, let's get back to this awesome engagement shoot...

{How We Met}

I met Jennifer at her mom`s house four years ago on Christmas day. I was there with a friend of mine who happens to be her cousin. It was love at first sight! I even made unnecessary trips to the loo just to catch another glimpse of her. I knew she would be my wife someday.

{The Proposal}

I proposed to Jennifer on the 4th April 2010 at Mount Grace Hotel and Spa in Magaliesberg. I could not wait any longer so after we booked into our room, while she was admiring the view, I popped a champagne cork and put her ring inside the glass.

We stood on the balcony while staring at the setting sun and she suddenly then saw the ring while sipping from her glass. I went down on my knee and proposed. There was no hesitation and she said "Yes!" immediately.

Our wedding date is on the 29th October 2011 at Galagos Country Estate, Pretoria East.

{Photography} Quintin Mills
{Venue} Under M1 highway, Bree Street, Johannesburg
{Signature Keepsakes}

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Heart + Peg Table Place Setting {DIY Tutorial}

2011-10-16T14:12:00.001+02:00

Today's guest blogger and Cape Town bride-to-be Carolyn shares her gorgeous DIY project for guest wedding table place settings.

Instead of name place cards for all our wedding guests, I made these heart name pegs. They're too cute it's a great way to also save space on tables as they peg onto the wine glass. And here's the tutorial...

You will need:

Chipboard hearts. Mine were roughly 5cm (height and width). You may need to find someone who can cut them out for you. You can use any shape though, it doesn’t have to be a heart.
Black Acrylic Paint. I used Dala Acrylic in Black (colour 801), R27 from Merrypak.
Normal wooden pegs available at Pick ‘n Pay. Roughly R50 for around 100 pegs.
Epoxy glue
Super glue
MS Word Document to be printed professionally
Scissors
Lobster Font

Method:

Once the hearts were painted black (on both sides) and fully dry I used Epoxy glue to stick the peg onto the heart. I wouldn't recommend using super glue for this. You need a glue that is strong and is going to last.
Epoxy glue can be tricky to work with at first. It comes in two tubes that need to be mixed together in equal quantities. Mix small amounts at first until you become better at using it. It dries solidly in 4 minutes, so you need to work quickly.
Decide where you are going to position your peg onto the heart, to see where you will need to add the glue. Three small amounts along the peg should do the trick. Once you stick the peg on then apply pressure. Check immediately to see that the peg is sitting straight, before the glue dries.
Once you are happy, then leave it to dry for about 15-20 minutes before moving it around too much. I let them dry overnight before attempting to peg them onto anything, just to be sure.
To print out the guest’s names I created a simple table in MS Word. I left spaces in between the rows to make the names easier to cut out once printed. I filled the background colour to black, and made the writing white, to fit in with the black-painted hearts. The font I used is called Lobster, and can be downloaded from www.fontsquirrel.com The font size I used was 28pt (not bold). This suits an approx 5cm x 5cm sized heart.
This table needs to be printed out professionally at the printers to ensure the colour is flawless, on 300gsm white cardboard.
Cut the names out and stick onto the heart using super glue. This needs to be done slowly/with tweezers, as once the name is down it will stick, whether in the right place or not! You only need 2 tiny drops of super glue to stick these down. The cardboard you use must be the thickest available (300gsm), otherwise the super glue will seep through the cardboard and ruin the name.

Thanks Carolyn for sharing this DIY wedding project and for writing such a super tutorial! If you're already a 'Mrs' and love this idea, you could make it for your family Christmas table (yes, Christmas is just around the corner... Eek!). Oh, and be sure to bookmark Oh Darling Bride because Carolyn (@carolynhack on twitter) will be sharing more stunning DIY wedding decor on the blog soon!

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Candice and James {Grey and White Wedding in Hout Bay}

2011-10-13T08:04:00.000+02:00

When your groom and his family are from the UK, and many of your wedding guests are visiting Cape Town for the first time, it's natural to want to show them what a beautiful city this is!
And that's just what Candice (a proud Capetonian) and James did when they chose Suikerbossie as their wedding venue, with it's sweeping views over the Atlantic Ocean and the coastal village of Hout Bay, framed by mountains.

Cape Town photographer Frank Nash captured the couple's beautiful late summer wedding and I think you'll agree, the results are works of art!

{How We Met}

James and I met in London at an Easter lunch that my sister had dragged me too. I sat next to James and we ended up getting on very well. A few weeks later I was due to go on a date with a guy I had met but my sister and all her mates would not stop nagging me to join them at a club. They must of hassled me pretty badly because I cancelled the date to go and party with my girls.

James happened to be at the club and as they say...
the rest is history! Although I have to say we did not get off to a great start on our first official date James ordered frogs legs and I started dry retching (in a fancy French fusion restaurant) at the sight of them, needless to say the waiter sprinted over faster than Usain Bolt and removed them.

{The Proposal}

I was really missing my family and decided to book my ticket home (Cape Town) for Christmas. James has a small family and he felt he should spend Christmas at home in London. With a heavy heart I said goodbye and flew home.

We skyped on Christmas day and all I did was cry. The next day my dad said he needed to fetch a client from the airport. It turned out the James had decided on a whim to hop on a plane that night, armed with a bottle of vintage Krug and a big question!

When James walked in the house I first screamed and then burst into tears of joy. He had to ask both my dad's if he could make me his wife which is pretty scary once, let alone twice! James really moved mountains to make the proposal very romantic by flying all the way to Cape Town!

{The Wedding}

A scenic natural venue was my biggest priority when choosing a venue, I wanted to show friends and family who were travelling from all over the world (36 international guests) how beautiful my beloved city Cape Town is! We chose Suikerbossie in Hout Bay because it's surrounded by mountains, overlooks the ocean and it has sunsets that will blow your mind!

My wedding was modern and glamorous but relaxed. There were big candelabras with long white church candles and loads of lilies and roses. I get scared of colour and wanted to play it safe so my colour scheme was gun metal grey and clean crisp white.

I had seven of my best girlfriends as my "brideslaves" and they looked breathtaking. One of my dads married us and the other walked me down the aisle which made my ceremony so personal and special!

My biggest hope for the wedding was that people would dance! I had a band and a DJ to make sure I had this all covered. James and I broke the dance floor in at around 9:15 pm to Bob Marley's hit 'Is this love' and I never left the dance floor after that! I let hairstyle out and kicked my shoes off so I could really break it down! he he he

When you think about your wedding, it will probably be the only time in your entire life you will have all the people you love the most in the world in one room for one night and one night only so I made sure I enjoyed every second of it!

{Advice for Brides-To-Be}

I was your typical Zilla bride and got really stressed with the planning of the day, I even gave my brides slaves a hard time which they called 'bridal beatings.' I got some really solid advice from many wives telling me to relax on wedding day, stop worrying about the details and let it go. I kept that in mind all day and I swear I was the most relaxed I have ever been!

Oh and always watch out for 'fat arm' in photos, never squash your arm against your side! ha ha ha

I just love this bride's sense of humour :) You can see more of this gorgeous wedding on Frank Nash's site here.

{Photography} Frank Nash
{Venue} Suikerbossie, 1 Victoria Drive, Hout Bay, Cape Town

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Célébrer Luxury Wedding Workshop

2011-10-11T07:09:00.001+02:00

I've always aimed to offer wedding inspiration for down to earth brides because I know what it's like to organise a wedding on a budget. But sometimes it's lovely to dream and the Célébrer Luxury Wedding Workshop could just be one of those head-in-the-cloud occasions.

{Photography Ryan Graham}

The Célébrer Luxury Wedding Workshop, in association with Estée Lauder, will be bringing South Africa's top wedding experts together to share their expertise with brides-to-be at the Val de Vie Wine and Polo Estate on 4 and 5 November 2011.This is an opportunity to find top quality wedding vendors while enjoying a day of wining and dining with your bridesmaids.

The Estée Lauder team will be sharing secrets to best bridal beauty regime, top fashion designers Kobus Dippenaar, Hendrik Vermeulen and celebrity stylist Marelize de Clercq will be offering styling advice, and take a notebook because top wedding planners, stationary designers, cake designers, chefs, décor specialists and honeymoon planners will be sharing their tips too!

Okay this is not exactly a budget bride's event at R550 per person, but if you're planning the your dream wedding no matter what the cost, this is an event for you! Book by calling Val de Vie Events on: 021 863 6191 or email events@valdevie.co.za

And if your attend this workshop, feel feel to send your review and/or photos to oh.darling.bride@gmail.com and your review might be featured! Read more about submitting content here.

Have a beautiful week ; )

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You Are Enough {A Thought for Thursday}

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Source: flickr.com via Pamela on Pinterest

It really sucks when someone makes you feel in significant. It can happen while planning your wedding and encountering a wedding vendor who clearly does give a fig about your big day day, in the office or when you meet some snob who makes snap judgements about you based on stupid things like a lack of designer handbag.

I can check off all of the above. I should have a thick skin by now but I don't and this week I'm really having to remind myself that I matter, even if some people don't treat me like I do.

So if you've been feeling downhearted this week, for whatever reason, join me in looking in the mirror and saying, "I'm good enough...no scratch that, I'm awesome!"

Feels good doesn't it?!

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Spring Garden Party {Inspiration Board}

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It's starting to feel like spring in Cape Town! And this week's gorgeous garden party inspiration board, designed by our guest blogger, Megan Smith from Dressed by Style, sums up that delicious spring feeling!

{Images via BHLDN}

Megan was inspired by the fabulous floral dress, a super alternative for a bride who is brave enough to break from tradition. And no wonder, she's a personal stylist who shares fabulous fashion, décor and her own beautiful photography in her blog, Dressed by Style. Be sure to to pop on over and visit her.

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Tessa and Ashley {Urban Cape Town Engagement Shoot}

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They took a walk through the streets of Cape Town and along Sea Point promenade, stopping to play cards, admire the view and eat ice-cream. It looked like a perfect day and the result... one of the cutest urban engagement shoots I've seen!

The magic was captured by Love Made Visible (love their work!) and if you haven't discovered Tessa's blog yet, pop over and visit starting on saturdays, her posts about her Australian holiday may inspire wanderlust :)

{How We Met}

I first met Ashley when he arrived at my house for dinner! When he moved to Cape Town from Australia he lived in a digs with a bunch of guys I was good friends with. My flatmates and I asked them all round for a meal.

We got to know each other better at church and spent a lot of time together at his digs, with me using their swimming pool as a cover and my flat mates as back up. He lived just down the road from and I conveniently needed a lift to most social functions, so we had a lot of time to talk going to and from the beach, parties etc.

{The Proposal}

It was a Saturday morning in August, Ashley fetched me from a friends’ house in town and we went for a drive in the winelands. (I am so glad I got ready with girl friends for that date, or I wouldn’t have pulled off such a good outfit!)We stopped at a farmers market for coffee & after exploring the farm roads of Stellenbosch we wound our way to Waterford Wine Estate.

We settled into big leather armchairs near huge fire place for some chocolate and wine tasting. We shared a picnic lunch outside on the grass surrounded by the mountains and gorgeous orchards at the wine farm. He’d packed a basket full of my favourite delicious things and we sat eating and talking for ages.

I wasn’t suspicious at all, even spending such a perfectly romantic day together. There were a couple of moments in the day, however, where I found myself misting up a bit... I wondered how I could ever be happier. I was about to find out...

Just as I thought we were about to leave, Ashley gently turned me to face him, and said “Tessa-Jean, will you marry me?” to which I responded, “Absolutely,” without hesitation. In the seconds that followed, I realised that this was IT! – it was not a hypothetical proposition... boy was I relieved I’d already given the right answer!He reached into his pocket and handed me a gorgeous family heirloom which we plan to use to make a ring, but I wanted to help design it. It was strung on beautiful lace so I could still wear it that day. As if that wasn't enough, from his back pocket he slipped a gorgeous pearl ring on my finger – it is unconventional, vintage - perfect.

The day ended with a quiet dinner, letting it all sink in while letting our family and close friends know, then champagne overlooking the lights of the city we love...

{Photography} Love Made Visible
{Venue} Cape Town CBD and Sea Point promenade, Beach Road, Sea Point

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