When someone in the wedding industry gets married, you know it’s going to be a spectacular day!  Photographer Adele Kloppers married Lourens in a fabulously personal and creative DIY wedding near their home in Cape Town.  Instead of a traditional church ceremony, they chose the local registry office where just a handful of their closest family and friends witnessed them make their lifelong commitment.  Afterwards, they headed to one of their favourite café’s for a relaxed reception filled with quirky personal details.  A teal and grey palette with pops of red makes for a really fun scheme, all the details including the flowers, were made and styled by the couple & their friends.  Even the bride’s and bridesmaid’s outfits were DIY {although it helps when you have a fashion designer bridesmaid and talented seamstress for a mum!}.

The fun and celebrations were captured by friend and photographer Alexandra Graham.  Prepare yourselves for lots of DIY details, and keep an eye out for some rather unusual dinosaur cake toppers!!

Over to Adele for their story ~

We first met about 5 years ago at a rock show! 3 Years later, he took me up to a lookout point on the Gordon’s Bay Mountains in the Western Cape where you can see the whole of False bay. It was absolutely beautiful! He then got down on one knee and popped the question. I said yes!

I tried to keep the wedding as DIY as possible. My mom made my dress from a Vintage Vogue 1957 pattern. I loved how classic it came out. The veil I made myself – an almost impossible task! I also loved my shoes with the lace detail. I found them in a small shoe shop in Cape Town. My bridesmaid made her own dress as well. Luckily she studies fashion design! Her hair was done in a classic 1950’s vintage roll. I got the groomsman a tie in teal to match our main colours.  I spent hours on Pinterest and first trying out the hair styles on myself before I made a choice. Lourens always tells me I look beautiful with my hair up, so I knew that was the way to go! In fact, most of my inspiration for our wedding came from Pinterest as well as seeing ideas from photographers that I follow.

We got married at Home Affairs because that meant that we would be able to walk around in the city afterwards to take photos like we wanted to. We had quite a small budget, so this also meant that we could spend more on other details. The reception was in Somerset West at Coco Bella Patisserie. Coco Bella was great because of the already vintage inspired décor of the venue itself. The food there is also amazing, they made us the most divine red velvet cake!

I designed and had all the stationery printed myself. Table flowers and décor where styled by a friend. I also made our cake toppers using dinosaurs I bought at a toy shop – Lourens wanted to be a T-Rex! The straw flags has a quote from one of our favourite movies that we thought really fit with our relationship: “The juice was worth the squeeze.”  My mom and I went to a florist the day before the wedding and got a whole bunch of mixed flowers that I liked. Because flowers don’t come in teal, I wanted to use different colours and have my bouquet look wild and colourful. I also found some red wild berries, bougainvillea’s and fern leaves in my mom’s garden that I incorporated into the flowers.

photographer

Being a photographer myself, everyone thought that this was going to be difficult for me. I chose to go with Alexandra Graham Photography not only because she is my friend, but because I knew that I was going to get the best from her! I love her natural style and she is so good with posing her couples.

favourite moment

One of my favourite moments was when we stopped at a bar for a beer in between having our photos taken. It was good to relax for a few moments with our bridal party and our photographer.

first dance

We had a very short reception – only wine, snacks and cake – so no dancing. If we did, it would have been Don’t Stop Believing by Journey.

advice 

There is nothing that I would do differently. I’ll get married like that again to Lourens if we could! My advice to brides is to absolutely do what makes you and your future husband happy – it is your special day after all! If you have a tight budget, rather splurge on the details that are going to make great photos because those photos are what you will be looking back on for many years!

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Suppliers

Photographer: Alexandra Graham Photography // Dress : Linda Kloppers {mother of the bride} // Venue & Catering: Coco Bella // Bridesmaids dresses: Kaydee van Eyssen {bridesmaid} // Groomswear: Tuxedo Junction

This afternoon I’m handing over to b.team-er Liz, who attended a rather exclusive breakfast event recently to celebrate the launch of über stylish wedding fair Brides The Show.  The wedding industry was in shock earlier this year, as one of our favourite wedding shows suddenly went under, but luckily for us the team at Brides {only one of our favourite bridal reads!} stepped in and are in the midst of planning a spectacular Autumn event.  Here’s what she found out…

A couple of weeks ago, I had the pleasure of seeing and hearing first hand what the new wedding event of the Autumn, Brides The Show, will be about. Over 3 days in October, the collective and creative talents of the No.1 wedding magazine, Condé Nast Brides, and the team behind some of the best organised and exclusive events including London Fashion Week, will transform the marquee at Battersea Park into a spectacular show aimed at brides focussed on sourcing suppliers to create the most amazing day of their lives.

There will be a Catwalk show styled by the Brides’ fashion team and featuring some of them most beautiful dresses from the 2014 collections – including Phillipa Lepley, Ritva Westenius, Ian Stuart, Emma Tindley, Anita Massarella, Louise Selby and many many more.  As well as glorious welcoming flowers from By Appointment Only Design, the front of the show will be dedicated to a new concept styled by the team at Brides – styled areas to give brides ideas for their receptions, from table settings to stationery, buttonholes to ceremony flowers, cupcakes to canapés. Workshops and master classes are also planned to enable brides to get down and dirty with cake decorating, invitation design and flower arranging.

Special partners for the show already announced are Laurent Perrier and Bobbi Brown which gives a pretty good idea of the calibre of exhibitor you will find around the show. Exhibitors will be admitted on a strict admission ensuring that only luxury brands are represented.  One of the most amazing parts of the show will be The Iconic Wedding Dress Exhibition, pulling together some of the most beautiful, exclusive and unique wedding dresses that have been worn by some of the world’s most stylish and glamorous women – including Victoria Beckham and some undisclosed Royals.

It sounds like the Autumn could have a great event lined up and 2014 brides will have a fantastic opportunity to get a fix on the main trends for their big day.

What: Brides The Show

When: Friday 11th (First Look): 5pm -9pm, Saturday 12th: 10am – 5pm, Sunday 13th: 10am - 5pm

Where: Battersea Evolution, Battersea Park, London SW11 4NJ

Book your tickets now at www.bridestheshow.co.uk and you could win a 2-night luxury stay at the gorgeous Babington House

See you there?

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All images from Bridestheshow.co.uk

Morning my loves!

This week I’m introducing a new little feature… with so much inspiration out their for styling your wedding, each week I’ll be taking one of my favourite styling ideas and sharing my top 5 ways to recreate some of my favourite looks.

Right now I’m loving pink and coral dresses for bridesmaids, with the sun shining and summer wedding season well and truly upon us, these pretty hues are perfect for dressing your best girls.  For sleek sophistication in the palest peach, pick Dianna from Maids to Measure {1}.  The hot pink skirt of Monsoon’s Aztec Annie {2} pairs with a beautiful gold beaded top is a trendy choice for a glamorous garden wedding.  Embracing the neon trend, Coast’s Lena {3} is a gorgeous choice, I just love the asymmetric skirt and floaty sleeves.  Twobirds Bridesmaid’s versatile ballgown in coral {4} can be wrapped in 15 ways, providing each of your ‘maids with a look to suit their style, and the swooshy fabric feels amazing!  Finally, for brides on a budget, Girl Meets Dress gives you the choice of renting designer frocks, so your ‘maids can feel pampered in the most amazing of dresses at a fraction of the cost.  I love Jasper Garvida’s Nina {5} for a contemporary English-rose look, hire for just £49!

And if you’re heading to a wedding as a guest this year, all of these would make pretty wearable choices too!

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1. Maids to Measure 2. Monsoon 3. Coast 4. Twobirds 5. Girl Meets Dress

Hello readers! Take a breath and get ready for a jam-packed week of b.loved pretty! Over the next 5 days I’m cramming everything – from pretty inspiration in the shape of this week’s boho inspiration board, bridesmaids frocks, cake pops, a fun real wedding, some vintage glamour, saucy bridal garters and introducing a fab new wedding fair. Phew!

We’re kicking off with a cool, calm and collected wedding scheme, with a pale & interesting pastel palette and understated charm.  For me, rustic style is all about textures, peeling paint and weather-worn timber, chunky hessian and a touch of vintage lace.  For this contemporary take on boho, I’ve paired slate and powder blues with the tiniest hint of pink to keep the look summery and warm.  I’m thinking romantic church ceremony followed by drinks in the courtyard of a battered old barn, with calligraphed timber signage leading the way.   I adore this blue and grey invitation suite from Ruby & Willow, designer Kate’s love of rustic style is always paired just the right amount of modernity.  A vintage lace dress always looks elegant and timeless, taking you through from ceremony to bare-foot dancing, and a pretty hand-tied bouquet of garden-fresh flowers completes your outfit.  For bridesmaids, a simple column dress is a stylish and wearable, paired with a little floral crown as a hint to the boho vibe. Uncovered wooden tables need little in the way of decoration, prettily displayed fresh flowers in jars and bottles..  Hessian place mats finished with a menu and sprig of fresh herbs mark each guest’s seat.  My favourite detail has to be the peeling paper backdrop – it’s home-y and rustic and looks so pretty! It would make a fab statement behind a dessert table, or used as a photobooth backdrop.

So how about it? Who’s planning a boho wedding?

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Image Credits:

Wallpaper backdrop // Calligraphy Sign // Boutonniere // Bouquet // Stationery // Bridesmaid // Place Setting // Timber Sign // Cake

Happy Friday readers!  Are you all looking forward to a lovely weekend? Of course it’s Father’s Day on Sunday, so I’m sure you’ll be spending the day with your Dad.  Perhaps it’s the last one you’ll spend as his little girl before you tie the knot?! It’s sweet, that father-daughter bond, and Dad’s always make the best wedding photo’s from that moment he first sees you as a bride, to the speeches, and of course, the Dad dancing

Enough about the Dad dancing and on to the pretty, in the shape of the stunning  new Goddess collection from Natasha Jane.  This unique new collection takes Natasha’s signature style, balancing fashion and bridal trends, and adds a dash of daring.  Inspired by mythical greek goddesses and Pre-Raphaelite artwork,  the collection has an edgy, almost gothic look (it features studs!!) whilst still retaining the elegance and femininity expected of a bridal accessory.  Each piece is hand-crafted by Natasha, hours of bead work, combining Swarovski bicones and crystals, glass beads and metal studs with silver and gold plated wire.

The Kalista

The Adonia

I asked Natasha to explain more about her style ~

My style is… Daring, unique and intricate. I like to try and find things other people haven’t done before and make it my own. Everything I do, I like to be unique, otherwise I think what is the point? As a creative, you always need to think about what you’re putting out into the world and what you’re saying to the people you’re trying to inspire. If I bought in pieces and wired them together I know I wouldn’t be pushing my creative boundaries, therefore everything I create is made from hand by me.

I’m inspired by… A beautiful face, a piece of art, music, films, fashion, well pretty much everything. When I start a collection now, I like to think about what look I’m trying to achieve and how best to describe that through my headwear.

The Hera Gold

The Chara

My favourite piece is… I love the Adonia and the Rhea headbands, they’re my absolute favourites. The Adonia is so beautiful, it has the  which I love (being a control freak) and I think it is such a daring but wearable piece. The Rhea is just something so unique for my collection, I love the contrast between the sharp metal studs and the sparkling Swarovski crystals.

Trends I love right now… I don’t try and follow the trends (I say with studs in my collection!) I do sometimes get inspired by elements of the trends. I love some of the colour pallets that are popular at the moment though and the use of flowers through these.  I also love the different cake styles around at the moment especially the lace effect miniatures.

The Kari

The Rhea

I admire… I adore Belle and Bunty at the moment, their dresses are so effortless and dreamlike – they are such inspirational women too and ever so nice. Their new collection is stunning too, with such glorious fabrics and colours.

I love my job because… I can be creative, I can inspire and be inspired by someone’s style and I get to be part of someone’s most special day.

Weddings make me… Happy, I love a good wedding video most of all, oh and proposal videos too – I’m so soppy with all of that stuff.

My advice for couples planning their wedding is… Have the day you want, it doesn’t matter if its not cool or expensive or what everyone expects of you. I think some of the best weddings are the ones that really show the couples style. I love a good themed wedding but equally I love to see a whole lot of pretty too!

The Hera Silver

The Athena

The collection is prices at £210-405 and is available from some of our favourite boutiques, including Miss Bush Bridal and The White Room Bridal Boutique, and online at www.natashajane.co.uk.

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Suppliers:

Photography: Holly Booth // Make-up Artist: Heather White // Hair: Martin & Jess at Hedshed  // Models: Chelcie Gascoigne & Isabella Roberts

Inspiration shoots are one of my favourite things to share on b.loved. Created by some of the industry’s most talented individuals, they not only contain lots of on-trend ideas for you to swoon over and pin today, but plenty of do-able inspiration for your own big day. Take today’s shoot, from a talented team of suppliers from Holland. Set in a beautiful blossom-filled garden and inspired by the beauty and colours of nature, there are so many ideas that could easily translate into your very own English country garden wedding. A mix of rustic and romantic, the pretty pink, berry and green colour palette sets the tone for a beautiful but relaxed celebration.

A table set with pretty lace linens, flowers displayed in ceramic jugs and laden with freshly picked fruit, baked breads and local honey gives a hint of vintage farm-style.

The use of wooden benches, crates and signs adds a rustic vibe, this cute sign would make a simple DIY project!

Sweet strawberries, juicy cherries and home-made treats are displayed alongside this wonderfully ruffle-y cake for a pretty outdoor display.

The bride’s delicate lace dress and side-swept up do is perfectly romantic and elegant. I love the cute coordinating pink touches in the grooms outfit too!

Isn’t this just the prettiest ceremony set up? I totally adore the old doors creating the entrance to the ‘aisle’ and the softly billowing curtains are so romantic! The brides bouquet is completely beautiful, romantic and modern with a softly cascading shape and plenty of wild-flower foliage for a rustic style.

What little girl’s wedding dream would be complete without a flower and ribbon-adorned rope swing?!

Click here for more romantic wedding inspiration

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Suppliers

Organisation & Styling: Bloom Wedding // Photography: Eppel Fotografie // Cinematography: Unicorn Wedding Cinematography // Venue & Catering: Landgoed Marienwaerdt // Flowers & Styling: Don Florito // Dresses: Barbara Fabrée Haute Couture // Suits: Rietbergh maatpakken // Hair & make-up: De Bruidsstyliste // Stationery: Do it Perfect // Cake: Sugarlips Cakes // Chairs & Tables: ‘t Arendje // Shoes: Tsjari // Models : Ilena Ingwersen & Edwin Désar