The couple’s close friends and family traveled from abroad in anticipation for a celebration that promised to be a true reflection of their personalities – a perfect balance of a relaxed atmosphere mixed with sophisticated and chic details!

Although this stylish, young South African couple chose New York as their home for their new chapter, it was always destined that they would celebrate their nuptials on African soil! Our design and coordination team set out to create a relaxed, country setting combined with beautiful and intricate details that would capture the vision that Alistair and Michael had for their intimate affair.

The ceremony took place in the historic ‘blue barn’ which offered a colourful backdrop for their romantic country décor. The guests were then escorted through the lavender fields to the stylish cocktail area where the smooth sounds of local band, Manouche set the scene for the evening ahead. With the bubbles and unique cocktails flowing and an interactive South African inspired canapé station, the couple took center stage as they went against tradition and gave their speech as a newly married couple!

The unique country environment of the reception setting saved the best for last as guests arrived to an unpretentious yet chic, alfresco dining setting, all set under Hawksmoor House’s 100-year-old oak trees!

The country inspired colour scheme was carried through to all elements, and combined with a beautiful creative collaboration of top South African designers, adding a stylish and modern touch to the tables. The Mervyn Gers, Cape floral and Delft inspired plates tastefully complemented the hand crafted stationery details by Michael Chandler. This distinctive table setting was finished off with a textured fynbos themed floral band that ran down the center of the tables, adding yet another South African element to the mix!

For our team, Alistair and Michael’s fun filled, open – air celebration showcased a stylish and exclusive blend of “New York meets South Africa”! With the bespoke stationery and personalised details and the country inspired décor this celebration was as chic as it was relaxed!

Photography by: Wesley Vorster

The post New York Romanticism meets South African Design – Alistair & Michael’s Real Life Wedding appeared first on Wedding Concepts.

Behind the Inspiration…

Our design team keep up to date with international trends by following global leaders in design across various subjects such as lifestyle and fashion, so the inspiration for this look was a colour trend that came straight off the European summer catwalks. It was bold, it was brave and it was a combination of specific colours that we had not seen before. However, it became clear that these colours were, in their own right, “Highlight Colours”, so we needed to include complementary base colours to tone it down and add a glamorous edge. With the addition of metallics, stone and white, this vibrant look was now “wedding ready”! International brides and wedding creatives are looking for vibrancy in new contemporary palettes that have a definitive “wow” factor that separate it from the rest – and this is certainly it!

The Perfect Bride in the Perfect Setting!

The inspiration for the styling of the bride is that of an updated 70’s glamour bride – bold lined eyes, soft lips, big hair and subtle bohemian influences. The 3 different looks that were showcased included some classic 70’s bridal elements such as batwing sleeves, embellished veils, prints on dresses and of course exquisite bejeweled bohemian headpieces. We also showcased wedding dresses that were not necessarily white – again breaking the mould from the norm and reminding brides that they can wear any colour on their wedding day– they just have to take that brave leap!

Spring and summer bring with them a desire to shake off those dark dull winter colours and embrace everything that is bright and fresh! So this is certainly a look that would work in the up and coming 2015/2016 spring and summer seasons. And when it comes to the best location, of course the first notion that springs to mind is an urban setting, however this look would work absolutely anywhere, as it’s so distinctive! From the Cape winelands and vineyard settings, to a Durban seaside soiree – or even in the heart of a safari landscape – the contrast alone would be exquisite!

The key elements….

…are the colours! Amazonian green, teal and bioluminescent yellow – colours one cannot get from florals alone! By combining the creative minds at Wedding Concepts and Afresh Event and Design, we were able to bring these specific colours to life through various elements such as textiles, bespoke stationery, painted screens with textured wall paper, and design features such as bespoke wedding cakes! The secondary base colours of white and mixed metallics, were essential to refine the bright colours and give the overall look a sophisticated slant.

The beauty of the tablescape is that it is both contemporary and wonderfully glamorous! Suspended installations are still very much on-trend and a concept that has developed into fantastic floral works of art! For this piece, the floral installation was suspended in such a way so that it seemed to become a natural extension of the solid band of florals already on the table. White peonies and hydrangeas combined with almost neon yellow roses created a luxury centerpiece whilst the stems of green arum lilies and “popping out” peonies certainly added an elegant artistry to the table.

The table itself was completely customized and it too became a key contemporary art piece! The top was covered in a bright yellow fabric, designed by local textile designer Skinny laMinx, and its legs were made of Perspex to give it the ultimate modern edge. Stunning gold cutlery, stylish crystal glassware and bold stationery concepts complemented each place setting.

Our Expert Advice: for such a bold colour scheme, keep the florals simple in colour. White worked perfectly and added a sense of classic sophistication.

And the Bride was Dressed by…..

Kristin Masters of Garnish Bridal Couture specially designed the stunning pink-pearlescent coloured 70’s themed bridal gown for this shoot. With a liquid-silk like appearance, this dress was the epitome of 70’s glamour with long batwing sleeves and the mirroring low V in both the front and back of the dress. For a glam bohemian touch, the delicately hand woven silver stone and crystal Zelus Crown by Bo & Luca was added as it reflected the soft pink colour of the dress beautifully! This would be the perfect glamour accessory to add to your look for the wedding reception and to dance the night away in.The more bohemian styled fitted white wedding dress had a beautiful cow neck and lace detail in the front and a stunning vertical beaded lace detail on the back. The veil that finished off this glamorous bohemian look was a magnificent piece from Bo & Luca. A stunning crown of silk hand cut petals and tiny stones encrusted and sewn into a layer of georgette silk.

The final dress was made by Klûk CGDT. It is the ultimate WOW party dress and we loved it because again, it was not white and came with fantastic volume and a sense of occasion that certainly stood its ground against this bold colour scheme! The palm print on the dress worked beautifully and for a dazzling touch of eclectic style, we added the ornate Hera Headpiece also from Bo & Luca. The hand crafted brushed gold glass stone crown was the perfect accessory to completely romanticize this look.

Contributor Credits:

Concept, styling and co-ordination: Kate Diaz, Senior Project Manager and Creative Director at Wedding Concepts

Assisted by Shannon Khoury and Lauren Whiting, Project Managers at Wedding Concepts

Photographers: Tyme Photography

Floral & Structural Décor & Styling: Afresh Event & Design

Dresses: Kristin Masters of Garnish Couture

Palm Dress: Kluk CGDT

Jewellery & Veil: Bo & Luca

Model: Jade Hill from Ice Models

Hair & make-up: Monique Swanepoel

Venue: Katy’s Palace Bar

Cake: Pippa and Polly Cakery

Stationery: Secret Diary

Catering: Prep’ed by Sasha

The post The Stunning New Colour Trends for Spring/Summer – Our styled shoot! appeared first on Wedding Concepts.

Close friends and family travelled from far to celebrate the couple’s marriage in Leigh’s native country as they had their civil ceremony in Switzerland, where the couple reside. Guests were welcomed with beautiful summer weather and the soft sounds of Mali and Me, an upbeat folk acoustic band with pretty harmonies from Knysna.

Sandrine’s love affair for all things vintage was the basis for the décor throughout the day. This was perfectly reflected through the rustic, wooden gazebo that was custom made for their ceremony, which was adorned with King Protea’s, greenery, and shades of pink. Following the ceremony was the traditional pre – drinks on the patio overlooking Hawksmoor House’s famous views with delicious Pimms cocktails. The couple wanted to bring in local influences throughout their menu and give their guests a genuine South African experience, so bowls of chunky biltong, Bobotie springrolls and fun “Ice Lollies” in watermelon and strawberry daiquiris were served throughout pre – drinks.

The reception was set up in the beautifully rustic ‘Blue Barn’ where our design team used handpicked vintage pieces, natural elements and personal touches. An array of handmade lamp shades were suspended above the tables and charming details such as antique cutlery wrapped together with twine and personalised name cards finished off the chic. A custom printed napkin with the menu and farm fresh biltong in a drawstring bag was placed at each setting as a memento to take home. Flowers in shades of pink and green mixed amongst succulents filled the tables and were further complimented with vintage teacups, glass domes and wooden accents.

The dancefloor was set outside under a canopy of pastel coloured Chinese lanterns. One of Cape Town’s best Dj’s supplied the entertainmaint whilst a surprise fire dancing performance was the highlight of the evening. For our team, this wedding showcased the unique level of attention that can go into every little detail from personalised wedding gifts, designer stationery and custom made menus!

 Images by Tyme Photography

The post Romantic Intimate Garden Wedding – The Real Life Wedding of Sandrine and Leigh appeared first on Wedding Concepts.

The intimate ceremony took place under a noble oak tree that had been adorned with floating Chinese lanterns. Antique Ming pots filled with white roses and autumn twigs and cream pillar candles in glass vases replaced the ceremonial alter whilst hay bails, with cream and chocolate brown fleece blankets to keep guests warm, took the place of church pews. It was important to the couple that the ambience remained relaxed and comfortable. Guests were greeted with welcome drinks that set that tone perfectly – Jack Black beer on tap for the guys and steaming hot chocolate with a shot of Amaretto for the girls! After a moving ceremony guests showered the couple with dried autumn leaves as confetti and moved onto the patio for bubbly and canapés. As entertainment guests had the opportunity for a game of boules whilst the rest mingled listening to the smooth Blues sound of Gerald Clarke. In light of mixing up traditional wedding day timing, Lynne and Gavin opted to cut their wedding cake, which was a labour of love from Lynne’s mom, at sunset.

For this celebration, no detail was spared. Petersham ribbon was specially sourced, individual chalk board hearts that acted as “sign posts” for the day were custom made; and beautiful Delft dinner plates were used during the reception to bring a unique sense of warmth and familiarity to the tables. It was important to the couple that the reception remained relaxed and informal and that the food should reflected that feeling. A feast home-cooked style menu was decided upon. Delicious canapés from pre-drinks set the tone as the starters, where as main course was presented in an array of bowls and platters over flowing with rosemary marinated beef fillet, roasted chicken with fresh sage, oreganum and lemon, thyme baby potatoes and herb roasted seasonal vegetables – just to name a few! Dessert was a feast for the eyes – platters and vintage sweet jars were filled with mini pavlova, nougat and brownies, accompanied by mini Irish coffees & espressos, Grappa, a Cape style cheeseboard and of course – the wedding cake.

After the delicious dinner in the Blue Barn – the party truly began. A cosy lounge pocket was shaped next to the crackling fire indoors for those wanting to chill out, whilst others moved onto the patio to dance the night away on a chocolate brown and white dance floor neatly tucked under a fairly light strung Bedouin tent.

Credits:

Coordinator: Kim Werner

Photographer: Gavin Casey

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