A Wedding in the Family

In September of last year, my mom announced that she would be marrying her long-time boyfriend, Clive. Everyone on both sides knew that it would eventually happen, but that doesn't mean we're any less excited! My sister-from-another-mister Nats (who is, incidentally, Clive's daughter) and I are not only the two bridesmaids, but have been tasked with putting the whole shindig together. So for the last four months we have been diligently scouring Pinterest for inspiration and ideas to make this thing happen. You can check out the board here.

The couple have chosen a regal palette of deep red, black and champagne, and our brief was straightforward.

Keep it classy, keep it natural, keep it simple.

And that is just what we've done.

They've settled on a small wedding and a short outdoor ceremony, using nature as their decor. Because of their shared love of nature I decided to use birds as a theme running through all the stationery. Soft, romantic and slightly rustic. Programs printed on paper bags holding confetti could add a nice touch to the proceedings - I just have to convince my mom!

The reception, leading us into the evening, is a slightly more serious affair with it's rich colour and abundant candlelight. Table decor is kept simple with an emphasis on candles over flowers. Little touches tie the whole affair together - CD favours of the couple's soundtrack, good and hearty food, and, of course, a gorgeous red velvet wedding cake!

We've decided to go the DIY route for much of the wedding. I've designed the stationery and Nats will be helping me with the hard labour of printing and assembling invitations. We've enlisted the help of my aunt to set up the reception decor on the day, and we three ladies of the bridal party will be getting together the day before the wedding to make our bouquets and bond over cups of tea. It really is a family affair!

Still seven months to go, but anyone who has ever been involved in planning a wedding can tell you how time flies! I'll share a few snaps of the day to show you how it turned out, but until then this mood board can inspire you.

Peace and Love!

Vida and Nic {A Rustic Affair}

When I stepped into the reception at Vida and Nic's beautiful rustic wedding this past September, I knew I wanted to feature their day here on Jade & Jasmine. The oversized centrepieces, the burlap-and-ribbon-wrapped jars holding the most delicately-coloured blooms, the Mediterranean touches hearkening back to Vida's mixed Lebanese and Jewish heritage... It was simply beautiful! I was overjoyed when Vida agreed to share their love story with us. The very next day I posted some Instagram snaps I had taken to whet your appetites, but I am eclipsed. It has been a long wait, but there is no rushing perfection. And that is what these beautiful images by Andywayne Photography are - utter perfection!

There was no doubt that Vida would be a beautiful bride. But, resplendent in her ivory gown and surrounded by the beauty of nature, she took our breath away as she floated down the aisle at their garden ceremony. It is no surprise then that she has chosen to put her name in the hat for the title of SA Weddings Bride of the Year 2013. 

{You can check out Vida's entry here and vote for her by texting 30074 to 36697}

But before I am run away with my emotions, here is the lovely Vida to share their story.

A Rustic Spring Affair

With the first rains of the season finally gracing us and the scent of jasmine in the air, spring is officially upon us! And with spring comes the wedding season.  This past Thursday hubby and I spent the afternoon at The Moon and Sixpence in Muldersdrift to celebrate the union of his cousin Vida and her long-time beau, Nic, in a short and sweet outdoor ceremony followed by a pretty, rustic reception that saw us into the evening.  Vida has promised to share their special day with us once they are back from their Cape honeymoon and the professional pics are in, but for now here are a few pics snapped by yours truly to whet your appetites!  I'm a bit of an Instagram whore, so if the filters seem a bit familiar, you're not imagining it!

Enjoy!

My sister-in-law Terri - the proud matron of honour

Spring Bouquet Inspiration!

Now that spring is here to stay and wedding season is firmly upon us, I thought I'd share some spring wedding bouquet inspiration to get those creative juices flowing! Any bride would be lucky to be carrying one of these beautiful bouquets down the aisle to the man of their dreams! Keeping colours bright and cheerful, and textures soft and feminine, I've chosen ten bouquets that will blow you away! Feast with your eyes!

The Perfect Bridal Shower: {Part 3} For the Fun-Loving Bride

Wrapping up this (albeit short) series of posts, let us not forget our friends who love a good party! Many brides out there would love to dispense with the formalities of a sit-down lunch and rather let loose with their girls and just have FUN without having to worry about offending Aunt Maude. If this is an option for your bestie (I know it wasn't for me - God forbid if I'd chosen to exclude the older generation!), here are a few ideas to give her a send off that will thrill her!

{Luau Party}

15 Superbly Elegant Centrepieces

I'm not going to say too much... Have some wedding centrepiece inspiration!

The Perfect Bridal Shower: {Part 2} For the Traditional Bride

For some reason many bridesmaids tend to steer clear of more traditional bridal showers but, for the life of me, I can't understand why! I know that today's world dictate that we all be "so different", but in trying to be so different we all end up being the same! So I say why not try a more traditional approach to your bestie's bridal shower? It worked for generations past, so why not us?

There are still many brides out there, despite what magazines may have you believe, who perhaps don't yet live with their betrothed, and who would love to have a simple kitchen tea or the like to stock them up for their future home. So why not lavish your bestie with a shower suited to her. Too many bridesmaids make the mistake of customising the shower to their own tastes, forgetting that the day is about one person, and one person only - the bride! Just because you may enjoy throwing back tequila shooters, doesn't necessarily mean your bestie does! Maybe her idea of fun is shopping for a new colander or pot set. (I don't judge - kitchen appliances get me there!) So think about it before you book that stripper!

{Trend} Ombré: Yay or Nay?

ombré  (adj) \ˈäm-ˌbrā\  :  having colors or tones that shade into each other —used especially of fabrics in which the color is graduated from light to dark

It is unbelievably difficult to browse Pinterest nowadays without coming across at least 3,482 examples of ombré wedding elements each time! Before I joined Pinterest, I'd never even heard of this trend but, then again, Pinterest has an uncanny knack for uncovering and popularising the oddest of things...

I've thought long and hard about whether or not I subscribe to this particular trend, and my answer is as such - everything in moderation! I do believe that if one is going to create a whole wedding of ombré elements, we may as well take a trip down to Sesame Street, but a few touches here and there can add quite the impact to one's event.

The Perfect Bridal Shower: {Part 1} For the Decadent Bride

It is no secret that when it comes to planning that perfect bridal shower, most maids of honour start to sweat bullets! If you've ever been bestowed this particular honour, you'll remember how you wanted to be the perfect maid! But planning the perfect send-off is often so much more difficult than we give it credit! What will the bride like, what is within that all-important budget? The questions never end! But once the theme is nailed down, things start to move a lot more smoothly...

I have been a maid of honour twice, and am now scheduled for my third go-around as a bridesmaid! But, as the universe would have it, I have not been responsible for conceptualising any bridal showers - that has been taken care of by brides, over-bearing mothers of brides, and of course, a very stressed maid of honour! But that doesn't mean I haven't had a few ideas of my own floating around in my head!

10 Irresistible Wedding Bouquets

One really can find the most spectacular things on Pinterest! 

Here are just a few of the gorgeous bouquets that I've come across on my travels through cyberspace! 

Don't worry, there are plenty more where these came from, and I have every intention of sharing them!

Enjoy!

15 Gorgeous Centrepieces You Can Do Yourself

If you've ever planned a wedding or special event, you know how costly they can be! One of the biggest numbers on your budget spreadsheet is bound to be flowers and decor. We all want our event to look fabulous, but not all of us can afford the luxury of high-end flowers and decor... That's why I always say, if you want something to fit your pocket, just do it yourself!

I've scoured Pinterest (my most trusty research database!) and come up with 15 gorgeous and inexpensive centrepieces you can do yourself! Enjoy and feel inspired!

Fun Favours For Any Occasion!

Don't ask me how I came across Punkapicky Creations because, for the life of me, I don't remember! Someone posted something on Facebook that was shared by someone (or something along those lines) and it ended up in my news feed (somehow)... What I do remember is clicking on their website link and being blown away by their range and prices! As I browsed I wished I had come across them earlier - perhaps when I'd been planning my own big day. I especially love the sweet jars and personalised wine bottle labels - that's my kind of style! 

{Inspiration} Cake, Cake, and More Cake!

I'm not going to say much, I'm just going to give you a ton of wedding cake inspiration!
Enjoy the feast!

{Inspiration} Candy Buffets

If you've chosen a less formal affair with a fun edge, this trend is for you!  Instead of a plated dessert that may not cater to everyone's taste, a candy buffet offers a variety of sweet treats that guests can pick at.  Candy matching the colour scheme of your wedding can add to the look of your day and extend your decor beyond just overlays and flowers.  It is a good idea though, I believe, to keep it simple.  Unless you're planning on having a rainbow coloured wedding, stick to a few colours  that will compliment your decor, or it could end up detracting from the overall effect!

Emma & Willie {A Vintage Romance}

When Emma and Willie met at university in 2008, she started dating someone else. But Fate wound their paths back toward each other and, as Emma says, "the rest is history"...

Getting In The Mood

So your man has popped The Question and your head is filled to bursting with ides for your Big Day - now what? You start looking through magazines, surfing the interwebs and asking advice of your friends... But what do you do once you've gathered everything together?

Why not make a mood board?

{Inspiration} Instrumental Music

I have a particular soft spot for strings, perhaps you can tell...

Apocalyptica - Faraway

{Inspiration} Old World Churches

{Inspiration} The Colours in a Sunrise

High above the world I sit and I watch.

The dark blue velvet sky turns pale as the morning sun shows her proud face.

The yellow moon hangs in pale blues

And pinks and purples,

And slowly sets its weary head down to rest after a long, sleepless night.

In the distance lights flicker on and off,

And on again.

Lovers stir in their beds

And birds begin to chirp, singing out a morning song.

The pinks and purples fade away and the sky reveals her crystal clarity,

Like a sapphire expanding across the heavens.

The sun's golden rays dart across the sky, warming the earth.

Dreams fade to memory and the world slowly sits up.

A new day has begun.

                                                                                              - T.J.S. (2002)

{Inspiration} The Art of Vincent van Gogh

Van Gogh found beauty in the simplest of things, and sought to share his experience of the material world.  The result is breathtaking...