happy weekend

This cheerful yellow and pink engagement shoot from Style Me Pretty - complete with 100s and 1000s and milkshakes - makes me feel happy. 

And I don't know about you, but I could do with some happy this weekend!

photography fridays #6

This week I am cheating a little with three photos. Naughty naughty.

But...I thought it would be a shame not to include all of these. This gorgeousness comes from a real Southern wedding I saw on 100 layer cake, with a bazillion strong bridal party and bales of hay and Southerny sorts of detail. The photography is from Simply Bloom, their stuff is incredible, most of it soft and romantic just like this.

I am praying for light like this on our big day. Sadly we may be disappointed, with the arrival of La Nina. Wench.

guest books/thumb prints/blogs/trees

Nicky and I have been throwing around some ideas about a guest book. Well, alternatives to a guest book. (When not working or eating or having anxiety attacks or considering petrol bombing the noisy club up the road - bloody hell it's been mad.)

Because let’s be honest, even with my above average writing skills, I can’t come up with anything better than “Good luck for the future” when writing in these nightmares at weddings.

Most of the time wedding guests are too tanked or too unimaginative to really think of something interesting and unique to write. If something unique even exists!

So is there a point?

Well yes. To starkly contradict myself. 

Every couple wants every possible record made of their big day, because it’s over so quickly. Photos, video (more about the sensibility of this in a later post) and well...books.

Here are some unique ideas, we will hopefully decide on one of these before January (holds thumbs):

The colourful "balloons" above the bicycle are actually thumb prints of the wedding guests in different, bright colours. Thanks to Champagne Taste Events' tumblr.

The very popular wedding tree guest book. Again, the guests make their thumb prints, but in this one as leaves. (As a side horror: some couples leave a note saying "leaf your thumb print". The HORROR!). I love this one particularly because of the cute birdie drawings. Thanks Green Wedding Shoes.

The guest blog. Most original idea. EVER. Love this. Although when I broached it with the Nicky, he conjured up an image of his 75 year old Granny Dot attempting this. Hilarious. Impossible. This idea also came from Green Wedding Shoes.

This probably comes closest to solving the "what to write" disaster. Where do you see us in 25 years? Although that brings up another whole set of problems, I mean you can't be honest and say "Divorced". That would definitely mean immediate ejection from the wedding reception. Teehee. From every housewives favourite jailbird, Martha Stewart.

photography fridays #5

Another beaut don’t you think?

It looks like this bride just pushed open the French windows to a cool breeze and a new, wonderful, married life...

See this wedding at Style Me Pretty.

comments fail

To everyone trying to comment on my posts and it's BOMBING OUT...

I'm sorry. Sad bunny here. My settings seem to be fine, must be an issue with Blogger. Now would be a good time to be more computer geeky me thinks :P

Feel free to email them - you know where to find me!

wedding wisdom

Thank you bijoux bride for reminding me what is important.

PS: this will be my mantra for the next two months, along with "I will not be controlling and scary and make my fiance' regret asking me to marry him" :P

spa weekend

This weekend Nicky and I went to Kievitskroon on their Summer True Romance package. Can you tell from the name it is perfect for a couple’s weekend without the kids (in our case bunny and kitty)?

It made me think of our honeymoon – one of the places we are staying at comes with our own Jacuzzi ;)

If you live in Gauteng and miss the Cape, this gorgeous place is perfect for you...

They don't call it the Winelands in Gauteng for nothing!

photography fridays #4

Today we are back to people I know and love!

My friends Kerryn and Martin were married last year at the beautiful Backsberg wine estate. I missed it thanks to my final Board exam – big sad – but from the pictures and tales of dancing and eating (and knowing Kerryn) it was a gorgeous wedding!

Their photographer was the outstandingly talented Annemari Ruthven and this is my favourite of all her photos. The giant, gnarled tree is quite intimidating, yet the result is an artistic photograph, where the couple are the focus and the tree an impressive background.

photography fridays #3

This one appeals to my whacky side. The photographer, Jonas Seaman, has created a photo that looks surreal. It kind of pulls your eyes to the sides in a topsy turvy wonderful way.

I love how the couple look like stick people amidst the huge and green wonderland of the Snoqualmie National Forest. Yes that’s actually a place. Only in America.



Photo found on Green Wedding Shoes

And then just as a tidbit, this article on the etsy blog looks at how cellphones (mostly the iPhone) are changing photography, something I have never really considered. Makes me think, how much touching up means that a photo is no longer a photo – of reality - but a picture, an artwork? Or have photos always been pieces of art, there to make us feel things, rather than represent reality?

alarmingly similar

Hint hint...

The details in this wedding (photographed by Christine Meintjes) bear a STRIKING resemblance to the picture in my head of our wedding. Minus the exposed brick and beige runners. For some reason I dislike table runners. Lack of imagination I suppose.

I would go so far as to say some of the flowers are exactly the same as ours...*wink wink*

our honeymoon

Righty ho, spill time J Whether you like it or not, you’re about to hear more than you ever wanted to know about our honeymoon. OK, not THAT part of course. Sis!

I helped plan our honeymoon (read here: controlled every element of our honeymoon), although Nicky organised all the nitty grits with much man efficiency. I am not the easiest soul in the world to plan a holiday with I know. He’s a saint.

We went through the normal thought process...budget vs time, sun or snow, Overseas or home, drive or fly?

And we came up with what we wanted. Sun, beach and cocktails but without the long flight. And it had to be two weeks. No compromise. So we decided home would be best. Considering I have no fingernails before we’ve even left home for a flight to Durbs for a long weekend, I shudder to think how nuts I will be before a long flight Overseas. I mean ANY number of things could go horribly wrong.

Nicky and I are going to explore a jaw droppingly beautiful part of South Africa...

We are doing the Garden Route. Well, the Eastern Cape part at least, with maybe a little day trip to Knysna if we feel up to it. And we are going to a monkey sanctuary near Plett. Much excitement for me, Mom to a monkeylemurowlcat, as it has lemurs as well. Hands down the most awesome animal on Earth. I know, love is blind. Luckily he thinks I’m adorable.

So we are spending time at the incredible Sands at St Francis (Bay), in Nature’s Valley, and then the rest at Storms River and Addo Elephant Park. I agree, not for everyone, but it suits our personalities down to the ground. Lots of adventure, activity and nature.

And no Nicky, under NO circumstances may you bring your bike.

The Day I Found The Shoes

The day I found The Shoes was also the day:

I went to Kings of Leon (a real rock concert, many half naked sozzled people vomming on each other and the smell of sweet green in great clouds above the standing area) and LOVED them (not so much the scary vombots)

I had my first French deluxe mani pedi at Sorbet

I had my first vanilla milkshake in about 5 years, the previous time following a particularly heavy night in Cape Town, which understandably put me off for years

I saw a 6 foot 5 man in 9 inch heels at Rosebank – yes a MAN

Momentous stuff.

Soft pink perfection and they even have cut-out areas so my poor trotters can breathe in the heat of January. 

They are from....Hush Puppies. No jokes. How can you not go into that store when this doggie is in the window:

Now that normality has returned to the world of shoes...what’s next to obsess about? *grins inanely*