I was so excited to create this board which includes some of my favorite photos and great finds from some of my favorite photographers and online boutiques! I began working on this board last weekend and at some point hit a wall with the design. There was a few elements missing. Then to my luck, I happened to take a stroll over to LaBelle Bride’s blog yesterday and found my missing piece! The lovely pink and blue tablescape featured on her blog was from the great Candice Benjamin and Christine was so generous and allowed me to use a picture for the board.
I’ve also been drooling over the robes, bridesmaids lounge sets, dresses, and headbands from Plum Pretty Sugar so was excited to see there was a perfect Kimono Robe just right for this palette. If you haven’t seen Plum Pretty Sugar’s yummy selection yet, you’re seriously missing out.
What about the blue shoes? Ahhhh. The papel picado adds in the Spanish SoCal vibe don’t you think? And the amazing San Diego Cliffs photo from Your Inner Song, the destination wedding invitation and very cool skateboards made to look like surfboards (seen as a groomsmen gift here) pulled this board together so awesomely. The shades of yellows, pinks, and blues make me wish I was sitting on a San Diego beach or at the Santa Monica Pier, enjoying the cool breeze, and sippin’ on Cotton Candy Martini.
Oh and if you like this board, I invite you to vote for me in Round 2 of the March Madness contest Events by Sarah Elizabeth is doing for us bride bloggers! All you have to do is go HERE and “like” Sarah’s Facebook page, then “like’ my board titled Cotton Candy Ocean! Thanks to all of you in advance!
So if you’re dreaming of summer already like I am and want to imagine we’re on the beach sippin’ on a drink together, here’s the Cotton Candy Martini recipe if you’re so inclined to indulge yourself over the weekend. Enjoy!
Cotton Candy Martini Cocktail Recipe
Ingredients
- Raspberry flavored vodka, 2 oz
- Chambord (Raspberry liqueur), 1 oz
- Grenadine, a splash
- Champagne, a splash
- Pink cotton candy, a generous chunk
- Crushed ice
- Sugar
Method
- Chill your martini glasses, and then moisten the rims. Spread sugar onto a plate and invert the glass onto it to get an evenly sugared rim. Set aside.
- Place ice in a cocktail shaker, and pour the vodka and Chambord over. Then add a generous splash of grenadine and champagne.
- Shake well.
- Strain the mixture into the martini glasses (be careful to avoid the sugared rim!)
- Garnish with the cotton candy.
- Now drink & enjoy your yummy martini!
Image Credits Beach: Your Inner Song Photography / Shoes: Jefferson Todd Photography / Papel Picado Banner: Aymujer Etsy Shop / Pink & Blue Tablescape: Candice Benjamin Photography / Kimono Robe: Plum Pretty Sugar / Destination Wedding Invitation:Wedding Paper Divas / Surfboard Skateboard (Groom’s Favor): Michele M. Waite Photography via Green Wedding Shoes
I recently came across We Love Pictures, a fabulous Cape Town based, South African photography team and fell in love with their work! So you can imagine how ecstatic I was when the We Love Pictures team responded to an email I sent them asking if I could feature a few of their weddings on The Oceanside Bride. I about screamed when I got their reply “yes!” So ladies that is my subtle warning to you that there will be other Real Wedding features from WLP. =) But you won’t be disappointed because they have captured some of the most beautiful and unique seaside weddings!
So now up is a beautiful yellow themed wedding from Neil and Holly!
From the lovely bride: I am originally from England but I went to high school in South Africa at Pietermaritzburg Girls High, Neil went to Maritzburg College right across the road! We never actually met then and it wasn’t until 7 years later in 2007 when we met in New York while we were both working on a yacht. After an amazing couple of weeks exploring and enjoying the incredible city, we sailed out of the Hudson and realized we had started something special.
Our friends and family being able to make it to our wedding was our most important factor. As we have been living abroad for nearly 5 years we wanted to make it as easy as possible for the people we hadn’t seen in the longest time, we chose South Africa. Our next challenge was choosing from the numerous attractions that the country has to offer! We both have a love of the ocean as well as the winelands. Hermanus seemed a good fit for both and with Cape Town just down the road, the decision was made.
We were unbelievably lucky as so many people traveled from just about every continent around the world, as well as all corners of South Africa to share our special weekend with us. Those that were visiting South Africa for the first time took advantage of the safaris, vineyards, coastline and everything else that the country has to offer. And all of them are STILL raving about their wonderful holiday!
We were lucky enough to have a family friend who lives locally and owns a fabulous cream-colored Rolls Royce, with a registration plate – White Cloud. We loved the car and incorporated it into a lot of our pictures.
Everyone told us how quickly the day goes, so we tried to draw it out as long as we could. We went for an afternoon ceremony, chose a dinner venue with a late curfew, sensational views for sundowner cocktails and an excellent DJ to party the night away.
We chose yellow as a theme color as it is Neil’s favorite and plays a big part in his history. Lemons and yellow objects were used as accents in place of floral decorations.
Finally we decided to have our wedding on a Friday. We felt that this worked perfectly as so many people flew in for the weekend and this way we could maximize our time with them and draw out the celebrations! We had a spit bbq the following day with a few kegs of beer on a big open garden over looking the ocean. This enabled us to spend a lot more time with everyone and speak to the ones we didn’t get the chance to on the wedding day. Most people flew out on Sunday with sore heads and full cameras!
What challenges (if any) did you face while planning your wedding?
We were fortunate enough to have an unbelievable wedding planner with extra ordinary skills! Any challenges that she may have encountered, we certainly didn’t get to hear about!
Things that she couldn’t help us with were deciding who sits where. This was a little tricky as we had a very diverse group. But I have a feeling this may be a slight pain in the lead up to any wedding. Looking back on it now, every one was so happy to be there, regardless of where they sat. So the less you worry about this the better ;)
Please tell us about your favorite wedding moment!
Robert Steiner pronouncing us husband and wife. Walking out of the church through the crowd of all our friends and family. The car ride up to our reception. Walking into the venue. Listening to all of the incredible speeches. Looking around the room and seeing so many loved ones all together – overwhelming! Sitting here with Neil now, we are finding it impossible to think of a solitary moment that stands out above the rest. The whole day from start to finish was more special than we could have ever imagined!
What is your best advice for other couples planning a wedding right now?
Wedding planner! It’s the one decision I would never change and the one piece of advice I will pass on to any friend. Kim was unbelievable throughout the whole process. We worked with her for 10 months while we were in America and she was based in Cape town. Coming from over seas we only had 2 weeks in SA with our wedding in the middle. It was such a short time and we really wanted to enjoy that time with family and friends – not plan a wedding! Kim took care of everything and the out come was a day that surpassed any dream we might have had! If you’re not the one that’s worked and stressed over all the little details, then its so much easier to truly enjoy it all on the day!
Try your best to take the day in one moment at a time. Its flies by very quickly!
Doesn’t this wedding look like so much fun? I love all the splashes of yellow and the fun use of lemons! You know I’m a big fan of fruit being used in centerpieces and place settings. Another big thanks to We Love Pictures for sharing their amazing work with us and to Holly and Neil for sharing all the fun wedding details! Congratulations you two!
Couple: Neil and Holly
Wedding Date: November 26, 2010
Wedding Location: Hermanus, Western Cape, South Africa
Approximate Guest Size: 120
Ceremony Location: St Peters Anglican Church, Hermanus, South Africa
Reception Location: La Vierge Winery, Western Cape, South Africa
Vendors: Wedding Planner: Kim Werner, Wedding Concepts / Cake: Roxy Floquet / Hair & Make-up: Nicky Lonte / Flowers: Okasie (wedding concepts) / Wedding dress and bridesmaid dresses: Victorias Bridal Coture / Photography: We Love Pictures / Videography: Vision on Fire
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