New Zealand Weddings

Every wedding that pops out from the crowd has that ability to make us “oooh” and “ahhhh”.  The ‘it’ factor of this Montauk affair lies within the clean lines and thoughtful placement of every last detail. It just goes to show that the classiest events do not have to have trillions of flowers to be stunners, rather those flowers are seamlessly woven into the affair. Best Day Ever has this unique ability to style an event just so and that wall of pink streamers certainly doesn’t hurt. Be sure to stop by the full gallery for even more.

From Amelia of Best Day Ever... When my wedding was featured on Style Me Pretty three years ago I never thought it would lead to me planning other people’s weddings but that’s exactly what happened. When Danielle contacted me we instantly hit it off and I knew I was the right person to plan her special day with Luke. Danielle and Luke wanted a wedding that was Montauk all the way – laidback but also elegant and lovely. Above all they wanted their wedding to feel happy and bright, just like them. Danielle is Indian and Italian and Luke is from New Zealand so guests came all over the world to celebrate the nuptials. The eclectic crowd was greeted at Sole East with tote bags brimming with East End goodies; North Fork potato chips, Tate’s cookies and of course their itinerary for the weekend. Chips NY designed the Montauk map featured on the tote bags. The same map was also copied for our Save The Dates and Chips designed the invites and couple’s thank you cards as well.

The bride and groom wanted the wedding to reflect their energy as a couple and not be tied to a particular culture but we gave a subtle nod to the Danielle and Luke’s respective heritages with our selection of appetizers; vegetarian samosas, tandori chicken and pampadam for her and New Zealand lamp chops and mini meat pies for him. Mark Champion from Best Day Ever photographed the wedding and the rehearsal dinner and he even loaned us his personal Polaroid camera for our photo guestbook. The mother of the bride found Benjamin Reynaert, a Brooklyn based artist specializing in handmade books and Benjamin made us an amazing hand bound guest book for our photos! We hired Hamptons local Karen Lenahan to do flowers and lantern lighting for the tent. She also did the fantastic ribbon tree that provided our vibrant backdrop for the ceremony. Guests got down to music by the band Bleeker Street and Danielle and her mom even dougied a little.

The stunning bride wore a cascading strapless gown by Anne Barge and carried an all white bouquet. The bevy of bridesmaids wore Vanilla hued Amsale dresses in varying styles and carried bouquets of pink and white peonies. The word fun doesn’t even begin to describe Danielle. She surprised all of us (planner included!) by secretly hiring Lady Gaga’s DJ to spin at the after party. Partygoers celebrated into the wee hours of the night.

Wedding Photography: Mark Champion of Best Day Ever / Wedding Venue: Sole East Resort in Montauk, New York / Wedding Planning + Design: Amelia Alvarez of Best Day Ever / Floral Design: Karen Lenahan Designs / Wedding Cake: Leanne’s Speciality Cakes / Invitations: Chips NY / Band: Bleecker Street at Hank Lane Music / Wedding Dress: Anne Barge / Bride’s Sash: Monique Lhuillier / Bride’s Shoes: Jimmy Choo / Bridesmaids’ Dresses: Amsale / Groom’s Suit + Bowtie: Prada / Groomsmen’s Suits, Shirts + Ties: J.Crew

Every time I see a New Zealand wedding, I consider moving.  Every single time. I suspect it has something to do with the breathtaking backdrops, the seriously stylish couples and the crazy cool accents. (Sure, I can’t hear them, but I know they are there.) It’s a combo that makes me oh-so-happy and this intimate Waiheke Island affair by Kate Robinson Photography is ranking high among my faves. A beautiful bride and groom, their dedication to each other and a celebration of love with their closest family and friends.  Does it get any better? See so much more right here.

From the Bride… Our wedding was inspired by love. Our love for each other as well as our love for our beautiful friends and family, a love for beautiful beaches, landscapes, good food and great times! Our love of all these things inspired every decision we made. Our first step was finding a location. I grew up on Waiheke and lived there for over 16 years. It is such a beautiful place and was an amazing place to grow up –truly the idyllic childhood. James and I have spent lots of time there together and we still have friends living there so it seemed like the perfect choice. Originally we wanted to get married on the beach but after we found Chardy Ridge it made sense to us to have everything all in the one place – the ceremony, the dinner and the party! We did however decide to have our wedding photos before the ceremony on the beach! We decided to do this as we didn’t want to leave our guests for a few hours while we went off and had them after the ceremony. This was one of the best decisions we made and I would highly recommend it to everyone. We felt like we got to have two ‘first looks’ and it meant that the majority of the photos were done by the time we got to the ceremony. One of the locations was Onetangi Beach under the tree that many family picnics were had underneath many years ago and my mums ashes were also scattered on this beach so it was extra special in that respect.

In terms of the theme for the day – I made a mood board of all the things I was drawn to and loved in bridal magazines and a theme emerged of black & white, glass vessels, white flowers and lots of light – whether it was the landscape or lots of candles or the lights at night or floating lanterns. All of which we incorporated! My grandfather who is 91 was able to be at our wedding which was very special. We had friends and family fly in from all around the world – from London, Japan, Spain & Australia as well as from all over New Zealand. For a bit of fun the place names were on little envelopes that had a ‘Fortune Scratchie’ inside predicting their ‘fortune’. We also gave all the guests a ‘Midnight Snack’ bag at the end of the night for those late night munchies! There was a mini bacon and egg pie and a slice of lemon yoghurt cake as well as a berrocca to give them back their b-b-bounce for the next day! There is nowhere open on Waiheke after 9pm so we thought it would go down a treat! A friend of ours baked all these for us too which was extra special and meant they were filled with love too.

Our wedding sign was made by my brother and me. Him and his girlfriends found the wood washed up on the beach; he made the sign up and I painted it. The napkin rings were DIY. The lovely girls at Cocoa Berry designed a stamp to tie in with our dandelion themed invites which we then used on the envelopes of the invites as well as the place names and lollie bags. We continued this on the thank you cards afterwards as well. The table numbers were adhesive blackboard stickers that I cut into circles and stuck onto little bottles that were found at a recycle shop on Waiheke, also continuing the lace from the napkin rings onto these as well. We had a confetti cannon which my brother let off after the ceremony which was fun! We sourced this online. We truly felt like we had the most magical day surrounded by all those that we love. It was a day infused with love, laughter, friendship and joy. Truly the best day of our lives and we are so grateful to everyone that helped make it the amazing day that it was. We will treasure it always.

Wedding Photography: Kate Robinson Photography / Wedding Venue: Chardy Ridge in Omiha, Waiheke Island, New Zealand / Wedding Design: Heidi Altmann Interior Design / Floral Design: Waiheke Flower Company / Officiant: Sandra Biskind / Wedding Catering: Island Indulgence / Wedding Cake: SweetCakes / Stationery: Cocoa Berry / Wedding Dress, Hair Slide + Bracelet: Corina Snow Bridal Couture / Bride’s Shoes: Wild Pair / Bride’s Clutch: Gift from Bride’s Friend / Hair: Tessa Coote of ghd / Makeup Artist: Tatum Dunster + Serenity Anderson (MAC Cosmetics Freelance Artists)

Auckland has the kind of landscape that needs very little decoration. With an infusion of elegant design and styling by Erin Lovich, herbs and all white florals by Wildflower Waiheke plus a a gorgeous Bride and Groom, the natural beauty of these surroundings are enhanced ten fold. And the images by Samm Blake do it all so much justice. See them here.

From the Bride… Scotty proposed at Lavender Hill. It’s an idyllic spot on Waiheke Island in Auckland, New Zealand. We had stayed there before, and I had declared it one of my favorite places on earth. After that, there was no question it was the perfect venue for us to get married at. We had a few must-haves on our list. An amazing photographer, great music, great food and a neutral cream color scheme that let the beauty of the venue do the talking. Also hugely important was an atmosphere where all our guests could relax and have fun. We wanted to create a beautiful day that didn’t feel too contrived where everyone would fall in love with the location like we had.

As a wedding stylist and planner, I had to make a conscious effort to have everything organized and ready to hand over to my wonderful friend who ran the day for us, so I could relax and be a bride not a planner. Lavender Hill is a venue where you need to bring everything on site, so there were a lot of logistics I had to pretend not to notice during the setup of the day. But it was amazing because we had the freedom to style the day just as we wanted. We had a late afternoon ceremony at the front of the property, overlooking the olive groves and out across the ocean to Auckland. We wrote a snippet each about why we fell in love with each other, which the celebrant read out on our behalf. We opted for traditional vows.

After the ceremony, the guests moved through to the lawn for drinks and canapes while Tom Rodwell & Storehouse played acoustic gospel blues and we disappeared for photos. Dinner was in a long marquee with cream fabric and fairy lights draped from the ceiling. We had six, large, rectangular tables, each set for 20, which created a really intimate atmosphere. The tables were littered with tealight votives and wire baskets filled with different types of vases, jars and zinc planter pots. The theme was a long Italian lunch, and our menu reflected just that. Delicious, easy food. We screenprinted cloth napkins with a cute verse designed in line with our wedding stationery. Cream pashminas were draped over the back of each female guest’s chair for later in the evening when the temperature got chilly.

The evening concluded with dancing — a combination of the live band from earlier in the day and DJ’s the Sweet Mix Kids. We had festoon lights and large tin S & E lights to create an outdoor dance floor. Our first dance was to “Obla di obla da” by The Beatles, which got everyone up dancing before the song had even finished. Looking back on the photos, we feel so lucky we were able to have Samm Blake there to capture the day. Our photos are amazing, and it is so hard to choose which ones we want to frame. I look at them and want to travel back in time and repeat the day! It was the happiest day of our lives, and everyone there looks like they are having a great time too, which is exactly what we wished for. 

Wedding Photography: Samm Blake / Wedding Venue: Lavender Hill in Waiheke, New Zealand / Event Design + Planning: Erin Lovich / Floral Design: Wildflower Waiheke / Officiant: Luana Crompton / Catering: John Oyagawa / Wedding Cake: Jo of Delivision / Wedding Invitations: Kate of Cottonwood Studio (A Friend of the Bride) / Letterpress Printing: Magpie Press / Band: Tom Rodwell & Storehouse / DJ: Sweet Mix Kids / Lighting: La Lumiere / Tent: Platinum Hire / Tabletop + Rentals: Figment Event Outfitters / Wedding Dress: Vera Wang / Hair: Danny Pato of D&M Hair Design / Makeup: Aimie Fiebig / Bridesmaids’ Dresses: Custom by Anne Barlow / Men’s Attire: Crane Brothers

As much as I tend to be a neutral-palette kind of girl, this bold, bright + undeniably beautiful Markovina Vineyard Estate wedding has me smiling from ear-to-ear! This sweet couple made family and tradition the running theme throughout their big day while adding in gorgeous florals + decor from Leaf & Honey. Kate Robinson captured the event so artfully, making sure each colorful detail was documented for the bride and groom for years to come. Click here for even more!

Click here for the FULL wedding!

From the Bride… Shirantha and I are both originally from Sri Lanka and have many extended family and close friends in our lives, so when it came to planning our special day, we knew it would be a big task with an even bigger guest list! Our goal was to incorporate our Sri Lankan culture and traditions with our own current style and tastes. We had always wanted an outdoor garden ceremony, and we found the perfect location that could accommodate our large numbers at Markovina Vineyard Estate in Kumeu, Auckland. The expansive, landscaped grounds were ideal for our traditional Sri Lankan wedding, called a Poruwa ceremony.

We decided to have our wedding photos taken in the morning, before the actual ceremony, so we could spend the most amount of time with our guests at the wedding. We were blessed to come across the amazing Kate Robinson, whose photographic eye captured every detail with intimacy and style. She arranged a “first look,” where Shirantha and I got to see each other for the first time. It was very important for us that we felt comfortable in front of our photographer, as we wanted this experience to be fun and natural. Kate was the absolute perfect choice!

The reception hall, with its leafy vines growing along the ceiling, continued my love of rustic beauty. This was also reflected in the beautiful flowers by Leaf and Honey, who perfectly captured the look I had wanted. Our table names were taken after Shirantha’s job as a geologist, each one a different mineral or gemstone. I fell in love with an elephant tealight candle-holder that I found online, which reminded me of Sri Lanka, and I knew we had to have them as our guest favours. After the passing of my father the year before, Shirantha and I wanted to pay special tribute to him in the form of a slideshow of old photos and video clips. This was followed by our first dance to “The Way You Look Tonight,” which was dedicated to my dad, a lover of Frank Sinatra. As is tradition, I later changed into a red sari that Shirantha’s family had gifted to me, symbolizing his promise to take care of, and provide for me from now on. I chose to wear the traditional Sri Lankan jewelry and headdress, which included my mother’s and grandmother’s necklaces.

“Live, Laugh, Love” was the motto of our wedding, and that is what we wanted to celebrate that day, the beauty of loving, laughing and living each day to the fullest with close friends and family alongside. We wanted to create a day of color and fun, where people could come together and celebrate, reminisce and enjoy. It was our way of thanking the people in our lives that have helped us the most, as we took the next steps on our new journey together as husband and wife.

Wedding Photography: Kate Robinson Photography / Wedding Venue: Markovina Vineyard Estate in Kumeu, Auckland, New Zealand / Floral + Event Design: Leaf & Honey / Officiant: Yolande Elias / Wedding Invitations: Graphic Affair Ltd. / Wedding Dress: Asiri Salgoda / Bride’s Shoes: Iris Gift / Hair: Jules Armishaw / Makeup: Amber Carroll / Rings: Angela Daniel

The father of the bride’s face says it all. This is a special couple. Full of so much love it pours our of their smiles. The trailer from bubblerock has us totally head over heels in love with these two – it’s the absolute perfect way to start your weekend. With a giant, happy, sappy grin.

Photography courtesy of Angela Scott Photography.

[iframe http://player.vimeo.com/video/44229328 601 338]

From bubblerock … Natalie & Sam have already a small family and chose to have a very relaxed and meaningful winter affair with their closest friends and family. The choice for a winter wedding was also obvious: to break the trend and do something really personal at a time when most people would not hold such a celebration. Their great personality and attitude was noticeable throughout the entire day; Natalie and Sam even had a few laughs while saying their vows. It was truly special.

Being able to capture such a unique and perfect moment of love and family was an honour for us. We were welcomed with open arms and made feel as part of the party. It was by far one of the most amazing celebrations I have been too because of its nature: emotional, fun and laid-back. The gorgeous New Zealand winter was the perfect backdrop for the day and the weather even beat some our latest summer days.

Cinematography: bubblerock / Photography: Angela Scott Photography

White weddings get me every time. They scream chic and exude elegance – and for me, that’s my end all be all. I surrender to weddings like this one by Kate Robinson Photography, and I’m not ashamed whatsoever to admit that fact. And then there is this couple. So completely in love, so incredibly adorable and so obviously having the best day of their lives – when you add in those cuties that’s when I throw my hands up and wave my white flag, because I’m a officially done. It’s just too good. See it all here!

 

From the Bride… Mike and I met during our last year of school and quickly became close friends. It wasn’t until a few years later during university in Otago when we  lived together with friends that we finally got together. After uni, we moved to Auckland, which we quickly made our new home and after an awesome six years together, Mike proposed a couple of days after Christmas while we were on holiday in central Otago with an amazing day full of surprises — we were both beyond excited.

We made a rule early-on as we were planning that there was to be no stress — it was all going to be super fun and nice and relaxed, and (surprisingly) it was! We wanted everything to have a classic, chic feel and chose to stick with mostly white and champagne tones. We got to work with some amazing vendors during the process who made us feel totally at ease with all of the planning. The Wharf was the perfect venue for us and had everything that we were looking for – an beautiful venue, amazing food, awesome people and several different spaces so we were able to have both the ceremony and reception there, which was ideal for us. We chose Kate Robinson as our photographer and after spending the day with Kate at our engagement session, we became even MORE excited about our big day. My french lace, chiffon and dupioni silk dress was designed and custom-made by the amazing Jane Yeh. Our four-tier chocolate and lemon cake was made by Jenny from Heavens Cake’s and was amazing – Jenny even decorated two of the cake tiers with an exact copy of the lace from my dress. Susan from Orlando arranged all of our beautiful flowers for our bouquets and throughout the venue. We went with a total overload of white hydrangeas everywhere and a few metalina roses scattered throughout, which matched the bridesmaids dresses perfectly.

We had about 80 of our 110 guests travel from out-of-town to come to the wedding, so family and friends played the most important part in our day. We were married in front of our parents’ and grandparents’ old wedding photos, and I wore my mum’s veil and had a ruby from her engagement ring designed into my wedding band with the help of the awesome team at Carats, who also designed Mike’s ring. We attached photos of my nana, grandma and Mike’s late grandparents to my bouquet as a special little memory, and we wrapped my bouquet and Mike and his dad’s buttonholes in their family tartan. After the ceremony, while we were off for our photos, all of our guests enjoyed a harbor cruise, which was a great way for those from out of town to get to see Auckland. Our reception at The Wharf was lovely and the food was fantastic! We had personalized candles made in the USA as our wedding favors in the seven yummiest flavors we could dream up, including peanut butter cookie and caramel dark chocolate raspberry truffle, which was so much fun. We topped the night off with some serious dancing and a lovely surprise from our band, Bringing in the Band, who specially learned to play our first dance song for us.

Our favorite part of the day (aside from seeing each other at the altar, of course!) would have to have been having all of our favorite people in the whole wide world all in the same room at the same time. It sounds so cliché, but its true and is such an overwhelming feeling! We wish we could of locked them in there and re-played the day in super slow motion – it went so fast! Our advice to anyone planning a wedding would just be to make sure the day is reflective of you as a couple and everything that you love and that is meaningful to you both (even if no one else knows!). Most importantly HAVE FUN and enjoy every moment of the planning and, of course, the big day.

Wedding Photography: Kate Robinson Photography / Wedding Venue: The Wharf in Auckland, New Zealand / Floral Design: Orlando / Officiant: Melanie Kerr / Wedding Cake: For Heaven’s Cake / Wedding Stationery: Alison Owen Design / Wedding Dress: Jane Yeh / Bride’s Shoes: Guess / Bride’s Accessories: Natalie Chan / Bride’s Hair Accessories: MDB Weddings & Events / Hair: Charlotte Zieleman + Chloe Evison / Makeup: Olivia Russell / Bridesmaids’ Dresses: Hera Bridal / Groom’s Suit: Frank Casey / Rings: Carats Jewellery

If you are looking to add a little sparkle to your Tuesday morning, this is just the shoot to turn to. Because it sparkles and then some, and we get to see every pretty bit of it thanks to the seriously fun images by Jel Photography. Imagine a land where antlers and glitter stand side by side and confetti falls from the sky – and you get this gallery of images that will surely add dazzle to your day! See it all here!

From Jel Photography… This photo shoot was held in a vacant office space here in Auckland, New Zealand. Our starting point for inspiration were the colors pink, yellow and gold and the words alternative, fresh, pops of color, light and fun. Mel, the stylist, sourced some amazing items such as a gold piñata and a faux dear head. We also had feather eyelashes and handmade hair accessories, and our models had lots of fun breaking open the piñata!

Photography: Eleanor of Jel Photography / Photo Shoot Location: A Vacant Office Space in Auckland, New Zealand / Styling, Props, Floral + Event Design: Mel of All The Frills / Wedding Cake + Cupcakes: Karla of Bluebells Cakery / Wedding Dress + Hair Accessories: Sarah of The Little White Dress / Hair + Makeup: Michele of Makeup By Michele

 We are total suckers for backyard nuptials here at SMP. We love watching the transformation of home to wedding haven, and this wedding, held at the bride’s parents’ estate, serves up a big batch of vintage-inspired goodness that is impossible not to fall in love with! We love this bride’s ethereal, vintage style. Her portraits are simply stunning. Enjoy them and everything else here in the full gallery of photos, courtesy of Jessica Jones Photography.

From the Bride… We decided to have the wedding at my parents’ home. It’s a really beautiful spot in the heart of the Marlborough wine district, and having the wedding there allowed us the freedom to make the day exactly how we imagined. Having the wedding at home was amazing. It also made if very relaxed – and people could dance well into the small hours of the morning as there was no curfew! Our wedding was sort of a big vintage garden party. We used a lot of traditional garden flowers combined with vintage lace and doilies and heaps of homemade touches. Our main colors were pale blue, cream and peach. It had been overcast and a little drizzly, so we weren’t sure we’d be able to have the ceremony outside. At the last minute we decided to go ahead with it, so everyone who was around rushed to set out all the chairs and the vintage carpet we had for the runner. Just before the processional, we played the Beatles’ song “Here Comes the Sun” while everyone was seated. Several guests told me that when that song came on, the sun came out from behind the clouds. The weather held off and the stormy clouds made a great backdrop for the photos.

I always wanted a classic, romantic, vintage-feel wedding. I wanted to add as many personal touches as possible, and I have an extremely talented group of family and friends who helped with ideas and with making them become reality. I collected stacks and stacks of bridal magazines and spent hours trawling through blogs (Style Me Pretty in particular) and pinning things on Pinterest. A few things were particular inspirations — a sister of a friend of mine had gotten married and used this amazing mismatched vintage china. We tracked down the same supplier, The China Cabinet, and also hired vintage silver candelabras from her. My mother had found some beautiful vintage floral carpet for my cousin to use for her wedding, so we borrowed that. And my amazing mother also collected hundreds of tiny cut crystal bud vases, vintage champagne saucers and doilies from second hand and antique shops all over New Zealand for the table settings. The other thing I wanted for the wedding to be as hand-created and personal as possible. I really loved the hand-lettered stationery, which I saw online (e.g. Rifle Paper Co.) but we couldn’t reasonably afford it. Instead, with the help of my little sister, we created hand-lettered and hand-illustrated save-the-dates, pop-up wedding invitations, programs and menus. The table numbers were hand written on wooden love hearts (painted by Peter), hung underneath little birds with paper doily wings and suspended above the tables. My wedding cake was made by my aunt and me. I hand-painted the icing with flowers and our wedding date. I’d bought hundreds of little artificial birds and birds’ nests for the table settings. My aunt arranged the flowers for the decorations and hid little birds amongst the bouquets, which was so cute. We filled the nests with candy eggs, and I hand-wrote the guests’ names to put on top as place cards. Everything was such a team effort!

Peter and I live in Brisbane, so we were a little worried none of our Brisbane friends would be able to make it to New Zealand for the wedding. We were so surprised and thrilled that we ended up having nearly 30 guests fly over from Brisbane for the weekend. The day after the wedding, we had a big relaxed BBQ brunch at the same venue. Almost all the guests came back for the brunch, which was great. It was a beautiful day, and everyone sat or lay on the grass chatting about the wedding. Nearly as fun as the day itself!

Wedding Photography: Jessica Jones Photography / Wedding Venue: Astrolabe Farm, The Bride’s Parents’ Estate in Marlborough, New Zealand / Floral Design: Pink Poppie / Wedding Cake: DIY by the Bride + Her Auntie / Wedding Invitations + Stationery: DIY by the Bride + Her Sister / Bomboniere Nests + Birds: Floral Trims / Vintage China + Candelabras: The China Cabinet / Band: Groove Collective / Wedding Dress: Karen Willis Holmes “Madelyn” / Bride’s Earrings + Belt: Karen Willis Holmes / Bride’s Shoes: Designed by the Bride via Shoes of Prey / Bride’s Veil: Her Mother’s + Aunt’s / Bride’s Cardigan: Monsoon / Bride’s Head Piece: Pink Poppie / Bride’s Bouquet Locket: From Her Grandmother / Bridesmaids’ Dresses: Alfred Sung via House of Brides / Maid of Honor’s Bolero: BHLDN / Bridesmaids’ Cardigans: Alannah Hill / Bridesmaids’ Shoes: Their Own / Bridesmaids’ Hair Clips: DIY by the Bride’s Mother / Groom’s Suit: Armani via David Jones / Groom’s Tie: Versace via David Jones / Hair + Makeup: Deirdre and Mary-Jane of Locks and Lashes (Auntsfield)

If a pop of color is your thing (and it’s totally ours), this next inspiration shoot is going to make you want to break out the brights and put away the neutrals. It’s a color party where some seriously stylish shades were invited – and it was all perfectly styled by Mint Wedding Planning + Design. From the florals by Moonflower so vibrant they could light up a room on their own to a cake by Ten O’Clock Cookie Company so mod I wouldn’t want to cut into its fabulousness and all the steal-worthy details in between, this is one full gallery of color inspiration you don’t want to miss!

From Candy Capco Photography… A couple of weeks ago, I had the privilege of shooting a fun and colourful modern mod-inspired styled shoot on the grounds of a lovely cottage here in New Zealand. We definitely wanted something to showcase pattern and colours, since they was really big in the ’60s, so we went with chevron and polka dots for the pattern and orange, yellow and pink for the colours.

Photography: Candy Capco Photography / Photo Shoot Venue: Little Branches in South Wairarapa, New Zealand / Event Styling: Polly Devane of Mint Wedding Planning + Design / Floral Design: Moonflower / Stationery: Cocoa Berry / Wedding Cake: Ten O’Clock Cookie Company / Prop Rental: Vintage Treasure / Wedding Dress + Headpiece: Robyn Cliffe Couturiere / Hair + Makeup: Rebecca Connor / Model Bride: Ashleigh Berry / Model Groom: Andre Corey / Model Bridesmaid: Emma Thorpe / Model Groomsman: Jan Fowler

I get a bit giddy when a graphic designer ties the knot. It’s true. Because they always seem to leave their talented mark on each and every well-thought out detail…making for one beautifully branded affair. This fun fête by Sutherland Kovach Studio is the perfect example of just that. It’s detail-filled and oh so personal for this new Mr. & Mrs. – making for one pin-worthy gallery of images!

Sue and Julian’s relationship started off as long-distance, so travel and adventure has always been a part of them. Sue and Julian wanted their big day to reflect this, they also wanted to share their story, so everyone could appreciate why they were getting married. As a graphic designer, creating all the wedding stationery was Sue’s passion. For their save-the-date, she created a fridge magnet. This was an illustration of a little red plane with a banner announcing their wedding date. Julian individually hand-cut these and tied them together. This red plane was a teaser of what was to come. For the wedding invite, Sue created a 16-page book illustrating their story. At the end of the story were their wedding details, inviting the guests to be part of their next chapter. Not everyone had met both Sue and Julian, so it was a nice touch for them to learn something about the couple before seeing them on their big day.

The theme of travel, adventure and storytelling continued throughout their wedding. Sue had created another little book which was titled “The Next Chapter”. This included their order of service, which was also written like a story and then had the guests’ “itinerary” for the rest of the day. The venue was a lovely old villa, and the ceremony was held in their beautiful gardens. Sue and Julian’s wedding was one big DIY project, if it was possible to create something themselves, they would. Julian’s parents were a tremendous help. The decorations had a garden party feel — there were about 80 metres of bunting across the rooms, artificial grass as table runners, hand-painted wooden table signs and beautiful flowers in assorted old glass jars and bottles. The cake topper was a little red plane, this time with a banner saying “Just Married”. The colour theme for the bridal party was different tones of turquoise, mint and teal. The bridesmaids’ dresses were in two different tones and Julian’s mum handmade the groomsmen’s ties to match. She also made the page boy’s bow tie and suspenders. As there was no such flower that naturally has these hues, Sue wanted to somehow incorporate the colour theme in the floral details. So with a huge help from Julian’s parents, they handmade turquoise-coloured felt balls and used them in the buttonholes, bouquets and table decorations. There were about 166 balls in total!

While Sue and Julian were both born in New Zealand, they still wanted to acknowledge some Chinese traditions. They incorporated the Chinese tea ceremony into their wedding, which made the ceremony more personalised and meaningful for them. Instead of a traditional ring pillow, they had their rings tied together around a book called “The Book of Love”. Inside this book were their vows, which they pulled out to read. Sue designed the table seating plan as a world map, which also showed all the places they have traveled. The map was also for the guests to find which table they would be traveling to for the night. Each table was named after a city that Julian and Sue have visited. As their guests arrived at their seats they would find a postcard addressed to them. The postcards had a picture of Sue and Julian taken in that city, along with a mischievous story. Each table had a couple of different stories, so guests shared them with each other. On the bridal table, Sue and Julian wrote personalised postcards to their bridal party, thanking them and recalling an adventure that had shared with them. During the reception they showed a slideshow, a photographic journey of their adventures and travels. By then, everyone was already familiar with their story so the photos were more meaningful. Sue and Julian received lovely feedback from their guests, saying how much they enjoyed the day and how they had felt part of their journey. So not only was it a memorable and special day for Sue and Julian, but also for their friends and family, who all wished them a happily ever after.

Wedding Photography: Sutherland Kovach Studio / Wedding Venue: Allely House in Kumeu, New Zealand / Floral Design + Cake Flowers: Leaf and Honey / Officiant: George Lowe / Wedding Cake: The Caker / Wedding Dress: Jessica Bridal / Bridesmaids’ Dresses: Jessica Bridal / Hair: Amelia Rush / Makeup: Soo Kim / Groom’s Suit: Crane Brothers / Groomsmen’s Suits: Frank Casey

This 1920’s inspired wedding is super gorgeous and the bride’s dress alone will totally take your breath away. Vela Images captured each and every vintage inspired moment to perfection and we seriously can’t stop talking about this gorgeous garden party. It’s so authentic, you’ll think you’ve been transported back in time. Click here for even more pretty!

Francesca and Dan (well, Francesca in particular) became obsessed with the 1920s and ’30s just before they got engaged, so when it came time to plan and style their wedding, they knew they wanted to infuse it with their newfound passion! With that in mind, they chose a waterlily garden as the venue. The waterlilies reminded Francesca of old paintings and cake tins and was an ideal place to celebrate their romantic and relaxed day in true vintage style. In keeping with the ’20s theme, Francesca commissioned her gorgeous drop waist dress from Corina Snow. She’d fallen in love with the fashion of the era and was looking for something classic and elegant in lace. While browsing through a wedding magazine she saw a picture of the back of a similar dress that Corina had designed and excitedly made an appointment to meet with her.

Family and friends helped with the planning and sourcing of items, including the beautiful vintage car that took Francesca to the ceremony. The owner, Roger, had in fact sold the car a few weeks before, but only on the condition that he could still use it to drive Francesca to her wedding! Francesca and Dan felt that their wedding was really “them.” The many hours spent planning and designing were all worth it to them as it was like no other wedding they had been to. Sharing the beautiful day with their parents, families and close friends made it perfect!

Wedding Photography: Greta Kenyon of Vela Images / Wedding Venue: Waihi Waterlily Gardens in Bay of Plenty, New Zealand / Styling + Floral Design: DIY by the Bride, Friends + Family / Props + Crockery: The Vintage Table / Wedding Dress: Corina Snow Bridal Couture

Rustic meets blush-filled beauty in this next little number, and it is making my heart sing the prettiest of songs this morning! I can already tell you that you’ll want to cozy up with gallery of this gorgeous gala because there were too many oh-my-gosh-these-are-gorgeous images from the lens of Lavara Photography to possibly post. It’s enough to make this blogger want to squeal with glee, and after poring over these pretty pictures I do believe you’ll feel the same way!

Click here for the FULL wedding!

From the Bride… We were engaged in Cornwall Park and loved the photo opportunities, so we made sure that we could squeeze it into the plans somewhere.We had an amazing engagement shoot in Cornwall Park, which we themed around our first kiss on a swing. We used the props and bits and pieces from our engagement party to create the look of the shoot and with a little bit of ingenuity, Cole was able to attach a rope swing to the tree. Our engagement ended up having a bit of a French country theme, and it was hard to overlook our vintage and little bit retro tendencies. This, along with a trip to Wellington, inspired the vintage tea cups. We managed to find one for each of our guests which they took home as favors filled with sweet treats.

Our wedding theme evolved around our first names, the alliteration was too hard to ignore! C&C with a little navy is where it all began. We had booked Mantells on the Water as our reception venue and wanted to mirror the playful sophistication in our photos. The newly developed Wynard Quarter provided the perfect back drop for this. With our unique surroundings (piano included!) and Lavara’s natural creative flair, the individual personalities and quirkiness of our bridal party were captured.

Wedding Photography: Lavara Photography / Ceremony: Memorial Steps at Cornwall Park in Auckland, New Zealand / Reception: Mantells on the Water in Westhaven, Auckland, New Zealand / Floral Design: Roses Florist / Wedding Dress: Made by Robyn Pascoe (07 576 3371) / Hair: Suzy Lee Hair and Makeup (suzyleefx@gmail.com) / Makeup: Angela Stewart (angela.s.stewart@hotmail.com)

Billy Idol hit the nail on the head with his lyrics: “It’s a nice day for a white wedding”. Indeed. In our SMP books, it’s always a nice day for just such a wedding. Erin Lovich crafted an affair so timeless, so elegant and monochromatic in the most beautiful of ways with blooms by Cartier for Flowers and enough soft light filled images by Kate MacPherson to make this the poster child for wedding done so, so right. We’re cheering from behind our computer screens for this baby. See more of the day right here.

Click here for the entire gallery of images!

From the Bride… Matias proposed in a tiny French restaurant in Saint Tropez. It’s one of those moments you dream of, but can never prepare yourself for. The world stops, and it’s just you and the person you love more than anything in the world.  We were married a year later.

Matias and I are doctors in Melbourne. Work, combined with obsession for detail, ridiculous expectations and an overseas wedding meant I needed some guidance.  In stepped one of my best friends and wedding planner, Erin Lovich, to realise my vision. She was perfect in everyday.  We have been friends for ten years and she instantly understood what I wanted … We collated images, inspiration and ideas.  Our concept… Sophisticated Elegance.  A palette of neutral whites and creams combined with leafy greens, with a hint of luxury. An occasion filled with allure, romance and beauty. Our wedding was a day filled with love, passion and delight. It was the beginning of the rest of my life with a man who couldn’t be more perfect.

From Erin Lovich… Annaliesa & Matias wanted a perfectly crafted and timeless day. Sophisticated elegance was the theme…timeless beauty, all built around a palette of neutral creams and whites. They were married at St Patrick’s Cathedral in Auckland and the reception followed at the historic Northern Club.

The Cathedral was adorned with large over the top ‘couture’ style tulle bows, paving the way for a gorgeous bride to make her walk down the aisle. Annaliesa was beautiful, appearing effortlessly demure and wearing Vera Wang adorned with an elaborate custom made veil with lace. Her appearance and the love between the couple so obvious as she reached the altar which set the tone for the seamless celebration that followed. Bridesmaids stood alongside, so fitting in simple cream with Groomsmen in classic suits. Every detail was laboured over, of course with the best intentions.

Guests dined on beautiful food and wine…the menu and wine list hand picked with the help of Annaliesa’s parents. Guests arrived to the sound of an upbeat Jazz trio with rows of buxus hedge in pots draped with tulle, decorating the old world style hallways of the Northern Club. Flowers were gorgeous and lush, generous blooms gathered simply in round vases to adorn large long tables of 20. It appeared as effortless beauty. Votives were scattered amoungst every surface to create a romantic atmosphere full of glamour. An elegant suite of stationery set the tone, firstly with letterpress invitations abundantly wrapped in satin ribbon and continuing right down to the menus at each place setting individually printed with guests names. The formalities of the evening concluded with everyone dancing the night away in a room lit up in purple while the DJ’s played timeless hits that had the dance floor rocking. Just when the clock struck twelve, it was home time…but not without a piece of the elaborate wedding cake, individually packaged in tiny boxes embellised with bows. The day was over, but not without memories, every moment captured brillantly by photographer Kate MacPherson.

Wedding Photography: Kate MacPherson Photographer / Wedding Coordination & Styling: Erin Lovich / Floral Design: Cartier for Flowers / Wedding Ceremony Venue: St. Patrick’s Cathedral / Wedding Reception Venue: The Northern Club / Wedding Stationery Design: Cottonwood Studio / Letterpress Printing: Magpie Press / Wedding Dress: Vera Wang / Wedding Cake: Judit Meron of Artisan Cakes / Bridesmaid Dresses: Anne Barlow

A Wednesday afternoon is the perfect time to share this serene, New Zealand wedding.  Its romantic details and relaxed, peaceful spirit is sure to cure any mid-week slump you might be experiencing.  I can’t help releasing a huge sigh of happiness as I gaze at each pretty picture by Meredith Lord Photography.  Do yourself a favor and spend the rest of the day in the full gallery!

Click here for the FULL wedding!

From the Bride… There is a Norfolk pine on the edge of a cliff overlooking the ocean on the West Coast of the North Island that I took Gareth to when we first started dating. If you climb to the top you can sit up there and take in 360 degree views of the ocean and the countryside behind. It’s pretty spectacular! This is where, seven years later, Gareth asked me to marry him. Our love of beautiful, big trees was one of the reasons we chose Parkhill Estate in Hawkes Bay for our reception venue — its tree-lined driveway and gorgeous oak trees in the garden. Hawkes Bay, where my family is from and where I spent all my summers growing up, has amazing countryside, vineyards and beaches combined — the perfect location for a wedding weekend away. We knew we wanted to have a simple, intimate wedding because that reflected our style — not too fussy or complicated. We really wanted to make our day about beautiful music, fabulous food and a stunning location. When planning, we were always thinking about how we could make our guests feel special, and how to show them that they are an important part of our wedding day.

Our poor little church had survived two floods (only just) the month before, so it was looking a little worse for wear. Gareth and I spent some time before the wedding fixing it back up again, but it was our florist Kim who saved it with the prettiest garland over the front window. The ceremony program, seating chart and menus were designed by Gareth and me, with an illustration Gareth had made of the church featured on the front of our program. We also included hand-written thank you notes to each guest on the back of their menus. We did this a couple of days before the wedding, and it took quite a while to get through them all, but it was really nice taking time out to think about each guest who was attending and realising how many had helped and supported us either in the wedding planning or just in general — we have truly amazing friends and family! Those feelings of gratitude and kindness are so lovely right before the wedding, when you can easily feel overwhelmed and too focused on all the little details.

An old oak tree fell down on my parent’s friends farm so my dad cut, sanded and oiled a few pieces for our cake stands. My mum sewed the table runners and the strips of fabric that we tied around the pew ends in the church. We had friends potting herbs and wrapping string around menus and jars for our table settings the night before. A big group of us stayed at Parkhill Estate for the weekend so we had a BBQ dinner the night before to thank everyone for their efforts! One of my most memorable moments of the day was walking back down the aisle as husband and wife to ringing church bells and smiling faces. We very wisely chose to have the amazing Wallace Gollan singing at our ceremony — her beautiful, soulful voice filled up the church brought many a tear to our guests’ eyes. All of our vendors what worked on our wedding were so wonderful — they really made the day so special for us. The food was absolutely amazing, and guests are still talking about the meals they had in detail. Our photographer Meredith was amazing as well — it’s so important to choose someone who not only has great talent and shares your vision but also someone you get along with. You’ll be spending a good portion of your day with them, and it’s much nicer to have someone who makes you feel relaxed and happy!

Wedding Photography: Meredith Lord Photography / Ceremony: St. John’s Anglican Church in Waimarama, New Zealand / Reception: Parkhill Estate in Haumoana, New Zealand / Floral Design: Lushka / Wedding Invitations + Save-the-Dates: Printable Press / Band: Wallace Gollan / Wedding Dress: Modes / Bride’s Shoes: Mi Piaci / Hair: Caroline Gichard / Makeup: Cushla Bower

Well color me jealous…of the confetti-filled recessional and of the perfect little spot in New Zealand from which this wedding hales. It’s green as far as the eye can see with the ocean a stone’s throw away all serving as the background to a wedding that knows how to have fun and look good doing it. Vela Images snapped so many great shots, heading to the gallery is a total must.

Click here for the FULL wedding!

From Greta of Vela Images… Rosie and Will were married on a beautiful, sunny, summer day (one of the few we have had so far this summer in New Zealand!) on a cliff face at the dramatic and scenic Castaways venue on the west coast at Karioitahi Beach. Rosie and Will are ex-patriot New Zealanders who are based in Sydney but decided to marry in New Zealand, where their family and a lot of their friends are based. Rosie did a fantastic job of coordinating and styling everything from Australia, and her vintage style with a slight bohemian twist was just beautiful.

My favourite style highlight would have to be her gorgeous and unique dress with a stunning daisy lace back. The dress really suited her own personal style and looked fabulous on her. Let’s hope we see more pretty details like this coming through in future weddings this season! Rosie kept the lace theme consistent by wearing vintage, lace-trimmed shoes and by incorporating lace trimming into her vintage bottle table displays. Her flowers were kept delicate to complement the lace and to further push the pretty vintage feel that ran through most details.

We also had a little bit of extra fun with various props during the photo session. Gingerbread men for the groomsmen, heart-shaped shortbread biscuits for the couple, soft pastel macaroons for the bridesmaids in their soft pink dresses and Italian sodas with striped straws for all added an element of fun and whimsy to the photo session. This was all set up in a relaxed, picnic-style setting in long grass and wildflowers to tie in with the style of the wedding.

Wedding Photography: Greta Kenyon of Vela Images / Photography Assistant: Kate Grewel / Wedding Venue: Castaways in Karioitahi Beach, Waiuku, New Zealand / Floral Design: Naomi of Leaf and Honey / Styling: The Bride / Wedding Invitations: Paperwhites / Celebrant: Anne Holman / Wedding Dress: Claire Pettibone / Bride’s Shoes: Wittner / Bridesmaids’ Dresses: Forever New / Rings: Made by a Family Friend

Happy Wedding Wednesday, SMPers!  Are you ready for a morning, noon and night of stunning weddings and a plethora of swoon-worthy inspiration to pretty up your day?  We sure hope so, because we have quite the lineup in store for you lovelies – and we just can’t wait another minute to share.  So, clear your calendars for a whole lot of gorgeous and don’t forget to check out those galleries, where even more pretty awaits!

If I could take a last-minute vacation to anywhere in the world, I’d pack my bags for New Zealand ASAP.  The lovely countryside and breathtaking views never fail to seriously AMAZE me – and when you add a captivating wedding like this one captured by Stellar Photography to the mix, well.  I am over the moon.  All planned brilliantly by Simply Perfect Events & Experiences, there’s not a moment of sweet NZ goodness that won’t leave you smiling from ear to ear.  Click here for more!

Click here for the FULL wedding!

From the Bride… With Nick being British and me a Kiwi, both currently living in Melbourne, we had guests travelling from all around the world. It was important to us that our wedding day was a true party where everyone could meet, relax and celebrate! Our love of travel, coupled with Nick’s fascination with history and the fact that many were travelling to celebrate with us, meant that vintage travel was the obvious theme that we tied in through details. We had so much fun with the planning of the day and working with our florist and our coordinator Sarah to ensure the styling of the day all came together so well! We tried to weave in significant details throughout the day wherever possible — I wore one of my grandmother’s silver brooches on my bouquet, and Nick drove to the ceremony with his best man in a Triumph Spitfire, the same car that his parents had on their wedding day in 1972! Tying in London, where we met, we had a double decker bus transport our guests from the ceremony to the reception, and the bridal party arrived in black London cabs. We couldn’t have hoped for a better location for our reception. The Winehouse & Kitchen is quintessentially Kiwi. From framed historic pics of the area and crystal decanters to the historic building itself, it was just perfect. As our friends and family had travelled such a distance, we wanted to show our absolute appreciation, which hopefully we conveyed on our personal handwritten notes to guests at their table settings. We also had a display of our parents/grandparents wedding pictures at the reception, and of course a vintage photo booth to capture some party moments with all our guests that we will truly cherish forever.  

From Simply Perfect Events & Experiences… Guests arrived at Millbrook Resort to a splendid spring day for the couple’s ceremony, which was held on the petanque court with swimming ducks and 360 degree mountain views providing the perfect setting. After a short cocktail and canape hour at the Millbrook Clubhouse, guests were transported by a vintage double decker bus to the Winehouse & Kitchen, located in the stunning Gibbston Valley. On arrival the rustic gardens were set up with croquet sets for the guests to enjoy a few fun games before the bridal party arrived from their location pictures.

The venue lends itself so well to a vintage style theme already with the historic cottage feel and a stunning rock floored marquee off the back. White lanterns and pompoms were strung from end to end, and candlelight was a huge element in creating the right ambiance as the night went on. As guests entered the marquee, they were greeted with a rustic French ladder that had the seating arrangement pegged to twine. Mason jars tied with twine complemented the hessian table runners and garden-style flower arrangements on every table. Each individual place setting was set with a small paper bag filled with local pinot noir chocolate truffles, clipped with a small wooden peg attaching the postcard styled place cards (which had a handwritten note from the bride and groom on the back of EVERY one!). Their rustic cheese cake was styled with hessian fabric, figs, dates and amazing toffee creations — local artisan cheese was used to create this lovely feature. After an amazing dinner with local delicacies including New Zealand whitebait and venison, the guests enjoyed the sounds of Kiri and Her 1940s Jazz Club Band (Shari’s uncle, who was also the celebrant, happens to be the drummer). It was truly a perfect wedding, and this fantastic couple deserved nothing less.

Wedding Photography: Stellar Photography / Ceremony: Millbrook Resort in Queenstown, New Zealand / Reception: The Winehouse & Kitchen in Queenstown, New Zealand / Event Planning: Simply Perfect Events & Experiences / Floral Design: The Flower Room / Wedding Invitations + Stationery: Papyrus Design / Celebrant: The Bride’s Uncle / Band: Kiri and Her 1940s Jazz Club / Wedding Gown: Novia D’Art

It’s no secret that we love ourselves some backyard nuptials here at SMP – and this darling New Zealand affair has us shouting from the rooftops as loud as we can.  It’s one big giant bundle of whimsical goodness, all wrapped up in a stunning backdrop, sweeter than sweet details and an explosion of rich, colorful hues.  Add to all of that lovely some devastatingly gorgeous photographs by Vela Images and the cutest pup you ever did see and well.  We’re done for.  Click here for more.

Click here for the FULL wedding!

From the Bride… Blaire and I got engaged two years ago on an anniversary weekend away in Christchurch. He proposed to me in a tree in the Botanical gardens with my mother’s yellow diamond engagement ring. My vision was generally to make the wedding fun for all involved, not too traditional and a little whimsical. I wanted to keep our costs as low as I could and allow the bridal party to show their personality — the girls picked their own dresses and shoes, and there was one outfit I hadn’t seen until the wedding day! We were married at the groom’s parents home in their back yard with stunning country views in Tauranga, New Zealand on November 26th, 2011, at the beginning of the New Zealand summer.

The special detail that made our wedding unique I think were the efforts of friends and family with the food being forefront in my mind, obviously, being in the food industry! The menu was designed to reflect the casual atmosphere I wanted for our wedding with tapas-style dishes floating around by wait staff over the course of the evening and a dessert table to follow. I grew most of the produce and where I couldn’t, it was sourced locally. A cousin hunted our venison, my father sourced the crayfish and snapper and between me, my girlfriends and my mother-in-law, we made all the desserts for the table. All of the food was handed out from large market-style cane baskets and served in biodegradable wooden bamboo boats.

One other unique point was the inclusions of moustaches. We have always loved moustaches, and in New Zealand the month of November is known as “Movember,” which is a popular nationwide charity concept to help raise money and awareness for prostate cancer. Men are encouraged to grow moustaches for the month of November and people are encouraged to sponsor them. The money raised from sponsorship in that month then goes to a prostate cancer charity. We encouraged our male guests to grow moustaches for charity and the wedding, and we had stick on moustaches at the wedding reception for those who didn’t grow moustaches or who wanted to dress up. And we also had a few other quirky moustache details like printed napkins, a whiskey decanter gift for the groom with a moustache motif, etc. My best memory from the day was walking down the aisle. It sounds like a cliche I know, but when I got to the start and saw my husband everything else just melted away and I couldn’t take my eyes of him, I virtually ran up the aisle, much to my celebrant’s annoyance!

Wedding Photography: Greta Kenyon of Vela Images / Second Shooter: Claire Price / Wedding Venue: The Groom’s Parents’ Home in Tauranga, New Zealand / Wedding Styling: On My Hand Vintage Prop Hire / Flowers: Briar Rose / Wedding Dress: Fiorenza via Tutta Bella / Hair: Myra Shakesby of Lynx Hair Direction (07 575 5346) / Makeup: Amanda Powell (A Close Friend) / Groom’s Suit: Rembrandt

Up next on our list of lovely weddings for today is this breathtaking winter wedding by Wanaka Photography. Winter in New Zealand just seems so incredibly romantic, don’t you think? Just take one look at the images below, and I have a good feeling you’ll be feeling the romance too. From her drop dead gorgeous custom dress by New Zealand designer Tanya Carlson, to the stunning New Zealand backdrop – it’s all breathtaking, and there is even more in the full gallery of images!

Click here for the FULL wedding!

From the bride…Hamish and I enjoyed an excellent winter wedding with 130 guests at Millbrook Resort, Queenstown, New Zealand in June 2011.  I had told my parents years ago that I wanted to get married at Millbrook so I was delighted when Hamish agreed!  I have my own event management company in New Zealand so knew what to look for in a venue that would make the planning process straightforward and the day itself a success.  Hamish is an architect so he was hard to please as the venue needed to be stylish with great buildings.  Millbrook Resort was the obvious choice.  The experienced and professional staff impressed me and the buildings got Hamish’s approval.

My dress was designed by New Zealand fashion designer Tanya Carlson.  I have worked with Tanya on a number of fashion events and was thrilled when she agreed to design and make my dress.  I knew Tanya would choose something that suited my figure and the only feature I really wanted was the beading at the back of the dress.  The dress was silk, bias cut with draping at the front and tulle detail.  Tanya sourced the tulle from a market in Paris when she was visiting just weeks before the wedding.  The back had exquisite beading as well as a cowl and a long train.  My bridesmaid’s dresses were simple black tiered dresses from Dunedin designer Charmaine Reveley.  There was a sash at the back which was edged in the silk from my dress which was a really special touch.

Family and friends were very excited about the opportunity to visit Central Otago in winter, and many guests stayed at the Resort and took advantage of the facilities and services that it offers.  The wedding ceremony was held at the Clubhouse building with guests filling the room and taking advantage of the stairs and mezzanine to get a close up view.  The ceremony went smoothly and then the celebrations started as Millbrook staff served drinks and a variety of tasty canapés.  The wedding party explored the grounds of Millbrook on golf carts with Wanaka photographer Simon Darby and were spoilt for choice with a number of settings and impressive mountain backdrops.  Guests stayed at the Clubhouse and were well cared for by Millbrook staff including entertainment by the local golf pro with a pitch and putt competition. The reception was in the Millhouse building with eight long tables filling the room.  The three course menu, served with precision, showcased local seasonal produce.

Photography: Wanaka Photography / Flowers: The Orchid Florist / Event Planning: Sequel Events / Ceremony + Reception Location: Millbrook Resort / Invitations: BrandAid / Brides dress: Tanya Carlson / Bridesmaids’ Dresses: Charmaine Reveley / Flower Girl Outfits: Trelise Cooper Kids / Band: The Elevators

Well, hello you.  Aren’t you just the prettiest garden wedding I ever did see?  I just want to put you in my pocket and keep you forever and ever.  Seriously though, how completely gorgeous is this Auckland wedding?  Couldn’t you just fall over from sheer joy after seeing the beyond dreamy images by Sutherland Kovach.  Every inch of the lovely tented (and me, oh, my what a tent) beauty is just pure perfection.  You must check out all the details from this fantastic 50s-inspired fete in the full gallery!

Click here to see the entire gallery of images!

From the Bride…As soon as Dave saw pictures of All Souls Church in Clevedon, NZ, we had a location for our day. The area holds a lot of my family history & nearby is our family beach house where I spent many happy hours as a child. We held our reception in a marquee next to our beach house, on my great aunt and uncle’s beach front lawn. We currently live in Australia, so planning was done here & in a couple of trips I took home.  I got most decorations sent to New Zealand where possible, but we still had full suitcases on the way over. My brother & sister visited me a week before in Brisbane for our respective hen’s and buck’s parties & helped me make the tissue paper rounds & pom poms that hung in the marquee.

The theme was 1950’s inspired. There were a lot of DIY touches: tealight holders trimmed with lace, my Dad’s handmade sign, my grandmother’s shortbread, biscuits from family recipes baked by my aunt, the cake made by Dave’s cousin in Australia, flown over & iced here! I also learned some calligraphy & collected old Australian and New Zealand stamps for the invitations. The hanging pictures, brooch on my garter, preserving jars, cake knife, horseshoes, and collection of cake stands & tea cups are all collected family treasures from here and there.

I anticipated rain knowing how unpredictable the weather in Auckland can be. So when it did, it didn’t worry us. Thankfully there was a small break in the weather to get some outdoor shots on Duder’s Regional Park which used to be owned by family. I’d gotten access to drive onto the park by the council, but Dave almost talked me out of it out due to the rain. But having pictures on the track to the bay my granddad used to take me fishing is so special, so I am glad we didn’t skip it.Thanks to the rain, our photographers discovered the vintage décor inside the historic family homestead. Jasmine & Hannah worked so hard & were so fun to be around, they really made our day. I wish that we’d gotten them to stay longer to do a photo booth for guests. I found Sutherland Kovach via Style Me Pretty, when looking for New Zealand photographers with a style like that you would find on SMP. Jackpot!

We had a great day, it went too fast, but it was filled with so much love and laughter.

Wedding Photography: Sutherland Kovach / Wedding Cinematography: Michael Phillips (Brother-in-law To Be) / Flowers: Pauline Melles / Ceremony Location: All Soul’s Church / Reception Location: Duder’s Beach / Invitations: Wedding Paper Divas / Programs/Print: Rifle Paper / Bride’s Shoes: Diana Ferrari / Wedding Dress: Henry Roth / Bride’s Jewelry: Dana Daisy’s / Veil: The Bride / Bride’s Cardigan: Forever New / Bridesmaid Dresses: J.Crew / Bridesmaid Shoes: Nina Shoes / Marquee: Intents Events / Wedding Day Director: RSVP Events / Wine: Turanga Creek / Make-up: Carolyn Haslett / Hair: Carlos Elias of d+m hair design / Band: Beatmobiles

We have a lot of gorgeous weddings that come through our doors. Beach weddings, city soirées, lovely country affairs – we see them all and on Wednesdays we get to share the prettiness with you. Today we are opening up the Style Me Pretty vaults and giving you a sampling of weddings that had us at hello. And believe me, this line up is crazy gorgeous so be sure to set aside some time to check out the full wedding gallery for each of these affairs. It’s a total must.

And speaking of gorgeous beach weddings that had us at hello, this New Zealand beauty did just that. We have nothing short of heart pitter-pattering, insta-love for this yellow-infused stunner. Jel Photography manned the camera helm and produced one fabulous image after another. Lucky you, they are all camping out in the full gallery and just waiting for your click!

Click here to see the entire gallery of images!

From the Bride…Our Waiheke island wedding was a magical day in a stunning place despite the rain! The ceremony was held on my grandfather’s lawn overlooking Onetangi Beach with 100 friends and family watching on. This was followed by a reception at Mudbrick Vineyard where we made an entrance on a bike and danced in to the morning. Everything was perfect and just as we had imagined. Our favourite part of the day was being able to spend it with all our family and friends – many of who had travelled from overseas. This was the first time ever that my entire family had been together in one place – this was very special.

We wanted to have a fairly relaxed wedding overlooking the sea as both of us love to spend time in the stunning NZ outdoors. Lemon was the colour theme which was used throughout the wedding from the bridesmaids dresses to the handmade lemon candles as favours. We also used fresh lemons to brighten up the wedding ceremony and my mother-in-law made us our delicious lemon wedding cake.

We tried to do as many personal touches and involve our family in as many ways as possible as we felt this was a huge part of what our wedding was about. Aaron had my younger brother as a groomsman and my Grandad signed our register. On my flowers I had a vintage dragonfly brooch which my late grandfather had given to my mum as my “something old”. We used wine barrells to decorate the wedding ceremony reception which were from Casita Miro vineyard where Aaron had recently carried out a renovation for work and made our entrance to our wedding reception on an old push bike as Aaron is a keen rider and this tied in with the images on our invitations and stationary.

Wedding Photography: Jel Photography / Ceremony Location: Private Residence / Wedding Invitations: Bride + Sister of the Groom / Bride’s Shoes: Wittner / Wedding Dress: The White One from Jane Yeh / Jewelry: Shell Shock / Groom’s Suit: Working Style / Hair + Make-up: Nikki Paton from Stephen Marr / Reception Location: Mudbrick Vineyard