New Zealand Weddings

There is nothing like some sweet romance to cure those moody Monday blues real fast!  We are bringing it by the bucket full this fine morning with a New Zealand stunner by Lavara Wedding Photography.  With a mix of feminine antique pieces and fun DIY projects by the lovely bride and her family you know you are in for a real treat.  See it all in the full gallery!

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From the Bride…Florence has been called the Athens of the middle ages, and the beautiful home of the Renaissance looked stunning when we arrived there in the European summer of 2010. It hadn’t yet been a year since we first laid eyes on each other, but we were in the middle of our overseas adventure through Europe, and somehow Max had chosen the perfect place to propose. There were roses, fine Italian food and wine, and a street musician – all which fell into place seamlessly and without plan, as if fate was lending a hand. We walked the cobbled streets home that evening and when we got to the famous Piazza Michelangelo, overlooking the Ponte Vecchio, the Duomo and the luminescent Tuscan city itself, Max finally got down on one knee. Being eager to begin our new lives together the planning for our wedding began the moment we had our feet back on home soil.

After the trip of a lifetime, and with both of us embarking on new university studies, there wasn’t too much money to go around. With a little innovation – and a lot of generosity, creativity and inspiration from friends, family, and our florist (Petal Passion) – we pulled things together for less. The theme was romantic antique. My mum utilised her scrapbooking skills to make gorgeous invitations (pearls, ribbons, embossing), and her best friend was enlisted to make the cake, provide the canapés, and do our make-up. To save on the table decorations, arrangements of old books, doily’s, strings of pearls, china, silver, pewter, glass and crystal were thrown together. Most of these coming from my Grandma’s estate and my Mum’s antique collections. These charming centre-pieces tied in well with both the old elegance of Sarnia Park and the lace and pearl detailing of my dress.

We had both the ceremony and the reception at Sarnia Park. The guests were able to enjoy the beautiful grounds awash with autumn colour for the afternoon while the bridal party were whisked around the nooks and crannies of the venue for photos. The reception was an incredible time for us, celebrating with all our loved ones – the perfect start to the rest of our lives together.

Venue: Sarnia Park / Floral Design: Petal Passion / Invitations: Mother of the Bride / Wedding Photography: Lavara Wedding Photography

If there is one thing I truly love over here at SMP, it’s seeing the pretty little dreams in the heads of talented vendors coming to life. And boy do they come to life in a big way! So when the lovely Kate at Ruby & Willow sent over this shoot inspired by the prettiest inspiration board I ever did see and captured by the talented Sutherland Kovach, well let’s just say I was a little excited to share it with everyone. OK, I was really excited. Ants in my paper-loving pants excited. Ruby & Willow initially used this lovely board to inspire the line of stationery in the shoot, and ended up inspiring the entire shoot…and all of us. Go on and get cozy because there is so much to soak in, including all the lovely in the full gallery of images, –  so let’s get this pretty party started! First up, the inspiration board I’ve been gushing about…

Did you really soak in all that lovely from Ruby & Willow? Go ahead and take another look – stop and smell the lilac-laden inspiration board one more time (so to speak) – we like to prolong the pretty over here at SMP. Ok, ready for the reality? It’s good, real good…

Click here to see the entire gallery of images!

From Ruby & Willow…This shoot drew inspiration from the Copper & Amethyst Inspiration Board, from which I designed the ‘Woodstock’ Invitation Suite. We wanted to incorporate an earthy, rustic look while still keeping things pretty, an element we captured in the girlish ruffles, very feminine stationery and colours, and charming wild floral arrangements.

The venue was perfect in so many ways… The lovely rusted poles, the piles of chopped wood and the old doors lent a rustic charm to the scene, while the natural copper and wood colours offset the gorgeous lilac dress worn by our model.

A key element was the dessert table. Rather than the usual treats laiden with sugar we wanted to present a more organic, healthy option – both on the budget and the heart! Inspired by farmers market stalls of dried fruits and nuts, we piled burlap bags full of them and complimented them with sweet treats and a fabulous ruffle cake which added a little more ‘pretty’ to the table. We also created a save-the-date cookie rather than a paper invite. Judit makes these cookies which can be sent through the mail and we thought that would be such a novel idea to replicate! Would you love to get that in amongst the bills!!

Concept, Styling, Stationery: Kate Holland of Ruby & Willow / Photography: Sutherland Kovach / Bridal Bouquet: Flowers by Blush / Rustic Bouquet & Wreath: Val Sutherland of Sutherland Kovach / Cake + Dessert Treats: Judit Meron / Venue: Matakana Country Park / Dress + Shoes: Yvonne Bennetti

I have fallen head way over heels in love with this bride’s custom, vintage-inspired A la Robe gown.  It is a dream that I would never, ever want to wake up from if it were mine.  The rest of this gorgeous, bohemian, New Zealand wedding by Shine Studios definitely lives up to the bar the dress set for it.  It is a romantic, woodsy fairy tale and I want to spend the rest of the day in the full gallery being enchanted by it.

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From the Bride…We chose Mudbrick as our venue purely because it is such a stunning setting. We love Waiheke and we wanted our special day to be an experience outside the norm for our families. Mudbrick has that magical, rustic, slightly Italian quality we were looking for. Everything about it is gorgeous and they really know what they are doing! Logistically it was great to be able to have it all at the one place. Because it was a small wedding we used the Potager room for dinner and we particularly loved the intimate feel. Our guests also commented on this. Our wedding was slightly unusual in that my father married us and my brother was my ‘bridesman’ (no bridesmaids). This worked out perfectly and I think it’s important not to feel that you have to try and fit into normal conventions. Make it your own!

My dress was by Elizabeth at A la Robe, Newmarket. The inspiration was vintage, but timeless – not of any particular era, and really personal to me. Elizabeth was amazing and made the process a pleasure from start to finish. She hand dyed everything and it felt like a real collaboration.

Our photography was done by Lauretta from Shine Studio’s. Lauretta and her assistant played a big part in our day, capturing the memories we will cherish forever! They truly captured the essence of us, the place, the atmosphere, with humour and consideration. This is exactly what you want in a photographer, I couldn’t have asked for more and they were worth every penny! It’s so vital to feel comfortable with your photographer as it always shows in the shots, in our case positively.

Venue: Mudbrick Vineyard / Wedding Photography: Shine Studios / Wedding Dress: A la Robe / Floral Design: Poppy Jones / Bride’s Hair: Katie from Servilles Ponsonby / Bride’s Make-up: Rochelle Strathdee

The love I am feeling for this wedding by Vela Images is somewhat embarrassing, but I think you will all understand. It all has me a bit beside myself – with its relaxed yet sophisticated vibe, gorgeous New Zealand setting and all the seriously perfect outfit styling. I mean the flower girls and their adorable little vests? How can you not love that? It surfer sophistication at its best, and there is even more in the full gallery of images!

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From Vela Images…Ella and James wanted a relaxed and intimate wedding with family and a handful of their closest friends somewhere near the ocean. Being passionate surfers they choose Raglan on the west coast of the North Island of New Zealand. Raglan is one of New Zealand best surf breaks and it is a spot that Ella & James often visit. This wedding was very unique to the couple, Ella & James already have a one year old son called Jake who they wanted to include as much as possible. The family wanted to be relaxed so they spent the morning together before the ceremony and James and Ella even whipped out for a morning surf together before coming back to finish off last minute DIY details and get ready for their wedding together.

The ceremony took place up high on a ridge under a bamboo structure made by family which overlooked the one of the couples favorite surf breaks. The aisle was made from sack cloth laid upon the grass and was sprinkled with white rose petals. The scenery was breathtaking and the ceremony was very intimate and romantic.

Wedding Photography: Vela Images / Wedding Stationary: Ruby & Willow / Floral Design: Tidal Bottega / Wedding Dress: Juliette Hogan / Bride’s Shoes: Kathryn Wilson / Venue: The Shack / Wedding Cake: Family of the Bride and Groom

There is just something so wonderful about these Fiji nuptials that I could seriously gaze at these stunning images from Jel Photography all day long.  It may have something to do with the jaw-dropping location (un.real) or the bride’s amazing gown (her own design) or the feeling of pure happiness radiating from every single photo.  I suspect that it’s a combination of all of the above, and more, that has left me feeling so enchanted.  I think I just might adore this wedding and I know you will, too.  See even more lovely images in the gallery!

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From the Bride…Planning a wedding is a wonderful mix of emotions – excitement, nervousness and anxiety! Our wedding was like planning a United Nations conference! We live in Singapore, our families live in Australia and the U.K.; friends are in the U.S, Europe and the Middle East; our photographers come from New Zealand, our wedding planner from Queensland; our videographer from San Francisco; and so naturally we decided have our big day in Fiji!

After 5 years together, and three since we were engaged, we finally set a date and wanted to stick to it – but choosing the location was not so easy. After a couple of false starts we chose Fiji – mainly because it would mean a week long vacation for our closest friends and family rather than have the wedding over and done in less than 24 hours!

One grandmother had never flown outside of Australia and didn’t even have a passport, so we knew it would be a logistical challenge. A funny aside to this, when applying for her passport, she discovered the name on her birth certificate was different to the one she’s been using for more than 80 years! We were so lucky that we had travel agent supremo Sue Natho from Essence Tours on our side! Sue is an expert when it comes to Fiji and really guided us in the right direction. With the internet it is simple to find a lot of information when planning a destination wedding – but having that inside knowledge is priceless.

Everyone tells you when you’re planning your wedding that come the big day all the stress will be worth it. Well, a destination wedding is a lot of stress! And they are wrong! If you have a day (or a week in our case) as wonderful as we had it doesn’t just meet expectations, it far surpasses what you could hope for. We had a dream wedding in an idyllic location shared with the most important people in our lives. And the best bit is, you walk away married to the person you love!

Wedding Photography: Jel Photography / Wedding Ceremony Location: Sheraton Fiji Resort / Wedding Reception Location: Fiji Orchid / Videography: Benjamin Hanson / Wedding Dress: Designed by the Bride via the Wedding Present, Singapore / Bride’s Shoes: Bourne Collection / Flowers: Paradise Brides / Planner: Essence Tours / Music: Fiji Choir / Groom’s Shoes: R.M. Williams / Wedding Cake: Taste of Fiji

I love the laid back feel of this next New Zealand wedding. It’s like Goldilocks and the Three Bears…everything is juuuuust right! The couple is beyond adorable, the down under venue spectacular, and of course, who doesn’t just love some groomsmen in bowties? Captured by the talented Danelle Bohane, this wedding is the sweetest little fairy tale I ever did see. Join me in the gallery for even more happily ever after!

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From Danelle Bohane Photography: Brad and Melissa are one hip and well styled couple, actually quite good friends of mine, so I was very thrilled that I had the opportunity to shoot this spectacular day down in Taupo. It is quite the lovely town with magnificient landscapes from whimsical fields, rolling snow topped mountains and one beautiful lake that the township is built up around. The day started off relaxed with the girls putting the final touches to the ceremony and reception details. This was a quirky d.i.y wedding with Brad and Melissa’s style influenced on all the decor and atmosphere of the day. It was located at a typical down to earth lake front holiday home, here in NZ we call it a family Bach. The view of the lake is breathtaking and getting married under a big tree could not be more ideal. From the getting ready right through to the reception this wedding was relaxed and carefree with all the guests there for a good time. All the lads looked sharp and ladies looked elegant, dressed in New Zealand desginers such as Juliette Hogan, Lonely Hearts and Little Brother. Brad and Melissa were an absolute dream to shoot, their love for each other came across so clearly in the images I captured. At the end of the day that is what weddings are celebrating so what more could you want to see in a photo! We chose to shoot at a few varied locations to cover some more classical looks to quirky and creative. Despite the rain at some points of the day, we managed to work around it and not let it dampen the experience (excuse the pun!). I loved every aspect of this wedding and I think what Brad and Melissa have achieved should be worthy of a D.I.Y medal, it embraced so much of the easy going lifestyle of New Zealand along with it’s creative style. Congratulations to these two love birds on their marriage!

Bridal Dress: Juliette Hogan / Bridesmaid dresses: Lonely Hearts / Groom’s suit: Little Brother / Location: Taupo, New Zealand 
Photographer: Danelle Bohane Photography

You are totally going to want to stay close to your computer today because we have some of the most amazing weddings to show you! Yes, it’s Wednesday again already so you know what that means here at SMP: seven weddings in nine hours, all full of inspiration and goodies galore. And remember, these are sneak peaks, so you’ll need to hit up the galleries for the full pretty party!

First up is this super adorable DIY New Zealand Wedding. From the handkerchief invites to the mismatched place settings, this wedding is a vintage girl’s dream come true. Captured by Vela Images, this wedding is sure to inspire all you DIY brides out there! For the big picture, head on over to the gallery!

Click here to see entire image gallery!

Rob and I knew very early on that we were the ones for each other. We had a friendship that slowly matured into love. We got engaged on our one year anniversary and spent three years traveling and being together before we set our date. Our wedding was held at Rob’s parents in Opotiki, Bay of Plenty New Zealand. They have an amazing view of the sea and the east coast that just takes your breath away.  Our ceremony took place on a hill with the view behind us. We held refreshments at the neighbour’s house while we took our official photos and our reception was held in a marquee on land that had previously been a kiwifruit orchard. Our style is new and retro fused. I have a lot of retro things and I wanted to include these influences into the wedding and the theme. For anything we didn’t already have there was a lot of hunting and searching online and in vintage shops. We used yellow and blue as the basis for our theme without sticking to it entirely. We are relaxed and not fussy people so our wedding was casual and relaxed I used many of our friends and family and their special skills to help out with preparing for the wedding. It made them all feel like they were a part of the day. As we were getting married in a small town we also wanted to use as many vendors from there as possible. So we tried to get everything locally. Our best friend (and the best man) is a designer. So I used Michiel and his advice lots. He designed the handkerchiefs invitations, the website and together we came up with the table cards and overall table themes. He spent so much of his time on our wedding and we really appreciated all his hard work.

Photography: Greta Kenyon / Design: Michiel Reuvecamp / Jewelry: Bride’s Grandmother / Cake Topper: Groom’s Sister / Bridesmaid’s Earrings: Sadie, friend of Bride / Bride’s Dress: Friend of Bride’s Mom / Groom and Groomsmen Shoes: Deuce Shoes / Bridesmaid Dresses: Portman’s

Welcome back to everyone’s favorite day of the week! Today we will show you seven amazing weddings with inspiration galore. We are spanning the globe today and have a little something for everyone, so don’t forget to check back in with us every hour and a half for brand new, never been seen before, fabulous weddings.

First up we have this adorable New Zealand Zoo wedding. As a lover of animals, I must say that I love the location. And the simple touches that this couple added complement their surroundings perfectly. Beautiful white flowers, sweet photographs hanging around a tree trunk, and a table showcasing their family members on their wedding days…it just doesn’t get any sweeter. See it all here in the gallery!

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Sean and I have been together 7 years, much of which was spent travelling the world and living in various different countries but we always knew we would get married at home, in New Zealand. We searched everywhere in a 300 mile radius for our wedding venue. We wanted somewhere outdoorsy, picturesque, and a little alternative. We ended up finding a venue that fitted the bill just minutes from our home… at Auckland Zoo. The ceremony was held on a private island within the Zoo that was once upon a time was a childrens playground, accessed by the historic Peter Pan bridge and shaded by an old willow tree.  The reception was held after hours in a Marquee besides the Band Rotunda where we had our dancing. Choosing a Zoo as our venue presented some problems as we had to co-ordinate all our suppliers working outside Zoo opening hours and when we were exchanging our vows we were competing with the bellowing baboon… but at the end of the day, we had the most gorgeous weather and a wedding to remember! Our wedding theme was designed to work with the venue; which inspired our white and green color palette with a simple, elegant but budget friendly style! During our 18 month engagement we borrowed lots of ideas from Style Me Pretty… including the photos around the willow tree and the cake buffet. My husband and I still pinch ourselves that the day wasn’t a dream… it was exactly what we wanted in a wedding and it’s just a shame we can’t do it again!

Photography: Michele Austen / Flowers: Blossom Wedding Flowers / Ceremony  and Reception Location: Auckland Zoo / Dress: Anna Schimmel

Anyone who knows me will tell you that I’m a sucker for a good old fashioned Mexican fiesta. And until I saw this first wedding, I thought I was Mexico’s number one fan, but I think this adorable couple has me beat! Sent into us by the super talented Sutherland Kovach Studio, this wedding is sure to start your Cinco de Mayo off on the right foot. We’re talking serious Mexican inspired details from the papel picado to the gentlemen in sombreros…Oh, and I’m pretty sure I saw a cute little donkey wandering around as well. For the rest of the down under details, check out the gallery!

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From Sutherland Kovach Studio: This is the wedding of Kristy and Mat, two people who were just made for each other.  A trip to Mexico inspired them to celebrate their wedding fiesta-style and they enlisted the help of local stylist, Cath Lewis, to bring it all together. There were plenty of wonderful touches that really brought the day to life, including  the stationery designed and illustrated by an artist friend, the guests dressed in theme, the colourful seating plan, the cake decorated with miniature papel picados, the donkey, the passe-tete photobooth, and the pinata. The Sawmill Cafe, an eclectically decorated venue in the little seaside town of Leigh, north of Auckland, made the perfect setting.

Venue: Sawmill Cafe / Styling: Cath Lewis at Matakana Events Company / Flowers: Bloom Saloon / Cake: Icing On The Cake / Photography: Sutherland Kovach Studio

Brandon Kidd Photography sent us our next gem of a wedding and it is about as naturally gorgeous as you can get. You know those people that roll out of bed without a stitch of makeup and look positively radiant? Ya, I’m definitely not one of those lucky ducks but this wedding sooo is. It is paired down to gorgeous views, perfectly edited details and of course, one extremely happy and oh so in love couple. See it all here.

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From the Bride… We wanted to showcase New Zealand (after all, we were lucky enough to have people traveling from all over the world!), so a quintessentially New Zealand location that had gorgeous scenery and excellent food and wine was key – Mudbrick Vineyard was perfect! Our families and many of the guests hired holiday houses (called a “bach” in NZ) on Waiheke for the time surrounding the wedding, so there was plenty of pre- and post-wedding celebrating. Our travel theme was an easy choice, considering the thousands of miles we’ve traveled to see each other over the years, the many guests traveling from all corners of the globe, and the fact that now with families in two different countries there will be plenty of travel ahead! We both love maps and old letters and parcels wrapped up with string, so we had great fun bringing it all together. Jenny fell in love with the bridesmaids’ dresses at first sight, so styled things around them as well, keeping things romantic and soft with an old-fashioned feel. The trickiest part was finding the guys’ ties!

Photographer: Brandon Kidd of Brandon Kidd Photography / Florist: Waiheke Flower Gallery / Invitations and Stationery: by the Bride and Groom / Cake: Cupcake / Favors: Makana Confections / Entertainment: Jabsco Sounds / Gown Designer: La Sposa / Bridal Salon: Fashions by Farina / Hairpiece and Veil: Flowers pins from Etsy, veil borrowed from a friend / Hair and Makeup: Lexia Dyer Hair and Makeup / Formal Wear (Men’s): Frank Casey Formal Suit Hire / Bridesmaid Dresses: Anthropologie / Mother’s Dresses: Nicole Miller / Wedding Rings: Tiffany and Co., Boston Ring and Gem

We are going to start this morning off with a wedding that is all about simple elegance. We are talking natural surroundings that are totally to die for mixed with a barn soirée all caught on film by Peta Mazey Photography. We are usually all about the details but once in awhile it’s the paired down affair that really gets our blood pumping, our hearts racing and has us all joining TEAM NEW ZEALAND. Do you blame us? And this one is exuding so much love, we have a feeling your going to be eagerly hoping on the bandwagon too. See it all in the gallery.

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From the Bride… Zeus and I have been together for almost 9 years and have three beautiful children. So it was important to us that our day was about family and friends in a relaxed and intimate setting.

We got engaged 4 years ago in the Wairarapa so it was fitting that we also got married there. We wanted a venue that exuded character and warmth with a rustic feel – Tarureka Estate was simply perfect. Having accommodation at the venue also meant the wedding party and family could make a weekend of it and we could have our children close by.

We chose to theme our invites, the bridal party flowers and the venue with hydrangeas, which were picked from a family friends garden and arranged in my mum’s preserving jars. Peered with vintage hurricane lamps and tea light candles these fitted perfectly with the rustic setting.

When we first started planning our wedding we knew we wanted Peta Mazey to be our photographer. She has captured some magnificent moments of our children in the past years and we knew she would capture the essence of the day and would tell our story with relaxed and unique shots. Zeus and I chose to have our photos in a local olive grove prior to the ceremony, so we could have some family shots with our children and relax with the bridal party. Seeing each other before the ceremony was amazing and a lot more emotional than we anticipated. I am so glad that we had some time together beforehand and were able to enjoy some moments with our children before they grew tired.

We got married in the gardens at Tarureka Estate, my mother made an aisle out of hydrangea petals for me to walk down and a close friend played “Forever” by Ben Harper on the guitar, which is one of our favourite songs. Our son was the ring bearer and our twin daughters were the flower girls.

Zeus and I spent our wedding night at a beautiful house set in the olive grove where our photos were taken earlier. After the reception we sat and reflected on the day and how perfect it was – a day filled with family, friends, laughter, dancing, beautiful food and lovely New Zealand wine… PERFECT!

Wedding Photography: Peta Mazey Photography / Wedding Ceremony & Reception Venue: Tarureka Estate / Ceremony Music: Friend of the Bride / Wedding Dress: Cymbeline Paris / Bride’s Shoes: Karen Millen / Hair & Makeup: Jo Bently of Calma Therapies / Florist: Moonflower / Catering: Guten Appetit Catering / Wedding Cake: Friend of the Bride & Groom / Wedding Reception Flowers: DIY / Pre-Ceremony Photos & Accomodations: In The Grove

This New Zealand wedding by Vela Images falls into the category of weddings that I completely and wholly adore.  It is totally handmade with loads of uber-sweet details and awesome, candid photos of smiling faces.  I can tell just from these images that it was a day full of joy and romance for everyone who attended.  On a side note, I need to get my hands on one of those bridesmaid dresses ASAP!  I am quite smitten with the whole sh-bang!  Check out more DIY from down under in the full gallery!

Click here to see the entire image gallery!

From Vela Images… Luke and Melati travelled from Sydney, Australia to be married in New Zealand at The Ridge Country Retreat in the spectacular Bay of Plenty in the North Island of New Zealand.  Melati not only made all of her decorations (yes that does include the meters and meters of hand sewn bunting!), she also brought it all over on the flight from Australia to New Zealand with the help of her bridesmaids and guests. This hilltop wedding was an intimate affair with 35 close family and friends taking part in the celebration.

Melati’s advice for anyone planning an overseas destination wedding would be to make sure you have plenty of friends to help you transport decorations and do make sure you confirm all hair and makeup bookings in advance. Melati was double booked at her hair salon but a local Tauranga salon, Salon One, pulled some strings to accommodate her at the last minute.

Wedding Photography: Vela Images /  Wedding Dress: Custom, Friend of the Bride / Bride’s Shoes: Wittner / Event Styling: The Bride / Bride’s Engagement Ring: Antique / Wedding Bands: Michael Hill / Groom & Groomsmen Suits: Stylecorp Australia / Hair & Makeup: Salon One / Wedding Venue: Ridge Country Retreat / Bridesmaid Dresses: Portmans / Wedding Cake: Family of the Bride & Groom / Flowers (Bouquets & Buttonholes): Blanc / Flowers (Table Centerpieces): The Bride 

Be prepared to have some serious wedding venue envy!  Sutherland Kovach Studio sent us this gem all the way from New Zealand with stunning views of Auckland and the Hauraki Gulf.  The whole affair has a casual, backyard feel to it but still shines with elegance.  I love the wild, garden party arrangements and handcrafted details made out of vintage paper.  Stay a little longer in wedding paradise by visiting the full gallery!

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From Sutherland Kovach Studio… Amy and Matt got married on New Year’s Eve on Waiheke Island in New Zealand.  Matt is from the UK and Amy is a New Zealander, and they met while crewing yachts in Europe.  Most of their wedding was organised over e-mail as the yacht they were on sailed around the world.  They chose Waiheke Island as it’s a short boat ride from Auckland and would make a great holiday destination for their guests, many of whom were also travelling great distances to celebrate with them.

Their ceremony and reception were held at Mudbrick Vineyard, a truly beautiful venue overlooking Auckland and the Hauraki Gulf.  The bridal party got ready and had some of their pictures taken at the stunning Delamore Lodge.

The flowers were done by Waiheke florist Wildflower, following Amy’s (very brief) brief of ‘just picked’. Amy and her stepmother folded over a hundred paper cranes to hold each placecard at the tables, and the orders of service were printed onto vintage papers.  Family wedding pictures spanning the generations were displayed throughout the dining room.

Guests toasted the bride & groom and partied into 2011 with the aid of the local Chocolate Fish Band.

Wedding Photography: Sutherland Kovach Studio / Wedding Ceremony & Reception Venue: Mudbrick Vineyard / Pre-Ceremony Preparations & Photos: Delamore Lodge / Flowers: Wildflower / Bride’s Dress: Macy’s / Bride’s Shoes: Sergio Rossi / Groom’s Suit: Dolce & Gabbana / Wedding Band: Chocolate Fish

I’m pretty sure that heaven looks exactly like this next wedding. All lightness and love and sweet, airy goodness. With perfectly gorgeous shoes. And perfectly pretty people, with a perfectly pretty style. Yep, this is heaven all wrapped up into one lovely little wedding. And if ever there was a talent to capture it beautifully, it would be New Zealand based photographer Kate MacPherson. Click here to see so much more.

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Daryl and I met at the Royal Port Nicholson Yacht club in Wellington. I was working in the bar while at University and Daryl was a sailing member. I remember my boss telling me ‘Just wait to you meet Daryl, you’ll like him’ and she was right. From the moment I first saw him I thought he was very good looking! I was too scared to talk to him. But that didn’t last long…. He soon won me over with his charm and we started dating. After less than 2 months of dating he was offered a job in Spain to work for a sailing team in an around the world yacht race. He asked me to come with him… needless to say that after only a short time dating he promptly received a phone call from my Dad asking him about his intentions! For me it was an easy decision, a great guy and an opportunity to travel, so I off I went with him and I’ve never looked back.

I had never dreamed of the perfect wedding, only the perfect guy. Now that I had that guy….  My dreams turned to the wedding. Having never even looked at a wedding magazine or been to many weddings I started from scratch. With just under a year to plan the wedding and with half of the time being abroad the internet was a huge help. We only had 2 months before leaving NZ to confirm the main arrangements, venue, caterer, photographer etc. I loved every moment of the planning and miss it so much now. I loved looking at blogs, other couples weddings and magazines for inspiration… even now I still check them, I can’t help it!

As Daryl had to leave to go overseas before I did, I was left to my own devices to find the perfect wedding venue for us. I wanted somewhere elegant and formal for our wedding and love older architecture. Driving up to The Old Museum I loved the grand feel of the building, it’s nestled in among trees so although it’s in the city you feel away from all the busyness. The moment I walked into the Tea Gardens, our reception room, I fell in love with the space; it was light and airy with beautiful large windows, stunning high ceilings, wooden floors and Royal Dolton tiles.

I’ve always loved loads of white, I’d white wash all our furniture if I was allowed! It’s just so classic, simple and elegant. So our wedding was no exception. Charlotte Wood Events did an amazing job styling the room for us.  We went with a white on white palette on the guest tables with white hydrangeas, gypshophila, dinner candles and vintage textured runners. I collected vintage looking candle-holders and we used a collection of old bottles my brother had collected over the years as vases. There were touches of duck egg blue in other areas following through from our invitations.

Our wedding was everything we had hoped for, a day filled of love and laughter surrounded by amazing people. At the end of the night we couldn’t stop smiling at each other.  I wish every bride the same.

Wedding Photographer: Kate MacPherson / Wedding Venue: The Old Museum / Wedding Stylist: Charlotte Wood Events / Entertainment: Shaun Preston / Photo Booth: WE DO Photography and Design / Wedding Cinematography: Crystal Clear Productions / Wedding Transportation: Prestige Classics / Florist: Whitney Spark of Flowers on Featherston / Wedding Cake: New World Metro via NZ Endometriosis Charity Auction / Wedding Gown: Vera Wang via PreOwnedWeddingDresses.com / Shoes: Christian Louboutin / Wedding Accessories: Etsy / Groom & Groomsmen Suits: Zara / Wedding Rings: Partridge Jewellers

Well there is one thing for certain, this New Zealand bride sure does know how to accessorize. From the gorgeous faux fur shrug her mother made (!) to her handsome hubby – she obviously knows what looks good. And this wedding sure looks good. It’s a bit of old Hollywood meets vineyard wedding, and the images from Sutherland Kovach Studio prove it was most certainly a match. So be sure to accessorize your day with the gallery of even more gorgeous images.

click here for the full wedding gallery!

Moana and Leon, together since high school, chose a lovely Saturday in early spring for their wedding at Ascension Wine Estate in Matakana, New Zealand. Moana wanted an ‘old Hollywood’ look for her dress and found a beautiful one in antique gold, which she accessorized with a veil held in place by two vintage butterfly combs which had belonged to her grandmother.   September is still a little chilly in NZ, and so her mother made shrugs for the bride and bridesmaids out of faux fur.  Super easy to do, and added a little ‘je ne sais quoi’!

Photographer: Sutherland Kovach Studio / Dress: Modes of Broadway / Shoes: Bally / Veil: Andrea Simper / Bridesmaids Dresses: Veronika Maine / Flowers: Maureen Roke / Venue: Ascension Wine Estate

If you are just now joining us, you have impeccable timing. We are in the throws of mini-wedding Wednesday where we bring you lots and lots of wedding goodness every single hour and our next wedding just might be the most gorgeous to date. Photographed by super talented Vela Images, this is equal parts glamorous, elegant and chic and totally dripping in dreamy New Zealand light. For even more of the McDreaminess, click on the gallery.

see more glamour straight from New Zealand here!

From Yolandee, the beautiful Bride:

The most important decision of all is the venue! If you get this right, everything else will fall into place. Besides the fact that The Old Church is one of the most beautiful places we’ve found in all our travels, they also take care of so much more than just offering a beautiful setting. The service is excellent yet personal, the food is amazing, the atmosphere is romantic, rustic and warm with a huge range of possibilities there to suite any couple and occasion. I stayed in the villa next door to The Old Church the night before and got ready there on the day. This was the most beautiful place for photos. For the next day we booked this beautiful homestead called Cape Estate, a 1000 acre farm outside the coastal village of Te Awanga, a short drive from the Old Church. Our parents, the wedding party and our friends who came from San Francisco stayed here. It’s private and tranquil with the most breathtaking views. Our wedding was on a Friday and on the Saturday many of our guests come to the house for second get together. We played tennis and games with the kids, had a bbq and lounged about around the huge open fireplace all night whilst sampling the beautiful local wine. It was the perfect way to get our friends and family to meet each other and the best way to have your wedding celebrations.

Photography: Vela Images / Venue: The Old Church, Napier, New Zealand / Event Design and Planning: The Old Church / Dress: TK Store / Shoes: Guess / Flowers: Bride and Grooms mothers did the flowers / Invitations: Made by the bride

My heart just about stopped when I saw this wedding. It’s everything that I want my life to be when I think about it in my head (sans toddler and messy, sticky hands)…a blissfully simple, white inspired affair with details that are off the charts gorgeous. Photographed by Kate MacPherson (who I am officially obsessed with btw), at the very least this wedding will definitely give you butterflies…and at the most, it just might re-inspire your entire wedding design. It’s that gorgeous. Click here to see even more!

click here to see the full gorgeous gallery!

We held the wedding at Wharekauhau, where Bill proposed. Given the number of friends attending from Australia, we wanted a quintessential New Zealand location to show how the country is so beautiful and so different. Wharekauhau is a 5,000 acre working farm and a fantastic example of ‘real New Zealand’.

It was an amazing location and a great idea to get family and friends together in an equally “out of the way” location. Everyone was able to relax and enjoy New Zealand at its best. Initially i wanted a multicoloured theme, however due to the season we could not get all the flowers I wanted. So we went for all white – white flowers, white outfits and teal as the accent colour. It was beautiful.

My dress was by Darb Bridal Couture. Brad is an amazing designer and put a lot of love and effort into this. My head piece was Alannah Hill and shoes were Christian Louboutin. I wore jewelry that was a gift from my brother in-law and sister and a bracelet Bill brought me while in Dubai.  Bill was dressed in Versace – white on white but different fabrics and patterns and the bridesmaid wore a Lisa Ho creation.

We had the famous violinist Elena playing at our wedding. We were very lucky to have such an incredible talent. For the reception we went for a DJ and a casual but gorgeous pool party, complete with floating candles.

Our wedding cake was created by a shop in the Old Bank Arcade. We had little baby ice cream cakes in addition to the wedding cake, because this is what Bill had made when he proposed…ice cream cakes in the shape of a wedding cake! The staff at Wharekauhau really made the difference. They took care of all the little details as well as ensured that everybody had a good time.

My favorite moment was walking down and seeing Bill waiting for me – everything was perfect! And watching Mum and Dad so happy and getting into it made it the best day for me. My sister and brother-in-law were amazing fun and the few minutes before we went up we were giggling and having the best time!

My best advice for brides is to enjoy the day. It is really hard when you have to be a host as well but take time out to take in the moment. Remember as much as you can because it will go so so quickly.

This goes out to all the fellas. We know there are about two of you out there and for all the rest, your lovely ladies will take notes. Yes, yes we know the wedding dress is uber important but so too is the wedding day attire of your hubby to be. So today we are bringing you some serious groom style that is screaming dapper from the rooftops and the best part? Most of these stylish threads where found at second hand and vintage stores. Looking hot while not breaking the bank is super duper in our books.  Photographed by Sutherland Kovach Studio, with florals and styling by Me, Myself and I, this will surely get your inspiration wheels a turning. Check out the gallery for more fashion for your dude.

{click here for more dapper threads}

There are some fabulous alternatives to the traditional black suit for grooms and we at Sutherland Kovach Studio wanted to explore them, with a vintage twist. It was our aim to show that a stylish and distinctive outfit is totally possible on a budget and most of the clothes were found at charity and retro shops. Annie, our florist, created the beautiful boutonnieres from vintage buttons and autumn leaves.

Photography and Design: Sutherland Kovach Studio / Flowers and Design: Annie Oxborough at Me, Myself and I / Venue: Auckland Domain, Auckland, New Zealand / Clothes: Sourced from Salvation Army stores, Mrs Jones, and Hallensteins

This next wedding just might take the title for the COOLEST. WEDDING. EVER. Held at a breathtakingly gorgeous spot in New Zealand, it was this incredible mish-mash of style, of color, of design…of pure gorgeousness. Plus it has that handmade, DIY vibe that we’ve been looking for in weddings lately. Click here to see even more images from this lovely, lovely day. Photography by Sutherland Kovach Studio.

{click here to see the full wedding}

This wedding was held at the beginning of February 2010 in Snell’s Beach, New Zealand at Brick Bay Wines and Sculpture Trail.  Anna and Dan, the bride and groom, were married on a small island in the middle of a lotus pond, part of an earth sculpture designed by New Zealand artist Virginia King. Guests mingled before the wedding in a pecan orchard decorated with brightly coloured bunting, and then made their way to the edge of the pond through a forest trail hung with lanterns.  After the wedding, a cocktail hour was held at Brick Bay’s ‘Glasshouse’.   A photobooth was in operation and music was provided by a roster of local DJs. The bride’s family own the property and the wedding was held at her parents’ home on the property, the centrepiece of which was an impressive floral display echoing the flowers used in the bride and bridesmaids’ bouquets.

Photography: Sutherland Kovach Studio / Flowers: Bloom Saloon, Matakana / Event Design: Bride and groom / Event Planning: Bride and groom / Ceremony Location: Brick Bay Wines & Sculpture Trail / Reception Location: Private home, Brick Bay / Dress: Zambesi

We have had an absolutely absurd amount of posts go up today! The wedding was just so pretty and the bride was sweet enough to share so many details, I wanted to make sure that we got it all in. Here is a last look at the beautifully photographed, by the wonderfully talented Lauri Levenfeld, New Zealand wedding…

From the bride…

At the reception and dinner, we wanted to showcase the very best NZ and Waiheke Island ingredients and highlight produce from the winery’s vegetable garden.  We served the Mudbrick’s own award winning Rose, Chardonnay and Syrah, as well as a special wine from Anna’s family vineyard in honor of Anna’s late brother Kiet who planted the grapes as a boy.