Marry Me.
There was no official proposal. We had been together since the end of high school and talked about marriage from time to time but it wasn’t a priority for either of us with everything else we were busy with. We bought a 1970’s fireball boat a few years ago and at the time Jared said “well you can have a ring or the boat!” – we got the boat!
One night I got home from work and Jared said to me “you have one happy mum and your parents are coming round to celebrate!”. He had caught up with Dad that day when he had called in to visit and asked the question. I didn’t want an engagement ring or anything flashy, instead I have a gorgeous wedding band designed by Jeremy Leeming which I love.
The Day.
Our aim was to have a relaxed and fun wedding.
The wedding was February 24, 2017 in a small town called Clyde in Central Otago. Clyde is a place where we spend a lot of time as we both have family there. It is a very laid-back town and you can walk everywhere so there’s no need for vehicles which makes it even better when hosting a big party! It was the hottest day of the month, reaching 34 degrees at 4pm.
We chose Oliver’s for the reception because they were so accommodating and just perfect for us. You stay onsite at the incredible lodge and they were almost fully booked out, so we chose the one weekend that worked. We also booked out Dunstan House across the road and so most of our guests were within 1 block of each other. The pub even stayed open for our guests especially after the wedding. Jared was in charge of choosing the ceremony location which he did a great job of sorting out. He chose the lakeside where we go boating in summer and we couldn’t have done better. Dad made the furniture and archway for the ceremony so that was pretty special. We were a little bit worried about getting married in a public area, but it turned out just perfect.
The Details.
We kept styling in keeping with the era of our venue which was Oliver’s Lodge in Clyde. Oliver’s was built in 1869 so the theme just grew from there.
Inspiration came from anything vintage, and my dress! Once I had my wedding dress everything just came together.
Our florist Jolene (Estelle Flowers) suggested potting up plants from my parent’s garden shop into brass pots. Things escalated very quickly from then on in - I had a really good time buying chaise lounges and antique furniture, travel chests, fur, a gramophone etc for decorations. I even borrowed some of my grandma’s furniture. It got a little out of hand, but it was a really good time!
Inspiration.
Makeup and hair for the girls was kind of a modern take on the 1950’s glamour girls with the bold red lippy and waves. Navy was a colour that suited everyone, and my sister Brooke chose the dresses which she did a brilliant job of. Not an easy task to find a dress that suits everyone! Pinterest was definitely a big help but at the end of the day I left the hair (Tu Meke) and makeup (Janine Joseph) to the professionals to decide. The boy’s outfits were organised by Jared and his mum which was a big help.
Expecation & Reality.
We had put a lot of effort into planning and the biggest surprise was how stunning the weather turned out to be.
The day went smoothly. My mum and sister were a huge part of that, and many friends pitched in. The boys set up the marquee. A family friend sung us down the aisle, the cars belonged to family or friends, others co-ordinated flowers and decorations. It was a real family effort with my Aunt and Uncle supplying us with wine from their vineyard Ceres, and the boys had been fishing the week prior and got their huge tuna turned into canapes for after the ceremony. Everyone well and truly deserved a drink once the ceremony was finished! Oliver’s was just amazing, and nothing was too much trouble. One thing I loved about our wedding was that we sat with our parents at the head table with our bridal party. Mum had the idea and it was one of my favourite things that we did.
From One Bride to Another.
Our MC made the day, so I would recommend putting a lot of thought into that.
It also took time to find a wedding dress, but I absolutely loved my dress from Louise Anderson. We had shopped around many suppliers but the second we got to her studio we didn’t want to leave. If you have your favourite people together with great music, food, and wine it’s hard to go wrong.
Enjoy the journey as well as the destination.
Best Bit.
I would do the whole day all over again tomorrow! I actually couldn’t choose one moment because the whole day was so full of special memories. Spending time with family, friends and of course my new husband (even though we had already been together for 13 years).
I just felt so lucky all day! I would do the whole week over again!
