Alana + Jack by Ash Muir Photography

Modern, yet whimsical.

Tell us a little about yourselves, what you do, what you love…

We live on Auckland’s North Shore, where I work in Health Administration & Jack works in the Navy. We both love a walk and a coffee, so most of our weekend mornings are spent walking our Sausage Dog, Ernie, to Daily Bread. Outside of this, we are also big foodies and love to travel; we are always looking forward to our next adventure.

How/where/when did you meet – and what were your first impressions?

We have actually known each other since birth! Our dads met on their London OEs in the 90s. Jack was raised in Taranaki, and I was raised in Auckland. We would go on family holidays together growing up, the childhood crush was real! Enter adulthood, where we reconnected, and after catching up for dinner, the rest was history; we have been inseparable ever since. A funny story, Jack’s mum was excited that the two of us were catching up, with Jack having moved to Auckland, she thought he might end up meeting someone through me!! Little did she know, it would be me whom he would end up bringing home!

Tell us about the vision you had for the mood and style of your wedding. (theme, key styling elements, florals, colour palettes etc.).

We knew we wanted a small and intimate wedding. It was important that our venues felt like a reflection of that. The garden is my happy place, and the beach is Jack’s. So, when we were able to find two locations that had both of those elements, it was like we had struck gold. The brief was greens and lots of florals! Modern, yet whimsical. We had clouds of hydrangeas that cascaded over plinths at the altar, paired with floor pieces at the entrance of the aisle. These were re-purposed for the reception, where we also had beautifully structured table pieces made up of orchids, Amaranthus, and calla lilies. This was all pulled together with our incredible menus illustrated by the very talented Brogan Scott.

What styling and visual elements worked best for you? (could be things, the florals, particular hire products or your marquee, etc., something the stylist created or simply just the scenic beauty of your location or the existing design of your venue).

Both of our venues were stunning on their own. The garden we were married in was full of lush greenery and flowers, and our reception venue was right on the ocean with a big outdoor space to watch the sunset. It was perfect.

What did you enjoy most about the planning process, and do you have any tips for couples starting their wedding planning journey?

Our planning process ended up being a little rushed! Despite planning for a long engagement, Jack was in an accident last year where things could have ended very differently, so we decided to get married sooner than planned. What we thought would be at least a year of planning turned into just under 6 months to get things organised, with our vendors all booked within a two-week period. Luckily, our vendors were incredibly accommodating. Our favourite part was watching the menu come together & for me, it was also seeing my dress and the flowers.

Our biggest piece of advice would be to stay true to who you are and what you love. It is so easy to get swept up in the trends, but it is so important to ask yourself, “Does this feel like us?” A wedding is an investment, so you want to create a day that you love, not what you think others will love.

Tell us about your vendors.

Were there any standout suppliers you would like to make special mention of? We were so lucky with our vendors. Each and every one went above and beyond to make our vision come to life. A special mention to our florist, Rebecca from Pineapple-Sage, who knows how to pull a vision together. She is truly an artist. She also stayed through our ceremony, packed up our flowers, and set up our next venue in record time!! Another special mention to Black Sands Pizza, run by husband and wife duo Matt & Shelly, who pulled off one of the best meals we have ever eaten. (Think slow-cooked lamb shoulder & whipped feta with smashed cucumber) Lastly, our photographer Ash, who is such a talent. She made the whole day so much fun, and her photos are truly something else!!

Tell us about your main outfits, what was unique, and is there a story?

My dress was custom-made by the incredible Fritz & Sarah. I knew that I wanted something simple & timeless that I would love for all the years that I would look back on our wedding photos. The detailing in the panelled bodice with the buttons, through to the long train and the pockets. (Every girl needs a dress with pockets.) Right from the get-go, Fritz & Sarah understood my vision and absolutely nailed it! Jack is much more laid back; he ended up buying the first suit he tried on!

Tell us about your wedding and engagement rings.

Both my engagement ring and our wedding rings were made by The Diamond Shop. Sera and Nicola made the whole process so special. Both Jack and I were fortunate to be given heirloom pieces for our wedding rings. My wedding ring was my grandmother’s, and Jack had gold from his dad, which was made into his wedding band. Since a girl can never have too much sparkle, I had a diamond eternity ring made to pair with my gold band.

What were one or two elements that were most important to you both that you were happy to spend a little more on? (food, photography, florals, the venue, your outfits?).

Food, photography, and florals were our main splurges. As mentioned above, we are both massive foodies, so ensuring our guests were fed was a priority. Our food was served family style, and just as you thought you had finished, more food would appear. Our guests still talk about the food 6 months later!

Photography was also important as this was one of the only “forever” components of the day. We both love the nostalgia of film and the vintage feel that it has. So having a photographer who also worked with film was a priority. As soon as I saw Ash’s work, we knew that she was the one. Originally, she was booked on the first date we were looking at, but when we opted for a different date, it just so happened that it was her last opening for the season. It was meant to be. She truly blew us both away.

Was there a favourite moment (or two) that you will treasure always?

For both of us, seeing each other at the ceremony for the first time takes the cake. It was so special to know we were about to embark on this next chapter of life together.

Another notable moment was when Jack knocked an entire glass of red wine down my dress 5 minutes before we were due to go for sunset photos. With the quick thinking of my maid of honour, Hannah, we got it all out with soda water. It is a moment we both look back and laugh at. It also made for a great photo!