Courtney + Vaughan by Keryn Sweeney

We wanted the day to feel intentional and personal

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

We’re two imperfect people who somehow fit together perfectly! Over the past nine years, we’ve built a life together that we’re incredibly proud of, filled with plenty of adventures, laughs and most importantly, each other.

Vaughan works as an agricultural diesel mechanic and is happiest when he’s out in the field or getting stuck into one of the many projects around home. Courtney spends her time enjoying pottery, creating things with her hands and finding the joy in the slower moments.

These days, we’re loving life on our little lifestyle block, where we’re slowly creating our own version of a dream home and a life that feels completely ours. Our dog, Otis, is very much part of the family and keeps us entertained along the way!

We feel incredibly lucky to be surrounded by our favourite people and to have built a life that reflects who we are and what matters to us. We’re still figuring it all out as we go, but that’s what we love most about this chapter: creating a home, making memories, and enjoying all the little moments along the way.

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

Our story started back in 2016, when we were just 16 years old. We first crossed paths at ballroom dancing lessons while preparing for our Year 12 Ball. Although that first meeting was only fleeting, little did we know it wouldn’t be the last time our paths would cross.

A year later, we happened to find ourselves at the same paddock party. The vibes were high, the drinks were flowing, and somewhere between the music, the laughter and the atmosphere of the night, something just clicked.

From that day on, we were pretty much inseparable—and unmistakably smitten with each other! Looking back, it’s funny to think that what started as such a brief encounter at dancing lessons eventually led to nine years together and the life we have now.

We were only teenagers when we met, so we’ve had the privilege of growing up alongside each other and navigating so many different chapters of life together. From those early days at 16 to building our life, our home and our little lifestyle block, it’s pretty special to look back and realise that all those years ago, we had no idea where that one paddock party would lead us.

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).

For us, the styling was all about creating something that felt uniquely us and different from other weddings we had seen. We wanted the day to feel intentional and personal, rather than following a traditional wedding formula, while still being beautiful and cohesive.

Our ceremony was held in a paddock with Te Mata Peak as the backdrop, which felt incredibly special. It’s such an iconic part of Hawke’s Bay and a landscape we’ve grown up with, so having it as the backdrop to our ceremony felt really meaningful. The draping was an important element in creating a dramatic statement against the scale of the peak, while keeping everything feeling soft and romantic.

I put a lot of thought into the stationery, painting all the illustrations myself and adding small details throughout that reflected us and our story. Our wedding favours also doubled as the place cards — I hand-made each ceramic trinket dish, which made them feel really personal and tied in with my love of pottery.

I also loved finding unexpected pieces, like the bird candlestick holders, which felt quirky and unique. We wanted to incorporate a big piece of Vaughan’s life too, so his old John Deere became part of the ceremony setup. We turned it into a bar, draping it with fabric and decorating it with vases and flowers.

Combining unusual floral arrangements, soft draping and personal touches helped create a day that felt different, but most importantly, completely like us.

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

What we enjoyed most about the planning process was having the opportunity to be creative and make so many elements of the day personal to us. I especially loved painting the illustrations for our stationery. Each one gave me a chance to reflect on different parts of our life together and the little things that have become meaningful to us over the years.

We also loved designing our wedding rings. Neither of us wanted traditional wedding bands, so creating something that felt completely personal was such a special part of the process. It made the rings feel like another reflection of who we are, rather than simply something we were expected to have.

Some of our favourite memories from the lead-up were the little dates we planned along the way. We had so much fun testing and refining our wedding menu, going to wine tastings and making an occasion out of the different decisions. It meant the planning itself became part of the experience, rather than something we were simply trying to get through.

Our biggest advice would be to stay true to yourselves, think about the things that make you who you are as a couple, and find ways to incorporate those into the finer details. Most importantly, have fun with it! The whole process goes by so quickly, so enjoy the little moments along the way and don’t let the pressure of planning take away from the excitement of getting married.

Tell us about your vendors. Were there any standout suppliers you would like to make special mention of?

We were so lucky to have such talented vendors who understood our vision and brought their own creativity to it.

Suzanne at Miss Frou Frou was incredible. She took all of the ideas I had in my head and made sure every detail came together exactly as I had imagined. She had such a good understanding of the overall look we were trying to create and helped tie everything together beautifully.

Kim at Lushka was another standout. She took our initial ideas and elaborated on them, creating floral arrangements that felt unusual and unexpected while still being cohesive with the rest of the styling. She absolutely nailed the brief, and the flowers were such an important part of bringing our vision to life.

Black Barn deserves a special mention too. The food was incredible, and our guests are still talking about it and complimenting the food months later, which says everything!

And our cake from Finch Bakery was truly extraordinary. It was completely different from anything we had seen before, incredibly detailed and felt like a piece of art in its own right. We loved that our vendors were willing to think outside the box with us and helped create a wedding that felt so personal and different to anything we had experienced before.

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

I had tried on quite a few wedding dresses before finding mine, but nothing made me feel quite as good as this one. A lot of the others started to feel predictable, whereas this one felt completely different and unlike anything I had seen before. I loved that it felt like something I would genuinely choose for myself, rather than simply something that looked like a wedding dress. As soon as I put it on, I knew it was the one.

I also have a bit of an obsession with shoes, so my Jimmy Choos were always going to be important! They weren’t specifically bridal and were the perfect height, so I know I’ll pull them out for anniversaries and special occasions for years to come.

For Vaughan, we searched high and low for a relaxed-fit, double-breasted suit. We had ordered black Tecovas cowboy boots from the US as his fun, forever pair of wedding boots, but when the suit was tailored last-minute, they wouldn’t fit underneath the trousers! So Vaughan resorted to buying a new pair of trusty black RM Williams instead.

My second dress was actually one my mum suggested I try on, and I loved it instantly as a party dress. To make it even more unexpected, I hand-stitched an ostrich-feather hat, which took so many hours it became a nightly activity on the couch! I loved seeing it being passed around during the party. And of course, a party dress needed party shoes. I finished the look with silver Roger Vivier heels, with the heels almost looking like little disco balls.

Even Otis got in on the fun, with a custom bow and lead made from remnants of my wedding dress.

Tell us about your wedding and engagement rings.

My engagement ring is a custom five-stone ring with more of a band-style shape, which I loved because it left plenty of room to create something unique alongside it.

When it came to designing my wedding ring, I had so much fun playing around with the composition and design. I loved being able to look at different diamonds and choose the one that would become part of my ring. I wanted something that had some traditional elements but still felt completely like me, so I chose a chunky band with a pear-shaped diamond. I love that it feels substantial and a little unexpected rather than traditionally bridal.

Vaughan’s wedding ring is quite different again. He chose a signet-style ring with a “C” engraved into the face, which felt like a really simple but meaningful detail. Because of his work, he isn’t able to wear his ring very often, so he had the same engraved “C” tattooed onto his finger! We love that he can still carry a little reminder of the ring and of us every day, even when the actual ring has to stay safely at home.

Our rings are quite different, but that’s what we love about them — they each feel personal to us rather than simply matching for the sake of matching.

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?).

For Vaughan, food and beverage was always going to be one of the areas we were happy to spend a little more on. It was really important to him that there was plenty of food, lots of options for everyone, and that everything was carried out to a really high standard. We wanted our guests to feel well looked after and to enjoy the food and drinks as much as we did. Looking back, it was definitely worth prioritising — our guests are still talking about the food!

Interestingly, my biggest priority ended up being something I hadn’t necessarily expected going into the planning process: the stationery. I loved the idea that the invitations could set the tone for the entire wedding and give guests their first glimpse into what the day would feel like. Being able to have custom, finer details throughout the stationery was really important to me, and I carried those ideas through into the rest of the wedding design.

For me, it was less about the stationery being a standalone detail and more about using it to establish a visual language for the day. The little details and illustrations we introduced at the beginning continued throughout the wedding, helping everything feel connected and intentional. It was one of those things that might seem small, but ended up having a much bigger impact than I expected.

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

There were so many incredible moments throughout the day that it’s hard to choose just one or two, but our ceremony and the dinner with our friends and family will always stand out.

We aren’t usually particularly soppy people, and we’re probably more likely to show each other how we feel through the little everyday things than to say it all out loud. So having that moment in front of all of our favourite people, to actually put those feelings into words and exchange our vows, felt incredibly special and emotional. It was one of those moments where everything else seemed to disappear for a little while.

Another favourite was sitting down for dinner surrounded by all of our friends and family. Instead of having a traditional head table, we chose to sit amongst everyone, which made the whole dinner feel so much more relaxed and inclusive. It was so much fun being able to share that part of the evening with everyone, rather than feeling separated from the people we had spent so much time bringing together.

Listening to speeches from our nearest and dearest was incredibly special too. Hearing the stories, memories and words from the people who know us best was something we’ll always treasure. Looking around the table and seeing so many of the people who have shaped our lives, all together in one place, was pretty unforgettable.

What does being married mean to you, and are there any special rituals you have that you would like to share?

To us, marriage means making a lifetime commitment to grow together, side by side, and to keep choosing each other through all of life’s different chapters. It’s about building a future on a strong foundation of shared dreams, supporting one another through the hard days, and celebrating all the love, laughter and adventures that come along the way.

We love that marriage isn’t just about the big milestones, but about all the ordinary moments in between. For us, spending quality time together doesn’t necessarily mean fancy dates or elaborate plans. Sometimes it’s simply being at home, working on our lifestyle block, or taking Otis for a walk down to the paddock with a glass of wine. We also love being involved in each other’s hobbies and interests, even when they aren’t necessarily our own, and supporting each other in the things that make us happy.

We don’t have any elaborate rituals, but we try to make a point of enjoying those everyday moments and continuing to make time for each other, even when life gets busy.

Ultimately, being married means being a team. It’s knowing that whatever comes our way, we have someone beside us to share it with, laugh about it with and keep building our little life together. For us, it’s about finding happiness in the small moments just as much as the big ones.