Andrew + Satori by Bianca Virtue

Our colour palette was intentionally restrained, centred almost entirely around white, with crisp touches of green.

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

Andrew works as a Director in the property industry; Satori is the Director of FORM Agency & boutique talent agency FORM Collective.

While our titles may be similar, our careers are very different. What we both love most is people, travel, good food and creating experiences together. We have always been drawn to cities and the energy that comes with them, particularly London, France and New York, which became important chapters in our relationship. We love a long lunch that turns into dinner, a great martini, discovering somewhere new, and any excuse to bring our favourite people together.

Our relationship has always been shaped by the places we have lived and travelled to together, from Auckland, London and the South of France, to New York, Paris, Milan and beyond. Those experiences have given us a shared sense of adventure and, perhaps most importantly, a very long list of places we want to return to.

We are also incredibly close to our families and friends, and that was at the heart of our wedding. More than anything, we wanted to create a weekend that honoured our love story and celebrated it with all the people who have shaped it.

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

Our story began in Auckland, at an infamous bar for a sunny Friday eve with Friends.

What began as a brief encounter over Rose became apparent: we weren’t destined to know each other. So naturally… Satori moved to New York for work, fulfilling a long-held dream of spending part of her twenties in Manhattan.

Despite being on opposite sides of the world, we spoke every single day and somehow maintained a 564-day Snapchat streak. Distance clearly wasn’t going to stop anything.

We eventually reunited in London when Andrew moved, and our relationship really grew. We spent our days and nights exploring the city, from afternoons in Regent’s Park and wines on Audley Street to cocktails at the Connaught and many a night at the Sloany Pony with our respective London friends.

London became home, and from there came countless trips together — Paris, New York, Milan and more — which became some of the most memorable chapters of our relationship.

Our first impressions may have started at Dr Rudi’s, but looking back, perhaps we both knew quite quickly that this was going to become a much bigger story.

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

Our vision was elegant, timeless and chic, with a nod to 1990s Ralph Lauren and the places that have shaped our relationship — particularly London, New York, Paris and our love of European travel. We wanted it to feel romantic and sophisticated, but never overly styled or complicated. Traditional wedding elements were balanced with clean, modern lines, allowing everything to feel considered without taking away from the beauty of Tantalus.

Our colour palette was intentionally restrained, centred almost entirely around white, with crisp touches of green. The floral brief was almost exclusively white, incorporating roses, dramatic draped tulips and hydrangeas. The hydrangeas were particularly meaningful to Satori, as her mum had also chosen them for her wedding, giving the flowers a lovely sense of family history.

We wanted the overall experience to evoke the feeling of being swept away somewhere special — a beautiful European vineyard during the day, before becoming something more like a sophisticated New York restaurant at night. The styling was designed around that transition, with an emphasis on beautiful food, candlelight, champagne and long, elegant tables.

Above everything, we wanted the wedding to feel romantic, polished— sophisticated enough to feel timeless, but with enough personality that it felt unmistakably like 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).

The success of the styling was really in the details and in how the space evolved throughout the day. Tantalus provided such a beautiful backdrop that the best decision was not to overcomplicate it. Instead, the styling worked with the existing landscape and allowed the setting to shine.

Guests arrived through a beautifully draped entranceway framed with florals, before moving into the Tantalus Conservatory, where they were greeted by a dramatic table of escort cards. It created an immediate sense of occasion and gave guests their first glimpse of the considered styling before they made their way through to the celebrations.

During champagne hour, the gardens felt relaxed and distinctly European, with parasols, our oyster bar, champagne and beautiful white florals. We incorporated silver trays and champagne buckets, which added a subtle sense of old-world elegance without feeling formal.

As the evening moved inside, the atmosphere transformed. Our long dining tables were lined entirely with candles, creating a warm glow that drew the eye towards the bridal table and its beautiful draped backdrop. A saxophone added to the feeling that we had stepped into a glamorous New York restaurant or jazz bar rather than a traditional wedding reception.

Some of our favourite elements were the details that made the styling personal. Our custom dance floor vinyl read “This Will Be (An Everlasting Love)”, while the cocktail menu included little jokes about the couple. Even the bells given to guests for our recessional added an element of fun & again a nod to Satori’s European heritage.

The result was clean, romantic and highly considered, while still feeling relaxed enough for the party to take over the estate.

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

Satori planned the wedding herself and genuinely loved every minute of it. The planning became an opportunity to really think about what mattered to us as a couple, but also to hear and learn more about the love stories within our families. We loved hearing stories from our parents, grandparents and other couples, and finding little ways to weave those histories and traditions into our own day. It made the wedding feel connected to something much bigger than just the two of us.

Our wedding was quite traditional, but we never wanted to simply tick every traditional box. We kept coming back to a few main things: love, our people, incredible food and having an amazing time.

Our biggest tip would be to make decisions based on how you want the day to feel, rather than simply how you want it to look. The visual details are important, but the things you remember are the people, the atmosphere and how you felt.

The wedding weekend also became much more than a single day. It began with the ferry from Auckland, a quick stop at the office for some final printing, our rehearsal with our bridal party and parents, and champagne at Tantalus before our Welcome Party brought everyone together from around the world.

And finally, invest in a great venue and a trusted coordinator for the day. Hand over the logistics, relax and be present.

And absolutely plan a recovery day — you will need it!

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

We were incredibly lucky with our vendors and genuinely loved the team we worked with. Aimee was amazing throughout the entire process. She understood the vision from the beginning and somehow managed to keep everything moving while making us feel completely calm. Bianca was also wonderful to work with, and having a team we trusted made such a difference in the lead-up to the wedding and, especially, on the day itself. On the day, they just knew how to make every moment even more beautiful, emotional and impactful.

Tantalus was another standout. The setting was incredible, but the team and the experience made it even better. The food and hospitality were exceptional, and it is still one of the things our guests talk about most. We wanted the weekend to be remembered for how it felt, as much as how it looked, and Tantalus absolutely delivered on that.

Our ceremony was particularly special because it was conducted by our long-time friend James. He knew us, our story and our friends well enough to bring a level of humour and intimacy that would have been impossible to replicate.

Ultimately, our favourite vendors were the ones who understood that this wasn’t just about creating a beautiful wedding. They helped create a weekend that felt personal, warm, fun and completely us.

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

My wedding dress itself wasn’t particularly unique or custom, and there wasn’t a dramatic story behind finding it — but the way I chose it made it incredibly special to me. After many, many try-ons, it was the dress my mum picked for me, with the help of my Maid of Honour, Gabby. And ultimately, that made it the most perfect choice of them all. The style felt exactly right for a late-summer wedding at Tantalus. It was a strapless bodice that moved into an incredibly full tulle skirt — romantic and feminine, but still clean enough to suit the setting. I loved that it felt perfectly at home amongst the gardens and vineyard at Tantalus, but equally, I could have imagined wearing it at The Plaza in New York in the middle of June. The long, tulle veil completed the look and was something I had been so excited about throughout the planning process. More than anything, I couldn’t wait for Andrew to see me in it for the first time.

Looking back, I love that the dress wasn’t chosen because it was unusual or followed a particular trend. It was chosen because my mum and Gabby knew me so well, and because when I put it on, it simply felt like me.

Tell us about your wedding and engagement rings.

Our engagement ring has a particularly special story. Andrew designed it himself and picked it up in Mayfair during our Christmas trip to London. He had designed it to be given to Satori at the exact spot where we used to meet for lunch during our London days, in Burton Square. The proposal itself, however, did not quite go to plan! It took three attempts before Andrew finally asked the question. The third attempt was during a day trip to Versailles, at the feet of the Palace of Versailles. Thankfully, this time Satori said yes. For our wedding bands, we wanted something simple and timeless, and chose them together at Tiffany & Co. We had both bands engraved with our wedding date, which makes them even more meaningful. We also love that our wedding bands are exactly the same. After so much of our relationship being about travelling between countries and cities, it felt fitting to have something identical that we would each carry with us every day. Between the story behind the engagement ring and choosing our wedding bands together, our rings feel like a little summary of our relationship: thoughtful, personal, and full of memories from the places that have meant the most to us.

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?).

We were happiest spending more on the things that would shape the experience for our guests, particularly the venue. Tantalus was an easy decision because it gave us everything we were looking for in a venue, but what really stood out was the quality of the food, wine and hospitality. Every detail was considered, and every guest felt genuinely looked after throughout the weekend. Our guests are still talking about the food and drinks, which is exactly what we hoped for. We also wanted to surround ourselves with an exceptional creative team. We invested in beautiful photography and florals because we knew these were the elements that would bring the vision to life and allow us to remember it long after the day. The vision, planning and stationery were all created and managed by Satori, which made the process incredibly personal. From the overall aesthetic through to the smallest details, everything was considered with how we wanted the day to feel in mind. Ultimately, we were happy to invest in the things our guests would experience and the things we would have forever — incredible food and hospitality, beautiful imagery, considered florals and a day that felt completely personal to us.

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

There are so many moments that are difficult to choose from, but seeing each other for the first time and walking down the aisle is something we will treasure forever. The morning of the wedding was intentionally spent apart. The girls went for coffee, grounded themselves with manifestations and started makeup while making friendship bracelets. While the boys swam and started on the Scotch. Our only communication that morning was through letters we had arranged to have delivered to each other, which made the anticipation of finally seeing one another even greater. When we arrived at Tantalus, Daylight was playing as Aimee quietly whispered words of encouragement to Satori: “Everything in your life has led you to this moment.” As Young and Beautiful by Lana Del Rey played, Satori walked down the aisle to Andrew, and the day unfolded as perfectly as we could have hoped. Another unforgettable moment was looking around during the ceremony, then over dinner and later on the dance floor, seeing our family and friends who had travelled from all over the world — Auckland, London, New York, Sydney and beyond — all together in one place.

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

For us, being married is about committing to the great love story — not just the beautiful, easy days, but all of it.

Our ceremony captured that perfectly. Our friend James spoke about the fact that a love story isn’t defined by one day, one date or even a wedding. It is built through the ordinary days, the messy days, the quiet mornings, the late nights, the adventures, the early flights, the long lunches and everything in between.

Marriage means continuing to choose each other, every day. It means working for each other, fighting for each other and making space for each other to grow and change. It means being each other’s greatest supporter, but also the person who will tell you when you are being ridiculous.

Our favourite ritual may simply be making time for each other, wherever we are in the world. So much of our relationship has involved travel, distance and busy careers, and we have learned that the little rituals matter — long lunches, travelling together, exploring a new city, or simply sitting down at the end of the day with a glass of wine.

Andrew captured it beautifully in his speech, quoting When Harry Met Sally: when you realise you want to spend the rest of your life with someone, you want your life to start right now.

That is what marriage means to us: not the end of the story, but the beginning of the next chapter.