ASH + HEATH by Feather and Finch Photography

Ash: I’m Australian and Heath is a Kiwi – can you imagine the banter? I moved to New Zealand six years ago to be with Heath and have never looked back. Heath is an officer in the New Zealand Army and I’m a physiotherapist.

I was on holiday in New Zealand doing a summer road trip with friends, and one of our pit-stops was Heath’s family farm. This was where I originally met him (and, little did I know, my future parents-in-law!). Heath took me on a surprise ‘outing’ to see glow worms one night; this was a good move on his part because it definitely caught my attention.

We have completely opposite personalities; Heath is the more calm and collected one. We like that our personalities differ because we are always learning from each other and it keeps things interesting! We believe the reason we work so well together is because of our shared values and sense of humour. We have lots of fun.

Our biggest challenge is that Heath is frequently away for long periods with work. We miss each other immensely, but this has only made our relationship stronger.  

Heath and I had been on a number of romantic getaways prior to us becoming engaged and every time I was convinced he was going to propose. He truly did get me when I least expected it. He’d picked me up from the airport after I had returned from a family trip and when we got home he asked me to let our beautiful pup (Keira) out. It took me a while to realise there was a ring attached to her collar. Heath knew I couldn’t say no if Keira was involved. We decided to have a small, intimate wedding with immediate family (total of six guests). We have no regrets – we were able to spend every minute of the day together without any added pressure

We wanted our wedding to be full of rustic charm, nature and adventure. It certainly didn’t disappoint. We all got ready together at our Airbnb house, which had a fantastic view of the Remarkables. Our ceremony was at Paradise Trust in Glenorchy, surrounded by snow-capped mountains and native beech forest – Middle Earth bliss. Following the ceremony we had a champagne picnic in an old schoolhouse at Paradise Trust, next to a blazing wood fire. Just when it couldn’t get any better, a helicopter took us into the mountains for photos and champagne.

With our outfits we wanted something simple, modern and elegant. I chose my dress because it reflected the type of wedding we were doing and complemented the landscape. I loved my boots; they added that extra something to the dress and, being the middle of winter, they were also a much warmer option. The most memorable moment was just the palpable happiness – so many laughs and (happy) tears. Heath and I wrote letters to each other and we said these before our vows. This was a truly moving moment.

Photography: Feather and Finch Photography | Planner: Hitched in Paradise NZ | Venue (ceremony): Paradise Trust, Glenorchy| Venue (reception) : The Grille by Eichardt | Bride’s outfit: Bec + Bridge | Bride’s coat: friends with frank| Bride’s boots: Alias Mae| Groom’s suit and tie: Barkers | Groom’s shoes: R M Williams | Celebrant: Leslie van Gelder | Rings: Cara Jeweller| Makeup: Charm Beauty | Hair: Hair to Wed | Bride’s fragrance – Sí by Giorgio Armani| Flora: Orange Blossom | Catering, beverages and cake: arranged by Hitched in Paradise NZ | Helicopter: Helicopter Glenorchy| Transport: Glenorchy Journeys