Ash + Tom by Zara Staples

Tell us a little about yourselves, what you do, what you love, what is unique about you and your
relationship…


I moved to Gisborne from the US in 2012 at 16. I had only been in Gisborne for a few weeks when a local school here decided to have a concert. One of my friends (my first friend here actually) convinced me to go with her as I needed to get out and meet people.

Luckily she did because that was where I met Tom. Our relationship has grown with us over the years and I can genuinely say Tom has helped shaped me into the woman I am today. 8 years later and we were happily married.

Tell us about your special day, was there a specific theme or style? Tell us a little about the setting, the
styling and some of your favourite details…

We had a beach set wedding so we wanted the day to be casual and fun. Every person that had a part in our wedding knew Tom and I personally so we sat down with them to give them a rough idea of what we wanted and left the rest up to them. This was special as some of the finer details I was surprised about on the day. My favourite detail was setting the venue up as if it was our own place. We had a lot of deck furniture from our families and Ange from Little Boho Tribe even set up a couch. There was no seating arrangement so everyone was able to mix and mingle as they pleased.

Tell us about your main outfits:

My dress was from Felicity’s Bridal and designed by Made With Love. Tom’s suit was picked from Barkers.

What were some of the most memorable/unique moments from the day?

The most memorable part of the day was the first look. My girlfriends and I had the morning together to get ready with a few mimosas and sing alongs. This was special as we were all living in different places so it wasn’t often we all got to spend time together. Tom and the groomsmen came to get us and there was something so special and comforting about the way Tom’s face lit up when he saw me. We then all took photos before the actual ceremony which was nice because I feel like it created a really special connection to the bridal party before the ceremony. The other most memorable part was taking a minute with Tom when everyone was on the dancefloor. We took a minute just to look at the venue and everyone dancing. There was a strong sense of love and the community we had created around us.

Any advice for other couples planning to spend the rest of their lives together?

Enjoy the process. At the end of the day the things you will remember are the special moments with the close people around you.

Photography: @zarastaplesweddings | Ceremony and Reception location: @wainuislsc | Bride’s attire: @felicitysbridaln and @madewithlovebridal | Groom’s attire: @barkersclothing | Rings: @jaimelucindajewellery | Jewellery: @starethelabel | Makeup and Hair: @headcreativesalon | Groomsmen’s attire: @barkersclothing | Bridesmaid’s attire: @evolutionbridesmaids | Entertainment: Lorna Shaskey-Hughes | Hire: @little_boho_events | Flora: @field0froses | Catering and Beverages: @flagshipeatery | Cake: Jackie Hudson