I loved living in Sweden because of the beautiful autumn colours and icy cold winters. So immediately, my vision was to have an autumnal wedding with dried flowers, lots of candles, and just generally a cozy and minimalist vibe.
Tell us a little about yourselves, what you do, what you love..
Kevin – I’m from the Netherlands but have lived in France, the UK, and Sweden. I’m currently the Head of Sales for a climate Fintech company based in Wellington. I love the opera, going to the gym, and learning new languages. People describe me as highly food motivated.
Connor – I was born in Hastings, raised on the Kapiti Coast, and now consider myself a Wellingtonian. I’ve been lucky to travel a bit, both with work and in my personal time, which has only strengthened my desire to experience new cultures and see the world. Back at home, in between my duties as a public servant, I enjoy interior design, graphic design, and photography.
How/where/when did you meet – and what were your first impressions?
Connor – We met while I was on a diplomatic posting to Stockholm, Sweden. I was travelling through Europe and a fateful swipe on Tinder brought us together. Quality banter ensued. We made long-distance work for a while, but when COVID hit, we seized the opportunity to move in together.
Kevin – I still remember the first time we met. Connor was flying to Brussels for work. He arrived on a Sunday, I met him at the airport, and we went into town together. I remember thinking he looked strikingly handsome, and really hoping that things would work out.
Was there a proposal? Tell us a little about it…
Connor – I couldn’t wait to propose and bought a ring months before I ended up using it. At one stage I had planned a proposal at Disneyland Paris, before a friend jokingly (but correctly) guessed that I was planning to pop the question. I quickly denied that was the plan (though it very much was), and pivoted to another trip we had planned. The proposal itself was a bit of a mess – I cried so much I couldn’t actually get out the words..
Kevin – It was a total surprise! On a trip to Iceland, we went to the black sand beach, and I was so excited to take pictures there. Connor saw a golden opportunity where he could use his tripod and hide the ring in his backpack, which led to some amazing photographic evidence of his proposal. I was so overwhelmed, but it was beautiful, and Iceland will always hold a special place in my heart because of that moment.
Tell us about the vision you had for the mood or style of your wedding.
Kevin – Our wedding coordinator and stylist, Paula, really made that vision come to life. She put everything together in a way that made our Pinterest vision a reality. We ended up calling her our fairy godmother because she made our dreams come true!
Connor – I wanted our wedding to be a bit unique, and have a personal touch, so we spent months collecting dried flowers and toetoe, and handmade both the archway for our ceremony and our floral installation for the reception. I also developed a signature scent for our wedding, and made candles to fill our reception and ceremony space with that fragrance. We even gave each guest a mini version of the candle to take home as a wedding favour. I’m hoping when they light it, it’ll take them back to our special day.
What was one element you were happy to splurge on?
Kevin – When I reflect on the weddings I’ve attended, besides the guests, I mostly remember the food. So for me, that was one element I absolutely did not want to compromise on. It was actually one of the main reasons we ended up selecting Rose & Smith as our venue. Their chef, Dale, is absolutely amazing, and the menu tasting we attended confirmed that we made the right decision. The star of the evening was the cedar plank salmon, cooked outside on the open fire – our friends described it as “life changing” – and I must agree!
Connor – I knew from the start that getting the right photographer was critical. From the first Zoom call we had, we knew Tim and Nadine were perfect for us – their style and vibe were exactly what we were looking for. Neither of us is natural in front of the camera, but Tim was fantastic at making us feel at ease and capturing those organic moments. He also surprised us on the night with a series of polaroids he had secretly taken throughout the day – that was a real highlight for me, and I’ll always treasure them.
VENUE Rose and Smith, @rose_and_smith / PHOTOGRAPHER Tim and Nadine, @timandnadine / CELEBRANT Fi Becker, @fibeckercelebrant / ENTERTAINMENT DJ Luke / STYLING & PLANNING Paula Bevege of PB Events, @bevegepaula / GROOMSMAID BOUQUETS Sunday Collective / CATERING & BEVERAGE Dale Kieth, @dalekeith.dk of Rose and Smith, @rose_and_smith / CAKE Aunt Ginger’s Kitchen, @auntgingerskitchen
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