Ella + Taygen by LJS Studios

Being out in nature and the sun shining was just beautiful….

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

We’re both very grounded in the ocean and the lifestyle that comes with it. Life for us is pretty simple — we love slow mornings, time at the beach, and being surrounded by our family and friends in Whangamatā.

Ella works within the family business at Whangamatā Surf Shop, which has always been a huge part of her life. She loves the creative side of it — working on the direction of the brand, bringing ideas to life, and building something that feels really true to where we’re from. Alongside that, surfing has shaped so much of her journey — from competing around the world to becoming a World Junior Champion and representing New Zealand at the Olympics. It’s taken her to some incredible places, but it’s also something that always brings her back home to the ocean.

Taygen spent five years in the New Zealand Army, which shaped a lot of who he is today — disciplined, grounded, and quietly strong. Not long after, he moved into engineering, and these days you’ll find him in Whangamatā working in electrical. He’s very hands-on and practical, and brings such a calm, steady energy to everything he does. He’s someone who just gets on with things and is always there when it matters most. He loves being outdoors, keeping active, and making the most of the lifestyle we’re so lucky to have here.

Together, we’re pretty easygoing. We love the simple things — beach days, good food, time with the people we love, and just enjoying where we are in life. We balance each other really well, and at the end of the day, we’re happiest just doing life side by side.

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

My family (Williams Family) own Whangamata Surf Shop in a small town of Whangamata… 7 years ago, when Taygen first walked into the shop, I was helping him out of a wetsuit… and I remember thinking straight away — wow, this guy is very handsome.

I decided right then I was going to ask him out! As he was leaving the shop, I thought — this is it, I have to do it… But instead, I just said “have a nice day” and ran off. And as he drove away, I was honestly shattered… because something in me just knew — that was my person, and I’d missed my chance. But as it turns out… I hadn’t. I tried to find him on social media, searching everywhere… but he was nowhere to be found. So I went to my co-worker Serena, who had been chatting to him earlier, and somehow she had all the details — including that he was staying at a house just up the same street as hers. So I said, “Please, will you go and give him my number?”

With a little help, a bit of courage, and a message later that night… everything changed — and the rest is history. And what started as a moment in a surf shop has turned into the most incredible life with you.

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).

Our ceremony location – Green Island Estate was an absolute dream location to have our ceremony. Being out in nature and the sun shining was just beautiful…. To finish the night, we finished the night off in Edisons, which felt like the most special place to have our intimate, cosy dinner.

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

Plan ahead so that the day goes smoothly.

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

My mum & Brooke ended up picking out the special dress for me… All the ones I thought would be my dream dress were not the ones for me because as soon as I put on the wildcard dress that my mum picked out, I knew it. Was the one. I also added a special bow on the back of the dress to make it fun and unique to me and my personality.

Tell us about your wedding and engagement rings.

We had talked about getting married, potentially a good year or two before getting engaged & had also tried a few rings on before the special day came. So when the day came that Taygen proposed to me in Whangamata at our favourite swimming spot, he popped out my dream ring and got down on one knee, and the rest is history.

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?).

Definitely Photography & Food. The day is absolutely the vibe and energy that you make it, people are there to celebrate you and your love for each other, all the other stuff doesn’t matter too much – Good photography to capture those special moments with your most loved ones that will never go out of date & to end the day with some beautiful chats and good hearty food – you can’t go wrong.

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

There are so many moments, but walking down the aisle will stay with me forever. Everything just slowed down… the ocean, the view, everyone we love there — and then seeing Taygen waiting for me. It was one of those moments where everything else fades away, and it’s just the two of you.

Another moment I’ll always hold onto is just looking around during the day and realising how much love was in one place. Seeing our families, our friends, all together — people who mean so much to us — sharing in something that felt so personal… It’s hard to put into words, but it was incredibly special.

And honestly, some of my favourite parts were the in-between moments — the laughter, the hugs, the feeling of everything just flowing. It all felt so us.

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

Being married, to me, feels like choosing each other — every single day.

Not just in the big, beautiful moments, but in the quiet, ordinary ones too. It’s knowing that no matter what life brings, you have your person beside you — steady, supportive, and all in.

There’s something really grounding about that. It’s a sense of calm, of home… like everything just feels a little more certain, a little more meaningful.

We’re not overly traditional, but we are very intentional. On the day, we really wanted to be present — to pause, take it all in, and feel the moment rather than rush through it. Being surrounded by the people we love most, in such a beautiful, natural setting, felt incredibly special and almost spiritual in itself.

For us, it wasn’t about big rituals, but about connection — to each other, to our people, and to where we were.