The Barn indoor venue had this rustic charm to it that we loved
Tell us a little about yourselves, what you do, what you love…
Luke and I love to travel; we have just come back from spending three months in Europe; there is nothing quite like seeing the world with your best friend. He works in project management, and I work as a physiotherapist. In our spare time, we love to hike and do all things outdoors, spend time with our families and friends, and be homebodies.
How/where/when did you meet – and what were your first impressions?
We actually met through my sister, Jaimee. Luke and Jaimee used to do CrossFit together, and we were introduced in passing at a CrossFit gathering. We did not connect again until a year or so later when we were both single. He was out at dinner with my sister and her partner at the time, and he sent me a message asking if I would join the double date next time. That quickly changed to a date by ourselves—nobody likes a chaperone.
When did you first realise that this was someone you’d like to spend the rest of your life with?
It’s a bit of a long story, but I ended up in the hospital after a cooking incident, and I wanted Luke there instead of my mum. That was a bit of a light bulb moment for me, and I learnt two important things that day – one, don’t stick your hand in a blender (unless it’s off at the wall), and two, I could see the rest of my life with this person. There is no one else who makes me feel more safe than he does.
Was there a proposal? Tell us a little about it…
We had booked a stay at Watercliff getaway for a belated birthday present for Luke. The first morning there we woke up and it was foggy outside, I had just gotten out of the shower when Luke called for me to come and see the view as the fog had cleared. When I got outside, he was down on one knee in front of this beautiful natural backdrop. It was a complete surprise as it was a trip we had planned for him. It was truly the most special weekend. It was a weekend where there were no distractions from the outside world, and we could just celebrate by spending time with one another.
Tell us about the vision you had for the mood or style of your wedding. 

The Red Barn was actually the only venue that we looked at. As soon as we went there, we both knew that this was where we wanted to get married. The Barn indoor venue had this rustic charm to it that we loved – something about it was really inviting, and despite being quite large, it felt really intimate. My mum has a great eye for detail, so she has helped bring it all to life.
What was one element you were happy to splurge on?
I was happy to splurge on my dress – going into our wedding, I knew exactly the sort of dress that I wanted, and while there were a few different styles I liked, the one I ended up with just felt right.
Did anything happen on your wedding day that you laugh about in hindsight (even if it was stressful at the time)?
My nephew (Elijah) was our ring bearer and when he went to bring the rings up Luke picked his wedding band up to give to me, it wasn’t until Elijah stepped away that we realised and had to call him back to switch the rings out. We had a good laugh about it at the time. While I may have fit his wedding band, I doubt he would have fit mine!
Tell us about your main outfits, what was unique, is there a story?
My dress was a bespoke gown made by Anita at Vinka Design. It was made from a beautiful silk satin and was super comfortable, which was one of the components I was looking for in a dress. I had been to a few wedding dress shops before I found Vinka Design, but I had been unable to find what I had envisioned – something simple, elegant, and timeless. I knew as soon as I tried on the dress that it was the one for me. Anita really made this whole process so special for me, and I will be forever thankful for my experience there.
Luke wore a Rembrandt Suit—he went with a black velvet jacket and bow tie. We were in Hastings for another friend’s wedding at the time and stumbled upon the Rembrandts store down there. We had some time to kill, so he decided to try on some suits. The staff were super helpful, and we found everything he needed in about 20 minutes flat.
VENUE The Red Barn, @redbarnnz PHOTOGRAPHER Amy Bell, @amybellphotographynz PLANNER The Red Barn, @redbarnnz FLORIST Frankie & Flora, @frankieandflora CELEBRANT KM Adams ENTERTAINMENT Riki Nock: DJ Essentrik, @djessentrik HIRE & CATERING The Red Barn, @redbarnnz CAKE Frances Healey – Flour Cakery, @flour_cakery SIGNAGE Just My Type, @justmytype_nz RINGS The Village Goldsmith, @thevillagegoldsmith BRIDAL DRESS Custom Bespoke Gown – Vinka Design, @vinkadesign BRIDE’S SHOE Tamara London MAKEUP Gabrielle Houghton, @gabriellehoughtonmua HAIR Hannah Stechman, @hannstech_hair BRIDE’S FRAGRANCE Devotion – Dolce & Gabbana, @dolcegabbana GROOM’S SHOE Florsheim, @florsheimshoes GROOM’S ACCESSORIES Watch – Yoshy, @yoshy.aotearoa GROOM’S FRAGRANCE Savage – Dior, @dior BRIDESMAIDS DRESSES BLAK, @blakthelabel
