The vision was a garden party with plenty of flowers in a beautiful garden.
Tell us a little about yourselves, what you do, what you love…
Having both grown up in Kaikōura, it was a natural decision to celebrate our wedding there. It’s where we both have so many memories, friends and family still. We now live in Queenstown and absolutely love the lifestyle that comes with being surrounded by mountains, lakes and endless opportunities for adventure. I’m a nutritionist and graphic designer, and Zach works as a project manager in civil construction. We’re happiest when we’re travelling, getting outdoors, or spending time with our favourite people. We love good food, exploring new places and making time for those simple little rituals, like a coffee or wine at home, hosting friends and family or creating a good road trip playlist. After being together for six years, we’ve shared many overseas adventures, moved countries together and set up a life we love here in Queenstown. Our wedding day (or more weekend) was a chance to bring everyone we are about together and create a really fun, memorable time that felt entirely “us.”
How/where/when did you meet – and what were your first impressions?
We met at school in Kaikōura and dated a year during our senior years of High School, but as Zach headed off to Otago Uni a year before I did, we naturally went our separate ways. Fast forward five years, we were both home for the summer, both recently finished with uni, and somehow all our plans aligned. We’d each intended to spend time in the US, and after reconnecting and catching up, things moved quickly. We ended up changing our individual plans for different reasons and decided to travel together, bought a van, and ended up spending six months driving from Alaska through Canada, over to Colorado and through California. That trip was amazing and I think really shaped our relationship, nothing quite like living out of a van, navigating new places, and spending every day together to really test things. From there, the rest just made sense.
Tell us about the vision you had for the mood and style of your wedding. (theme, key styling elements, florals, colour palettes etc.).
I’ve always loved the colour butter yellow, so that became the foundation for our palette, and from there I added accents like a bright blue that brought a fun pop to everything. The vision was a garden party with plenty of flowers in a beautiful garden and with elements of fun and disco. We wanted a relaxed and outdoorsy feel with some playful energy and dancing thrown in and never too formal. A lively dance floor was important to us, so we had plenty of festoon lights, a mirrorball cluster over the dance floor, and an open flow through the property. We also structured the day to keep the mood flowing, doing photos before the ceremony meant we never had to leave the party, and guests could move straight from ceremony into cocktails, speeches, dinner, and dancing without interruptions, this all worked really well.
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).
It really was a combination of everything. The clear marquee meant everyone could take in the view even while seated, and it made sunset during dinner feel extra special. I also loved how the florals by Jenny Burtt Florist tied everything together. Georgie did such an incredible job at balancing colour, texture and softness, and really brought my initial ideas and wants to live. I was also obsessed with how they complemented the bridesmaid dresses. One of my favourite unique details was the “guestbook”, instead of a traditional one, I designed postcards using photos from our travels and guests got to choose one and leave us a note. People loved flipping through them and picking one they liked best, and it ended up being such a fun, personalised detail. We planned everything ourselves (which I genuinely loved), but having an on day coordinator made a huge difference in allowing us to just relax and be present.
What did you enjoy most about the planning process, and do you have any tips for couples starting their wedding planning journey?
I really loved dreaming up the theme, colours, and visual details and then bringing that to life in a way that felt really us. From designing the invitations and signage to creating the little details like the postcards, it was so fun putting our stamp on everything. Seeing all of that come together on the day was truly so special. My advice would be to lean into the parts you enjoy and also delegate the bits you don’t or ask for help when needed. Think about what matters to you and focus your energy (and budget) there. Also do what feels right for your style of celebration, not what tradition says it should look like. We did things a little differently, like splitting up the speeches outside before dinner, and it worked so well for the relaxed atmosphere we wanted. One other thing I did which really helped was to make sure that all my ideas of how I imaged things to be set up and work was written down in a folder that anyone helping could pick up and see the vision without always having to find me or ask what was needed. The set up was a massive team effort of amazing family and friends and we couldn’t have done it without them, it also made for such a fun lead up to the day.
Tell us about your vendors. Were there any standout suppliers you would like to make special mention of?
We honestly had such a great collection of venues and people, every vendor was so helpful and supportive of our ideas. A very special mention goes to Te Mania Homestead, our incredible venue, which also happens to be a family property. Having access to such a beautiful space with views down the Kaikōura coast, beautiful gardens, and room to host the entire weekend (from welcome BBQ to the next day celebrations) was amazing. We had the bridal party stay in the house, guests camping onsite, and the recovery day in the Bull Saloon Bar, it made the whole celebration feel like a mini festival. The most exciting thing is that they have also now opened their doors as an official wedding venue to host more amazing weddings and events.
Tell us about your main outfits, what was unique, and is there a story?
Both of my wedding dresses were handmade by my incredibly talented mum, which made them so special. We dreamed them up together, from trying on wedding dresses to explore what styles I liked, to sourcing fabric on a fun girls’ weekend in Auckland, and then having
her come stay with us and make them from scratch. It was such a fun process and I’ll treasure that time forever. I felt confident and so “me” in both, one was more classic for the ceremony, and the second was a fun party dress for the dance floor later in the evening. One of the best decisions I made was having my bridesmaids also change into short party dresses when I did, it made for such a fun moment getting changed together and set the tone for the rest of the night. It meant they felt comfortable, could fully enjoy dancing, and we all had a little “second outfit” moment. Zach kept things timeless with a black suit and white shirt from 3 Wise Men, which he had tailored to fit really well. We both felt relaxed and truly ourselves which is all you can ask for on a day like that.
Tell us about your wedding and engagement rings.
Zach completely surprised me with the engagement, including a beautiful placeholder ring since we were travelling at the time. It was such a thoughtful idea and meant that when we got home, we could go ring shopping together and find something I truly loved. For our wedding bands, we had a nice time both going into store, trying lots of different styles and finally each choosing something that felt classic but personal for both of us.
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?).
From the start, we knew we didn’t want to compromise on guest numbers as much as we could (you do have to draw the line somewhere though haha), having our people there meant everything and then also the choice to have photos done before the ceremony so we didn’t feel like we had to leave the party when all our favourite people were there to spend time with us. We also prioritised good food, wanting it to feel generous, relaxed and delicious rather than overly formal. The whole vibe was about shared celebration, so anything that added to the experience for our guests (like music, lighting, and drinks flowing) was something we were happy to invest in.
Was there a favourite moment (or two) that you will treasure always?
So many! The time we had with our bridal party before the ceremony was so fun, relaxed and filled with laughs that set the tone for the day, another real bonus we found to having photos done before the ceremony and helps with everyone’s nerves. Also sitting at the top table and looking out at all the people we love in one place was surreal and emotional in the best way. It’s not often you can be in a room full of people and not only just name but really know every single person there personally and have great memories with them. A real standout moment was later in the evening, when the bridesmaids and I all changed into our party dresses after dinner, it was such a lighthearted, happy pause that gave us all a boost of energy and moment to take it in. And another favourite was the morning after, waking up to everyone still onsite, sharing stories, debriefing, and soaking up every last drop of celebration. We also can’t thank our family and friends enough, they brought so much energy, love, and support to the day. Their help in bringing our vision to life is something we’ll be forever grateful for. It really was the most fun day and weekend ever. One that we’ll all be talking about for years to come.
BRIDE Harriet, @harrietlidgard, @harriet_well GROOM Zach CEREMONY AND RECEPTION LOCATION Te Mania Homestead, @temaniahomestead, Conway Flat, New Zealand GROOM’S GET READY & SOME PHOTOS LOCATION Matai Peak, @mataipeak, Conway Flat, New Zealand PHOTOGRAPHER Amour Weddings, @amour.weddings_ CONTENT CREATOR Nosy Parker, @nosyparker__ FLORIST Jenny Burtt Florist, @jennyburttflorist CELEBRANT Kaikoura Elopement Co, @kaikouraelopementco HIRE & MARQUE HIRE Truly Yours, @trulyyours_events CATERING The Catering Belle, @the_catering_belle CAKE Made by Harriet, @harrietlidgard, @harriet_well STATIONERY & SIGNAGE Designed by Harriet, @harrietlidgard, @harriet_well ENGAGEMENT AND WEDDING BANDS Michael Hill, @michaelhillj OTHER SIGNIFICANT JEWELLERY Eros Pear & Pearl Earrings and Mini Heart Necklace from Saint Valentine Jewellery , @saint_valentine_jewellery BRIDE’S MAIN OUTFIT Handmade by Annemarie Lidgard (Brides mother) BRIDE’S SHOES Jane Debster – London in Ivory Glove bought via The Iconic, @theiconicau MAKEUP Pearl Babington Makeup Artist, @pearlbabington_mua HAIR Hair by Hollie, @hairbyhollie86 BRIDE’S FRAGRANCE Muse by Who is Elijah , @whoiselijahparfum GROOM’S MAIN OUTFIT Black Suit, bow tie & white shirt by 3 Wise Men, @_3wisemen GROOM’S SHOES Black Leather boots from RM Williams, @rmwilliams GROOM’S FRAGRANCE Aqua Di Gio EDT from Giorgio Armani, @giorgioarmani BRIDESMAID’S CEREMONY/ RECEPTION DRESS Liberty Yellow Floral print from Caitlin Crisp, @caitlincrisp BRIDESMAID’S PARTY DRESS Party Nights Frill Mini Dress in Lemon from VRG GRL, @vrg.grl GROOMSMEN’S OUTFIT Black Suit, bow tie & white shirt by 3 Wise Men, @_3wisemen
