Jemma + Liam by Keryn Sweeny

“It ended up raining not long before the ceremony was about to start and everyone had to be ushered inside the marquee, where the ceremony took place on the dance floor. It wasn’t part of the original plan but I am glad we had the chequered dance floor as it came out so cool in the photos – especially with the bright & colourful flowers!”

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

Jemma: I work in Marketing and Liam is an Aircraft Technician in the Airforce which means he travels a lot for work, so it is safe to say we have done our fair share of long-distance over the years. I am the planner, creative, and big spender while Liam is the logical, saving and practical one in the relationship. I am a city girl and he is a country boy – we really couldn’t be more different if we tried. We both love to travel, hang out with our cats, and socialise with friends and after buying a complete doer upper 2 years ago, we are always planning our next renovation.

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

We met through mutual friends at the Sevens in Wellington 10 years ago. Liam was dressed as a shower and I was rather impressed by the creativity in his costume, he had pipes and a shower curtain and everything – he even got featured in the NZ Herald. We hit it off after exchanging our mutual love for dry humour and somehow at the end of the Sevens, we lost all of our friends and had to go on a mission together to try and find them in amongst the chaos on Courtney Place. 

When did you first realise that this was someone you’d like to spend the rest of your life with? 

For us both it’s hard to pinpoint a specific time when we knew we wanted to spend the rest of our lives together. It was more of a realisation that we didn’t want to spend the rest of our lives without each other.

Was there a proposal? Tell us a little about it…

Because of Liam’s job he travels a lot for work and he had been away on a trip and we decided while the weather was still hot we should go away for a long weekend. I suggested a few places but for the first time in our relationship, Liam took matters into his own hands and chose the destination and booked the accommodation. It’s safe to say I knew something was up. It was a beautiful summer’s evening at Mount Maunganui and Liam suggested we walk via the beach to dinner. It was the most beautiful sunset and I even thought to myself, what a perfect place to propose. I remember walking towards the road and I had pretty much lost hope of a proposal before Liam turned suddenly around and dropped a knee. It is a bit of a blur because I was in such shock. After that, we went for a few drinks and what Liam says was a very average Mexican meal – if I had of known he was going to propose I would have booked a nicer restaurant! 

Tell us about the vision you had for the mood or style of your wedding…

My vision for the wedding was a modern, chic and colourful summer garden party. I like to be organised so I had started researching weddings months before Liam popped the question so when it was my time to start planning – I knew exactly what I wanted. A week after the proposal, we had booked a viewing at Sunnyhill Estate which was perfect for the summer garden party vibe I was after, and not long after that, it was all locked in. 

What was one element you were happy to splurge on?

The black and white chequered dance floor – I wanted something to give off party vibes and it did just that. Plus, not only did it ended up serving just as the dancefloor – it ended up raining not long before the ceremony was about to start and everyone had to be ushered inside the marquee, where the ceremony took place on the dance floor. It wasn’t part of the original plan but I am glad we had the chequered dance floor as it came out so cool in the photos – especially with the bright & colourful flowers!

Did anything happen on your wedding day that you laugh about in hindsight (even if it was stressful at the time)?

Unfortunately, after a week of rain, the grass had turned to mush and it became apparent the night before that we needed flooring in the marquee so the chairs wouldn’t sink into the ground. It felt like we contacted every flooring supplier in Auckland the night before the wedding until finally, we heard back first thing Saturday morning from a supplier that could help us out. It took a trailer hire, all of the groomsmen and a good 5 hours on the day of the wedding to get it installed but thank goodness we did otherwise it would have been a mud bath in that marquee! It started to rain about an hour before the ceremony, and once it started it did not stop. Although this put an end to the summer outdoor garden party vision I had, I have to say, the photos with the umbrellas do look pretty cool and apparently if it rains on your wedding day it’s good luck – so people keep telling me.

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

One of my bridesmaids had just had a custom dress made by Brooke Tyson and I knew I had to have her make mine too. I wanted something that would reflect my personal style and was a bit unique. I got my inspo from a few different dresses and combined different elements from each and I am so pleased where it ended up – it was so me. For Liam, we chose a tuxedo as we loved the classic and elegant aesthetic of them. 

Ceremony/ Reception location: Sunnyhill Estate / Photographer: Keryn Sweeney @kerynsweeneyweddings / Celebrant: @marriedbyfrankie / Entertainment: Dobros @dobrosband / Planner: Together Journal Wedding Planner / Hire: Two Foxes Styling @two_foxes_styling, Pretty Prop Shop @theprettypropshop, Folio Hire @foliohire / Marquee: NZ Marquee Hire @nzmarqueehire / Flora Flora Centric @floralcentric / Catering + Beverages: Toast Catering / Cake: Made by a friend / Stationery Hey Lola Design @heyloladesign and Etsy / Bride’s Gown: Brooke Tyson Ritual @brooketysonritual / Groom’s Tuxedo: Farmers @farmersnz / Bride’s Engagement Ring: Zoe & Morgan @zoeandmorgan / Bride’s wedding band: Meadowlark @meadowlarkjewellery / Grooms wedding band: Silvermoon / @silvermoon_jewellers / Bride’s shoes: Senso @senso / Groom’s shoes Asos @asos / Other jewellery/accessories: Opal ring, and vintage Oroton beaded bag were both my late nana’s. Pearl ring was given to me by my mother and earrings were from Agmes NYC @agmesnyc / Makeup: Carablair @beautybycarablair / Hair: The Peach Club @thepeach_club / Fragrance: His Dior Sauvage Hers: Mrs Riley (made by me at a perfume workshop with friends) Miller Road @millerroadfragrances / Bridesmaids Attire Dissh @dissh / Bridesmaids shoes: The Iconic @theiconicau, Asos @asos / Groomsmen Attire Farmers @farmersnz /Groomsmen shoes: Asos @asos