Our vision for the wedding was sophisticated and romantic.
We’re quite different in many ways, but together we find the perfect balance. We fell in love as teenagers and somehow, even then, we just knew. I first spotted Jireh at a church camp when I was 14. I still remember thinking, Who is that? I had an instant crush.
When I got home, I told my mum, “I’m going to marry him one day.” So marrying him on the 6th of February truly felt like the most surreal, full-circle moment. Jireh says he felt the same when he saw me. “I asked around to find out her name because I had to know who she was,” he says. “It was definitely a mutual thing.”
Our vision for the wedding was sophisticated and romantic — a calm, relaxed atmosphere with a sense of celebration and grandeur. We chose a European-inspired home as our venue, which set the tone for our elegant summer wedding. Romantic greenery, soft, light-toned décor, and thoughtful details created a beautiful experience for our guests.
We sang, cried, laughed and danced, surrounded by our whānau and friends. Most importantly, we wove our faith throughout the day, with
a deeply personal ceremony that included communion, shared just between the two of us. Creating a meaningful experience for our guests was something we both cared deeply about.
We spent a lot of time on the small details — from paper fans to keep everyone cool, to a thoughtfully curated bar stocked with our favourite drinks. I’m naturally very detail-focused, so I enjoyed this part of the process. Our intention was to evoke the feeling of a romantic European summer celebration, but with a relaxed, intimate energy that still felt like us — not overly elaborate, just considered and full of love. Looking back, the day was everything we hoped for — warm, joyful and deeply personal.
One thing we kept reminding ourselves throughout was, Let’s just take a moment. In the whirlwind of it all, we’d step aside for a minute, just the two of us, and take in what was happening. Those pauses became some of our most treasured memories — little moments of stillness,
connection and presence.
My ceremony dress was custom-designed by the incredible Fritz and Sarah. I had such a clear vision, and watching it come to life was nothing short of magical. It was my dream gown. My veil, crafted by thebe.girl in Sydney, featured delicately hand-sewn lace sourced locally — the perfect romantic finishing touch. Jireh wore a suit by Entire Studios, a label he’s always admired. Our bridal party was dressed in New Zealand designers — Harris Tapper for the girls, Porter James Sports for the boys.
Photography was one of the most important elements for us. Our photographer Keryn was the first person we booked. I’ve known her through friends and have always loved her work. She brought such a calm, kind energy to the day and captured it all with such artistry and sensitivity. We’re completely in love with the photos — they mean the world to us, and we know we’ll treasure them forever.
LOCATION Private residence, Swannanoa PHOTOGRAPHER Keryn Sweeney, @kerynsweeneyphotographer BRIDE @emmy_ngaruhe GROOM @jireh_ngaruhe BRIDE’S MAIN OUTFIT Custom Fritz and Sarah , @fritzandsarah BRIDE’S SHOES Billini , @billinishoes BRIDE’S VEIL & BAG Be. , @thebe.girl GROOM’S MAIN OUTFIT Entire Studios , @entire_studios; Porter James Sports , @porterjamessports GROOM’S SHOES Dr Martens, @drmartensofficial WEDDING & ENGAGEMENT RINGS Guys Gold , @guys.gold BRIDE’S RECEPTION OUTFIT Jacquemus , @jacquemus BRIDESMAIDS’ DRESSES Harris Tapper, @harris_tapper BRIDESMAIDS’ SHOES The Iconic, @theiconicau GROOMSMEN’S OUTFITS Porter James Sports, @porterjamessports GROOMSMEN’S SHOES Dr Martens, @drmartensofficial VIDEOGRAPHER Hope Patterson, @pattersonimage BRIDE’S FRAGRANCE Curionoir, @curionoir GROOM’S FRAGRANCE Yves Saint Laurent, @ysl HAIR Tuscany Hamel, @tuscanyhamel MAKEUP Kasia Stanicich, @kasiastanicichmakeup FLORIST Bek Cooper @hi.honey__flowers PLANNER & STYLIST Carlo Gomez @carlonz CELEBRANT Zion Douglas @ziondouglas SINGER Kirsten Bartlett @kirstenbartlett_ DJ Jairah Perida @jairahjairahjairahjairahjairah CHAIRS Major and Minor Hire, @majorandminorhire MARQUEE, UMBRELLAS & BAR LEANERS Truly yours, @trulyyours_events TREES (IN MARQUEE) The Little Big Tree Company, @thelittlebigtreeco STATIONERY & SIGNAGE Sette Studios, @settestudios WINE Everyday Wine, @everydaywine DRINKS Pals, @drink_pals CAKE Cakes By Anna, @cakesbyanna CATERING Catering Dept, @cateringdept CHAMPAGNE TOWER GLASS & LINEN The Little Hire Company, @littlehirecomp CHAMPAGNE TOWER SILVER Hayley the Hirer, @hayleythehirer
