Louise & Devon by Newfound Weddings - Together Journal

Tell us a little about yourselves, what you do, what you love, what is unique about you and your relationship…

Louise and I are best friends and falling in love has been the single most enjoyable and at times trying experience of our lives.

We met ten years ago while Louise was home from university. We spent the summer together and although she insisted a relationship wasn’t in her plans she returned to Wellington with a boyfriend. Four years of long distance, six years in the wild Wellington wind together, two architecture degrees, and one goldfish later we found ourselves in Paris, engaged. As a couple we have many mutual interests, but we also differ greatly. Lou is an early riser; I am a night owl. I don’t eat breakfast; Lou is a cereal killer. I wanted to get married in the middle of town, Lou the country. As with all adventures we embark on together, we find common ground upon which we can lay our own foundations. We enjoy our time most when spent with friends and family, at home or abroad, with good food and a drink in hand.

Tell us about your special day, was there a specific theme or style? Tell us a little about the setting, the styling and some of your favourite details…

After struggling to find a venue to host our wedding we decided to create our own. The wedding took place on Louise’s parents kiwifruit orchard in Te Puke, Bay of Plenty. With a desire to have our day reflect our personalities and taste we set out to create a space (and furniture) that would accommodate the day of our dreams. A mild distaste for seating plans and the naturally undulating ground led to the creation of a 28.8m long banquet table; seating one end, standing the other. On My Hand, our favourite florist, was on board early so we designed the backdrop to compliment her creations. The bar was setback under the kiwifruit vines and frequented often. We transformed a vacant area of grass into our dream wedding ceremony and reception space, but only for a day.

Tell us about your main outfits:

Louise wore the exact opposite to what she had imagined for her wedding day. Modernist silk intentions gave way to the Adara Gown from Rue De Seine. Paired with Chaos and Harmony shoes and some family jewellery, she rightfully stole the show. I wore Barkers from the ankles up, although a last-minute change of heart saw me in a Bond and Co. blazer on the day. Shoes from Merchant 1948 kept my feet comfortable throughout.

What were some of the most memorable/unique moments from the day?

Seeing Louise in her dress for the first time. The two of us driving to The Mount main beach in my Dad’s Holden Kingswood. Making a dash across the hot sand enroute to our favourite spot at Leisure Island. Exploring the backstreets of Mount Maunganui with the help of our bridal party on traffic patrol. Our morning was the perfect final adventure before saying I do.Arriving at the orchard and seeing the space we had imagined come to life exceeded our expectations. Seeing our furniture in place, festoons overhead, smiling guests mixing and mingling and the bar busy on the hottest day of summer – it was perfect. We loved having so many special friends and family together and were blown away by the contribution our vendors made. We couldn’t have dreamed for more.

Any advice for other couples planning to spend the rest of their lives together?

Prioritise what is most important to you as a couple and eliminate or alter anything else. Be a little selfish. Show your emotions. Enjoy your wife’s smile as she walks down the aisle, and make sure to get your mum up on the dance floor.

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