Tell us a little about yourselves, what you do, what you love, what is unique about you and your relationship…
We are a three person unit, Magnolia (poet), Harland (ex-hairdresser) and our zesty little 2 year old daughter, Delphi (professional Queen of Everything)
We have recently moved from Wellington to Mangonui in the Far North, the region I am originally from and are loving the change of environment and the outdoor freedom it affords our daughter. We walk on the beach all the time, and the rising of the sun and moon over the inlet is a regular feature of our day. As a couple we have a very strong and grounded relationship, and knew as soon as we went on our first date that we would be together for a long time.
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…
We had our wedding in the magical Fern Flat, the valley that I (Magnolia) grew up in, at my family home in the Far North of NZ. My Dad has always been a prolific and adventurous gardener. He even smuggled seeds from his trip to Africa through customs in early 90s, and so the garden is primal and beautiful. Our family home is large, full of art and shaped like a circus tent and it lends itself very well to parties, and so it was a unique setting, despite some logistical challenges. There wasn’t much that was standard about our day. We opted for a cocktail party style wedding with lots of canapés and drinks instead of a traditional seated meal. We had no interest in leaving our guests so we didn’t do a big bridal party shoot, it just wasn’t us. We had a small family one instead. The only overarching theme was wildflowers.
My favourite detail of the day was the love that our family and friends put into every aspect of the event; from the hydrangea confetti, to the floral arch, the cake, the insta backdrop, the millions of lights in tress, to the incredible project management and MCing of my family members. It was all a massive love is a verb moment.
Tell us about your main outfits:
I wore a Ritual by Brooke Tyson dress. We designed it together to have voluminous organza sleeves and a bow at the back that trailed behind me. I’ve never loved an item of clothing as much as I loved my wedding dress. It was everything I could have hoped for and Brooke has a true talent. It was so comfortable that I ended up sleeping (passing out) in it, and my daughter, who Brooke made a dress for out of the same lace used for my wedding dress, slept in hers too.
Harland wore an ensemble from Working Style. We initially went in together to look at options, but everything he tried on didn’t work and he left feeling kind of disheartened. He went back again with one of his groomsmen, Josh, and they found the most excellent outfit for Harland, nothing like I had imagined or we had talked about. I love that Harland chose his look himself with Josh’s help. It was a total fluke that his shirt matched my flower crown. He looked so bloody handsome.
What were some of the most memorable/unique moments from the day?
There were so many. Harland loved the time before the ceremony with his groomsmen. Our daughter threw a huge fit when we tried to put her dress on and three bridesmaids had to hold her down and dress her because we had to leave – I’ll never forget that. After my dad walked me down the aisle and shook Harland’s hand, the celebrant told him he could take a seat, and he looked bemused and said ‘that’s OK, I think I’ll just stay here’, he was standing directly in front of me under the wedding arch, blocking everyone’s view!
But, the most special part of the day was the ceremony itself. There was a kind of wedding day magic in the air, a sense of anticipation and love. The depth of Harland’s vows really took me by surprise, not because I didn’t know that he felt that for me, but he’s not someone who finds it easy to speak in front of crowds. Also, just as we were pronounced husband and wife, a tui descended from a tree and flew over our heads.
Any advice for other couples planning to spend the rest of their lives together?
Value one another. It’s a gift to be loved by someone, they don’t owe you their love; they’ve given it to you freely. Conversely, be prepared to call one another on the difficult and destructive behaviours that can crop up in relationships. Be open to your own faults. Also, make sure you are marrying someone who really lets you be your dorky self. If you can’t put on a wild, modern dance comedy routine for your partner, and have them laugh and clap while you prance around the room, are they really right for you?
Venue: Bride’s father’s house – Fern Flat, Oruru, NZ | Photographer: Nicole Jecentho | Celebrant: Bev Weber | Entertainment: Katarina Moonshine | Hire, Bride’s Bouquet & Flower Crown: North Hire | Flora: Duncan Road (arch and bridesmaid bouquets) & Stems NZ (event decoration florals) | Catering + Beverages: Doubtless Bay Catering | Cake: Expensive Cakes | Instagram backdrop design: Leela Bhai | Bride’s Dress: Brooke Tyson | Groom’s Suit: Working Style | Ring/s: Heidi Gibson | Shoes: Loeffler Randall | Jewellery: Charlotte Penman | Makeup: Phoebe Watt | Bride’s Hair: Laurel Stratford | Bridesmaid’s Hair: Master & Co | Fragrance: Gypsy Water – By Redo
