Raj + Georgette by Danelle Bohane

I knew I wanted the wedding to feel colourful, joyful and completely immersive.

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

Raj and I are both originally from New Zealand and actually grew up as neighbours, so our story has always felt a little bit like the boy next door and the girl next door. Timing played a big role in our relationship, though — we knew of each other for years before life finally lined us up at the right moment. I’m a colour analyst and stylist, and I run a business helping women discover the colours and styles that make them feel confident and truly themselves. Raj works in real estate, which suits him perfectly — he’s incredibly driven, charismatic, and naturally great with people. Outside of work, we’re both very family-oriented and love spending time with the people closest to us. Some of our favourite moments are the simple ones — being at the lake, out on the water, travelling together, or just at home with our little fox terrier Pablo, who absolutely runs the household. We both love beautiful spaces, good food, and bringing people together, so planning our wedding was actually something we really enjoyed. For us, life is about creating special moments with the people we love most.

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

Georgette – Raj and I actually grew up as neighbours in New Zealand, so I had known of him for years before we ever really connected. I always remembered him as the guy who drove fast cars down our street — he definitely had a bit of a reputation.

Life took us in different directions for a while, but somehow we always stayed in the same orbit. When we eventually reconnected years later, the timing was finally right. I remember coming back to the table at dinner one night to find Raj had quietly paid the bill. I looked at him and asked, “Wait… does this mean this is a date?” and he simply said, “If you want it to be, it can be.”

From that moment on, it felt incredibly easy. My first real impression of Raj was how steady and certain he is — and also extremely charismatic. He has this calm confidence about him that makes everyone feel comfortable, and I realised quite quickly that there was something very special about him.

Looking back now, it feels like our story was always meant to unfold the way it did — just at exactly the right time.

Raj – My first impression of Georgette was that she was gorgeous. I’d often get lost in her eyes during long conversations about life, love, loss and success. She was charismatic, intelligent, and wanted to experience the world. It became difficult not to want to experience it with her. Georgette had this confidence and aura about her that I had never seen in a girl before, and before long, I knew she was exactly who I wanted by my side.

Tell us about the vision you had for the mood and style of your wedding. (theme, key styling elements, florals, colour palettes etc.).

From the very beginning, I knew I wanted the wedding to feel colourful, joyful and completely immersive. As a colour analyst, colour is such a huge part of how I see the world, so it felt natural that the design would revolve around a strong palette rather than a traditional all-white aesthetic.

We hosted the wedding at my family’s lakefront property at Lake Tarawera, and the entire design really started with a custom fabric that we created for the marquee. The print was incredibly personal — it featured monkeys, snakes and leopards, along with little hidden symbols like my engagement ring and even my eye woven into the design. The colour palette was built around warm pink tones, which felt romantic and vibrant against the lake setting.

Once that fabric was designed, everything else grew from it. We used it throughout the space — draped across the ceiling and walls of the marquee, on the bar, the chair cushions and little details across the tables — so guests were completely surrounded by it. It created this beautiful cocoon-like environment overlooking the water.

We balanced the richness of the print with softer elements like bamboo chairs, crisp linens and lush florals in pinks and greens, so the space still felt elegant and fresh. The overall feeling was something playful and glamorous — a little bit White Lotus meets Gucci — but still warm, inviting and deeply personal to us.

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).

One of the elements that brought us the most joy was sourcing all of the vintage details. My mum and I practically lived on antique auction sites for months leading up to the wedding. We had this vision that when guests were having drinks, everyone would be holding a different coloured glass, so we slowly collected more than 200 vintage glasses in all different colours and shapes. It created this incredible moment where the room was full of colour and sparkle, and it made something as simple as having a drink feel really special. We did the same with vases and lamps, sourcing beautiful vintage pieces that added so much character and warmth to the space. Instead of everything feeling overly polished or identical, every table had slightly different pieces, which made the whole setting feel layered and collected. We also brought in a lot of furniture to create little moments throughout the marquee — lounges and seating areas where people could gather and relax between dancing and dinner. At this point, I think I might end up with a warehouse full of beautiful pieces after the wedding, but it was completely worth it because it made the entire space feel personal and full of charm. We did the same with vases and lamps, sourcing beautiful vintage pieces that added so much character and warmth to the space. Instead of everything feeling overly polished or identical, every table had slightly different pieces, which made the whole setting feel layered and collected. We also brought in a lot of furniture to create little moments throughout the marquee — lounges and seating areas where people could gather and relax between dancing and dinner. At this point, I think I might end up with a warehouse full of beautiful pieces after the wedding, but it was completely worth it because it made the entire space feel personal and full of charm.

What did you enjoy most about the planning process, and do you have any tips for couples starting their wedding planning journey?

What I enjoyed most about the planning process was being able to create something so personal together. My mum and I spent so much time dreaming up ideas, sourcing pieces and bringing the vision to life, and those moments together were incredibly special. From designing the custom fabric for the marquee to hunting through antique auction sites for vintage glasses, vases and lamps, it really felt like we were building this beautiful little world piece by piece. I also loved that the planning allowed us to be creative. We weren’t trying to follow a formula or do what a wedding is “supposed” to look like — we focused on creating something that felt authentic to us and reflected our personalities. My biggest advice for couples starting their wedding planning journey would be to focus on the feeling you want to create rather than getting caught up in too many rules. Once you have a clear vision for the atmosphere and experience you want your guests to have, every decision becomes much easier. And most importantly, try to enjoy the process — those months of planning become part of the story too.

Tell us about your vendors. Were there any standout suppliers you would like to make special mention of?

My stylist Claire Donaldson was an absolute standout. She worked with me for over a year on the wedding and somehow managed to make every single dream I had come to life — even the slightly crazy ones. Claire completely embraced the vision and was genuinely excited to do something a little different with me.

Together, we pushed the design further than I ever imagined. One of the most special elements was the marquee — we became the first wedding to drape the entire structure from floor to ceiling, which created the most incredible atmosphere. The draping was beautifully executed by La Lumiere, and it completely transformed the space into something that felt magical and immersive.

Claire was the perfect creative partner. She understood the vision instantly and helped bring it to life in a way that felt both bold and incredibly personal.

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

My wedding dress search ended the moment I walked into Natalie Rose Bridal. Natalie is an incredibly talented designer, and when I mentioned that I wanted something custom, she immediately jumped at the opportunity.

We spent almost 12 months designing my two dresses together, and it was such a special process. Natalie listened to every idea I had, and together we created something that felt very “Georgette.” We went through countless sample swatches to find the perfect shade of ivory with exactly the right undertones.

Throughout the entire journey, Nat made me feel safe, confident, and absolutely beautiful. Designing my dresses with her was honestly one of my favourite parts of the entire wedding process.

Her caring, kind nature is truly one of a kind, and I genuinely believe she is one of the best in the business.

When it came to Raj’s suit, there was never really a question. There is no one quite like Murray Crane when it comes to men’s tailoring. His eye for detail and craftsmanship is truly unmatched.

Choosing Crane Brothers was an easy decision, as they already make all of Raj’s suits for different occasions, but Murray brought something extra special to the wedding process. From the very beginning, he understood exactly what would suit Raj and guided the design with such confidence and expertise.

More than anything, Murray made Raj feel incredible. The way a perfectly tailored suit can change the way someone carries themselves is remarkable, and Raj looked and felt amazing. Murray truly is one of the best in the business.

Tell us about your wedding and engagement rings.

Designing our rings with Partridge Jewellers was an incredibly special part of the process. Tristan took so much time and care with us, guiding us through the design of our wedding bands as well as refining my engagement ring. His attention to detail and genuine passion for beautiful jewellery made the entire experience feel so considered and personal.

From the very beginning, Tristan made the process completely seamless. He listened carefully to what we envisioned and helped translate those ideas into pieces that feel timeless and deeply meaningful to us.

There’s something very special about creating jewellery that you’ll wear every day for the rest of your life, and the team at Partridge Jewellers made that experience feel truly memorable. We couldn’t have asked for a more thoughtful or expert hand to guide us through it.

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?).

One of the most important elements of the day for us was personalisation, and that was all thanks to Inker Tinker. She was responsible for so many of the beautiful details throughout the wedding — from our bar menus and coasters to our napkins, menus, and even the custom fabric design that became such a defining feature of the celebration.

We named our bar “Pablo’s Bar” after our dog, and seeing his little face illustrated across the bar menus and details was such a fun and meaningful touch.

Amanda truly understood our vision and created something that felt us completely. For me, weddings are all about the little details, and what I loved most was how many hidden stories were woven into the design. Within the custom wedding fabric, my eye was illustrated, along with a rendering of my Partridge engagement ring. Other motifs throughout the print represented different parts of our relationship, making it feel incredibly personal.

Even the pink tones used in the design held meaning — a subtle nod to the Royal Hawaiian Hotel, where Raj proposed.

Was there a favourite moment (or two) that you will treasure always?

Before the wedding, a good friend told us something that really stayed with us — that the day would go incredibly fast, and to make sure we stopped and truly took it all in. Throughout the day, we kept reminding each other of that. There were so many moments where we would just look at one another and say, “Look around… I can’t believe this is all for us.”

There were so many special memories, but one moment that will stay with us forever was cutting our cake and surprising our guests with an incredible fireworks display. Georgette’s dad had secretly organised it, and he actually does the displays himself. It ended up being the most spectacular fireworks show any of us had ever seen.

Watching the sky light up surrounded by all the people we love was completely magical — and after that, the party truly took off. Aside from the moment we first saw each other walking down the aisle, it was one of the most unforgettable parts of the entire day

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What does being married mean to you, and are there any special rituals you have that you would like to share?

For us, being married means choosing each other — every day, in every season of life. It’s about partnership, loyalty, and knowing you have someone beside you who truly sees you and supports you through everything.

Raj and I have always believed that the strongest relationships are built on friendship, laughter, and being each other’s safe place. Being married now feels like the most natural extension of that — a promise to continue growing together while always choosing one another.

One little ritual we already have is something we did throughout the wedding day itself. A friend told us beforehand that the day would go by so quickly, so whenever we could, we would stop, look at each other, and say, “Take it in.” Just pausing for a moment to look around and appreciate where we were and the people around us.

It’s something we want to carry into married life as well — remembering to slow down, appreciate the moment we’re in, and never take each other for granted.