I was born in Amsterdam and Vincent grew up a train ride away in Haarlem, but our relationship was built in a country that was foreign to us both. Living in Australia, so far from family and friends, meant we had nowhere to run when things were tough.
The first four months in Australia really tested our relationship. We were trying to build a life for ourselves in Sydney as a couple and as individuals, and communication became vital. Geography influenced our decision on how and where to get married because, while our families were mostly in Europe, we now had a home in Sydney. We spent a lot of time debating what the word “wedding” meant to us and ultimately realised that we wanted to elope and exchange vows privately. We started searching for a photographer who could capture the style and scenery. We found James from Chasewild. He specialised in adventurous yet intimate and romantic photography. After a Skype call where we brainstormed a few ideas, he suggested we have the ceremony on top of The Remarkables at sunset. In the morning, we visited the local courthouse in Queenstown to sign documents — with two court officials who were on their tea break as our witnesses — before returning to our Airbnb to have brunch. We sourced all of our favourite foods from a deli and drank mimosas with prosecco while exchanging “Happy Wedding Day” cards and gifts and sharing our dreams for the future. Then we changed into formal outfits and James, along with our videographer Patty, accompanied us to the airport where we took a helicopter to the top of The Remarkables to exchange vows. I had created a booklet for us to write our vows in and surprised Vincent by sneaking in an E.E. Cummings poem, ‘I Carry Your Heart With Me’. (We loved our photographer so much, we had him fly to Rarotonga to shoot us on our honeymoon.) Back in Queenstown, we walked to dinner at Rata, Vincent in his suit and me in my wedding dress. Since Vincent proposed, it’s felt like there’s another layer of trust, security and intimacy in our relationship — more so than after we married. It was just the two of us who organised our “love ceremony” and that has made us stronger.
Photography—James Broadbent at Chasewild | Bride’s dress (honeymoon)— Zimmermann | Groom’s outfit (honeymoon)—Industrie shirt and Zara shorts | Bride’s dress (elopement)—Alexandra Grecco | Groom’s outfit (elopement)— InStitchu | Ceremony location—Local courthouse and The Remarkables, Queenstown | Bride’s body chain—Frankly My Dear |Registrar of Marriages—Yvette Kosick | Reception Venue—Rata Restaurant | Flora—Steph at Orange Blossom, Glenorchy | Special song—‘Firefly’ by Mura Masa (ft Nao) | Rings—Grew & Co | Matching accessories in African print—Bride wearing a headwrap and groom wearing a bow-tie
