Tell us a little about yourselves, what you do, what you love, what is unique about you and your relationship…
He works in Beer, she works in Beauty. He from the South, she from the North. Met whilst separately summer holidaying from Wellington in Melbourne (shortly relocating together soon after).
Many a Sunday evening spent cooking adventurous recipes, Many a country travelled, Many dance floors dazzled…
Bestest of friends.
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…
Naomi’s grandparents purchased a section on the beachfront of Cooks Beach in 1960.
It was fully covered in gorse… hardly what one would describe as a section these days.
After many trips driving dirt roads over the hill from their hometown, they managed to clean the section up and build their dream holiday home. In 1987 and every summer thereafter Naomi had the luxury of joining her grandparents in this dreamy location. Sammy was to follow, being introduced shortly (5 days) after our meeting in 2011.
As fate would have it, the last vacant section on the beachfront came up for sale in 2016 and my parents were lucky enough to make the purchase. Sammy and I both knew that this was the spot.
Tell us about your main outfits:
All details of the wedding were chosen to compliment the location.
From the suits and dress of sandy hues; the dress with a touch of dazzle created by the lovely team at One Day Bridal in Melbourne and the suit of neutral linen.Â
All tied together with forest green Alexander Wang shoes, and linen bridesmaid dresses pulled from the Pohutukawa covered sand dunes.
These tones flowed right through the day with the reception consisting of bleached wooden tables, linen napkins, handmade signs and bar made from recycled wood painted in forest, brass cutlery, candles along with green and antique hydrangeas complimenting the neutral tones all nestled within a sand coloured teepee.
What were some of the most memorable/unique moments from the day?
Our brothers were the MC’s for the day and they did an exceptional job at role playing our lives until the moment we met and thereafter; from wigs to replicate the phases we went through in our early twenties, to requesting contribution from the guests on their memories of our meeting to welcoming us back following a few sunset snaps with sparklers galore: they were very personal, funny and created such a loving vibe for the day.
Through planning the day, Sammy and I felt as though we wanted to thank each guest individually for their contribution in our lives (impossible to do within our joint speech), so, instead of saying it, we wrote individualised notes to each person which was stuck under their seats – seeing their faces when reading their notes at the end of our speech was a moment we will never forget.
Any advice for other couples planning to spend the rest of their lives together?
Let her shop.
Let him watch (sport that is).
Let each other do what you love and do it together!
Photographer: James at Chasewild | Ceremony location: Cooks Beach, Coromandel, NZ | Reception location: Private Property | Entertainment: Auckland University Jazz Alumni | Styling: Family & friends plus The Heirloom |Flora: On My Hand | Catering: Blank Canvas Catering | Cake: By one of the bridesmaids Rach Thomas | Bride’s dress: One Day Bridal Nala Dress | Groom’s attire: Sportscraft Linen Suit | Rings: Cushla Whiting | Bride’s shoes: Alexander Wang | Groom’s shoes: Clarks | Jewellery: Zoe & Morgan | Hair & Makeup: Luci Hare | Bridesmaid dresses: Sir the Label