Tell us a little about yourselves, what you do, what you love, what is unique about you and your relationship…
We were together for 10 years before we got engaged. What makes us unique is that we’ve sort of grown up together and shared a lot of experiences throughout that time. We lead busy lives, Johnny is an Operation Manager for a Survey company, and Sarah work’s in Marketing at a bank. We first met down in Dunedin and were set up by friends. We recently moved back to Auckland after spending 5+ years overseas between France, the UK and Australia.
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…
Our ceremony was in McKell Park, which conveniently was a 1minute walk across the road from where we used to live. Sarah used to catch the ferry to work each day, and it’s a real hidden gem. If you haven’t been there, we recommend checking it out on your next getaway to Sydney.
We didn’t have a specific theme for the day, but love the look of lots of foliage, vintage furniture and crisp white. Johnny’s a traditionalist and loves a classic look. The park itself is so beautiful it didn’t need much. Elements for Hire did a great job of bringing this to life with the vintage rug, wine barrels and flowers. The majority of guests were from overseas, so we wanted a city-based wedding.
The boat ride was a great opportunity to show the guests the city and get a different perspective.
Tell us about your main outfits:
Sarah designed her own dress and got it custom made at one of the oldest bridal shops in Sydney called Fashion By Farina. My dressmaker had been there for over 44 years. The dress was made of crepe, and her favourite part was detachable skirt made of silk. I paired it with a traditional long veil.
Johnny: Johnny wore a classic dinner suit from Working Style and had black buttons on his shirt to slightly differentiate him from the groomsmen.
What were some of the most memorable/unique moments from the day?
The ceremony, and seeing each other for the first time. There’s such a big lead up to that moment. Something you’ll never forget. Plus seeing all your friends and family can be quite emotional. They are all there to share the special day with you.
Any advice for other couples planning to spend the rest of their lives together?
Planning for a wedding is always unique to the couple. There is no right or wrong answer! Here is a list of our top tips for planning a wedding
Delegate jobs that’s making you feel stressed – For Sarah, this was picking bridesmaid’s dresses! So she got the girls to pick their own dresses, allowing them to select something unique that they love, and wear again. They oozed confidence on the day, felt comfortable and looked stunning! For Johnny, it was finding an epic band, so he used word of mouth/recommendations from friends who live in Sydney. We had a lot of awesome feedback on how insanely good our brand was – they know how to get the party started that’s for sure!
Have a runsheet for both good and bad weather – you can then share with your team setting up the wedding, your family etc. We were fortunate enough to have stunning weather, but if you did wake up and it’s torrential weather, you’ll be grateful for the organised back up plan!
Get a good photographer – allowing you to capture the day in your style.
Eat good food, drink wine, have fun and don’t take yourself too seriously – it’s a celebration with your most loved people at the end of the day.
Photography: Johnny Raper– Sarah’s dress: Fashion by Farina– Earrings: Chanel– Johnny’s outfit: Working Style in Parnell– Flora: Flowers at Kirribilli– Rings: Sarah’s engagement ring by Arman Fine Jewellery, Weddings rings designed by a good friend- Make-Up: India – Bridesmaids: Paris Georgia, Miss Crabb, Free People, Juliette Hogan, Georgia Alice Skirt, Mossman– Groomsmen: Working Style Hair: Sarah and her team– Styling: Elements for hire– Celebrant: Genevieve – Venue: McKell Park, Darling Point Sydney- Entertainment: The White Tree Band led by Gerrard – Cake: Savoury- Ocello Team in Surry Hills, Sweet- New York Cheesecake from Lorraines Patisserie. Catering: Foys Kirribilli
