Tell us a little about yourselves, what you do, what you love, what is unique about you and your relationship … Hagan is a Production Manager and I am a Lead Merchandise Planner.
We met 10 years ago in 2009 when I was working at a sneaker store in Newmarket, however we were friends for a long time first before we started dating at the end of 2014. We discovered we share the same taste in almost everything, whether it’s music, food, fashion or films, it’s very rare that we aren’t on the same page as one another. We do however have different ways of unwinding. We both work a lot, so come the weekend I’m a homebody and enjoy gardening, cooking and a good TV marathon. On the flip, Hagan struggles to sit still so he keeps himself busy with cycling, analogue photography and brewing a good coffee. We both love to travel, and have made it a priority in the 5 years we’ve been together. I guess that is something unique about our relationship; we’ve shared so many incredible experiences together in the far corners of the globe, from spending Hagan’s 30th at Machu Picchu, Christmas in Japan, to getting engaged In New York.
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…
There was no specific theme to our wedding, we really just wanted a good old fashioned house party with the excuse to get dressed up – nothing romantic, nothing whimsical, nothing cute-sy. We got married at Hagan’s parents’ house in Karaka for three reasons; 1. The first time I ever saw the house I pictured getting married there (and that was only a week after we started dating). 2. We wanted to look back at our wedding photos and have the venue mean something to us. 3. We really wanted everyone to feel completely at ease, and the family home definitely provided that casual feeling. Because of what Hagan does for work, we were incredibly lucky to have all our signage and styling needs at our disposal. A lot of our styling was hand made by us, from the SIAN & HAGAN sign, the marigold photo backdrop, the menu board, the champagne buckets, the re-branded disposable cameras, right down to our invitations/save the dates. We purposely chose the bright marigold colour because it set the tone for a party, not a wedding as such.
Tell us about your main outfits:
Hagan and I were both keen to dress somewhat traditional for the ceremony but wanted to have a bit of fun for the reception, so we ended up having an outfit change in between. Hagan opted for a shawl-lapel suit from Working Style, Burberry shoes and his forever-favourite Moscot glasses. I found my dress for the ceremony online on Net-A-Porter, and was instantly sold. To me, it was perfectly simple but unique at the same time. I wore a Tory & Ko diamond necklace that was gifted to me by Hagan’s family on my 30th birthday, and made by his cousin Victoria – all the women in the Hill family have one and it was super important to me to wear it on the day.
What were some of the most memorable/unique moments from the day?
Hagan and I are unanimous when it comes down to our favourite part of the day, and that was having our friend Conrad be our celebrant. He took the celebrant course just so he could marry us, and it hands-down made the day what it was. He spoke as a friend, shared some funny memories of the two of us, and gave the ceremony a light-hearted tone. It was incredibly special to stand up there and to only be surrounded by people who had played a considerable role in our lives and our relationship.
Food and drink also played a special part in the day (after all, eating and drinking is our favourite thing to do!). From having Lucky Taco dishing out food from their truck, to having an endless supply of Brooklyn Lager (as that’s what we drank after we got engaged), right down to 200 McDonalds cheeseburgers showing up at 10.30pm to help soak up all the booze.
Any advice for other couples planning to spend the rest of their lives together?
Communication. Whether it’s planning your wedding, or once you are happily married, open and honest communication is vital when sharing your life with someone. But remember, it’s just as important to talk about the amazing things as it is to communicate about the things that get you down.
Photography: Bayly & Moore |Venue: Groom’s parents’ House, Auckland | Celebrant: Conrad Smith | Styling: Arkade Furniture | Marquee: Schupepe Tents | Flora: Lu Diamond Flowers | Catering + Beverages: Lucky Taco & Mama Tahina | Donuts: Krispy Kreme | Jukebox: Party Zone | Cheeseburgers: McDonalds | Beer: Brooklyn Lager & New New New Corporation | Champagne: Veuve Clicquot | Bride’s Outfit 1 Dress: Ellery | Bride’s Outfit 2 Top: Moochi | Bride’s Outfit 2 Skirt: Maggie Marilyn | Groom’s Outfit 1 Suit & Shirt: Working Style | Groom’s Outfit 2 Shirt: Comme des Garcons Play | Bride’s Engagement Ring: Mociun | Bride’s Wedding Ring: Zoe & Morgan | Groom’s Ring: Tory and Ko | Bride’s Shoes: Alexandre Birman | Groom’s Shoes Outfit 1: Burberry | Groom’s Shoes Outfit 2: Common Projects | Bride’s Necklace: Tory and Ko | Bride’s Belt Bag: Gucci | Bride’s Earrings: Laura Lombardi | Makeup: Tyler Drader | Hair: Leigh Keepa | Bride’s Fragrance: Bride Comme des Garcons – Dot | Groom’s Fragrance: Eight & Bob – Original | Bridesmaid Outfit 1 Dress: Miss Crabb | Bridesmaid Shoes: Diane von Furstenberg | Bridesmaid Earrings: Zoe & Morgan | Bridesmaid: Outfit 2 Dress: Maggie Marilyn | Groomsman Suit: Ermenegildo Zegna | Groomsman Shoes: Dior | Groomsman Tie: Crane Brothers | Bride’s Nails: Pop Nails
