Flowers were obviously going to be a big part of my day
Tell us a little about yourselves, what you do, what you love…
Having both been brought up in small-town rural lifestyles in New Zealand, we both share the same core values and beliefs. However, personality-wise we are a little bit like yin and yang. I’m the creative one and Simon’s the academic. I come from a flower-growing family and studied fashion design, so alongside my job at Small Acorns, a beautiful home and lifestyle store in Wellington, I keep myself well occupied with sewing and gardening projects at every spare moment. I would definitely describe myself as an active relaxer; this girl loves a project!
Simon has a calmer and more reserved personality, but his quiet confidence is something I love, and it reminds me often not to underestimate him. He works in communications, often juggling press releases and media. He has a huge love for sports, especially the local NPC rugby competition, scouting second-hand stores for a good book, cooking and socialising with friends.
We live on the beautiful Kapiti Coast and work in Wellington during the week. We love coming home to our slice of paradise and our cat Kevin. There are lovely places to eat, and we feel like we get a break from the city.
How/where/when did you meet – and what were your first impressions?
We met in Wellington about 8 years ago and went for dinner and a movie. The movie was terrible, but over dinner we bonded over our shared values and similar upbringings. We could see that we both placed a lot of importance on family, working hard and taking responsibility for our own lives, doing the right thing and being someone others can rely on.
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).
Getting married at my family home made the whole wedding planning and wedding day feel just that little bit more special. Most people would picture a wedding in the garden whenever I would say we were getting married at my parents’, but of course, we had other plans. Dad was actually the one who suggested the idea originally, saying we could get married in the paddock. Naturally, my mind started spinning with ideas: why not turn the paddock into a wildflower meadow, quite fitting for flower growers, don’t you think! Once I sowed the seed (pun intended), mum and dad were fully on board, so the planning started. From here everything started falling into place quite naturally; planning a wedding seemed to be the perfect project for a hobby-loving, flower-obsessed, creative person. Flowers were obviously going to be a big part of my day; lifelong family friends Sarah and Wayne of Horrobin and Hodge were such a key part of making the day so spectacular. Not just flowers but trees, shrubs, grasses and greenery installations really made the marquee and beyond come to life. Having such a great relationship with Sarah and Wayne meant that, other than locking in the overall feel of the day and colour palette, I could leave it all entirely up to them and trust that it would be amazing!
What did you enjoy most about the planning process, and do you have any tips for couples starting their wedding planning journey?
Overall, I loved the planning process. Simon knows this kind of thing is right up my alley, so he graciously came along for the ride and trusted my vision. I can see how for many people the planning is an overwhelming process; my main tip would be to channel your own style and create a day that feels like you. With social media, especially Instagram and Pinterest, there is so much inspiration around, but knowing how to narrow things into a cohesive look is a skill, so if that’s not your strength, get someone to help you.
Tell us about your vendors. Were there any standout suppliers you would like to make special mention of?
I’ve already mentioned Sarah and Wayne; the day truly wouldn’t have been what it was without them. To be honest, we were so lucky with all of our vendors, but a few other highlights would be the team at Nosh, Grouse Lighting, and of course our photographer, Olivia Melhop. Sarah from Nosh was so easy to work with, she was excited and accommodating with my vision, we had vintage crystal and cut glass dishes for all the food and vintage silver serveware. The extra coordination between the caterers and organising the plates and platters was never too much of a hassle and meant we had a truly unique family style dinner service.
Having a wedding in a paddock does mean you need lighting; the team at Grouse Lighting were phenomenal. They were a slick and professional team who were genuinely excited to make our day come to life. They lit the path through the meadow to the marquee, and it looked like a fairy wonderland as the sun went down. We wanted soft, romantic, sparkly lighting, and they really nailed that brief.
They say pictures speak a thousand words; Olivia, our photographer, was the perfect match for us and captured our day. The day goes so fast, so to have every moment captured so beautifully is the best keepsake for us to look back on time and time again.
Tell us about your main outfits, what was unique, and is there a story?
I suppose the most unique thing about my dress is that I made it myself. I purchased the fabric quite early, even before I had decided on the final style. It was the loveliest silk, nice weight, a creamy off-white with the perfect lustre. I’m usually drawn to timeless elegant styles, so I ended up settling on a simple fitted bodice with a full gathered skirt. I added the silk yoryu scarf instead of having a veil and made it long so it had a train behind me. For my second look, I actually repurposed my final dress sample. My only reason for a second look was to have something I could dance in, so I altered the length into a bubble hem, which meant I had a bit more freedom on the dance floor, but the rest of the dress was identical. Simon wears a suit to work every day so wanted something that would feel special, a good friend recommended P Johnson, the Australian brand happened to be coming to Auckland for a trunk show, so he flew up and got measured. They made him the best-fitting suit he’s ever worn. He kept his suit colour and style a secret from me, so it was equally as lovely for me to see him down the aisle for the first time
Tell us about your wedding and engagement rings.
Again, sticking to the timeless style, my engagement ring is a 2ct brilliant cut diamond on a plain yellow gold band. For our wedding bands, I paired my engagement ring with a channel-set diamond ring in yellow gold, and Simon chose a classic high dome yellow gold band. Luckily, my aunty works for Michael Hill, so she was very helpful with arranging our rings; we asked her to be our ring bearer on the day, which was a special touch.
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?).
Flowers, food and photos were definitely the make-or-breaks. We are big foodie people, and Simon loves cooking, so it made sense to place a bit of importance on this. We love hosting friends for dinner at home, so this was just a bigger version of bringing our nearest and dearest together and celebrating over good food. Capturing the day was also so important; you put a lot of time and effort into planning, so it only makes sense. The day has so many memories that we can look back on forever. Seeing photos of your family and friends celebrating your happiest day is so special. And flowers, need I say more! It simply wouldn’t have been my wedding without flowers.
Was there a favourite moment (or two) that you will treasure always?
Seeing all of our favourite people together for the first time was very special. It’s hard enough to get an entire family together these days, let alone all of our friends and close family. It is also an emotional day, so it can be quite exhausting, so having a quick moment to duck away for photos and be by ourselves for the first time as a married couple really stands out.
What does being married mean to you, and are there any special rituals you have that you would like to share?
It means we’re always there for each other, whether it’s special moments or the mundane. We’re a team, so we’re happy to step in and do chores that need to be done, especially if it helps ease the load for each other. For me, it’s the rituals like Simon making sure I’m fed and watered when I’m deep into another project in the garden or the sewing room that I’ll never take for granted!
LOCATION Bride’s family home, Manakau, Otaki, New Zealand BRIDE Abbey, @abbey_geerling GROOM Simon PHOTOGRAPHER Olivia Melhop, @oliviamelhopweddings FLORIST Horrobin and Hodge, @horrobinandhodge CELEBRANT Fran Lavin, @kapiti_coast_celebrant_fran ENTERTAINMENT DJ4YOU, @dj4younz; DJ Debz, @dj.debz HIRE Tables & chairs, bar leaners, bar stools, umbrellas, outdoor lounge seating, indoor bar, and dancefloor – Lucy’s Events, @lucyseventhire; Outdoor wooden bar – Small Acorns, @smallacornsthestore; White tablecloths, dinner plates, cutlery, and glassware – Hiremaster; Ceremony chairs – XSite Group, @xsitegroup; Lighting – Grouse, @grouselightingaotearoa; Custom linen napkins – By the bride; Plain linen – We Are The Fabric Store, @wearethefabricstore; Floral Linen napkins, Designers Guild from Small Acorns, @smallacornsthestore; Own collection of vintage lustreware vases for table arrangements, Vintage crystal and cut glass serving dishes, vintage silver serving utensils – Horrobin and Hodge, @horrobinandhodge HAMPTON MARQUEE Lucy’s Events, @lucyseventhire CATERING NOSH, @nosh_nz CAKE Cake Palliser, @cakepalliser STATIONERY Stationery, invites, menus, place cards – Mackenzie Chartrand, @mackenzie.makes26; Illustrations purchased from Yulia Derbisheva, @derbisheva_art ENGAGEMENT RING & WEDDING BANDS Michael Hill, @michaelhillj OTHER SIGNIFICANT JEWELLERY Bride’s earrings – Murkani Cosmic Love Medium Pearl Earring purchased from Small Acorns, @smallacornsthestore; Bride’s pearl necklace – Baroque Wrap Bolo – A.B Ellie, @a.b.ellie BRIDE’S DRESS & SCARF Custom Made by the bride; All fabric from We Are The Fabric Store, @wearethefabricstore BRIDE’S SHOES Sergio Levantesi Pink Slingback – Shoezies, @shoeziesnz MAKEUP Eva Brunel, @makeupbyevabrunel HAIR Bex from Ember Hair Co, @emberhairco BRIDE’S FRAGRANCE Rose oud – Bespoke from India GROOM’S SUIT & SHIRT Custom Made – P. Johnson, @pjohnsonworld GROOM’S SHOES Winston Dress Shoes – Merchant1948, @merchant1948 GROOM’S ACCESSORIES Hammered Round Cufflinks – The Iconic, @theiconicau; Black Grosgrain Bow Tie – Working Style, @workingstylenz GROOM’S FRAGRANCE Spice Bomb – Viktor & Rolf, @viktorandrolf BRIDESMAIDS DRESSES Custom Made by the bride; All fabric from We Are The Fabric Store, @wearethefabricstore FLOWER GIRL’S DRESS Custom Made by the bride; Vintage fabric used from Bride’s Mother’s wedding dress GROOMSMEN OUTFITS Colin Wool Dress Trouser & Pinley Oxford Essential White Shirt – Working Style, @workingstylenz GROOMSMEN SHOES & BELT Owned
