Studio Alchemy - Together Journal

I love dreaming up all the little details and making people’s visions come to life.

How did you get into the styling game?

At school and university, I worked for a catering company and worked hundreds of weddings in that role. I always loved setting up the tables and helping with styling – whether it was adding little details to the bar or putting the finishing touches on a table. Once I got my marriage celebrant licence, I naturally fell into wedding planning and styling, and I’ve never looked back! I love dreaming up all the little details and making people’s visions come to life; it’s so amazing seeing their reactions and seeing them blown away by how a space can be transformed.

Favourite wedding you have ever styled?

I could not pick one—everyone is SO different. But if I were to lean towards some of my favourite styles in general, it would be a European-inspired soiree. Think soft hues, big scalloped umbrellas, fresh white florals, lots of yellows and blues, citrus fruits, and, of course, a spritz bar chucked in the mix!

Brides are often overwhelmed with the volume of inspiration and contacts available. What should be the starting point when planning a wedding?

We are so lucky with so many amazing options out there for couples to choose from, so I would always recommend hiring a planner from the get-go. They can get you on a super clear path from the beginning, can recommend vendors based on your vision and needs, and have trusted suppliers with whom they work all the time. They’ll only recommend what you need and nothing you don’t and give you lots of tips and tricks to make your budget work for you. It’ll save you so much time, stress and money in the long run.

What are some of your favourite NZ destination wedding locations from iconic venues to little hidden gems?

Where to start? I have recently done a site visit at NZ High Country in Queenstown, it’s spectacular. Only a 10 minute drive from Queenstown, nestled above Frankton, and views stretching along Lake Wakatipu and out to the Remarkables, it’s truly breathtaking. There are four different sites to choose from, so there is plenty of options for couples depending on their needs.

I’m also a huge fan of a home marquee wedding on an isolated property – I’ve done a few dotted around the South Island, and they’re always so special.

What advice would you give for planning and allocate a wedding budget?

I always say to my couples, before you plan and book anything, sit down and work out your priorities – what you value, and what your non-negotiables are.

This will make it evident where you want to allocate majority of your budget and where you’re comfortable and happy to indulge a little more. You may be massive foodies, so you might want to splash on a high end caterer or even have your reception at a fine dining restaurant. Others aren’t that phased, so you might want to have a food truck, but have the most epic entertainment throughout the day if music is really important to you.
Equally, work out what you’re not phased by or could go without – you’d be surprised how all the things that may seem “little” add up, so establishing what you don’t want is also important and could prevent a lot of unnecessary spending.

Once you have established that, do your market research and find out what things cost. There’s no point in setting a budget by pulling a number out of nowhere, having no idea of the cost of suppliers, and then being disappointed when you realise you can’t afford what you’d initially planned and dreamed of. If you need more support here, enlist the help of a planner. They’ve got such a wealth of knowledge, and yes, they know the cost, but they also understand you pay for what you get – they value their colleagues in the industry and will only want the best for their couples. Sometimes, cheap means more money in the long run.

What is the one thing brides who plan their own wedding often say they wish they knew, in hindsight?

This sounds like a plug… but I have SO many people come to me for help halfway through the wedding process after initially taking everything on themselves and they’re overwhelmed, stuck, uninspired or just a little lost. They wish they’d taken on an experienced and trusted planner/ coordinator from the start.

I get so many people saying to me that they wish they’d booked a wedding planner sooner, or wish they’d engaged a wedding coordinator for their day.

It’s really not a regret you want to have on your wedding day – reassurance and peace of mind on your wedding day is priceless.

The best weddings are…

Days that 100% reflect the couple, their style and personality. There is nothing better than when I am at a wedding, and the guests say to each other, “This is so them”. Their loved ones can tell they’ve intentionally planned their day by including everything they love the most and haven’t made decisions just because they think it’s the “done” thing to do. You can tell when couples have made every decision only for themselves and no one else, and in turn, they are so stoked and happy on their wedding day – this is so contagious and rubs off on all of their favourite people celebrating with them too.

The best weddings are ones that are authentic and don’t feel forced.

Guide us through the initial process couples can expect when working with Studio Alchemy.

When working with Studio Alchemy, couples can expect to jump on this wedding planning journey with me from the beginning and be guided and supported by me every step of the way.

Once I receive an enquiry from my website or email, I’ll arrange a meet up or call with my couple to chat all about their vision for their day, what ideas they have and what they want their day to look like. It’s also a chance to get to know each other on a more personal level – this is especially important if I’m your celebrant, as we will get to know each other very intimately!

After that, we begin to dream up mood boards, styling, briefs and start locking in vendors that suit their budget, style, and align with their values ( I won’t suggest a rowdy DJ if you are a fan of a live old school tune, and feel it’s important grandma has something to dance to on the night)

I’ll provide a heap of resources to keep you on track – from budget trackers to checklists, vow advice and run sheet templates for your day.

As we progress through the process, we’ll start pulling together all the finer elements of the day, and start connecting all of your suppliers so we are all on the same page and everyone is buying into your vision and dreams for your day.

Once run sheets are finalised, your script is written, and I have recieved (and printed for you) your personalised vows you have so beautifully created, it’s time to sit back and let me take control of your day, so you can sit back knowing every single element is thought of and taken care of, so all you have to worry about is celebrating with your most precious people, and the love of your life.