The styling leaned confidently into tomato red, a colour drawn from our most recent cover.
With just eleven days from idea to execution, the Together Journal team did what they do best and pulled together a celebration that felt effortless, warm and quietly joyful. We have always loved a deadline, and when you are lucky enough to be surrounded by some of the most talented event creatives in the world, even a tight turnaround becomes part of the fun.
Hosted on a Tuesday evening, the week before Christmas, the ten-year anniversary party welcomed just over 100 guests and felt less like a formal milestone and more like a gathering of friends. The room was filled with familiar faces, long conversations and plenty of laughter, a true reflection of the community that has grown around Together Journal over the past decade.
The styling leaned confidently into tomato red, a colour drawn from our most recent cover and one that felt completely right for where we are as a brand right now. Working closely with LVR Event Styling and their preferred floral partner, Isadia Florals, two teams we genuinely adore, we set out to create something a little unconventional and a lot of fun. The brief was about pushing beyond the expected and offering our Together Journal attendees and audience fresh ideas they could actually take into their own planning and styling. Strong but playful, and feminine without feeling precious, the result set the tone for an evening that felt energised and optimistic. It was a concept that was original, compelling, and one we would love to see more of in the future.
Heirloomacy was such a fun partner to bring on board. Renowned for supplying the very best restaurants in New Zealand with their beautiful, flavour-packed tomatoes, they helped us turn tomato red into a talking point rather than just a colour. The concept was brought together seamlessly by LVR Event Styling and Isadia Florals, who executed the vision with such care and confidence, layering the space in a way that felt bold yet considered.
Casabella, one of the chicest new venues in the city, proved to be the perfect canvas for the night. Its refined, modern interior allowed the colour, styling and food to really sing, creating an elevated atmosphere that still felt relaxed and welcoming.
The drinks menu was curated with just as much thought. Using Socialsmiths’ beautiful products, the team created a selection that was fresh, modern and ideal for a summer evening. The standout favourite was a smoky cherry mezcal spritz, its bright cherry-red hue tying beautifully into the overall theme. A modern take on a limoncello spritz was also on offer, swapping prosecco for East Imperial tonic for a drier finish that paired perfectly with Socialsmiths’ Solbevi Limoncello, which remains one of our favourites for warm-weather events. These were served alongside the Socialsmith’s beautiful wines from the Hunting Lodge and a selection of ALBA margaritas, which are always a crowd pleaser both for taste and visuals.
For the non-drinkers, we had a delectable selection of Almighty sparkling waters.
Côte Catering once again delivered food that was as delicious as it was beautiful. One of the reasons we love working with Côte Catering is their willingness to think creatively and visually, always pushing beyond traditional gourmet catering. For this event, tomatoes were thoughtfully woven through the canapés, tying the menu back to the styling in a way that felt subtle and clever. They created the most beautiful foodscapes that were spread across the central island at Casabella, so the food became a strong styling element.
Ignatura’s cake was a true highlight and one of the most talked-about elements of the night. Beautifully bold and unapologetically red, it was adorned with fresh raspberries and florals and looked almost too good to cut. Almost. The chocolate, caramel flavour with walnuts was just as memorable as the visuals, surprising and delighting guests in equal measure.
The evening was captured by Hope Patterson, with additional social content by Airelle from The Aisle. We will be sharing more from the celebration in Issue 42 of Together Journal, released in the new year.
Also, congratulations to Zara Staples, who photographed the cover of our new issue, which we released a little early on the night of the party. This is Zaras’ second TJ cover. She works alongside her partner, Jared Tinetti, who is a filmmaker, and they are both rising stars in the industry and most definitely ones to watch!
STILL PHOTOGRAPHY Hope Patterson, @hopepattersonweddings CONTENT CAPTURE The Aisle, @theaisle___ EVENT PARTNERS LVR Bridal, @lvr_bridal; Isadia, @isadiafloral; Heirloomacy, @heirloomacy; Ignatura, @ignatura.nz; Côte New Zealand, @cotenewzealand; Almighty, @drinkalmighty; Casabella, @casabella__nz; Alba, @drinkalba; East Imperial, @eastimperial; Paquera Mezcal, @paqueramezcal; The Hunting Lodge, @the_hunting_lodge; The Aisle, @theaisle___
