TJ Iconic Wedding: Sophie + Will by Danelle Bohane

We are bringing back an edit of our top-performing real weddings from the TJ archives. These are our very best weddings that our audience has loved the most, and the ones we think are still very relevant and aspirational…Sophie: I’m from Hawke’s Bay and Will is from Mount Maunganui. Will owns a design business with his friend, called George & Willy, and I run an art gallery, Parlour Projects. Much of our time together is spent reading, dreaming and talking about art and design.

Sophie: I’m from Hawke’s Bay and Will is from Mount Maunganui. Will owns a design business with his friend, called George & Willy, and I run an art gallery, Parlour Projects. Much of our time together is spent reading, dreaming and talking about art and design.

It took a long time for us to get married, which we can laugh about now. Our wedding date was originally scheduled for Easter 2020. We flew home from London where we were living at the time, but a few days later had to postpone the ceremony due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

As a back-up plan, we decided to hold a small gathering with our immediate families and bridal party. But New Zealand swiftly went into a nationwide lockdown, meaning that idea was soon ruled out, too.

A couple of months later, we finally decided to get married on the first sunny day in spring, as identified by the Moon Man, which turned out to be September 18. Six weeks out, there was a resurgence of Covid-19 in Auckland and the city was placed into lockdown. Gatherings were limited to 100 people and we didn’t know until the week of our wedding whether it could definitely go ahead. Thankfully, we could push ahead with a 100-person ceremony. By this time, we discovered we were expecting our first child. I was six and a half months pregnant at our September nuptials. We feel so blessed to now have our daughter, Ottilie, who wouldn’t be here if our original wedding had gone ahead.

The inspiration behind the styling of our wedding came from the idea of garden countryside nuptials. We held our ceremony in the Black Barn Olive Shed, which is just next door to my family home. It’s a little rustic railway shed that was transported to the site a few years ago. It’s nestled amongst shady olive trees and can only be accessed by a beautiful limestone path.

Will and I wrote our own vows, which we shared for the first time at our ceremony. This was such a special moment, made even more romantic by the sound of rain falling on the Olive Shed’s tin roof. We loved our first dance to ‘Fall at Your Feet’ by Crowded House. We could hear all our friends and family singing their hearts out and the moment when everyone ran in to surround us at the end is a memory we will never forget. Will and I adore being married, each day just gets better and better. For us, being married means bringing out the best in each other, supporting one another and being excited to grow old together. We constantly reflect on how lucky we are. Enjoy the little things and make each day count. Be kind to one another and just have fun.

Photographer Danelle Bohane / groom’s outfit Working Style / bride’s dress The Bridal House / planner, styling, flora & hire Flock Events / ceremony location the Olive Shed at Black Barn / reception location Bride’s family home / rings Ash Hilton and Zoe & Morgan / shoes Maryam Nassir Zadeh / bride’s earrings Jasmin Sparrow / makeup Josie Brenstrum / hair Abby Schofield / stationery Katie O’Connor Design / bridesmaid dresses Lulu Jackson / celebrant Fiona Cleary / entertainment Two Many Chiefs / marquee Flagship Events / catering & beverages Orton’s / cake Bride’s father and brother / decor Pretty Prop ShopRoyal Laboratorie and Drape Linen