Your number one tip for couples who are venue scouting?
Find something you adore, think outside the box, if you haven’t found it yet keep looking and don’t compromise your overall dream. All in one venues are AMAZING! Get ready, hitched and party in one spot – its a no brainer & super stress free!
Who is involved in ‘The Wedding Map’ team?
Aaron, Shannon & Ana. Three ‘crazy for Weddings’ entrepreneurs.
Aaron and I (husband & wife) are Wedding photographers by day for our business The Official Photographers). Together we created The Wedding Map website because of the struggles we had finding our own Wedding Venue.
Ana is one of our best friends and our gal on the phone, the email and on the hunt for super cool venues to join us.
Tell us about ‘The Wedding Map’?
A Wedding venue is the canvas for creating a brides dream Wedding and yet it is one of the hardest things to find!
We knew for our wedding we wanted a venue with an outstanding ocean view, on the Coromandel Peninsula, but could we find a thing? No. We hunted google, forums, Wedding directories (which were old and outdated.) We even drove the coast in search of land where we could put a tent! After months of searching alone, we found it.
Our solution is The Wedding Map. A website to bring together Wedding Venues on an Interactive Map of New Zealand and help brides all over find what they are looking for. Searching via location & style is key too.
Easy for venues, easy for brides.
What are some key challenges with having an online business?
Luckily we have experience in running an online business thanks to the success of our photography. The biggest challenge we have currently is time. With so many amazing venues throughout New Zealand there aren’t often enough hours in the day to get them all up and available for our eager brides to see.
As it’s a competitive industry standing out has definitely been a priority too. Looking pretty and being effective have been a major for us but we have found with over 16,000 views in January we must be doing something right.
How do you find all the amazing venues you promote?
Any way we can! We scout, drive, google, call. It’s just about getting these fab places for brides to see. As we are also shooting Weddings on a weekly basis, we get to see first hand some of the best spots in NZ.
Do you have a favourite wedding venue or destination?
Of course! Ours! Orua Beach House – it’s situated on a stunner of a cliff top overlooking Hot Water Beach. Kauri Bay Boomrock is another fave, simply gorgeous venue with a view – which we are so partial too! We also adore The Narrows Landing in our home town of Hamilton – new to the scene but doing everything so right!
Outside of weddings what is your favourite thing to do?
Travel, take photos, go on adventures with our fur baby Pepper, drink wine and eat too much cheese with our besties.
What do you love most about what you do?
We both love being in our own business’ 24/7 and genuinely helping people. It’s flipping grand! Weddings are super special and being a part of them with The Wedding Map or taking photos of couples is beyond a dream, we love everyday and the new challenges that come with it.
Who inspires you?
Is it cheesy to say each other? We both thrive off one another and work super hard to make a life together. (Damn thats cheesy.)
Also the likes of creative people, great photographers in our community and fab business owners as a whole. Aaron’s inspiration is mostly other artists and entrepreneurs, hours have been spent listening vigorously to podcasts! I on the other hand look up to the wonderful women surrounding me, taking massive leaps and creating successful business’.
