More of this gorgeous wedding can be seen in Issue 24 of Together Journal

Vendor Credit: Custom Zambesi dress and suit, Miu Miu Sunglasses, Natalee Fisher Makeup, Florals by Megan Parker Wild About Flowers. Full list of vendor credits at end of blog post

Sophie and Tim had their gorgeous wedding at our absolute favourite wedding venue in the Wairarapa, Rose and Smith. They met at a boat party in 2014, exchanged emails and the rest is history!

COVID-19 didn’t stop Sophie and Tim from having their wedding – but it was very close! The week before their wedding, Auckland went into a three day lockdown, which thankfully lifted just before their wedding!

Sophie started the day with her nearest and dearest at the most beautiful accommodation we have every photographed at in the Wairarapa. The light was absolutely dreamy!

Sophie and Tim got married under a canopy of trees at Rose and Smith, surrounded by the people they love most. The sun was shining, their wasn’t a breath of wind, and their motto of less is more made for a beautifully understated intimate ceremony

Sophie and Tim wanted a relaxed day that was all about the people. They didn’t want large floral arrangements, any extra décor faff, or hours spent away from their guests. Instead their focus was the people, and anything else was just a bonus.

We are big supporters of our couples prioritising time with their guests. It really warms our hearts when our couples actually get to spend time with everyone at their wedding (it’s also really important to us that they get to eat the canapés!). This is exactly what Sophie and Tim did. They let their ceremony flow seamlessly into afternoon festivities instead of rushing off for portraits, which made for a truly heartwarming day full of love and joy.

Rose and Smith really brought their vision to life with modern and minimalist styling, a beautifully relaxing environment, and a constant stream of mouth watering food fresh from their outdoor kitchen.

One of the many amazing things about Rose and Smith is that everything you could possible need is just a stones throw away, including beautiful photoshoot locations. So late in the afternoon, once Sophie and Tim had seen everyone, we went for a walk through Rose and Smith’s beautiful grounds.

Also, FYI, Sophie is a model and brand ambassador for the World of WearableArt, so it’s no surprise that their wedding looked straight out of the pages of vogue. Both Sophie and Tim’s outfits were custom made for them by Zambesi, and it is fair to say that Sophie’s dress was out of this world elegant!

Something you might not know about Rose and Smith, is that all Rose and Smith weddings come with the incredible wedding planner extraordinaire Paula Bevege, who ensures your wedding day is seamless from start to finish. Paula also has a store room full to the brim of anything you could possibly need to style your wedding day. Crockery, cutlery, vases, you name it, Paula probably has it.

So when Sophie and Tim said they wanted a clean, modern, understated wedding aesthetic, that’s exactly what Paula delivered.

Then as the sun started to set, dinner and speeches started to flow

One of our favourite things about Rose and Smith is their insanely cool outdoor dance floor complete with gorgeous festoon lights.

So once the sun had set, the dance floor at Sophie and Tims wedding kicked off, and boy was it epic. There really is no better way to wrap up your wedding day then by dancing your heart out under the stars.

The incredible vendors involved in this gorgeous wedding are linked for you below.

Getting ready at The New York House Airbnb; Rose and Smith Tauherenikau Wedding Venue; Custom Dress and Suit by Zambesi; Brides shoes by Loeffler Randall; Sunglasses by Miu Miu; Makeup by Natalee Fisher; Hair by Mathias Ryder Te Moananui; Earrings by A.B.Ellie; Rings by TORY & CO; Bridesmaids attire by BLAK; Florals by Megan Parker Wild About Flowers; Dogs Bowties by Smackbang; Planning by Paula Bevege; Catering by Dale Keith from Rose and Smith; DJ and Lighting by Hype Entertainment; and Cake by CRUMB cakes

When Brooke and Will told us their goal was to bring Italy to Wellington, we didn’t think it was possible. But we were proven wrong when they actually achieved it! Their day was full of elegance, opulence, expressiveness, fun, open air celebrations, warmth, cigars, Italian beverages, and in true European style, the party went late in to the night. So for us two souls who hold a special place in our hearts for Italy, it felt like we were transported out of Wellington for the night.

They started their wedding day at Brooke’s parents elegant waterfront apartment, where gold fixtures and beautiful art pieces adorned every surface. Brooke and Wills gorgeous pug joined in the mornings celebrations, and even came to the ceremony where he was first in line for congratulatory cuddles.

Brooke and Will got married at Old St Pauls, an an old dark wooden church full of stained glass windows, character, and charm

Brooke and Will had a gorgeous red mini on their wedding day, with Brooke’s younger brother as their chauffeur. So we all squeezed in and headed to the city centre for some quality time with their bridal party.

Brooke and Will chose to have their wedding photos taken at the Michael Fowler Centre and the National War Memorial. Both of these spots hold a special place in their hearts. Upon arrival they cracked open some Italian wine and celebrated with their bridal party

After dotting around the city centre for photos we all headed back to Prefab Hall for the wedding reception. This is when the party really kicked off.

Brooke and Will had a food truck cocktail style wedding with food, drinks, and laughter flowing all night long. It was lovely and warm so everyone spent a lot of time outside which transformed Prefab Lane into a private festival oasis right in the city centre.

We loved how Brooke and Will did their family and group photos at their Prefab Wedding. Instead of doing the family photos after the ceremony, they waited until the reception started at Prefab and then did them intermittently throughout the night in Prefab Lane. This was a really lovely way to do it as it meant they got to take their time and still enjoy the party.

Brooke and Will had their wedding speeches in a wonderfully intimate and casual fashion, with everyone gathered together inside Prefab Hall. We love it when weddings have their speeches like this, it makes it feel like everyone is one big family, full of support and love for the newly married couple.

We absolutely adored how Brooke and Will used Prefab Hall for their wedding. We have never seen a wedding done this way. It was entirely unique to them and created such an incredible atmosphere. They had food truck dinner service served cocktail style at their wedding, with everyone milling around on foot, and just two long tables provided for those that wanted to sit.

The rest of Prefab Hall was left wide open so people could dance and and flow between the spaces all night long. And lastly, our absolute favourite thing about their Italian inspired wedding, they had the Godfather movie projected on to the wall, playing all night long. It was so cool!!

Dancing went on all night long, as did the festival style celebrations in Prefab Lane, where the wedding guests enjoyed cigars and drinks under the stars, late in to the night

Wedding Vendor Credit: Venue is Prefab Hall, Florals by Twig and Arrow, Photography by Tim and Nadine

Kristie and Ben are two wonderful humans who we genuinely adored hanging out with. They had a tropical backyard marquee wedding in Auckland full to the brim with laughter, love, and elegant DIY beauty.

We started the wedding day at their home where they got ready for the day. Their home was a beautiful place to get ready, full of clean lines and repetitive shapes, which we all know gets us excited.

Kristie arrived to the wedding ceremony in a mint green VUW kombi van. They had their whole wedding day in the same space, at a lush private property tucked down a long driveway in one of Auckland’s outer suburbs.

We loved that at Kristie and Ben’s wedding, they didn’t rush away for photos after their ceremony. Instead they spent the afternoon eating and drinking beside the pool. This was amazing because it not only meant they got to spend more time with their guests, but it also gave us time to capture lots of beautiful candid photos of their friends and family.

Once Kristie and Ben had been hugged and congratulated a gazillion times over by their excited family and friends, we photographed Kristie and Ben with those dearest to them in some family and group photos

We then found a beautiful corner of the property to photograph Kristie and Ben with their gorgeous bridal party. We loved that Kristie and Ben decided to stay on site at the venue for their bridal party photos. This meant they got to spend even more time with their wedding guests, which is always a win in our books.

We have to take a minute here to give massive props to Kristie for doing ALL of the styling herself. She foraged and dried all the flowers and curated the whole event to look exactly how she wanted. And boy oh boy did it come together! It was incredible.

Their wedding even had a massive floral installation wall consisting of 1800 dried hydrangeas!! How incredible is that!?

Kristie and Ben had a really fun and interactive way for their guests to figure out where they were seated for dinner. In front of the marquee was a table covered with personalised shot glasses. They were laid out in the same pattern as the dinner tables. So all the guests had to do was find the shot glass with their name on it, then use the location of their shot glass as the clue for where they were seated. Fun right!

Then dinner was served. And it was a freaking feast! Little Wolf Catering really out-did themselves with their insane spread of mouth watering food.

Then as the sun set overhead, speeches were said, and copious amounts of belly laughs were had.

As dusk arrived, the party ramped up, starting with a full bridal party choreographed dance, and followed by an epic dance floor that just didn’t quit. It got so hot on the dance floor that some guests even took a quick dunk in the swimming pool to cool down! And for those not wanting to boogie, they enjoyed a drink under the stars, with festoon lights shining overhead.

Kristie and Ben really wanted to maximise time with their guests on their wedding day so they opted to have their wedding photos taken on another day later in the week, Ben even surprised Kristie with a whole new set of vows he had written for her.

We loved that they did their wedding this way, it meant we got to go somewhere really beautiful, at the best time of day for the light, and Kristie and Ben could just enjoy their time together without the time constraints of a wedding day. Another added bonus was Kristie could get her dress as dirty as she wanted because they didn’t have a wedding reception to return to afterwards!

From start to finish, Kristie and Ben and their guests made their wedding an absolute delight. We loved every minute of it, and are so honoured to have been a part of it. It’s been so much fun to pull this blog post together because it got us feeling all the feels all over again.

Vendors: Little Wolf Weddings Catering, Raj Tent Club, dress by Rue de Seine Bridal, Suit by Barkers Clothing, all florals and styling by the bride

Emily and Anteni had their beautiful wedding at our favourite wedding venue in NZ, Boomrock Lodge. They met in Melbourne, followed each other across the planet, moving between cities and countries., then got married in the midst of a pandemic. So to say they are a good team is a massive understatement. They are absolutely amazing together. And while the guest list ended up smaller than originally planned, their day was still magnificent, full of laughter and fun from start to finish.

Emily and Anteni wanted to see each other before their wedding ceremony so we started the day with a first look in the sunshine in Wellington’s City centre.

Emily and Anteni wanted a relaxed day that focused on what really matters, the people. So they chose a wedding venue where they didn’t have to spend their time decorating, where the guests could have an amazing experience, and where they could get incredible wedding photos on site without having to leave their guests for long. Boomrock delivered on all counts, starting with a breathtaking wedding ceremony spot that rivals some of the best ceremony locations in the world.

We are massive advocates of spending as much time with your guests as possible on your wedding day. So we always encourage our couples not to run away after the ceremony for photos. Instead, stick around and spend the afternoon with your guests. Eat your appetisers, play games, and enjoy your day. People are what wedding days are really all about, so we 100% support prioritising spending time with your guests on your wedding day.

This is exactly what Emily and Anteni did. They spent the whole afternoon enjoying the company of their nearest and dearest, and taking part in the fantastic entertainment Boomrock provides.

Boomrock has an elegant and timeless reception space overlooking the water. You can literally do nothing to the space and it will look incredible. It also has a magical way of feeling intimate and personal no matter the size of your wedding. Emily and Anteni went for minimalistic elegance at their wedding, and it was beautiful.

Instead of going away in the afternoon for photos, we simply ducked outside at sunset for 15 minutes to photograph them in Boomrock’s gorgeous golden light. We love it when our couples structure their day like this. It means they get to spend more time with their guests, and we get the added bonus of capturing them together in the best light of the day. It really is a win win :)

We’ve been told by many of our couples that this ended up being their favourite part of the day. That they absolutely loved getting the chance to stop and just soak in their wedding day. So if you’re planning a wedding, we highly recommend it.

Once the sun had set, and cake had been eaten, everyone lit up sparklers and waved them high as Emily and Anteni did their first dance outside under festoon lights. It was 100% as magical as it sounds.

The incredible vendors involved in this gorgeous wedding are listed for you below.

Boomrock Lodge Wedding Venue; Dress by Theia Couture from Astra Bridal, with sleeves added by Grace Kleinsman; Hair and Makeup by Natalee Fisher; Cake by Vicki Eats; Celebrant was Miranda Zander from Marry All the People; Rings from The Rolling Mill; and flowers by Emily’s talented mother.

These two celebrated their Greek wedding with style in the heart of Wellington City. There was confetti, dancing, brutalist architecture, glamour, and smiles all around. Can’t wait to show you more of this incredible day!

Today we are announcing our editing workshop in collaboration with the amazing Jonathan Suckling. The workshop will be in Auckland on 18 November 2020.

We will be teaching a comprehensive workshop on all things editing

• Lightroom

• Photoshop wizardry

• Good tones

• Dodging & burning

• Shooting for the edit

• and much more

If you are a photographer of any level keen to learn more about editing then this is for you. There are limited spaces so get in quick. Click here for to save your workshop seat now.

We truly believe wedding days aren’t about epic portraits, they’re about the people. They’re about having all of your nearest and dearest together, and spending as much time as possible with them on your wedding day. So we want to show you a more accurate snapshot of what weddings are all about. The people.

Here you can see a 30 second explosion of Emily and Anteni’s joy filled Boomrock wedding where love, tears, and belly laughs overflowed.

Today’s wedding portrait series is from the beautiful Hawkes Bay wedding of Hayley and Craig. They had their heart set on having their wedding photos at Te Mata Peak so in bright midday sunshine we headed on over.

Just as we arrived Te Mata Peak rolled in a beautiful covering of glorious cloud! Thank you Te Mata Peak! You beauty! High fives all around!! And this is what happens when you combine wonderful people, an insanely beautiful location, and clouds on a wedding day :)