The Proposal
Jared had told me for years that he was going to take me to the
Auckland Zoo because technically, having moved from Australia eight
years ago, I'm still a bit of a tourist and love to do all the
touristy things in a new town. When he finally announced that he
was taking me to the Zoo one long weekend, I thought nothing of it
and was excited for what it was. Little did I know that he was
going to drop to one knee and ask me to marry him with a
breath-taking princess cut solitaire that he designed himself,
right in front of the lion's den - my favourite animal!
Location Location Location
We knew early on that we would have a large number of people
attending our wedding as Jared comes from a large family who are
mostly New Zealand based. I don't have any family based here
at all but many of my loved ones were honouring us with their
presence so it was really important for us to ensure that our
guests were comfortable and that we showcased Auckland city for all
the beauty it is. It was also very important for us to get married
in a church because both of our families carry a strong tradition
of getting married in churches. I have been brought up as a
Catholic and after living in Auckland city for a number of years
and attending mass at St. Patrick's Cathedral several times, I had
felt a strong connection with this particular church. It definitely
helped that Patrick is also my father's name. Logistically, St.
Patrick's was also located right in the heart of Auckland city and
literally a stone's throw away from the two hotels that we were
going to be having our Receptions at so it was convenient for
everyone to get to, while still offering a change of scenery,
including the spectacular Waitemata Harbour as a backdrop during
our Dinner Reception at the Hilton Auckland. Since Jared and I met
and fell in love while working in Auckland city (and still work in
Auckland city every day), it was only fitting that we capture our
most romantic wedding images using the canvas that our love story
was written in.. Til this day, I always smile to myself when I walk
up High Street running errands for work and fondly remember the
magic that we experienced on our wedding day.
Our Wedding Style
Can be described in three words: contemporary, elegant and fun.
We loved the idea of a traditional wedding but wanted every aspect
of it to reflect us as a young, vibrant couple. We picked a
traditional red rose to base our theme on as we felt that it is the
ultimate symbol of love, passion and commitment. Everything
centered around our red rose theme - all of our stationery, our
centerpieces, our bouquets, and our bridesmaids and flowergirl even
had rose details on their gowns. For our music, we mixed the
traditional with the contemporary by using Pachelbel's Canon in D
for our ceremony procession and The Wedding March for our
recessional song but keeping it young and fresh in our Reception by
playing Beyonce's Love On Top for our entrance as man and wife and
Mariah , Joe & 98 Degree's Thank God I Found You as our first
dance. The other unique detail that we were both very proud of were
our wedding favours. We found little bride and groom favour boxes
online shaped in a tuxedo and ballgown, just like my wedding gown!
Jared came up with the idea to fill them with lollies that
represented both Australia and New Zealand so that a bit of
ourselves could be given to our guests. We decided to fill them
with pineapple lumps and Mintie's and our guests loved them!
My Advice For Brides To Be
You can never start your planning too early and don't be afraid
to ask for help. Choose your bridal party carefully and surround
yourself with friends and family who will keep you feeling positive
even when you run into obstacles - and there will definitely be
obstacles but they will be overcome with support. Expect the best,
plan for the worst and realize that you can't do anything to change
the weather on the day so be happy and go with it. Above all,
remember to stop in the middle of your day, take a moment, soak in
the atmosphere and tell your partner how truly happy you are.
The Details
Brides Gown: Alfred Angelo Disney Princess Collection,
Cinderella (full tulle skirt with cathedral train and sweetheart
bodice with beading around the bust) - from Ballgowns, Bridal and
Beyond in Henderson, Auckland. Jane Yeh fingertip length veil with
satin trim.
Hair Stylist: Huong - Rodney Wayne
Make Up Artist: Brooke - MAC
Bridesmaid Dresses: Scarlet red full-length chiffon layered gown
with court train and sweetheart neckline, wide straps and rose
detail at waist from Lightinthebox.com.
Grooms and Groomsmen Attire: Boston two button light grey
pin-striped slim-fit suit from Dorset Suit Hire.
Flowers & Decorations: Flowerpak Ltd/Flower Factory
Cake: Sweet Bites Cakes
DJ: Source Entertainment
Bridal Party Transport: Corporate Cabs
Photographer: Jeremy Hill Photography
Videographer: Indigo Moon Productions
Celebrant: Monsignor Bernard Kiely
High Tea Reception: Stamford Plaza Auckland
Dinner Reception: Hilton Auckland
Rings: Partridge Jewellers
Photobooth: Hot Shot Kiosks