Amy & Oliver

Where did it all begin?

“We met in a nightclub in Auckland city where we were backpacking. After bumping back into each other in the same hostel room a few weeks later, we were pretty much inseparable. We eventually moved from hostel to hotel to the back of a car and eventually moved into a proper house, and the rest is history.”

What is one aspect of your wedding that encapsulated you as a couple?

“We really wanted to strip some of the old traditions back and keep things easy and modern. We were already parents and had lived together for 8 years, so Amy being ‘given away’ didn’t really make sense. We loved the injection of colour and really loved planning it and breaking the rules as we went.”

What part of the day or planning felt like your best investment?

“Erm, the dress!!!! Haha. But honestly, we wanted to use our budget mindfully. We knew what meant the most to us, like good food and drink and memories! We were less fussed on the really fine details and more about everyone having the best time! Our photographer Amy was money well spent – we love our photos. We prioritised the rings too! It was quite a DIY wedding.”

Did you put your own twist on any traditions, or skip a few entirely?

“As already mentioned, it was a theme of ours – breaking the traditions. We had no cake. No favours. The flowers were all artificial and Amy made her own bouquet on the morning of the wedding. The bridesmaids all did their own make-up, as did Amy. We spent our last night as ‘singletons’ together with our little boy and family. Amy walked herself down the aisle and we allowed the bridal party to pretty much wear what they wanted. It was so easy to plan a non-perfect day.”

What was one of the most surprising aspects of your day?

“Because we are from the UK, we had a lot of family and friends travel long distances to join us. We were extremely lucky. Seeing your two worlds combine was amazing, and what made the day so special were those worlds mixing and getting along. We have people who have now made friends and stay in touch back in the UK. Family from both sides meeting up and planning things together has been such a highlight.”

Any advice you’d pass on to other couples just getting started?

“Keep it authentically you. As much as the day is about your guests, it really is those guests celebrating you as a couple. We kept reminding ourselves this is our day, and it really did help make some of the decision-making process easier.”

Who was the dream team that helped bring your day to life?

“Our biggest help was Jaz, the friend who can honestly do anything. Be it making welcome signs and seating plans to being DJ for the day and even singing Amy down the aisle. Everyone needs a Jaz. Amy Ryan, our photographer, went above and beyond to help. I have never heard of a photographer helping a panicked bride sort out a hairdresser! The venue we went with was The Stables – they just made it simple and easy for us. Livvy was our planner, and she basically became a friend who helped us plan our day. Hannah, Amy’s hairdresser, was wonderful and performed some magic that day.”