Little White Chapel Weddings: Tiny, Beautiful Things

“I’ve performed quite a few weddings at my local historical church," began Kim from Lucky in Love. "At the latest one, just earlier this year, it occurred to me that this historic venue is pretty underutilised! I really wanted to share it with other couples looking for someplace special. With the recent global issues affecting the wedding industry, I also wanted to develop an affordable and inclusive package for all budget-conscious couples. So, Lucky in Love Mini Weddings came about! I started with a styled shoot to get a feel for what the real deal would look like. It was appropriately dubbed Little White Chapel Weddings, and many of my collab partners were involved. The launch is on 30 September; this exclusive date has just 4 booking slots in total. Of course, no such thing is complete without stunning photography. I needed to share all the fantastic things going on, and I’d always wanted to do a styled shoot, so I brought together some of my favourite wedding experts to help me stage a playful but polished wedding day vision. As a side note, being a wedding celebrant, I tend to stay out of pictures and the spotlight, so this was a great chance to capture me in action. It was a win-win! So, here we have it, Little White Chapel Weddings, crafted by me to make your dreams come true. I focus on more intimate days or elopements, with a quaint chapel as your exclusive background and all the details taken care of so you will barely have to lift a finger beyond sliding the ring on. For the styled shoot, we had Jo from The Florist NZ design beautiful, organic forms using roses in dreamy shades of blush, peach and wheat. The pews were cutely dotted with purple (keeping in trend with Lucky in Love’s branding), with the altar as the focal point. The floating shelves sported crystal bowls and vases with sprigs of eucalyptus; the cake by Sweet Bites was draped with fresh flowers for added panache. Cindy from Pure Makeup Artist NZ did the makeup and hairstyling. Beyond talented and with 12 years of experience in the field, the looks ranged from sultry and glam to fresh-faced and simple. She absolutely nailed the execution, transforming our models by highlighting their natural features. Phil Qi, our magical photographer, was the ideal pick. He has a candid, editorial style that fits perfectly with my vision. We ended up with photos that are unique but gorgeous. On top of that, he’s tons of fun to work with and made sure that everyone was having a ball. The only professional model at the shoot was Eleanor. She was a doll, interpreting the brief with such ease and elegance. She also managed to rope her partner into the task! “I got to play house for realsies in [this shoot]! I think it satisfied the little girly girl inside me because I got to put on a sparkly dress and play wedding with my IRL Prince Charming which was so much fun - a little dress-up dream come true!” I roped my nephew and his partner into being the best bridal party ever. All in all, it was such a fun experience from start to end.”

Thanks to all the contributing vendors:

Celebrant: Lucky in Love
Florals: The Florist NZ
Hair & makeup: Pure Makeup Artist NZ
Photography: Phil Qi Photography
Models: Eleanor, Xavier, Caitlin, Oliver
Cake: Sweet Bites Cakes
Dress: Miss Chloé Bridal
Venue: Hobsonville Settler's Church