As a celebrant herself, Laura’s spent her fair share of time at weddings, so she knew exactly what she wanted and who to turn to when planning her nups with now-hubby Oren. And traditional was not on the agenda for these lovebirds. In an inner-city surbub of Auckland, New Zealand, the bride and groom walked down the aisle together to the theme from Jurassic Park, “Our favourite moment was walking into the ceremony together and seeing our family and friends smiling and clapping and laughing at our song choice. It was so special and we’ll always remember the love we felt in the room!” says the couple, who added that another highlight was later on the dancefloor, “when everyone was dancing to the White Lotus theme.” Thankfully, Chris Turner was on-hand to take some sensational snaps…
THE PROPOSAL “We decided we both wanted to propose so we each planned a cute surprise for the other person. This meant we would both got the chance to feel special and be asked the big question! I made a word-find of words and jokes from our relationship and the remaining letters spelt out “Will you marry me?” Oren made a book of our story with photos and pictures he’d drawn with reviews on the back cover from our friends. We giggled through both of our proposals. They were silly and sweet and very “us”.
THE VIBE “We didn’t really have a theme, but our vibe was fun and low-key! Having worked in the wedding industry for over 10 years, I knew what I wanted to prioritise and also what we could afford. We wanted our favourite people there, bar snacks and beer, a great party, and little to no clean-up. The busiest time of year for me is also summer so I knew I wouldn’t have time to DIY our day.”
LITTLE LOL “I was continuously asked during the planning process who I had trusted enough to be our celebrant and I could confidently tell them that I knew my friend Philippa Thomas would nail it. We trusted her completely and didn’t read our ceremony before the day. She was the ideal mix of funny and light while also being genuine and heartfelt. ”
STANDOUT VENDOR “I had worked with Chris Turner plenty of times before our wedding so I knew early on I wanted him to shoot our day. I was confident he’d get on with Oren, be relaxed on the day, get through the family and group shoot efficiently, and produce amazing photos! And he did all that and more!”
A WORD OF ADVICE “When wedding planning, it seems like there are lots of other people to keep happy. But it’s your day and while that doesn’t give you permission to be totally selfish, it does give you permission to design a day that best suits you and your partner. You don’t have to do what anyone else does, or you do can do all of it, just make sure you think about what’s important to you two and embrace that. Then disregard the rest. Your guests will remember how the day felt, not how it looked.”
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CONTRIBUTING VENDORS Photographer Chris Turner Cinematographer Beau and Arrow Florist Madam Rat Floral Ceremony venue The Sapphire Room, Ponsonby Central Reception venue Brewport, Ponsonby Hire Items Boutique Barn Celebrant Philippa Thomas Rings Malibu Gems MC Miranda Zander THE BRIDE Bridal gown designer Have Dress Shoes Merchant Number, One Shoes Accessories Willow Collective Hair & makeup Ashley Collett Styling THE GROOM Suit ASOS Shirt 3 Wise Men Tie NZ Ties Shoes Curvento