Good morning... I feel like it's Monday. Having a public holiday in the middle of the week really throws you out. But hey tomorrow's Friday so that's all good! How fun does this wedding from the fabulously talented Bayly & Moore look!! Love the vibrant colours especially on a day where the sun didn't come out to play! And the Mr Whippy truck... I would most definitely have been first in line to that!!
From Tracey: Aden proposed to me overlooking a gorgeous game park in his native South Africa. After the excitement died down, it took all of about 2 days to realise that the only venue for us was Brick Bay. We had been to Brick Bay once before with friends and had fallen in love with the gorgeous glass house and it's colours, the vines and the cute kiwi sculpture trail. On return to NZ we quickly secured our date and were stoked to find out that only 12 lucky couples get to have their wedding there each year. Planning quickly commenced and I became a wedding blog addict, getting new inspiration each morning from weddings from around the world.
From Tracey: Aden proposed to me overlooking a gorgeous game park in his native South Africa. After the excitement died down, it took all of about 2 days to realise that the only venue for us was Brick Bay. We had been to Brick Bay once before with friends and had fallen in love with the gorgeous glass house and it's colours, the vines and the cute kiwi sculpture trail. On return to NZ we quickly secured our date and were stoked to find out that only 12 lucky couples get to have their wedding there each year. Planning quickly commenced and I became a wedding blog addict, getting new inspiration each morning from weddings from around the world.
Colourful, relaxed and fun was our key goal, plus we wanted a touch of Africa too. Being an internet shopping addict, I sourced my dress online, a replica of an Ellie Saab couture gown. I knew I wanted 3 different colours for my bridesmaids and I wanted them funky, not too "bridal". The boys each got a matching pocket square, we ditched the traditional flower in the pocket. Other DIY projects included our "street sign" pointing to all different aspects of the wedding. Our colourful bunting was all chosen and cut by us and handed off to my Mum to finish (when time got a little tight at the end). We also got a little Africa in there with the animals that sat on the tables which we spray painted silver.
The actual day was really surreal. Aden and I decided to have our photos first and as the rain clouds rolled in I could feel the stress and emotion starting to peak. We drove to the meeting zone in the pouring rain, myself, my bridesmaid and Sophia. I felt pretty silly walking out onto the beach in a big long white dress but as I walked along the boardwalk with Aden's back to me, the emotion was at breaking point! He turned around as I got there and we just cried, it was such a lovely moment we had and totally de-stressed me before the big event.
Finally the time had come and all the guests were waiting for us on the bank outside by the lake with the boys on the jetty all lined up. As the girls drove there we were stopped by a herd of cows, quintessential NZ! That's when we got the call. It had started pouring with rain and the guests were having to sprint inside. I wasn't there to see the chaos but apparently it was lots of fun. We were lucky our guests kept their good mood even though they were soaked to the skin. We moved everyone into the marquee which was set up off the glass house and this created a really intimate feel for all the guests. The tables formed a natural aisle which I walked down, once again shedding tears as everyone I loved looked on.
Dad deposited me with Aden and they did the old high five, grab the ankle routine which really helped to break the tension!. Our ceremony followed which was super special as we'd picked every word. The next few hours were a blur as the rain came and went but in the end didn't matter one bit. The feeling of the wedding was the most important. Highlights for us included Mr Whippy & seeing everyone turn in to a kid again, running in with my new husband to House of Pain and watching as he did a dolphin dive/worm combo through the cheering crowd, my family playing the ukelele's to some cute wedding themed songs, the amazingly funny & special speeches from our bridal party & family and finally of course, getting to marry my groom.
