Stunning Auckland wedding by Danelle Bohane

My goodness! Lighting doesn't come a lot more magical than this!! Danelle Bohane has captured just that - magic - in this winter wedding. Seriously that girl is a genius with the camera... she's going places I swear!!

After adding Luke to her facebook friends in error (thinking he was another Luke!) and discovering how cute he was, Nicola had to figure out a reason that she would need to meet with him, so after a bit of research she came up with a legitimate idea and basically the rest is history. Skip forward four years and Luke had come up with an elaborate plan for the proposal. A relaxing spa treatment was followed by Nicola being kidnapped by Luke's friends in disguise as masked hoodlums! This eventually led to a beach where Nicola followed signs to a beautifully decorated cove, complete with flowers, champagne and bunting strung up - that he'd impressively made himself. After the big question was asked, and she had excitedly said yes, all their friends and family popped out from nearby bushes to celebrate with them. After a ceremony in the city, Luke & Nicola headed out to Coatesville for their reception. Under the most perfect blue skies on a bitterly cold day this southern winter, they snuck into the forest for their photos just as the sun began to set.

We loved the idea of a whimsical winter wedding - low light, cool temperatures, and the raft of winter foods we could choose. And also, it meant I could have a long sleeved dress... I'd always wanted something classic with a difference and knew winter was the perfect season to work this dress I loved. 

We decided to keep the ceremony short & sweet and make the reception the best party we could possibly conjure. We worked out what was most important to us and that was the people. It was a communal celebration. Everyone had such a fun time, and we got to speak to people throughout the entire night, not stuck behind a bridal table.

Photographer | Danelle Bohane, Venue | St Michael’s Parish Remuera & Coatesville Settlers Hall, Florist | Urban Flowers, Dress | Design by bride, Dressmaker Bobby Lee Designs, Stationery | Luke Winslade (groom), Cake | Bite Sized Patisserie, Day of Coordinator |  Debs Stanton, Caterers |  The Difference, Furniture | Luke Winslade (groom), Hair & Makeup | Abigail & Caprice

Waiheke Island Wedding by Jo Wickham

What a nice way to start off the day... oogling over this stunning bouquet! Isn't it gorgeous? Created by Enchanted Rose Styling on Waiheke Island, it has the perfect composition in my books! Likewise the brides bouquet with it's trailing ivy. I love this type of unstructured look. Brodie & Simon got married at the gorgeous Mudbrick Vineyard and had Jo Wickham on hand to capture the day, with Sophia from My Waiheke in charge of styling. Beautiful photos Jo... thanks so much to you and the lovely couple for sharing with us!!

Stylish Garden wedding by Vela Images

I have the sweetest of weddings for you this Friday afternoon, with one of my favourite photographers behind the camera and another acting as Bridesmaid for the day! Lauren & Bryn were in safe hands when they hired Greta from Vela Images to capture their pretty garden wedding. As Lauren said "From the moment I met Greta I knew my wedding photos were in safe hands. Greta was confident, experienced, creative and positive which made us all feel comfortable and natural. The day goes so fast but she has captured moments we will look on and love forever.” I couldn't agree more!

I love the look of these bridal party shots... some of my favourites, and I especially love the get up the groomsmen are rocking!! About their ceremony at Brookegreen Park in Coatesville, Lauren says “Bryn always wanted a garden wedding, and he found the most amazing, private, romantic, diverse, beautiful garden I have ever seen! Willows, geese, manicured lawns lakes and bridges were just some of the features in our dream venue. The sun came out and made everything shine!”

More from Lauren: “It is hard to pinpoint one moment, every single part contributed to the whole day being personal and impacting! Having family and friends being a support and seeing and hearing their happiness for us was so overwhelming. Enjoying the outworking of all the time and effort you put into the day is an amazingly satisfying feeling. And to top it all off you promise to spend the rest of your life with your best friend, pretty cool!!

It was really special having 3 flower girls and 3 page boys. They are all my family and were so excited to be involved. The oldest flower girl Sara was extra special as my mother had Sara’s mother Tammy as her flower girl and I was Tammy’s. I hope that one day the tradition will continue and Sara will have my daughter involved when she gets married.”

For our reception we headed to the Wharf, which is so stunning – right on the water with 270 degree views of the harbour. It was on two levels and in a circle shape so it was easy to see everyone. There were chandeliers over every table, one giant one in the middle, everything sparkling and a menu designed by a celebrity chef added glitz and glam to party the night away in.”

Originally featured on Polka Dot Bride.

Check out their engagement shoot here too.

Photographer | Greta Kenyon of Vela Images with Jessica Sim second shooting, Cinematographer | Cat Goodey, Bride’s Dress | Sera Lily, Bride’s Shoes | Glassons, Bride’s Jewelry | Red Current, Groom’s Attire | Top Man, Groomsmen Attire | Top Man, Bridesmaid Dresses | Forever New, Flowers & Decor | Wild Bunch, Invitations & Stationery | Jess Holdaway, Hairstylist | Blaze, Newmarket, Makeup Artist | Kate Solley – M.A.C, Ceremony Venue | Brookegreen Park, Coatesville, Auckland, Ceremony Officiant | Paul Bohane, Reception Venue | The Wharf, Auckland, Ceremony Musicians | The Right Ones

Engagement shoot by Danelle Bohane

This is quite possibly one of the most beautiful engagement shoots I've laid my eyes on!! Everything about it is exquisite and I adore how simple it is and how in love Tama & Hessa look!! They recently got married in Malaysia but managed to fit in this stunning shoot just prior to winter (hence that gorgeous light!!) with Danelle Bohane. Congratulations to you both... and Danelle you are truly a magician!!

Beach Wedding by Quinn & Katie Photography

After being in contact via email for the past couple of years I was thrilled to finally meet Katie from Quinn & Katie Photography at the recent workshop that Kate Robinson held. And I'm just as thrilled to have them up on the blog again today with this lovely surprise beachside wedding of Janelle & Mark's. The guests turned up thinking they were there for an engagement party but no... a wedding it was. And a wedding that Janelle had organised from Italy where Mark was playing rugby. Looks like they pulled it off beautifully. Janelle shares more about their day with us...

We had such a neat and beautiful day, the key to that I feel was being well organized and keeping in mind that although you wish for your big day to be amazing and beautiful, the real point of it is marrying the love of your life and sharing it with whom you wish, when you wish and how you wish to - its yours and your husbands day after all. Although we were lucky to have some lovely trimmings, I kept the big picture in mind on the day itself.  That and my beautiful relaxed and fun bridesmaids (and the guys too), helped it to be all we had wished for.

Mark really caught me by surprise when he proposed, we had been together for 7 years so although we knew it was inevitable, I still thought it was a while away. It was just before Christmas and we were sitting getting some fresh air at Mount Maunganui beach, in the drizzle, sheltered under a Pohutukawa tree. Mark popped the ring under my nose and at first I thought he was joking, but he wasn't, and I eventually said yes. We kept it to ourselves for the rest of the day, just taking in the news and treasuring the special time.

The dress must have been meant to be, trying dresses on was a spur of the moment thing mum and I decided to do before a date for the wedding had even been set. In we walked for the appointment and there was this dress hanging up in the entrance - they had just got it in the night before. It was the dress I had imagined for years, as girls do. Tried it on and it was perfect I tried on many others just to be sure I wasn't making an impulse decision, but kept on going back to this one. Vanilla bridal were brilliant and ordered one in for me made to fit.  I truly love it and it's still hanging in the spare room at Mums as I'm too sad to put such a beautiful dress with such fond memories away!’

Photography | Quinn & Katie Photography, Venue | Trinity Wharf Tauranga,  Cake Artist | Kerry McKay of Sugar Town Cakes, Hair Stylist | Karl from Salon One, Wedding dress | Essense at Vanilla Bridal, Flower artist | The brides sister Angela