If you’ve been considering a tropical destination wedding, take note from Amy and Dan, friends – their beautiful Bali nups are a hands-down winner.
These folks hail from New Zealand and connected through mutual friends, who “decided we needed to meet as they thought we had very similar family values.” It took the pair five months to eventually catch up, “but that first coffee date went for three hours,” Amy tells us.
Two years on, Dan surprised Amy with a proposal at a family farm in Christchurch and eight months later the pair became Mr and Mrs surrounded by 110 of their loved ones (a few more than they’d bargained for) at a luxe private villa in Bali.
“We originally booked a venue to hold the 70 guests we had assumed would come… we ended up having to change venues with guests coming from all over the place to celebrate with us, which was amazing,” says the couple.
They also brought two of their star players from NZ with them – “dream team” photographer Susannah Blatchford and Amy’s makeup artist, Stacy Banfield “who jumped at the idea,” of travelling overseas to help out. “They made the wedding feel easy. We had the world’s best duo for photos and makeup.”
See all the dreamy destination wedding vibes below…
THE VIBE
“There wasn’t a theme as such, we just wanted both families to have a stress-free holiday with a wedding thrown in the middle, quite literally on a Wednesday. Marriage to us is about two people becoming one, two families joining together, and we are so happy this has happened on a holiday that we will all remember forever.”
THE DRESS
I found it hard with finding a dress, I’m a tall girl, with curves, so everything I tried on didn’t seem right, or felt like I was wearing a huge curtain. I knew it was going to be hot in Bali so it needed to be comfortable and breezy. I found this Christie Nicole Bridal gown online two months out from the wedding and just went with it. I absolutely loved it, it was the most magical gown, Christie makes some of the most divine gowns with a point of difference.”
FAVE DETAILS
“One of the best parts has to be the dancing, which included everyone fulled clothed jumping in the pool multiple times. The guys on the saxophone [Front Entertainment Bali ] were unreal and just made the party so much fun.”
LITTLE LOL
“We had the reception set up under coconut trees outside under a canopy of lights – it was so damn pretty. Midway through dinner, a coconut fell from the tree and smashed onto the table of the guests, making an almighty crack, lucky this didn’t hit someone on the head as it would have been rather serious, it just split the table instead.”
This stunner of a day first appeared in the Real Wedding Special. For a bucketload of destination wedding inspiration, grab your copy via the Hello May online store.
CONTRIBUTING VENDORS Photographer Susannah Blatchford Event Planner, Stylist & Hire Items Mango Events Florist Merahjingga Botanical Getting Ready Venue Maja Canggu Photo Destination Villa Ella June Ceremony & Reception Venue The Villa Sanctuary Catering Lumbung Gelato Cart Hello Gelato Cake Butter Bali Entertainment Front Entertainment Bali Celebrant Phil Shaw Rings Louise Jean THE BRIDE Gown Christie Nicole Bridal Shoes Mi Piaci Earrings Jasmine Sparrow Sunglasses Celine, Isle of Eden Hair Heny Bali Makeup Stacey Banfield Bridesmaid Dresses Shona Joy THE GROOM Suit & Groomsmen Suits Barkers Shoes Connor Barber By the Blade
