Charlotte and Patrick coordinated their “bright, fun, relaxed but refined” New Zealand nups from across the ditch in Australia. In fact, they only laid eyes on their venue two days before getting hitched! Luckily, they had the best of the best location scouts (their parents) on the job, who stumbled upon the idyllic spot while on a shared New Zealand vay-cay. “We hadn’t contemplated getting married on Waiheke Island and were looking in Australia. However, after seeing a video on WhatsApp of our mums explaining how amazing [Batch Winery] was, we had a deeper look online and loved what we saw.”
Invitees enthusiastically embraced the holiday opportunity, and the choice to engage a wedding planner made the experience a breeze, as did a top-notch vendor team, including beauty extraordinaire The Peach Club and photographer Eilish Burt, who, in the words of the bride and groom themselves, is “an absolute legend and captured the day so beautifully.” Obsessed is an understatement; we know you’ll agree. Scroll on to see for yourself.
LITTLE LOL “The dangers of a destination wedding! Patrick’s family set off to New Zealand a week or so before the wedding, and unfortunately, the majority of male members forgot some of, or all of, their suits in Australia. Fortunately, we were setting off a day after them and were able to pick them up and bring them over. Luckily, the airline was fine with us bringing a wardrobe aboard.”
THE VIBE “We wanted all the classic elements of a formal wedding but relaxed a little bit to make the day as easy, chilled and comfortable as possible for everyone. We wanted everyone to enjoy the fact that they were at a wedding and being able to dress up whilst also having a big party. To help with this, the dress code was ‘cocktail’, and we tried to incorporate as much colour into the festivities as possible. Luckily, we had Madeleine at The Island Collection involved as the wedding planner, and the vibe we sent to her was bright, fun, relaxed, but refined. She nailed it.”
FAVE DETAILS “The striped linen and flowers definitely made the vision complete. We decided to have an Aperol jug dispenser so people could help themselves after the ceremony. People loved it. We did have to top it up a few times haha.”
MEMORABLE MOMENT “My (Charlotte’s) dad organised a surprise song with some of our close friends as part of his speech. They sang an altered version of ‘Business Time’ by Flight of the Conchords, where the lyrics had been changed to reflect a period of time after we first met. It was pretty hilarious, and in the end everyone was singing along.”
TALK ABOUT TRADITION “Patrick’s family is of Celtic ancestry, so a Celtic blessing was included in a reading by his brother and in his mother’s speech.”
WE’RE GLAD WE… “Were open to a destination wedding. We really wanted to get married in New Zealand but had some big concerns about potentially over-stretching our family and friends by having the wedding overseas. However, we made the decision, and the reception we received upon sending out the invites was amazing. Everyone was able to make a holiday out of it, allowing us to have a few little celebrations in the lead-up to the day.”
STANDOUT VENDOR “Our photographer Eilish Burt – she is an absolute legend and captured the day so beautifully.”
How bloody spiffy do these two look? If you’re on the hunt for a NZ-based hair and makeup maestro, you’ve got to reach out to our mates, The Peach Club. Or, if you’re loving the aesthetic of these images, Eilish Burt is your gal. Inspired by the idea of getting married in NZ? Head here for a collection of New Zealand vendors you need to know about.
CONTRIBUTING VENDORS Photographer Eilish Burt Event Planner, Stylist, Sound Hire, & Signage The Island Collection Florist Madame La Florist Venue & Catering Batch Winery Wedding Favours Bizay Hire Items The Island Collection & My Waiheke Entertainment Mix It Dj Celebrant Hadley Taylor Transport Fullers360 Waiheke THE BRIDE Bridal Gown Designer Prea James Veil Madame Tulle Shoes Magda Butrym Accessories Billini Hair & Makeup The Peach Club Bridesmaid Shoes Billini THE GROOM Suit, Bow Tie & Cufflinks Top Ryde Tailors Shoes & Watch R.M. Williams Grooming COV Hair Groomsmen Suits Top Ryde Tailors
