TUI & VICTOR'S SOUTH-EAST QUEENSLAND WEDDING

When Tui and Vic were planning their ‘I do’s, they had one very important thing in mind: “We wanted our wedding to 100% Vic and Tui styles,” they tell us. “We wanted it to be a giant party and for our guests to come as they are and spend the day eating, dancing and partying with us.

From the looks of the pics by talented lens lady Hannah Redman Images, they definitely made their own dreams come true, from a selection of food trucks to some serious tearing up of the d-floor – and would you check out that mechanical bull! We are supremely impressed with Tui’s riding skills, especially as she rocked her Grace Loves Lace dress all the while. Next time these folks have a party, we defs want in.

THE VENUE “Holy Red Deer Estate gave us the freedom to have our wedding the way we wanted it. We had only looked at other venues online but they either had max 100 guests, rules that we had to use their caterers or were just out of our budget. HDRE were so flexible and even have a manse onsite that sleeps up to 10 people, which was great for our bridal party and us the night of the wedding. It’s also a nice small town meaning all the accommodation was within walking distance for our guests. The main thing that lead us to choose HDRE though was that our beautiful labrador Indie was allowed to be at the venue with us and stay at the on-site accommodation. She’s been with me for 10 years and having her there with us was a non-negotiable.”

THE DRESS “I love my dress so much! I went to Grace Loves Lace and found it straightaway. It was so comfy! I could dance in it and even ride the mechanical bull we had there. It’s quite simple, which is exactly what I wanted because I wanted my kakahu (feathered cloak) to be the main piece and I knew they would complement each other.”

TAKE ON TRADITION “Our two favourite things were our custom pounamu (pendants) and kakahu (cloaks) that we exchanged on the day. Our pounamu were custom-carved back in New Zealand and tell the story of us both as individuals and together as a couple. We decided to exchange these as we had decided the get traditional ta moko tatau (tattoo) as our wedding bands but still wanted something to wear and exchange. Before we said our vows we had our pounamu passed around to guests to ‘warm’ by rubbing them. The jade absorbs your natural oils and in a way the oils are polishing it. It means that everyone who touches our pounamu is with us in some way. Our traditional kakahu (cloaks) were extra special as they were woven by our mums. They are normally presented at the end of the ceremony as a final declaration of love, and symbolise each of us wrapping and protectecting our new spouse.”

WE’RE GLAD WE… “We’re really glad we didn’t have a set seating plan. We had enough tables, hay bales and seats for everyone and let them choose their own seating. It gave them the freedom to mingle more and spend time with other guests. We didn’t have a set dinner time either so from 5:30-8pm, guests could wander over to the food trucks and order whatever they wanted and eat in their own time.”

STANDOUT VENDORS “One of our standouts was 100% our photographer, Hannah Redman. We used to go to church together and she had also shot two other family events, so our families knew her and her work. She went above and beyond all day. She had such a positive, happy vibe and made everyone feel comfortable. She was extremely organised and worked so well with everyone to make sure we got the most beautiful photos.”

Now, let’s just backtrack to that gown for a second, because it’s beautiful (and as Tui says, perfect for a good ol’ party). If you want one just like it, get in touch with Grace Loves Lace over on our directory – they’ll have you sorted with one of their many showrooms around the country or you can shop online.