Tell us a little about yourselves!
We are Emma and Seamus, and we had been together for four years before the birth of our son, Lugh- closely followed by our daughter, Greer. We love to travel, get outdoors, play board games to the point of exhaustion, and are absolutely enamoured with being parents.
Why did you decide to get married where you did?
We decided to celebrate our beautiful growing family by getting married in a location which held great importance for us- Queenstown, New Zealand.
We were married on Deer Park Heights, which is the hill rising up behind the mother-of-the-brides home, and a place Emma has been visiting since she was a little girl. We got ready at our home there in Kelvin Heights, and then had our ceremony on the hill, under the beautiful shadow of The Remarkables.
How many guests did you have?
We didn’t have any guests, aside from our gorgeous children. We have a huge, wonderful, supportive network of family and friends on both sides, who span the globe. It would have taken a logistic miracle (and the GDP of a small country) to bring everyone together at the same time. In the end, we thought a quiet exchange of meaningful words between the two of us was the ultimate representation of us as a couple.
What was your budget?
Our budget was around $25 000AUD, not including our rings, and the purchase of some special clothing items which have made their way into our regular clothing rotations. We also spent about a month in Queenstown at our family home either side of our nuptials.
Tell us about your outfits.
Considering it was just us, we wanted our outfits to reflect our style beyond our wedding. For Seamus, we opted for a gorgeous Valstar bomber jacket, which he will wear for years to come, and paired this with tailored wool trousers. For Emma, this unique Danielle Frankel 'Naomi' shirtdress included elegant details like the lace cuff tails, and the stunning pearl embellishments, but also allowed me to move freely and hug my children warmly throughout the day. Seamus designed the engagement ring, and we designed our wedding rings together. Again, we wanted to feel comfortable, but special on the day.
What was the most important aspect for you, in terms of planning your wedding?
The most important aspects of our wedding was that it felt authentic, in every moment. Never forced, never rushed, and completely at ease. We just wanted an overwhelming sense of just being ourselves, and being together, which we absolutely did feel on the day.
Were there any elements that were important for you to incorporate?
We wanted to include our children, of course- but only in whatever way felt natural to them. At times, this meant our 4-month old was sleeping soundly while we exchanged vows, or our toddler was trying to take over the photography- but this was wonderful and unexpected and just as it always is in our home. We were also obsessed with the suggestion of a private dining experience in our home after the ceremony- something which allowed us to spend the day with our children, but still have the intimacy of conversation between the two of us over dinner, late into the night.
Any tips for couples getting married?
We felt we struck the perfect balance between investing in something which was truly memorable, and spectacular, while feeling like it reflected this chaotic and blissful stage in our lives. A huge party would not have represented us so perfectly - and we are truly in awe of just how memorable our interactions with each other were. Our advice would be to remain authentic, and don’t forget to spend time on the day with the ones you love most.
Are there any vendors that you would like to tell us a little more about?
The Lovers Co. were just absolutely incredible. We felt as though they were an extension of our family on the day, and there wasn’t a moment we didn’t feel cared for. The day was tailored so perfectly for us, and it was truly a perfect union.
Shout out to Ben at Munch Catering for a private dining experience which was absolutely magnificent.
Photographer : Dawn Thomson Photography @dawnthomsonphoto | Videographer : Woven Images @wovenimages | Ceremony Location : Deer Park Heights, Queenstown NZ | Reception Location :
Family Home, Kelvin Heights, Queenstown NZ | Celebrant : Your Big Day @yourbigdayqt | Styling :
The Lovers Co. @theloverselopementco | Planner : The Lovers Elopement Co. @theloverselopementco | Flora : The Vase Floral Co. @thevasefloral.co | Makeup : Jet Makeup @jetmakeupartist | Hair : Beautiful Bridal Hair @beautifulbridalhair | Catering + Beverages : Ben Batterbury of Munch Catering @munchcateringnz | Cake : Sophie Roseanna Cakes @sophieroseannacakes | Dress : Danielle Frankel @daniellefrankelstudio | Suit : Modern Classic Shop @modernclassicshop Pants + Valstar Jacket @valstarofficial | Engagement + Wedding Rings : Custom Sol’s Diamonds @solsdiamondsmelbourne.com.au | Shoes : Salvatore Ferragamo @ferragamo (Emma) + Berwick 1707 (Seamus) | Headpiece : Maison Michel @maisonmichel
Comments