New Zealand Wedding by Simply Perfect Events & Experiences

Happy Wedding Wednesday, SMPers!  Are you ready for a morning, noon and night of stunning weddings and a plethora of swoon-worthy inspiration to pretty up your day?  We sure hope so, because we have quite the lineup in store for you lovelies - and we just can't wait another minute to share.  So, clear your calendars for a whole lot of gorgeous and don't forget to check out those galleries, where even more pretty awaits!

If I could take a last-minute vacation to anywhere in the world, I'd pack my bags for New Zealand ASAP.  The lovely countryside and breathtaking views never fail to seriously AMAZE me - and when you add a captivating wedding like this one captured by Stellar Photography to the mix, well.  I am over the moon.  All planned brilliantly by Simply Perfect Events & Experiences, there's not a moment of sweet NZ goodness that won't leave you smiling from ear to ear.  Click here for more!

Click here for the FULL wedding!

From the Bride... With Nick being British and me a Kiwi, both currently living in Melbourne, we had guests travelling from all around the world. It was important to us that our wedding day was a true party where everyone could meet, relax and celebrate! Our love of travel, coupled with Nick's fascination with history and the fact that many were travelling to celebrate with us, meant that vintage travel was the obvious theme that we tied in through details. We had so much fun with the planning of the day and working with our florist and our coordinator Sarah to ensure the styling of the day all came together so well! We tried to weave in significant details throughout the day wherever possible — I wore one of my grandmother's silver brooches on my bouquet, and Nick drove to the ceremony with his best man in a Triumph Spitfire, the same car that his parents had on their wedding day in 1972! Tying in London, where we met, we had a double decker bus transport our guests from the ceremony to the reception, and the bridal party arrived in black London cabs. We couldn’t have hoped for a better location for our reception. The Winehouse & Kitchen is quintessentially Kiwi. From framed historic pics of the area and crystal decanters to the historic building itself, it was just perfect. As our friends and family had travelled such a distance, we wanted to show our absolute appreciation, which hopefully we conveyed on our personal handwritten notes to guests at their table settings. We also had a display of our parents/grandparents wedding pictures at the reception, and of course a vintage photo booth to capture some party moments with all our guests that we will truly cherish forever.  

From Simply Perfect Events & Experiences... Guests arrived at Millbrook Resort to a splendid spring day for the couple's ceremony, which was held on the petanque court with swimming ducks and 360 degree mountain views providing the perfect setting. After a short cocktail and canape hour at the Millbrook Clubhouse, guests were transported by a vintage double decker bus to the Winehouse & Kitchen, located in the stunning Gibbston Valley. On arrival the rustic gardens were set up with croquet sets for the guests to enjoy a few fun games before the bridal party arrived from their location pictures.

The venue lends itself so well to a vintage style theme already with the historic cottage feel and a stunning rock floored marquee off the back. White lanterns and pompoms were strung from end to end, and candlelight was a huge element in creating the right ambiance as the night went on. As guests entered the marquee, they were greeted with a rustic French ladder that had the seating arrangement pegged to twine. Mason jars tied with twine complemented the hessian table runners and garden-style flower arrangements on every table. Each individual place setting was set with a small paper bag filled with local pinot noir chocolate truffles, clipped with a small wooden peg attaching the postcard styled place cards (which had a handwritten note from the bride and groom on the back of EVERY one!). Their rustic cheese cake was styled with hessian fabric, figs, dates and amazing toffee creations — local artisan cheese was used to create this lovely feature. After an amazing dinner with local delicacies including New Zealand whitebait and venison, the guests enjoyed the sounds of Kiri and Her 1940s Jazz Club Band (Shari's uncle, who was also the celebrant, happens to be the drummer). It was truly a perfect wedding, and this fantastic couple deserved nothing less.



Wedding Photography: Stellar Photography / Ceremony: Millbrook Resort in Queenstown, New Zealand / Reception: The Winehouse & Kitchen in Queenstown, New Zealand / Event Planning: Simply Perfect Events & Experiences / Floral Design: The Flower Room / Wedding Invitations + Stationery: Papyrus Design / Celebrant: The Bride's Uncle / Band: Kiri and Her 1940s Jazz Club / Wedding Gown: Novia D'Art