New Zealand Weddings

This may be the most epic engagement session of all time! For three days, this stylish couple explored the Wanaka region of New Zealand’s South Island, accompanied by Feather and Stone Photography. Their adventures took them through rolling hills plus stunning fields of lupins and lavender, on a helicopter flight to the top of a mountain, and beside tranquil glacial waters. Umm…Can you say, “Yes, please!”? Obviously, this is a gallery that cannot be missed and is seriously the best way to start your week.

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From Feather and Stone… Edith and Brian live in Hong Kong and are planning a Bali destination wedding with Paper Diamond Weddings, but for their pre-wedding photoshoot, they wanted to travel to a destination full of grand landscapes and sweeping scenery. After much deliberation, they settled on New Zealand, and after many months of planning for their shoot, we all rendezvoused in Wanaka on the South Island. We planned the itinerary and styled the entire three day shoot including multiple gowns and outfit changes, hair and makeup, stunning floral design, and beautiful handwritten calligraphy vows. For three days, we ventured throughout the entire region, wandering through fields of wildly growing lupins, taking early morning helicopter flights to the tops of mountains, frolicking in lavender fields, exchanging private vows beside a glacial lake, and walking through the rolling hills of the Lindis Valley. We created imagery and shared an experience that none of us will ever forget.

Photography: Feather and Stone Photography | Floral Design: Rock N Rosie | Wedding Dress: MXM Couture | Wedding Dress: Odylyne the Ceremony | Hair + Makeup: Connor Adams Makeup | Calligraphy: Seniman Calligraphy | Headpieces: Anna Marguerite | Location: Wanaka Lavender Farm | Silk Ribbons: Tono Co | Velvet Ring Box: The Mrs Box

Ohhh Julie Paisley, I like your thinking here. After photographing this darling duo say “I do”, she stayed around a bit longer and captured their fresh honeymoon love in person. Add in the insane beauty of New Zealand and these pics are (almost) too good to be true. Not only is the idea brilliant, but the finished results are the best newlywed gift we can imagine!

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From Julie Paisley… In March I traveled to New Zealand to shoot the wedding of Emily and Ben. Emily and I had met when I traveled to New Zealand a few years ago and when she contacted me to come back to shoot her wedding, I was beyond thrilled! They got married in Auckland, New Zealand which is in the North Island but decided to travel down to the South Island for a little “mini-moon”. Of course I was more than thrilled to follow them down for a Honeymoon Session. New Zealand is unreal and of course I loved Emily and Ben so having a chance to photograph them again was such a joy. This session was so surreal for me. The views, their love, oh how I wish everyone would hire me for an honeymoon session. These types of sessions are so amazing and I love to offer these for my destination brides. If you are having a destination wedding, talk to your photographer about staying an extra day; you will be glad you did!

Photography: Julie Paisley Photography | Floral Design: Julie Paisley Photography | Wedding Dress: Emily Riggs

When it comes to wedding portraits, we’ve seen couples climb over rocks, withstand rain, trek through forests, etc. just to get the perfect shot. But I think this duo tops them all with their helicopter ride to Roy’s Peak in New Zealand. Janna Brown went along for the ride and infused her gorgeous styling into these images from Katie Grant. The view is too good to miss—come along for the ride.

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From Janna Brown Design Co.… The bride and groom, along with our team, were whisked away by helicopter before sunrise and set atop Roy’s Peak. We watched the sun rise over the horizon and cast golden light upon the most breathtaking view of New Zealand’s landscape. Our bride donned a stunning Lee Grebenau gown that glistened in the morning sun, and was adorned with a lush bouquet of garden roses in peach hues. The groom, dapper in his custom tux, lead his bride to the edge of the peak and embraced her in an epic moment of beauty.

Photography: Katie Grant Photography | Floral Design: Janna Brown Design Co. | Gown: Lee Grebenau | Hair and Makeup: The Pretty Parlour | Creative Direction + Styling: Janna Brown Design Co. | Film Lab: Atkins Pro Lab | Gown Provider: SPINA | Paper Goods: Bohemian Ink | Silk Ribbon: Silk and Willow

Nadia and Ray wanted to capture those special moments before they officially became husband and wife, so they called on Katie Grant and Janna Brown Design for a pre-wedding shoot they’ll always remember. With Nadia donning a couture gown and statement bouquet, they explored the majestic landscapes of New Zealand in incredible style and the resulting images – simply put – are everything.

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Our bride and groom, Nadia and Ray opted for a pre-wedding adventure throughout New Zealand prior to their Bali wedding celebration. Donning a Zanzis Couture gown, Nadia sauntered along the shore at Lake Wanaka, with a beautiful landmark in the distance. Known as the “Lone Tree of Lake Wanaka,” it is said to be one of the most photographed trees in all New Zealand. To offset the haze and muted tones of the overcast day, Nadia carried a hand-tied bouquet of garden roses, blueberries, and fruiting plum branches.

Photography: Katie Grant Photography | Floral Design: Janna Brown Design Co. | Wedding Gown: Zanzis Couture | Calligraphy: Michaela McBride Calligraphy | Bridal Shop: SPINA | Creative Direction + Styling: Janna Brown Design Co. | Film Lab: Atkins Pro Lab | Ring Box: The Mrs Box | Silk Ribbon: Silk and Willow

What a way to kickstart a marriage! Forgoing the traditional wedding route at home, these two Floridians traveled around the globe to New Zealand and said “I do” among lakes, mountains and so much natural beauty, it’s almost too picture perfect to believe. Luckily, Sunshine Weddings – Film & Photo were along for the ride to capture it all – and even luckier for us, we get to enjoy the finished product right this minute!

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From Sunshine Weddings – Film and Photo… Floridians Kristen and CJ chose their wedding location on a remote lake in New Zealand because of our films. So there was a bit of pressure! They were the sweetest couple on their first “big adventure” together and asked us to photograph and film their day. The brief was to show off New Zealand to give family and friends a real sense of being there when they saw the photos and watched the film. Kristen and CJ’s ceremony was by Moke Lake, a remote pristine lake surrounded by mountains not far from Queenstown. As animals are a big part of their lives (Kristen studied and works with animals) we took them for a photoshoot in a sheep paddock with new lambs running free. For the ultimate NZ experience we sent their driver home and hijacked them to find some New Zealand native bush. A time of cool calm surrounded by birdsong which really rounded off the day.

For us the best part of working on Kristen and CJ’s wedding was sharing much of what we love most about NZ. In return they gave us the gift of their enthusiasm and being a part of a life-changing day. No one stopped smiling! Kristen told us her Dad cried when he saw their wedding film (the only time she’s seen him cry) and said it was the best film he had ever seen, so we think we hit the brief.

One thing too that Kristen didn’t mention – her ring was her Grandmothers and CJ’s ring was made by a local Queenstown jeweler from a New Zealand 50c coin. The rings are photographed in a Paua shell from their hotel room which is an iconic NZ abalone-like shell.

From the Bride… We met seven years ago in our hometown, Plant City, Florida. CJ was a senior in high school and I was a sophomore! He was the teacher’s assistant for our college level world history class and a tech in the drama program I acted in! I had such a huge crush on him for a while until a mutual friend found out and told him! We went on dates for a few months and then started dating! We have been together everyday since!

After being together four years, we went to Discovery Cove in Orlando, Florida to swim with dolphins! CJ to my surprise had arranged for a dolphin to bring me a buoy with the words “Kristen, will you marry me?” on it! He also spent forever tracking down a ring that I had just mentioned I thought was pretty and never thought anymore of it. He tracked the lady down on Etsy. CJ had her make the same one and shipped it from California to him! Such a romantic!

We have always wanted to travel and see more of the world! When we got engaged, we made the decision to make good on that promise and start off our marriage with traveling. Since the beginning of our relationship, we always dreamed of seeing New Zealand in person so it was a no brainier once we decided to marry abroad!

We wanted to find the spot that screamed “I am in New Zealand!” Since our family was not able to come with us to see our big day and would only be able to see our video and pictures, being in a very natural, beautiful spot was pretty important to us.

We picked our location through watching Sunshine Weddings beautiful videos! When we first viewed the video of Moke Lake, it took our breath away. It was absolutely gorgeous and perfect! It actually is really coincidental because the video that we watched of the location that we fell in love with was actually a video of the wedding planner we ended up hiring! So she basically planned her entire wedding over again and she did an amazing job!

We did our planning a bit differently than most since we weren’t able to bring anything over to include in the wedding, and we didn’t get to see any of the preparations in person until walking down the aisle. But there was one personal element I made sure to include in our big day. My grandma basically raised me and absolutely loved CJ when we were dating. Unfortunately, she passed away before our big day. Before she passed, she gave me a necklace that my grandpa had given to her. On our wedding day, in our hotel, I wrapped her necklace around my bouquet stem so I could hold a piece of them during our wedding. It was something small, but meant a lot to our ceremony.

What’s our favourite memories of the day? More like, what wasn’t our favorite memory?! It’s so hard to pick a few when the entire day was absolutely amazing! Rescuing a baby sheep, hiking through the bush in my wedding dress, almost getting charged at by an angry mom sheep… I could go on!

One of the best memories of that day though, include that feeling of walking down the little bridge and around the hill to see the stunning scenery and set-up of the archway, and my soon-to-be husband smiling at me with the biggest grin! It was such a beautiful moment! I hadn’t had the opportunity to see Moke Lake, our flowers, archway, or anything in person until that moment. So it was so overwhelming to see all of it at once with the thought “I am the luckiest girl in the world, I get to marry my best friend in the most beautiful spot in the world!”

One other memory I would say is both my husband and my favorite would be when we were in the midst of doing our filming shoots, Scott decided the perfect shot would be with our feet in the water! So as my husband is helping me get seated on the bridge and helping me with my shoes, we sit down to see Scott waist deep in freezing cold water in his underwear! It was hilarious! Melissa said she hoped that was the first and last time Scott takes his pants off at a wedding!
I did my planning a bit different since it was in a different country, but I would definitely say in my situation there are a few things I would recommend:
1. Hire a wedding planner if you feel overwhelmed! Honestly, even if you don’t feel overwhelmed, I would still get one! Sarah made it so all I had to do was answer a few questions and show up! She took care of every bit of the details and I couldn’t have planned it better even if I had an extra year to do it! She knew the best places with the best prices for everything so it ended up saving me money in the long run too!
2. Hire a really great photographer/cinematographer! This is a big one! I can’t emphasize enough how much I love our moments that were captured by our filming/photo company we hired. The video made it even more amazing and it was so beautifully done that we could watch it over and over again and never get tired of seeing it. It was our own personal movie!
3. Enjoy your big day! If you do it right, you will only have one! No matter if it rains, snows, your dress button pops off and loosens it (happened to me), you get a few bugs in your veil (also happened to me!), no matter what happens… don’t sweat it! This is YOUR magical, amazing day and nothing should damper your mood!

Photography: Sunshine Wedding Films | Cinematography: Sunshine Wedding Films | Event Planning: Simply Perfect Weddings | Floral Design: The Flower Room | Hair + Makeup: Collective Hair and Makeup | Celebrant: Phillipa Cook | Accomodations: The Rees Hotel | Wedding Arch: Queenstown Wedding Hire

You’ve planned the ultimate destination wedding, only problem is? You were so busy planning that you never had the chance to take engagement photos. Well, fear not because thanks to Alyssa and Bill we’re telling you that it’s totally okay (if not absolutely necessarily) to have your engagement session the day before the big celebration. Think of it as a final farewell to your fiancé(e) title and see how it’s done Ben Yew Photography captured it all in The Vault!

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From Ben Yew Photography…This amazing engagement session was captured in New Zealand. We did a few random stops during our drive around the south of New Zealand. The view was just spectacular! Alyssa & Bill travelled from U.S to elope here the next day. Everything about this place is just breathtaking, loving the colors of Lupins in the clear and amazing backdrop.

Photography: Ben Yew Photography + Film | Location: Lake Pukaki

Prepare to embark on a visual journey, because Louise and Lars’ wedding? It’s beyond. From the hint of Tuscan details, the Bride’s beautifully boho gown, this celebration had got chic written all over it, but the best part? They had their ceremony poolside and the results were nothing short of spectacular. The incredible Katie Grant Photography was on hand to capture it all and we’ve got it waiting in The Vault!

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From Katie Grant Photography…Refined bohemian is a hard style to pull off…but that’s just what Louise and Lars successfully did in their extremely elegant, slightly bohemian, relaxed (yet formal) destination wedding on Waiheke Island. With a hint of Tuscan and a touch of Boho-Chic, this wedding was a visual feast. Lengths of lush olive branches lined the tables and walls of the venue, as well as starring in the dainty floral bouquet, boutonnieres and sweet floral crowns by Leaf & Honey. Louise was stunning in her Rue De Seine boho wedding gown and was complimented perfectly by a formally clad Lars in his dashing tux. The ceremony stole the show as the couple said their vows in front of a stunning backdrop of wild New Zealand islands and bays. It was a glorious, sunshine filled day that reflected the natural beauty and wonder of Waiheke Island…from it’s crystal blue bays to its wild, rolling hills- it is one of the most picturesque places in the world.

Photography: Katie Grant Photography | Coordination: Waiheke Island Wedding and Events | Floral Design: Leaf & Honey | Wedding Dress: Rue De Seine | Bride's Shoes: Louboutin | Venue: Waikopou

Nikki and Aran are Beyoncé and Jay Z crazy in love. How do I know? After getting engaged on Christmas day, the two were bursting with so much love that they decided they wanted to be married as soon as possible. Ten weeks later, and in front of 65 of their closest friends and family, the duo became husband and wife at this romantic hilltop wedding. Experience all the love, thanks to Bayly & Moore, in The Vault!

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From Wonder Events…Nikki & Aran are two people crazy in love. They got engaged on Christmas Day and were SO bursting with wanting to get married that they pulled out all the stops and 10 weeks later were standing on top of a hill, on beautiful Waiheke Island celebrating their wedding with all of their loved ones. Just to add to dramatic effect there was even a wild little storm that happened perfectly on cue when all the guests were tucked up inside the marquee enjoying their meals.

We opted for a simple neutral colour palette of whites and greens down two long tables. Guest numbers were around 65 people so naturally this created an intimate setting. A light wood runner anchored the florals in a slightly more contemporary way that worked in well with the rustic Tuscan setting. Menus were printed on crisp white linen napkins which sat atop glass beaded chargers complemented by crystal glassware and rose gold cutlery. A large polystyrene N&A stood tall on the dancefloor with soft fabric draping and fairy lights a focal point of the ceiling.

Photography: Bayly & Moore | Floral Design: Blush Floral Stylist | Venue: Lavender Hill | Event Planning + Styling: Wonder Events | Furniture Hire: Arkade | Lighting + Drapery: La Lumiere

Time to break out the bubbly, because this classic garden inspired affair is worth toasting to. For not only did this darling duo utilize the SAME local designer (unbeknownst to them) for their wedding day looks, but they also managed to keep said fact a secret until the day of. I mean – talk about styled soulmates! With Maria Lamb Photography behind the lens snapping up every moment of sentiment this is one gallery that we’re going to cherish for years to come. See it all in The Vault!

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From The Bride…Our wedding was a dream. It was such an amazing feeling seeing everything come together exactly as we’d envisioned. Starting from scratch, hours of hard work and planning were put in – months of gardening, late nights assembling invitations, planning the menu, writing vows, choosing the music and countless other projects done by Egan, Amelia and their family and friends.

The ceremony was perfectly imperfect, laughter and tears all the way through and a surprise live performance of our favorite song organized by the Maid of Honor.

The reception was held at Amelia’s family home where she grew up, a dream her mother always had of a family wedding at the property. The skies opened up just as we all sat down to eat, but that didn’t stop us having our first dance in the rain, barefoot and carefree, and much to our surprise, all of our guests joining in too! We have never experienced such joy and elation as we did in that moment. It’s hard to describe how much love and emotion was felt on the day by everyone but it was something truly special that will never be forgotten. The guests stayed over in tipi’s spotted amongst the trees and the celebrations continued over the weekend with a bbq the following day before the couple disappeared off to Bali for ten days of absolute bliss.

Photography: Maria Lamb | Cinematography: Pilot Films | Floral Design: Leaf & Honey | Engagement Ring: Naveya And Sloane | Rings: Petra Bettjeman | Catering: Appresso | Makeup: Kate Solley | Hair: Natalie Dent | Groomsmen Attire: Barkers | Venue: At Home | Earrings: Thomas Sabo | Film Processing: PhotoVision Prints | Marquee: Raj Tent Club NZ | Outdoor Lighting: Maree And Co | Rentals: Boutique Barn | Tipis: Taylor & Bell

Reason number 1,416 why you should hire a videographer for your wedding comes courtesy of this beautiful Bride and Groom: “Since most of our family and friends wouldn’t be able to attend, we agreed that having a beautiful video of our wedding day to share was a priority.” And thanks to Sunshine Weddings – Film & Photo, they got the video — and the wedding — of their dreams! See every magic moment from their special day now in The Vault!

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From The Bride and Groom…Q: Tell us about yourselves. How did you meet? How did you get engaged?
A: (Jackson) Outside of my regular career in finance, I follow my lifelong passion for music. I met Maridith at a very old, very small church in Houston where I sang on Sundays. After many a hot summer Sunday catching each other for quick chats after the service, I finally asked her out. Several years and an overseas secondment later, I asked her to be my wife. Through her devoted love of travel, we have explored so many breathtaking parts of the world, and our wedding in Queenstown was definitely no exception.

Q: Tell us about any DIY or personal elements included in your wedding.
A: (Maridith) The gorgeous backdrop of Stoneridge Estate and Cecil Peak didn’t need much as far as decor, but with Jackson’s love of music, we had to include a little something special. By luck we found an amazing cellist, Tomas Hurnik, willing to travel from Christchurch for the day to play the most beautiful Bach suites. His music filled the tiny chapel and added the perfect personal touch to our ceremony.

Q. What did you envision your wedding being prior to planning?
A: (Maridith) While I’d always loved the idea of running away together, a destination wedding on the other side of the world wasn’t something Jackson (very much a traditionalist) had ever really considered. But once we started cultivating the idea of a “weddingmoon” to celebrate our marriage and his growing love for travel, it was full steam ahead! An intimate church ceremony, where we could both enjoy the day and really focus on the commitment we were making to each other was what we ultimately envisioned. Having lived for a while in Australia and always regretting not making it over to New Zealand, it didn’t take long to decide it would be the perfect place to begin married life and indulge in a honeymoon adventure.

Q: What was the inspiration behind the day?
A: (Maridith) In two words, relaxed and happy. We both wanted our wedding day to be one that we could look back on and remember all the little details and what we were feeling in those moments, creating a day that was relaxed leading up to the ceremony and that let every happy moment sink in. Having the amazing Minetta at The Wedding Company to organize all the vendors and details certainly helped to make that happen!

Q: Tell us about your choice of wedding location.
A: (Maridith & Jackson) That part was easy–once deciding on New Zealand as our destination, it essentially came down to “where do Melissa and Scott from Sunshine Wedding Films travel?” Since most of our family and friends wouldn’t be able to attend, we agreed that having a beautiful video of our wedding day to share was a priority. We came across Melissa and Scott’s films in researching elopement style weddings and fell absolutely in love with their work. From there, Queenstown and the magnificent views from The Chapel by the Lake at Stoneridge Estate was where we finally landed. Queenstown weather certainly delivered on the day, and we came back with a fantastic film and stunning photos that truly captured the best moments from the day.

Q: Tell us about your flowers, your gown etc.
A: (Maridith) I had the most gorgeous bridal bouquet done by Sarah at The Flower Room, Queenstown. The pale pink peonies mixed with peach roses and freesia were perfection. She also did my lovely bridesmaid Claire’s bouquet and a precious halo for her sweet daughter and our flower girl, Chloé. My dress was actually a round two selection! Breaking the cardinal rule of wedding dresses, I fell in love with another Tadashi Shoji dress after purchasing the first. The delicate lace and keyhole back of the second were exactly what I’d envisioned.

Q: Favourite memories of the day.
A: (Maridith & Jackson) We had so many memorable moments from the day! One of our favorite memories was getting to celebrate with a dozen friends who literally traveled to the ends of the earth to support and celebrate with us. We’re eternally grateful. The heli ride to Cecil Peak with pristine views of Lake Wakatipu after our ceremony is definitely another moment we’ll always cherish.

Photography: Sunshine Wedding Films | Cinematography: Sunshine Wedding Films | Event Planning: Minette Hope - The Wedding Company | Floral Design: The Flower Room | Wedding Dress: BHLDN | Ceremony Venue: Chapel By The Lake | Reception Venue: Cecil Peak, Queenstown | Hair + Makeup: Crew Stylists Of Hair | Bridal Boutique: BHLDN | Cellist: Tomas Hurnik | Helicopter: Heliworks

Grab your bikini and put on your sunnies, because this New Zealand engagement shoot from Celine Chhuon Photography is almost as good as a beach vacation. The black sand beach, the white sand dunes, the dramatic cliffs, and that wild and gorgeous moth vine bouquet add up to create some seriously breathtaking photos. Escape to all the pretty in The Vault!

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Bethells beach is the epitome of the natural beauty of New Zealand, it is not only surrounded by the ocean but also rocks, caves, white sand dunes and freshwater streams. Maddie and Theo wanted to incorporate this organic beauty into the details such as shells, salt and fern (National symbol), and Sarah the florist created this gorgeous wild bouquet with Moth vines.

Photography: Celine Chhuon Photography | Floral Design: Horrobin And Hodge | Wedding Dress: A La Robe | Stationery + Calligraphy: Nice Plume | Venue: Bethells Beach | Film Processing: Carmencita Film Lab

“We’re happy people, we like happy films.” And with that, I knew I was going to really like Sunshine Weddings – Film & Photo. I eagerly dived in to learn more about this husband and wife dynamic duo who capture weddings all around Queenstown, New Zealand. They’ve got all the right info on where to get inspired and how to choose that wedding videographer that best tells your story. See it all below – and head over to their profile to see some of their best work!

1. How did you get into wedding films?

It’s been many years now! Scott started way back in the day with large bulky video cameras and long (pretty dull) documentary edits. A wedding photographer friend of his suggested he should look at wedding videography as at that time there was no one local doing it. He had been a professional skydiver and was looking for a new direction after a bad crash. I have a background in publishing with a design degree and studied photography so it made sense that after we met and married I joined the team. It’s been evolving ever since.

2. What’s your personal motto, or a phrase that inspires you creatively?

Making people smile.

3. Can you describe your aesthetic in three words?

Individual: The biggest thing for us is that every film should reflect the couple’s individual personalities. We don’t work to formulas and never start with preconceived ideas about how it should be. Rather the filming, editing, audio, music and even colour grade will be informed by what we know of the couple and the wedding day itself.

Happy: We’re happy people, we like happy films. That doesn’t mean that’s all they’re about, wedding days are layered events with a huge range of emotion involved so there will possibly be parts in there that will bring a tear to the eye too. However every wedding we have been to is overwhelmingly a happy affair so we want people to simply feel good after watching one of our films.

Real: It can be a challenge to make films that remain about a couple and not about the filmmaker or editor. We film real people, not actors or models so it’s not always about the most beautiful shot or a tricky filming technique but simply capturing and telling the story in an authentic, honest way. Being able to do this really comes down to the relationship and trust we have with couples so this is an important part of the process.

4. What are three things you can’t live without?

1. Family: Our daughter is about to turn three and is getting more interesting and funnier every day (and louder).
2. Good wine and conversation at the end of a long day.
3. Laughter.

5. Where do you find inspiration?

In wide open spaces and time to let the mind wander, think randomly and be open to whatever comes along.

6. What’s your favorite social media platform?

We’re a bit late to it but are getting a little addicted to Instagram. Clients have been loving an extra 15sec Instagram teaser clip and we will be doing wedding photography as well as films for summer 2015-2016 so we are looking forward to putting some new work up.

7. What is a film detail that often gets overlooked, that you wish got more attention in the planning process?

Time. And by that I mean a couple allowing more time on the day to relax and experience the moment. As filmmakers it’s the spontaneous, candid moments we want to capture. And these don’t happen when a stressed couple is running from place to place following a ridiculously tight schedule! It’s your wedding day, stop and enjoy it and we’ll get those moments on film.

8. What do you think is the most important question a client can ask, when deciding who to hire for their wedding’s filmmaker?

Who does your editing? Whether it’s an in-house editor with strong studio interaction and a consistent style or freelancers. Good post production takes a long time and especially for large, busy studios it’s often necessary to outsource editing from a business perspective. However it’s such an integral, creative part of the process. If the editor is a person you develop a relationship with before the day, who gets to know you, films on the day, so knows every moment captured, talks to your friends and family, experiences the atmosphere and emotion of the wedding and sees from first hand experience what you’re all about, it will make for a more personal film. Editing and post-production is where all the puzzle pieces come together and the story starts. Scott edits all our films and when working on a wedding film we both critique throughout the process and ask 1. Does this reflect the couple and 2. Is this a “Sunshine” film.

9. What’s been your proudest professional accomplishment as a wedding filmmaker?

Spending up to 20 hours on a wedding day and travelling home with Scott knowing that we still like each other and respect each others work.

10. When you’re not working, what do you like to do for fun?

Going on family adventures, beach trips, mountain biking, making stuff, good wine and conversation, cooking… We’re incredibly lucky that we live in a peaceful, beautiful part of the world and have the freedom to do these things.
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See some of Sunshine Weddings – Film & Photo’s best clips here!

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Photography: Sunshine Wedding Films | Videography: Sunshine Wedding Films | Calligraphy: Lauren

Get ready dear readers because we’re about to bring a dose of sunshine to your screen. Thanks to the talented hands of Wanaka Wedding Flowers paired with the talented lens of Fluidphoto this is one inspiration you’re going to want to pin PRONTO! From the fab floral crown, to the something blue seating, we’ve got it all waiting in THE VAULT!

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From Blossom and Lace was inspired by all the cherry blossom in spring as it creates a romantic theme and works well with a lace dress and feathers. We wanted to incorporate some vintage ware and Shirley from Wanaka Wedding Flowers styled the shoot in her own garden under 25 cherry trees that line the drive as well as using items from her large range of hire props. Just like with a real wedding, some special props were used. One prop was an Ostrich feather cape which Shirley’s father brought back from South Africa in 1949 when he played rugby there with the New Zealand All Blacks. Pri from Ican models had the look in that gorgeous gown by Essense of Australia , enhanced by Janine our make up artist and Sally, the hair stylist, to create something exotic while Ruth, from Fluidphoto, captured it all.

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Photography: Fluidphoto Ruth Brown | Floral Design: Wanaka Wedding Flowers | Wedding Dress: House Of Kavina, Hilary Samuelson | Makeup Artist: Janine Joseph | Hairstylist: Sally Sharp | Linens: Pacific Linen, Jody Van Strik | Model: Victoria Booth - ICAN Models

Oh my goodness—and I mean GOODness. This inspiration shoot from the geniuses at Sweet Events Photography, De Coeur A Coeur and Weddings By Paris is making me giddy. Let’s start with those insanely beautiful Rue De Seine wedding dresses (especially the beaded one!). And then there’s the gorgeous flowers, the bright white loft, the sweet cake, and the minimal yet organic decor. But that’s not all. Head to THE VAULT for all the beauty!

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The bride is in stunning Rue De Seine gowns. The Jasmine gown adorned in beautiful heavy metal hand embroidered details and the Mackenzie an understated gown with a stunning french lace bodice. Both gowns different to each other but both suiting the diversity of the venue. Their hair simple yet organic with a touch of sparkle in their eyes. Holding bouquets of Milano ruscus, grape vine tendrils, large ivy leave, ladder fern and white garden roses tied with plant dyed ribbons.

A simple table setting with handmade ceramics, white gloss cutlery, beautifully detailed glass goblets, white taper candles with a touch of ivy. All set on a soft grey satin with beautiful white french bistro chairs. Understated yet classic with its minimal organic features. The ceremony space fit for a princess. White french bistro chairs with pillar candles lining the aisle following through to a beautiful broken arch made out of ivy. Against an exposed brick wall. All details being natural and uncomplicated.

A stationery suite so simple and clean with beautiful soft grey calligraphy, an embossed silver wax seal and transparent paper to wrap the invite. The two tier cake adding texture and depth, bottom tier covered in coconut flakes adding texture and the top tier covered in silver dribble. Just as yummy as it looks.

Each detail of the shoot was thought out to follow through from one another. A cohesive shoot to showcase each element individually as well as together.

Photography: Sweet Events Photography | Cinematography: De Coeur A Coeur | Floral Design: Florrie's | Wedding Dresses: Rue De Seine | Cake: Magnolia Kitchen | Stationery: Just My Type | Makeup: Blac Cosmetics | Hair And Makeup: Estelles Makeup | Venue: The Quay Project | Ceramic Dinnerware: Claybird Ceramics | Creative Direction And Event Styling: Nicole Paris / Weddings By Paris | Ribbon: Feathers And Stone

A beautiful film, a beautiful couple and beautiful words spoken by the groom, this sweet-as-can-be film from Sunshine Wedding Films is filled with heart. And has pretty as it all is, it’s the emotion that you feel in every moment that truly touches you, and to me, there is nothing better than that.

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From Sunshine Wedding Films…Sarah and Siua are from Australia (Siua is originally from Dunedin, NZ) and they travelled over to Queenstown for their wedding. Family and friends came from all over – NZ, Tonga and Australia. The wedding reception was filled with impromptu dancing, cultural performances and possibly the most beautiful speech from a groom we’ve heard. Sarah warned that Siua could write Hallmark cards for a living and you’ll be able to tell why.

Photography: Alpine Image Company | Cinematography: Sunshine Wedding Films | Styling: Mint Events | Venue: Heritage Hotel, Queenstown

I have the biggest crush on this gorgeous wedding from Bubblerock. And the moment you lay eyes on the angelic bride and her ethereal Anna Campbell dress, the fresh bouquets against the breezy hue of the bridesmaids’ dresses, the romantic and bohemian beach ceremony, and the adorable wedding party, you will too. Just look at this flower girl—could she be any more precious? Fall for it all here.

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From Bubblerock… Such an elegant affair by the Beach for Lou and Brad’s wedding. They wanted to bring sophistication to the seaside town of Matarangi in New Zealand whilst remaining down-to-earth with a celebration for family and friends alike.

Wearing a gorgeous dress from Australian Designer Anna Campbell, Lou’s beauty and elegance was such a nice contrast with the environment and their beach ceremony was perfection.

They finished the day with an alfresco dinner under the stars and danced barefeet the night away.

Photography: bubblerock | Cinematography: bubblerock | Event Planning: Blissful NZ | Event Styling: On My Hand | Floral Design: On My Hand | Wedding Dress: Anna Campbell | Cake: Spongedrop | Stationery: Ever After Press | Bride's Shoes: Jimmy Choo | Hair & Makeup: Beauty On Demand | Bow Ties: Two Guys Bow Ties | Caterering: Jandals | Film Processing: Carmencita Film Lab | Photography - Assistance: Blanc Coco Photography

When you say “I Do” in the gorgeous lakeside forests of Wanaka Station Park, immense natural beauty of your surroundings means there’s no need for over-the-top decor. This couple did just that, hosting an intimate affair, decked out with soft pastel florals from Wanaka Wedding Flowers (and some seriously cheeky dining chairs!), all captured through the lens of Alpine Image Co. in the gallery here!

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From Wanaka Wedding Flowers… Helen and Adam chose Wanaka for their wedding on 31 January because it was close to their Dunedin home and because it had family connections. Helen said, “It was a special day with wonderful friends and family there to celebrate together.”

Helen chose shades of pink and a hint of blue for her bouquets. We used some roses from Colombia called “Quicksand” with some “Sarah Bernhardt” peonies, a few pale blue agapanthus and some pink gypsophila in the mix. I loved working with Helen — she was a delight and made my job so easy! I wish her and Adam all the best!

Photography: Alpine Image Company | Floral Design: Wanaka Wedding Flowers | Wedding Dress: Je Taime | Catering: Hale Koa phineas Estate | Groom's Attire: Sergios | Celebrant: Jools MacKnight | Wedding Venue: Wanaka Station Park | Wedding Rings: Michael Hill Jewellers

With a beautiful ceremony among nikau palms, this Greenmantle Estate Lodge wedding feels like a tropical paradise. An even closer look reveals amazing vintage finds and DIY touches like hundreds of paper pinwheels and a personalized giant Jenga set, all beautifully captured by My Heart Follows Photography in the full gallery! Plus, don’t miss the heartwarming film by Yashua Lesa Creative below!

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From the beautiful Bride… There had only been a small window of 8 weeks between graduating with an MBA and our big day, with the Christmas & New Year holiday season right smack bang in the middle of that. Up until graduation all focus had been on my study and suddenly there it was less than 2 months to the wedding and a year’s collection of bits and pieces, and ideas and concepts to bring to fruition and make an amazing wedding day. The days had speed by crazily and the week leading up to the wedding was a roller coaster of emotion; tension, excitement, nerves, laughter and tears!

Although notorious for being one of the windiest cities in the world it is also commonly said that you can’t beat Wellington (New Zealand) on a good day and while the long range forecast had threatened rain the 17th of January our wedding day was amazing. It definitely couldn’t have been beat.

We had wanted our guests to be wowed and dreamed up detail after detail to add uniqueness to the day. The venue was the first option we had visited the summer a year earlier, and we looked no further, it offered a one stop shop for all parts of our day, no need even to leave for photos. The amazing nikau grove would transport our guests to another world for the ceremony, the lawn was perfect for relaxed champagne and canapés and the poolside reception area was like tropical resort venue. It was 3 venues in one.

I had also stumbled upon the silk fabric for the bridesmaids dresses 6 months prior to the wedding and fell in love instantly. A bridal shop was shutting down and was able to sell me rolls of the fabric at a steal! One roll was large peonies in various shades of pinks, bright greens and even a tinge of purple on a shimmering ivory background, the other roll was the same but with a black background. The silk was so beautiful it became the key focal point in my mind and an amazing centrepiece for the wedding to be built around – I carried a scrap with me at all times to whip out for matching purposes!

The venue, the choice of fabric, a plethora of magazines and Pinterest pins inspired so many amazing images in my head and the massive challenge was to get these into real life within a reasonable budget and a pretty short time frame, but my fiancé was amazing; nothing I suggested was too much, too hard, too crazy and he played along with all my dreams for the day.

We spent every spare weekend trawling hospice and second hand stores for amazing treasures to add to the wedding decor; crystal and silver bud vases, silver platters, glass jars, bowls and tidbits to add to the detail. We collected huge glass storage jars to build a lolly table of epic proportions. Our craftiness went into overdrive; we folded hundreds of paper pinwheels – to create an amazing colour graduated pinwheel wall. We cut and stenciled piece after piece to create a personalized giant Jenga set. Our guest book was ordered to come from the UK and was a jigsaw puzzle for the guests to leave a message and assemble. And we went all out on the guest favours collecting vintage key rings for the men and sewing silk scarves from the bridesmaid fabric for the women – and then presented the gifts in mason jar for the guests to use and take home.

I stumbled across an amazing dressmaker Zowie Dee who had the skill of reading my mind! Zowie was able to personalize my off the rack Sera Lilly gown and make it even more special and the bridesmaid’s dresses turned out more beautiful than I could have imagined along with the flower girl and even a matching dress for my head bridesmaids baby. My mum had her outfit made in the black version of the silk for contrast. The fabric was a dream and the everyone looked absolutely stunning.

I refused to delegate, but this was my preference, I’m not a control freak but I needed to make sure the images in my head came out exactly as I wanted. The venue commented on the day before the wedding as I set up tables, chairs, napkins and more that I was the first bride who actually did EVERYTHING herself!

The morning of the wedding I had hair in rollers and panic mode full on it but it was like an amazing unspoken delegation evolved, as friends and family arrived to assist and fell into jobs and roles. This just made the day so much more special and our wedding photos show the entire day being pieced together by the special people in our lives. The love and support tinged with excitement and happiness was overwhelming. Finally I was able to relax and feel the excitement of the day! Fifteen minutes prior to the ceremony we had family friends, still not changed into wedding attire, arranging flowers on tables and perfecting detail! But it was fabulous to have everyone hands on!

We relived the day over and over the following few weeks – the work we had put in personally was so made so worthwhile because guest after guest gave us much feedback for showing their appreciation for all the little details – everyone had something that really struck them and created a happy memory – it the best day ever!

Photography: My Heart Follows Photography | Videography: Yashua Lesa Creative | Floral Design: Black Rose Florist | Wedding Dress: Claudine Stace | Cake: Stiletto Studio Cakes | Stationery: Minted | Bridesmaids' Dresses: Zowie Dee | Catering: Creme Cuisine | Groom's Attire: Rembrandt | Groomsmen's Attire: Hallensteins | Venue: Greenmantle Estate Lodge | Hair And Make-up: Claudine Stace | Sugar Flowers For Wedding Cake: Sugar Flowers And Cakes By Carey | Wedding Dress Alteration: Zowie Dee | Wedding Dress Sash: Juli Bridal | Wedding Rings: Michael Hill Jewellers

Even if you consider yourself to be a self-tanning aficionado, doing a trial run at least a week in advance of your Big Day is an absolute must. Before the main event, make sure your entire body has been thoroughly exfoliated, and that any necessary hair removal has taken place at least 12 hours prior, before applying self-tanner, and you’re practically guaranteed a gorgeous, even glow!

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Photography: Jerome Cole Photography

Grab a tissue — this one will definitely pull at your heartstrings. Sunshine Wedding Film captured every special moment of this local couple’s wedding just outside of Queensland, Australia, and it’s absolute perfection. From expansive shots of the idyllic pastoral countryside to tender, emotional moments between the bride and groom, it’s everything we dream a wedding would be.

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Emily and her bridemaids got ready at Millbrook Resort and Scott got ready at his Best Man’s house around the corner at Lake Hayes. With a beautiful recital of a Robbie Burns poem by Emily’s dad, an emotional groom as his bride walked up the aisle and a romantic, impromptu text before the ‘I do’s’ bringing a tear to the eye, this film definitely is one to make you smile.

Photography: Rich Bayley Photography | Cinematography: Sunshine Wedding Films | Coordination: Mint Events | Floral Design: Studio 24 | Cake: Cakes Of Wanaka | Catering: Botswana Butchery | Makeup: Renee Little Makeup Artist | Bride Accomodation: Millbrook Resort | Ceremony And Reception: Mount Soho Winery Events