Today's wedding is a cool, chic, city wedding with a seriously killer dress. I love the simplicity of it yet there are so many unique details. Beautifully photographed by Jessica Higueras of JESSICA PHOTOGRAPHY, I will leave you with some sweet ideas to steal...
Ideas to steal 1. The single stem bridal bouquet and simple bridesmaid flowers dressed with ribbons (unique idea and will save you some mulah!). 2. The black mix and match bridesmaid dresses and shoes (LOVE the boots!) 3. The brides hair and makeup (perfect for a sophisticated modern look). 4. Scout out some great buildings and alleyways in your area for photo backdrops or ask your photographer (they know all the nooks and crannys for great shots!) 5. If you have great legs like the bride Haylee, wear a dress with a split and show off your pins!
Who Dwayne & Haylee Warby
Where The Sapphire Room, Ponsonby Central, Auckland
Guests 120
Dwayne and I met over the dimly lit bar at Tabac in Auckland during a mutual friends birthday celebration. It was in fact two of our friends who decided we would be a good match and took it upon themselves to stage the introduction. I will be forever thankful that they did!
In three words describe your wedding style... Modern, Urban, Relaxed
Yes! The Hens-do involved a pole dancing lesson that culminated in a performance to the group by the bride (hilarious and by far the highlight of the evening), a delicious dinner at Moo Chow Chow with "how well do you know the bride" type quizzes etc., and concluded with drinks and dancing at various bars on Ponsonby Road, with the bride equipped with a list of dares to be completed, of course!
The men spent the afternoon at the races (horse races that is) and the evening at...one guess ... Showgirls! Surprise, surprise!
Splurge The whole affair was a bit of a splurge, really! But I think most wedding's are, right? That being said, we didn't go completely nuts but we had chosen to have the wedding at Ponsonby central with 120-ish people and in doing so accepted there would be certain cost associated with that. It was a special, significant, once in a lifetime occasion and we decided to make the most of it!
Save From the outset I had no desire to have a typical, traditional wedding dress. I had my heart set on something modern that no one would expect that was also more in keeping with the relaxed and modern vibe of our city wedding. I saw a Stella McCartney dress worn by an actress at a movie premier, fell in love and set about finding someone to replicate it. I ended up with the perfect dress that I absolutely adored and because it wasn't your typical wedding dress it didn't come with the hefty price tag either, which was a real bonus!
I had enlisted a friend of mine who is a guitarist and pre-recorded an acoustic version of me singing " I Choose You " by Sarah Bareilles for my walk down the aisle, as a surprise to my hubby-to-be. I thought it was going to be a nice touch but hubby was so caught up with nerves and the excitement of the moment that he didn't even click it was me!
For me, the most difficult part was also the most fun part, which was drafting the ceremony and the wedding vows. The words we said and the promises we made were hugely important to me, so you can imagine the hours and energy spent ensuring we got it just right and did our special moment justice.
Weddings are expensive. I'd firstly suggest accepting that from the outset. I'd secondly suggest being realistic and choosing a wedding "format" that is compatible with your budget expectations. You don't necessarily need to have a huge wedding with all the bells and whistles in order for it to be a special, magical and memorable day! Get creative and do something unique that resonates with you.
Vietnam (Hanoi and Hoi An). Amazing food, a bit of culture, amazing resort on the beach, brilliant hot weather...and my handsome new hubby! It was superb!
CREDITS
Photographer Jessica Higueras of Jessica Photography
Venue The Sapphire Room, Ponsonby
Catering & Event Planning Little Wolf
Makeup Rachelle Fisher Makeup Artist
Hair Terry Whaitiri Hair & Makeup
Brides Dress Nicola Graham of Nicola Dawson Design
Grooms Suit & Accessories Barkers
Rings Louis the Goldsmith
