A Classically Beautiful Waikato Wedding by Lydia Rachel

Some weddings look like so much fun, you feel like you are already part of the family after looking through the photos! Captured by the talented Lydia Rachel, Lindsay & Andrew’s big day is classically beautiful with elegant rustic touches (and with a mobile brewery van and a bunch of fun activities you KNOW a good time was had by all!)

5 Ideas to steal White on white table settings are classically beautiful and the hessian table runner adds a sweet touch of rustic | A floral chandelier is a stunning ceremony or reception centerpiece idea | If you have a backyard or family property that you can use for your venue then go for it! (how stunning is the marquee setup in this wedding!) | Utilize the skills of your friends and family, most will love to get involved (and it might save you some money too!) | Set up some activities to keep your guests entertained (the hole in one golf range is brilliant!)

“Right from the start we knew we wanted an intimate occasion with just our closest family and friends. We wanted our guests to feel special and valued and entertained and it came naturally to both of us that the best place to create this vibe was at my family’s property in the Waikato, where we have partied into the night on many previous occasions! This was very important to us as many of our friends were coming from huge distances overseas to join us. My family is originally from South Africa so it was a huge effort for them to be there for us.”

“I collected old jars and candle holders for months and tinkered away decorating them in lace & hessian, I collected sheets of interestingly decorated paper to make the cones for bridal confetti which we filled with lavender.”

“Because our home is set at the base of Mount Pirongia and is surrounded by native NZ bush we wanted to keep the feel of the wedding quite rustic. This is reflected in the simple white & green floral arrangements we had, plus the old wooden arch and the lace & hessian accents in our table decorations. Sandra from Miss Daisy did an incredible job of creating this look with our floral arrangements, including my wishes a floral chandelier hanging from our arch and for an enormous hanging floral center piece from the marquee!”

“The day was more special then we could ever have imagined, with such a special group of people who knew us both so well, it was amazing how much laughter, tears and reminiscing can be generated! We had so much feedback from all the vendors involved that it was one of the most genuine, fun, emotional weddings they had ever been to!”

“In terms of interesting touches for our guests, we arranged buses from the accommodation in Hamilton out to our property in Pirongia with champagne for all on board. We had a jazz band on arrival and guests were invited to play golf, archery and petanque while the bridal party were off having photos. We also arranged for one of the local breweries to serve beer & cider from their converted kombi van!”

“All family members had a role in creating the special touches of the day. My dad was in charge of guest activities and lovingly turned our family home into a sports arena with a petanque pit, a hole in one golf range and archery! He also constructed our arch from old weathered railway sleepers. Andrews’s grandma made the jam and decorated the jars we used for our favours. My uncle designed and made the rustic frame for which we hung our seating arrangement. My sister’s boyfriend created the rustic tabletops for our bar set up.”

“We decided upon Dish Catering from Hawkes Bay and they excitedly accepted the offer of a road trip to the Waikato and creating their incredible dishes all from our garage!”