DEVON + HAYDEN'S DREAMY DAY: Romantic, pastel perfection
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Time to read 3 min
"When it came to planning our wedding, we knew we wanted it to feel deeply personal, relaxed, and surrounded by nature. Central Otago has always held a special place in our hearts, so getting married overlooking Lake Wanaka felt like coming home. Every detail, from the mountain views and pastel florals to the people who helped bring the day to life, made it more magical than we ever imagined."
WHAT MADE YOU CHOOSE TO GET MARRIED IN CENTRAL OTAGO?
I grew up in Christchurch and spent many family holidays in Central Otago. For the last 15 years, my family has been camping and boating on Lake Benmore, and we’ve always loved spending time in both Wanaka and Queenstown. Hayden and I have been living in Sydney, Australia for the past eight years, and every trip back to Central Otago feels like home.
After the long period of border closures during Covid, one of our first trips home was to Central Otago to look at wedding venues. The moment we stepped off the plane, we were in awe. Living in New Zealand, it’s easy to become a bit desensitised to just how breathtaking the landscape is. But after being away, we saw it with fresh eyes. It reminded us just how special it is. I remember saying to Hayden on the drive from Queenstown to Wanaka, “We have to get married here.” And the moment we arrived at Rippon for our first site visit, we fell in love. The views, the Hall, the vines, and of course, the wine. As big wine lovers, it was the perfect spot for us!
DO YOU HAVE ANY DETAILS OR VENDORS FROM YOUR DAY THAT YOU'D LOVE TO GIVE A SHOUTOUT TO?
Absolutely!
Dress: My dress was made by Blanche Bridal in Sydney. I adored the 3D floral detailing, the low back, and the stunning train. Iris was an absolute dream to work with. Every fitting was such a lovely experience.
Jewellery: My wedding set was designed by Louise Jean, a jeweller based on the Sunshine Coast. After getting engaged, Hayden and I travelled up there to design my engagement ring, and later picked out a wedding band that matched it perfectly.
Photography: Our photographers were the amazing husband and wife duo, Charlotte and Bruno from Charlotte Kiri Photography. They made the day feel so relaxed and fun. You spend so much of your wedding day with your photographers, and we couldn’t have chosen better. A day of laughter, a helicopter ride to Coromandel Peak, and every special moment captured beautifully.
Florals: Our flowers were exactly what I envisioned! I worked with the team to bring to life a soft, colourful, whimsical wildflower theme. Our colour palette was a dreamy mix of pastel pinks, yellows, peaches and soft blues. For our ceremony, I wanted the view to be the star, the lake and mountains are what drew us to Rippon in the first place. The flower nest design was perfect. It added such beautiful, delicate colour and framing without taking away from the natural backdrop. I was absolutely in love with it.
Celebrant + Coordination: We worked with Maddy Lloyd from Studio Alchemy as both our celebrant and on-the-day coordinator. Maddy was incredible. She helped with vendor communication in the lead-up, styled the space on the day, and took care of every little detail. Our ceremony was so personal, filled with laughter, happy tears, and a story that truly felt like us.
We feel so grateful to everyone who helped make our wedding day so special. It was filled with joy, love, laughter (and a few happy tears), and we wouldn’t change a thing. One of the most special parts was being able to celebrate with our friends and family, who travelled from all over New Zealand and Australia to be there with us. Being surrounded by our favourite people, in such a beautiful place, made it all the more unforgettable. Thank you to The Green Room Flower Company and all our amazing vendors for helping us create our dream day.
ARE YOU DREAMING OF A FLOWER-FILLED WONDERLAND FOR YOUR SPECIAL DAY?