Tell us a little about yourselves, what you do, what you love, what is unique about you and your relationship…
Briar: Jonny and I were 18 when he saw me dancing across the court yard of our University Hall of Residence with my friends. I wasn’t interested (and told him so), but his relaxed attitude and lanky physique eventually wore me down and we fell in love.
We are quite different (Jonny is so laid back he’s almost lying down, I’m highly strung; Jonny likes fishing, I’m frightened of boats, Jonny likes the Foo Fighters, I can’t stand them) but we adore each other and ultimately share the same priorities – being beside the sea and spending time with whānau (family).
Tell us about your special day, was there a specific theme or style? Tell us a little about the setting, the styling and some of your favourite details…
We were married at Te Moenga Lodge overlooking Lake Taupō. I grew up there so the location was a natural fit.
We didn’t have a specific theme in mind when we started (I always found it stressful when vendors asked me what my theme was because I had no idea). All I knew was that I wanted a wedding where everything hung from the ceiling (as opposed to sitting on tables).
This lead to the establishment of “Team Build”, consisting of myself, Jonny, my Dad and our fantastic designer, Apurva Bhatt.
Dad spent weekends building ladders and we all worked together making table signs and other wooden pieces to style the wedding. My favourite wooden pieces were a series of signs with famous Winnie the Pooh quotes about love (I was a big fan growing up).
One of our main focuses was thinking about how we could hang a ladder above every table, with a table name hanging from the middle rung, with edison drop lights and greenery weaved through every rung, without ever seeing the inside of the marquee. Needless to say a lot of rope was involved and I was extremely relieved the day before the wedding when it all came together.
It was important to us that our wedding was bicultural. I took a break from working in 2017 to study te reo Māori full time so we wanted our wedding to recognise both languages and cultures. We wrote our vowels and said them in Māori and English. We also asked our anglican minister and friend, Pāpā Kerry to use as much te reo as possible in the service.
Tell us about your main outfits:
Briar: I wore an Anna Schimmel gown for the formalities and then switched to a Miss Crabb mini dress for dancing. Mum insisted I wear a veil (“because you only get to wear a veil once!”) and it really added to the overall look I was going for – elegant and timeless.
My favourite part of my outfit was my shoes. I had literally shopped the world looking for the “perfect” wedding shoes and, when I couldn’t find what I was looking for, I decided to design and embellish my own with Shoes of Prey.
Jonny: I wore an MJ Bale blazer with Rembrandt trousers and accessories. It was important to us that I wore an outfit which was formal but a little bit different (I didn’t want to wear a plain blue or black suit) so the white trousers helped mix things up a bit!
What were some of the most memorable/unique moments from the day?
Briar: My favourite moment was when I stood to do my speech. We’ve been to a lot of weddings and the bride doesn’t always speak but I knew it was something I had to do. When I spoke in te reo Māori, the language which I’d invested so much of myself in the previous year, it was like the world stopped. I looked at my Dad and there were tears rolling down his face. I will never forget that.
Jonny: Some memorable moments from the day were sharing a beer with my brothers before the guests started to arrive, taking in the setting and what we had achieved and then watching the cars coming up the driveway transporting the newest Mrs Peat.
Any advice for other couples planning to spend the rest of their lives together?
Briar: It’s worth the effort. Work out what’s important for both of you and find a happy medium. Involve people you trust to lend a hand and who you know don’t mind putting in some hours. Don’t lose sight of the fact that it is just one day, make sure everyone has a chance to enjoy it when it arrives.
Jonny: Trust in your relationship, there is no blueprint. Be open to advice but never forget only you and your partner truly understand your relationship dynamic. Be patient, be kind and always remember happy wife, happy life.
Photographer: Black Robin Photography Ceremony & reception location: Te Moenga Lodge, Taupō Celebrant: Pāpā Kerry Davis Styling: Briar Peat; LL Furniture Hire; Taupō Hire Design: Apurva Bhatt at Indigo Eleven Lighting: Vintage and style Flora: XOX Floral Catering: Yum Food Company Cake: Spongedrop Briar’s wedding dress: Anna Schimmel Briar’s dancing dress: Miss Crabb Groom & Groomsmen’s attire: MJ Bale & Rembrandt Rings: Naveya & Sloane & Walker & Hall Shoes: Briar’s – Custom designed from Shoes of Prey and embellished by Briar & Jonny’s: Rembrandt Hair & Makeup: Crème Brulee Bridesmaids: Moochi
