I am the co-founder and director of a premium women’s shirt label, Harris Tapper, and Harry works in the finance industry. We met when I came back to Auckland from London for a trip home. It was very brief, but there was an instant connection. We stayed in touch off and on for about a year until I decided to move home. We were an item within a month of my arrival. We both grew up in Auckland and have so many mutual friends, it was amazing we hadn’t crossed paths earlier. There are so many things that make our relationship special. We respect each other and admire each other’s drive and independence. Harry is incredibly supportive of my business and what I want to achieve with it. We both appreciate good art and design, so it was fitting o have our reception and Pah Homestead, which is home to the Wallace Arts Trust collection and has its walls covered with amazing art. Throughout, we wanted to have elements that were unexpected. Our overall look was taken from Babylon in the 1800s and colonial times in India. The settings from that era are so beautiful and lush with greenery, and we hadn’t seen that done for a wedding before. Finding all the pieces to make this look was challenging. We had to look beyond what New Zealand had to offer and find supplies. We wanted the look of our bridesmaids and groomsmen to be original. We achieved this with mini pineapples on the groomsmen’s lapels and their slim-cut suits. and the mismatched bridesmaid outfits were a complete contrast to this. It was important to me that my bridesmaids felt like themselves in whatever they wore, so they played a big part in helping to choose their outfits. The brief wasn’t easy! I imagined them to be individual in colour, print and style, but to still look cohesive, which I think we managed to pull off perfectly. My dress was made with five different silks and French tulles, some knife-pleated and some sunray-pleated. My hair pieces were made to order and actually sewn into my hair by my hairdresser. After the ceremony, Harry and I drove off in my dad’s vintage car to the reception. This was an amazing time for Harry and I to decompress and have a moment on our own. We valued that time more than we expected to. Being married has given us a stronger sense of being part of the same team. Going into it, you don’t feel like you can get any closer, but you do. It’s a really nice feeling.
Photography: Danelle Bohane Bride’s dress: Designed herself, made by Vinka Bridal Groom’s suit: Crane Brothers Special Song: ‘Don’t Wait’ by Mapel Bride’s & Bridesmaids’ hair: M11 Studio Groom & Groomsmens’ hair: Room 104 Wedding Rings: Designed by the bride with Naveya & Sloane Hair Pieces: Windsor Bridal Gift Registry: Contribution for art by Matt Arbuckle Wedding Planner: PS I Love You Styling: Designed by the couple, implemented by PS I Love You Entertainment: Sweet Mix Kids Cake: Groom’s Grandmother Ceremony Venue: King’s College Chapel Reception venue: Wallace Arts Centre, Pah Homestead Tents: Raj Tent Club Shoes: Alexandre Birman Bride’s sapphire ring: Her Grandmother’s Bridesmaids’ Dresses: Ganni and Zimmerman Flora: La Femme Fleur Makeup: Esta Rose Catering: Sam Mannering at Pah Homestead
