Real Wedding: Jesse & Scott – Photography by Barefoot & Bearded

We were introduced nine years ago by friends while holidaying in Thailand. Scottie made me laugh with his questionable dance moves and he’s been finding new ways to make me laugh ever since.

When we first met, I was living in Sydney and Scott was in Newcastle. We travelled back and forth for six years before I moved up the coast. Long distance was difficult but all of the hours spent in the car just proved how much we wanted to be together. Even after being a couple for so long, I was surprised when Scottie proposed after a swim on a secluded beach in New Caledonia. The water was the bluest we had ever seen and Scottie had hidden champagne in his backpack to toast with. We began planning a traditional wedding but soon decided it wasn’t for us. Our motto was to keep things as stress-free as possible and that’s where Anteloping came in. They’re a business that creates adventurous elopements, unique to each couple, and they crafted the most amazing day for us in Queenstown, filled with surprises. After an intimate ceremony at the foot of The Remarkables, we returned to our Airbnb accommodation overlooking Lake Wakatipu where our chef had prepared a feast for us. We ate looking out towards the mountain range where we’d just got married. The table was decorated with whimsical flowers, bronze cutlery and speckled ceramics, rustic and romantic. Scottie chose a tweed blazer because he wanted to wear something that reflected the environment we were getting married in, and I fell in love with the delicate lace and flowing sleeves of my Lover dress. After lunch we hiked back to the top of The Remarkables with our photographer. The silence at the top of the mountain and the view below was breathtaking.