 Two weeks ago we had the pleasure of documenting Sam & Kate’s Invercargill wedding - a day full of fun and love! It has been so awesome getting to know this perfect pair better leading up to this wonderful day. Sam and Kate are the most down to earth, fun-loving couple, so it was no surprise that their bridal party were equally as chilled out and fun! I met the girls in the morning at Do Hair, an awesome salon which was a total dream to photograph in - I might be slightly biased and obsessed with great light, but in my opinion I think all salons should have floor-to-ceiling windows ;) Kate, her Mum and the girls enjoyed a relaxed morning; laughing and joking while Steph Mac worked her makeup genius and Caren did the most AMAZING hair ups I have seen this year! These two ladies are definitely some of the best in the industry!   Meanwhile Matt hung out with the guys, who were having a chilled out morning too. The guys had the most awesome cuff links which came from Hallenstein Brothers. And the blue suits were just perfect!    With the girls all looking stunning, we headed back to Kate’s parents to get the bride into her wedding dress. Belinda from Belle Bridal in Invercargill helped Kate find this perfect dress. Pure elegance and beauty! I even found some late blossom in the backyard to get a little creative with.  Kate had thought of every detail for this wedding, right down to the cutest ring box ever! And the flowers from Windsor Florist were perfect with soft tones of peonies, roses and baby's breath.    Oh Kate...just stunning!  Sam & Kate opted for a ‘first look’ wedding timeline, where they shared a special moment just to themselves before the ceremony and did their bridal party photos then too, giving them the whole afternoon after the ceremony to be with their guests. And the location for their first look couldn’t have been more beautiful, in every sense. Heartbreakingly Sam’s granny passed away the week of the wedding and Kate mentioned to me that Granny had commented how lovely the blossom tree at Sam’s aunty’s would be for photos. And she was so right! It couldn’t have been more perfect.     I loved everything about this bridal party - the blue suits and dresses, their laughter and smiles, Coote’s wicked bowtie and suspenders, right down to how awesome they were about the rain, because well it rained a lot that Saturday afternoon! And everyone just embraced it. Kate’s Mum saved the day with a last minute umbrella purchase and this bridal party rocked them!     Sam & Kate’s ceremony was held at Beersheba Estate on the outskirts of Invercargill. An absolutely gorgeous venue with even more awesome hosts. Celebrant Jenni Dennis officiated the ceremony which was short and sweet, completed with a hilarious reading about dinosaurs from Sam’s sister, Bry.   The first kiss! Not to outshine the bride and groom, but the sweet wee pageboy kinda totally stole the show in this photo!  After the ceremony Sam & Kate spent most of the afternoon relaxing in the courtyard with guests at Beersheba but the newly married couple did steal a quiet moment to themselves in the gardens too.  While guests were arriving to the reception at the Civic, we snuck into the actual theatre with the bridal party for a few photos on the stage. I’m not going to lie - photographing portraits in a dark theatre with no natural light and super powerful stage lighting was an epic challenge for me and had me totally out of my comfort zone, but we had fun! And I love a challenge - it means I'm still learning & growing! :)    The reception at the Civic was lovely - complete with a candy bar for guests and a photobooth which was very well used! Obviously Matt and I joined in the fun at the Photo Booth too ;) After the biggest buffet I've ever seen, some great speeches and a cutting of the cake - the dance floor came alive!    Sam & Kate, I hope you are still buzzing from your truly beautiful wedding day! I feel so privileged to have been a part of it and wish you so much happiness in this new chapter of life for you both. Much appreciation! xo Hair: Do Hair by Caren Mackay
Makeup artist: Steph Mac Wedding dress: Belle Bridal Boutique Bridesmaid dresses: Forever New Suits & cuff links: Hallenstein Brothers Flowers: Windsor Florist Ceremony location: Beersheba Estate, Invercargill Celebrant: Jenni Dennis Reception venue: The Civic Theatre, Invercargill Cake: The Purple Strawberry Catering: Elmwood Catering Band: Dave Kennedy Photobooth: Envious Wedding co-ordinator: BASH Wedding & Events |