Author Archive: luckyinloveweddings

Engagement to Marriage Guide

Your incredible wedding adventure has started.
To help get you on your way here’s a guide I put together with Auckland Weddings to help you on the journey to your memorable and stress-free wedding!

MAKE THE ANNOUNCEMENT!

Tell your parents first, then start telling everyone – if you want to be really formal you can even take out a classified ad in the Herald. Then the planning begins…

BRAINSTORM

Sit down with your partner and dream up some ideas. Think about the style you’d like, whether it’s a beach bash, silver service in a ballroom or a ceremony on a mountaintop. Even though you don’t have to set a firm date yet, choose the month or season you want to marry in, then you’ll know how long you have to get things organized. The size of your wedding determines where you’ll hold the party, how much it will cost, and whether travel will be involved.

CREATE A GUEST LIST

Make your list with your partner and ask both families who is important not to forget. You will most likely cut this but use as your base. Here’s a super helpful quick guide.

GET ORGANISED

Buy a notebook and separate it into sections for each budget category. This way you can write down the amount you want to spend on the item and then note your expenditures. As you near your limits, you can start to figure out ways to cut costs. Speaking of your budget take some time in these early stages to decide on your bottom line and if family can contribute. Remember you can always make up costs by asking for koha contribution rather than gifts. Little White Book is the perfect tool – and looks so pretty too!!

 

FIND YOUR CELEBRANT

You can’t get married without a Marriage Celebrant to officiate. Your ceremony is the heart of your wedding day so make sure you choose someone you can relate to and who suits your personal style. I hope you choose me! Click here to see how I can help make your wedding super special.

Image of Ascension Winery

THE VENUE

Are you going to have your ceremony at your reception venue or different? It may be in your hometown, or for convenience a place that’s in between your homes and your parents’. And then there’s the destination wedding; just make sure that everyone you really want to celebrate with can afford to travel and is able to make it. Make sure you have a rain day alternative as well, just in case. Some couples find holiday homes in their area to rent. Search the internet, ask friends and family for ideas. Then start scheduling visits.

PHOTOGRAPHER AND VIDEOGRAPHER

The best ones usually book weddings many months in advance, so get on this one early. Get recommendations from friends, then research what kinds of shots you’d like to see—formal portraits and dancing shots or a candid, journalistic format. Always meet in person and ask to see other wedding albums the pro has done. Try not to go with a large studio – they sometimes interchange people so you may end up with a photographer you didn’t meet who turns out to be a disaster. Look for photographers with a looser style and many package choices on offer. You don’t have to make up your mind right away. After the wedding, you may even want to get creative and make your own album – there are loads of online photo book options. It’s likely everyone will be going snap-happy with their cellphones. To avoid ending up with 300 nearly identical shots, give guests a few ideas (print up a card to place on each table). Suggest one photo of each couple at the table, some goofy dance pics and a surprise shot of their choice—all to be shared later. Candid photos by friends can be really cool and much more meaningful. The lovely Anna from BLUSH Photography will make your photo shoot a breeze – she’ll make you feel comfortable and take some beautiful shots to capture those memories.

DJ/IPOD/MUSICIANS

Arrange to hear musicians perform before you book them. Make sure they agree to stick to the playlist you give them. Find out how they will dress and how many breaks they will take. Hiring a DJ is usually less expensive than a live band, but not always. And the old iPod is a great option with no budget attached. DJ4YOU definitely know how to get the party started – and keep it going!!! Give them a call!!

Image from Coco Lily Events by XOX Waiheke

FLOWERS AND DÉCOR THEMING

Once you have your venues booked, you can decide on table arrangements and other decorations. A hotel ballroom might be a relatively blank slate, whereas a museum may need little more than simple centerpieces. If you can buy fresh stems at a local farm, ask a talented friend to help put together bouquets and centerpieces. Or ask your florist to incorporate tons of greenery to make fewer flowers look like a lot more. There are so many vibrant props available now – check out the incredible decorations by Covers Decoration Hire and stunning arrangements by Susan Rogers Flowers.

CATERER

You want to know how dishes will taste and look and how flexible the caterer is with menus and prices. Don’t be afraid to bargain; you can cut costs by limiting the number and kinds of hors d’oeuvres served at cocktail hour. Remember that sometimes going with a venue and hiring a caterer separately doesn’t usually end up saving you money after hiring of tablecloths, china, glassware etc. A venue that has caterers onsite and provides all the gear will save you the hassle.

CAKE MAKER

As with your caterer – make an appointment to taste test. Bring along lots of photo references you’ve found on Pinterest or magazines. Cakes are a bigger cost than you think – but worth every penny. Try Temptation Cakes for delicious creations that look as amazing as they taste!!!

Image by The Official Photographers

CHOOSE YOUR BRIDAL PARTY

  • Explain to prospective bridesmaids, groomsmen, ushers etc what the role requires, like planning the hen night and stag party and paying for their attire.
  • Tell each person they will need to commit a certain amount of time and energy—and if they can’t, it’s fine to decline.
  • Choose as many or as few people as you want – although the more people the more help you will have throughout the process and on your big day. It makes a huge difference.
  • Give your closest friends or relatives the key positions.

Include your partners relatives; it’s a diplomatic move that can only strengthen family relations – providing they are reliable. Choose wisely!

Image by Benjamin & Elise Photography

THE DRESS

Erase emotion, stay within the bounds of both budget and practicality. If it helps, bring your mum and an honest friend along with you. Decide which kind of shopper you are, and work accordingly. Online dress buying is an option – just make sure you use a site that has been recommended to you and get your dress measurements accurate – it can be cost effective or go horribly wrong if you don’t do your research right. Don’t second-guess yourself. Think you’ve found The One? Then you probably have. Look no further—and relax.

 

BUDGET MANAGEMENT

No matter what your wedding budget may be, here’s a rough idea of how much is typically spent in each category. Keep in mind that the numbers are not hard and fast. Some couples may, for example, choose to spend more on photography and less on flowers. It’s up to you! The average cost of a New Zealand wedding is around $30,000 for a wedding held in a cost-effective venue with 100 guests.

  • Reception: 40%
  • Honeymoon: 14.5%
  • Photography and videography: 10.5%
  • Wedding attire: 7%
  • Engagement rings and wedding bands: 6%
  • Flowers: 5%
  • Music: 5%
  • Invitations: 2%
  • Miscellaneous incl. celebrant: 10%

Image by Justine Milton

SEND YOUR INVITATIONS

Your invitations should be sent out six to eight weeks before the big day, so work backward from there to be sure you order in time. The basic invite announces the hosts of the wedding (whether that’s the two of you, your parents or a combination) and the place and time of the ceremony. It may include a card that gives the dress code, reception details, accommodation options, gift registry info and rsvp details. Get a sample of the invite before deciding to use it— and proofread! If you’re having a destination wedding give your guests plenty of notice with a Save the Date card.

BEAUTY REGIME

It’s easy to become so caught up in the planning that you forget one simple thing: you! So start now to create and stick to a self-care plan. Exercise regularly and keep to a healthy diet. Even a 30-minute walk several times a week can be enough to keep you feeling energetic. To prevent fatigue, take a multivitamin everyday, especially if you’re skipping meals. Bring healthy snacks—almonds, a banana—along with you when you go shopping or to work. Get plenty of sleep. Most brides-to-be find themselves having alot of late nights, but try your best not to skimp on sleep; not getting enough contributes to lowered immunity, and you don’t want to get sick now. Plus, well-rested gals always look their best. Meet with a hairstylist. If you want to maintain your current cut and/or color, tell your regular hairstylist, and be sure you’re not due for an appointment the week before your big day (you should ideally have your hair cut and colored a couple of weeks prior). If this stylist will do your hair for the wedding, see her for a practice session or two to try a couple of hairdos. (If you’re wearing a headpiece or tiara, bring it along.) For a budget conscious express facial go see Melissa at Life Pharmacy Northwest and try the Dermalogica natural skincare range – it will leave your skin feeling like brand new and you can purchase and start your regime!

PRACTICE MAKEUP

Smith & Caughey and Farmers beauty counters will give you a makeover; you usually have to book in and pay a fee redeemable against product. It is also worth considering looking into getting a trial done by a profesional makeup artist, if it so happens that you like their work you can book them for your wedding day! Life Pharmacy can help you out here too – plus sign up for their loyalty programme and earn points with every purchase!! Makes it worth your while.

Image by Samantha Donaldson Photography

Most importantly – take your time and have fun along the way! You will only do this once in a lifetime with your partner so make every moment count. The wedding day itself goes by way too fast – so enjoy the journey and the planning process to get to your special day you’ve put so much energy into!! xx

Congratulations Mr & Mrs Cavit!!

CONGRATULATIONS Mr and Mrs Cavit!!!! You are a gorgeous couple and I wish you a lifetime of fun as husband and wife!!!
What a stunning sunny day at Auckland Botanic Gardens for you yesterday!
Our groom looked very dapper and our bride was a princess with her lace gown and dainty flowers decorating her hair.

Celebrity Wedding Gowns ♥ Marilyn Monroe

Just after her 30th birthday Marilyn married playwright Arthur Miller. This was her third marriage. Miller wrote the screenplays for two of her movies, including The Misfits, but working together wasn’t enough to keep their marriage intact and they divorced in 1961, the year before she died.

I think her sweetheart style dress and pretty little veil are very cute.

Lucky in Love Marriage Celebrant
Auckland Kumeu Matakana Waiheke
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Make or Break Wedding Details

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The Food. There’s no doubt about it, guests expect to be fed well on your wedding day. In fact, years from now, family and friends likely won’t remember much about your centerpieces or favors, but they will be able to recall (in detail) if the chicken was cold, the salad wilted or the pasta was undercooked. So before you blow your budget on fancy invites or a dove release during the ceremony, make sure you’ve secured an amazing caterer for your day. Trust us, great food is worth sacrificing in other non-edible areas. Whether you have a buffet, a la carte, food truck or cocktail hour canapes – just make sure there is plenty of it!!

Lucky in Love Marriage Celebrant
Auckland Kumeu Matakana Waiheke
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Celebrity Wedding Gowns ♥ Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy

lucky in love, marriage celebrant, auckland celebrant, weddings, matakana weddings, matakana celebrant, waiheke wedding, waiheke celebrant, kumeu celebrant, kumeu weddings, north shore celebrant, same sex marriage, gay friendly celebrant

This dress has always been one of my favourite. Carolyn Bessette was a former publicist for Calvin Klein and the wife of John F. Kennedy Jr., the son of President John F. Kennedy and Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis. Upon her marriage, Bessette-Kennedy’s relationship with her husband and her fashion sense became the subject of intense media scrutiny, drawing comparisons to her mother-in-law Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis.

Bessette-Kennedy asked Narciso Rodriguez of Cerruti to start desig her dress.The wedding took place on a remote Georgia island, Cumberland. Cumberland is 18 miles long and is accessible only by boat. There is no telephone service as none of the roads are paved. The wedding took place in a tiny wooden chapel, the First African Baptist Church, where the ceremony was held by candlelight. The altar was a simple wooden stand, and its cross was made of two sticks held together by pieces of string.

The couple, along with Bessette-Kennedy’s older sister Lauren, tragically died in a plane crash off the coast of Martha’s Vineyard in July 1999.

Lucky in Love Marriage Celebrant
Auckland Kumeu Matakana Waiheke
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♥ Choosing a Professional DJ ♥

If you’ve got the budget – a professional DJ will really help set the scene for your big day playing chilled music as your guests arrive at your ceremony.

They’ll hook your Celebrant up with a microphone so family and friends can hear every word clearly (if your ceremony has more than 50 family and friends attending – so your Celebrant doesn’t have to shout in your ears, or is outside – when it’s really important to have good sound that won’t be drowned out by crashing waves or howling wind!

Music will play a key part during your Ceremony – we all know that well-played processional tune “Here Comes the Bride” which beautiful Bride’s the world over walk down the aisle to. These days your grand entrance music can be anything meaningful to you – and of course a grand entrance is not limited to Brides, but Grooms and couples who romantically walk down the aisle hand in hand! Another place in your ceremony you can choose a piece of music which reflects your personalities is during the Register Signing – guests can sit back, relax and enjoy the music while you’re making your marriage official just off centre. After this it’s a great time to conclude your ceremony on a high with a happy, celebratory song!

AND of course, your DJ will get the party started!!!

I would highly recommend DJ4You! They have some awesome DJs to choose from including Karn Hall : ) and are always super professional, friendly and polished.

I love this photo – Creators of dancefloors which is exactly what DJ4You are!!

Kimberly Sanders Lucky in Love Marriage Celebrant Auckland KumeuMatakana Waiheke
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