ABBY & KIERAN

Stunning South Island scenery was the perfect stage when ABBY DUKE and KIERAN BROOKES said ‘I do’.

Iplayed football with Abby’s flatmate and one Sunday morning was invited to watch the All Blacks play Argentina at a pub with their flat. Abby got me tipsy and took advantage of me, so it was all uphill from there. The proposal happened the day after my cousin’s wedding at a restaurant in Southbank, Melbourne. Abby wasn’t keen on going out that day, but I insisted that we did. When I got down on one knee and asked the question she asked me what I was doing and told me to get up. Anyway, the rest is history.

ABBY: We had fallen in love with the stunning part of the country that is Wanaka on previous trips there, so we always knew that it was where we would get married. After the search had begun for the perfect wedding venue, we found The Olive Grove online and it was love at first sight. We could totally personalise the venue to suit us as a couple. With an outdoor ceremony in mind, and a marquee requirement, summer was the obvious time of year to go for.

Our engagement was just short of two years long. The theme of our February wedding was modern and romantic. The whole wedding was just what we envisioned, with the incredible canvas that was The Olive Grove and Wanaka, and touches of us all around with the help of Rebecca, our wedding stylist from Fantail Weddings. She also looked after the florals, which were incredible. We had talked about having a soft style with mainly whites and greenery, while still adding a touch of colour with soft pinks and so on. My bouquet and the table runners centred around white roses, while the floral wall and other arrangements included orchids and blackberries for a touch of something different.

something i learned “Don’t lose sight of what is important to you and your partner. Ultimately, it’s your special day and should be exactly how you want it. Vendors are a massive part of your day and will be sharing the biggest moment in your life with you. Be sure to choose people or companies that you connect with.”

I found my dress at Felicity’s Bridal. I had tried on quite a few gowns, but when I put on the beaded mermaid dress from Martina Liana, I knew that it was definitely the one. I had it customised in a Moscato colour and wore it with an ivory Martina Liana veil with beading from the dress incorporated onto it. I had such a specific idea of what I thought my dress would look like in my head and what I chose could not have been any further from that, but I loved it and would not have changed a thing!

We knew that Kieran and I wouldn’t see each other before the wedding, so we exchanged gifts the day before. Kieran stayed with his groomsmen the night before the wedding, and I stayed with my bridesmaids and a couple of very close girlfriends – total girl time. Mum and my grandmother joined us in the morning for breakfast and Champagne while we were pampered.

For a truly once- in- a- lifetime experience, we hired two helicopters ( yes, two!) to take the bridal party, photographers and videographer up to Coromandel Peak for photos after the ceremony. We were so lucky to be able to go there and spend time up in the mountains. Shannon and Aaron from The Official Photographers were incredible and were one of our ‘non-negotiables’ when we were organising the wedding. They both made us feel so comfortable – Shannon spent the morning with the girls and Aaron with the guys. It really just felt like they were part of the wedding party. Aaron even tied Kieran’s tie for the ceremony!

The sit- down meal at our reception was incredible. It was alternate drop style with Manuka smoked salmon on bean salad with lemon mayonnaise or sticky Asian pork belly on Chinese cabbage and green apple slaw to start. This was followed by

roast lamb rump with grilled asparagus, salsa verde and red wine jus or grilled chicken supreme marinated with lemon labneh honey and thyme jus. There were also sides of new season potatoes and pear, walnut and roasted beetroot salad. Clare from Cakes of Wanaka made my vision come to life with our threetiered cake. Each layer was a different, delicious flavour, which included mocha, lemon and caramelised white chocolate. It tasted absolutely incredible!

We were fortunate enough to have Shae and Pearly from Mojo Band as our musical entertainment. They played acoustically between the ceremony and reception, then they were in full swing for a night of dancing fun once all of the formalities were out of the way. They played a bit of everything and I have never seen so many people on a dancefloor like that before! They are seriously talented.

Seeing your vision, hard work and planning come together on the day is so memorable. My highlight was walking down the aisle and seeing Kieran at the end of it, then finally saying “I do” and being married! It’s such a special time having all of your family and friends that you care about in one place and feeling all of the love around you.

If I could offer advice to other couples about to get married, I would remind them to take their time and soak everything in. At the end of the day, it’s your wedding and this is such a special and important time in your lives. The day goes by so quickly.

Also, try to get some alone time away with your partner. Even if it’s just five minutes, it will make the day even more special for you both.