NOTEBOOK Make plans for your big day

BE CONSCIOUS WITH DECORATIONS We hunted out vintage vases and napkins from Trade Me, markets, op shops and also borrowed from friends and family. The restaurant already had a collection of second-hand plates and cups, so there was no need for single-use crockery and cutlery. We avoided disposable decorations altogether, and chose a location that didn’t need too much dressing up. We dried flower petals for confetti and put them in secondhand baskets which the flower girls passed around. We opted for email invitations and a website instead of printed invites. For sounds, we used an upcycled speaker system by CP’s business At Large Audio.

THINK LOCAL Our beer, wine and nonalcoholic drinks were all sourced from local suppliers and came in kegs or glass bottles. Plus, we used local suppliers for the cake and flowers. Our celebrant, videographer and hair stylist were from the area too. Our venue, a restaurant, was actually inside a campground with cabins, so we all stayed there, which minimised transport and had the relaxed, rustic vibe we wanted. Full disclosure though, the wedding was in Mapua, near Nelson, so some guests flew down, and not all the food was local or sustainable. But the restaurant, The Boat Shed, does have a sustainable ethos, so we knew they were making the best choices. We drove and ferried from Auckland to Nelson, rather than flying, honeymooned at my family bach in the Abel Tasman, then road-tripped home.

KEEP IT SIMPLE You don’t need lots of decorations, monogrammed stationery, or new outfits for every occasion and you don’t need new matching dressing gowns for the morning prep just because Pinterest says you do. Instead, my bridesmaids and I brought our own. I also borrowed dresses from friends for the day before and after. The wedding itself will be so special, and it goes so quickly, that some of the things you think you need in the planning stages really are unnecessary.