Mr and Mrs

Win your Dream Wedding Winners 2013

Amanda Radich and Michael Wallis, our Win Your Dream Wedding winners, pledged their love at the Auckland Art Gallery on SATURDAY, September 21, 2013. Here they reflect on their beautiful day

The moment we discovered we had won New Zealand Weddings' Dream Wedding, we could barely contain our excitement. We had just eight weeks to plan everything, so our journey to the altar was relaxed but not turtle-paced! Luckily we had help from some of the best in the business, thus planning became a breeze.

We couldn’t help but nickname our incredible wedding planner, Exquisite Weddings’ Gayle Garmaz, our fairy godmother – she co-ordinated all our bookings and appointments with the dream team leading up to the big day, and gave us advice on all kinds of things, from the best way to pin my veil to the socks Michael’s groomsmen should wear.

With its perfect blend of Victorian-style architecture and 21st-century design, the Auckland Art Gallery made an elegant backdrop for our classically stylish yet contemporary day. Everything about the venue was breathtaking – from the classic, intricately framed masterpieces adorning the walls to the crisp, clean lines and vibrant floral sculpture in the North Atrium.

Surrounded by our 60 guests, we said ‘I do’ in front of an audience of knights, kings, parlour women and children, who had been immortalised in paint in the Mackelvie Gallery. Our soft gold and peach colour scheme popped against the gallery’s rich red walls, with the warm tones making for a cosy atmosphere – the perfect way to escape from the rain outside!

Insphire and The Blossom Room had the Midas touch, transforming the North Atrium, where we held our reception, into a glowing display of peach-coloured David Austin roses and soft tea lights.