All that glitters
Katherine lonsdale Cooper and andrew elliott married at Chardy Ridge, Waiheke island, on Friday, February 15, 2013
Will you marry me? After five years together, Andy and I took a three-month trip to Europe. We’d been travelling on a shoestring until we got to France, where Andy surprised me by booking a five-star hotel in Biarritz. After a day of wining and dining, we went for a walk along the clifftop. There, he got down on one knee and asked me – in French – to marry him. Of course I said yes! scenic splendour With a large portion of our 90 guests visiting from England, we wanted to showcase the best of New Zealand’s landscape. Chardy Ridge’s sweeping Hauraki Gulf views coupled with its expansive, marquee-friendly lawns made it the ideal spot. scene setters We exchanged vows beneath a canopy of majestic trees and pastel-coloured festoon lights, with a bamboo arch marking the spot for us to say ‘I do’. Our ivory and gold colour palette lent itself well to our vintage glamour theme – tables decorated with pink and white roses brightened the marquee’s interior, while fairy light curtains kept the party sparkling long after the sun went down. My dream dress My couture Jane Yeh gown featured vintage lace, a subtle train and delicate lace straps. I paired it with gold Jimmy Choo stilettos, diamond earrings and a floor-length veil. Natural-looking makeup and a relaxed updo completed the look. suited up Andy wore a custom-made navy Crane Brothers suit. He decided against having groomsmen, opting instead for a best man, a friend who joined us from the UK to celebrate. Kiwi fare In keeping with our mission to showcase the best of New Zealand, Gill Stotter Catering’s three-course, sit-down menu featured dishes such as seared scallops, and rosemary and pistachiocrusted lamb, which we matched with a range of top Kiwi wines. Taking the cake Andy loves cheese, so instead of a traditional wedding cake, The Cake Parlour constructed a four-tier creation made from blue cheese, gouda and camembert. Figs, quince, flowers and grapes added fresh pops of colour and flavour to each layer. For our guests I own The Tonic Room in Kingsland, so made individualised tea blends as guest flavours. We displayed single tea bags, each labelled ‘The Perfect Blend’, at each seat. My advice for brides to be Thinking of novel ways to entertain guests makes the day truly memorable. We scattered lawn games and kites across the venue – people of all ages loved them!