LOVE IN BLOOM
A dream wedding calls for divine inspiration. here, newlywed amanda Betts reveals how meaningful moments are created from a symbolic starting point
amanda betts shares the story of her sentimental, black tie wedding and the inspiration behind it
From the moment Richenda and I set out on the planning journey, we knew our wedding would be all about symbolism. We didn’t mind that small details might go unnoticed by guests – all that mattered was that we were telling the story of our union from our hearts. Over time, we gathered a collection of books, clothes, artworks, ornaments and even everyday items (such as an iPhone case) that were important to us – whether they represented who we are, or simply – through their beauty – struck us like love at first sight. Each element of the mood board planted ideas for different aspects of our wedding – for example, the vintage Rolex I gifted Richenda for her 40th inspired her chunky Michael John Jewellery ring, and pops of green (which gained prominence because of Richenda’s Irish heritage) led jeweller Zoe & Morgan to seek out the perfect emerald stone for my ring.
Our vision for the day was an elegant collision of black-tie glamour and an opulent, lush feast – breaking bread and drinking wine with family and friends is so important to us, and I wanted our wedding to echo everything we love about life.
With this in mind, we delayed our original wedding date by a year to ensure overseas guests – 30 of our 120 – had enough time to save up. It was a decision we were stoked
to have made, because it meant we tied the knot after the Marriage Amendment Bill was passed, making the event all the more special!
With guests travelling from as far as Ireland, Australia, Dubai, Canada and Scotland, we opted for a December wedding. It meant they could take advantage of the Kiwi summer, as well as enjoying a holiday loaded with love and celebration. We also sought out a venue that could adequately showcase New Zealand scenery – nestled at the foot of the Harbour Bridge, The Wharf ’s panoramic harbour views made it the ideal spot. Ample indooroutdoor flow meant we didn’t have to worry about Auckland’s unpredictable weather, plus the venue’s chandeliers and high ceilings lived up to our day’s glam black-tie vibe.
Our invitations were an apt sum-up not only of the day’s lavish tone, but of our love story. I cut illustrations from a favourite book of mine – Work in progress by Carrie Chau – with each image representing something from our lives. Two girls with apple and pear heads represented Richenda and me, two cats and a dog symbolising those who surround us in our home, and all the people behind us signifying our treasured friends and family.
To further extend the symbolism, I recruited Stefan of Two Hands Tattoo in Ponsonby to design a new tattoo ahead of the day, marking a new chapter in my life. Partly inspired by my Kate Sylvester jacket, he came up with two roses wrapping around my arm, representing the intertwining of our lives.
From day dot, Richenda wanted a suit inspired by the cover of coffee table book A
gun for hire by Helmut Newton – she wanted it to be strong, but with a sexy, feminine edge, made from a light fabric to combat the smouldering summer heat. Designer MaryEllen Prendegast of Shen interpreted her vision perfectly – details such as a silk waistband gave the bold black suit a distinctive delicacy. We sent our rings around the room to be blessed by guests – it’s amazing to think our rings are infused with so much love and energy from our nearest and dearest
My dress was another story – as soon as we started the planning process, I remembered a picture I’d seen back in 2004 of a model wearing a fluid, floor-length green velvet Tanya Carlson dress. At the time, I had told Tanya that next time I got married, I’d wear that dress. She had replied, ‘I’ll hold you to that.’ Although when dresssampling time came round I tried on plenty of other dresses, none came close to the feeling I got when I had pulled on that original gown. So many things about the colour represent who I am – emerald is my birthstone, I’m a third- generation carrier of my father’s green-eyed gene and my son has green eyes. A pair of Kathryn Wilson open-toe heels finished the look – I didn’t want black, and thought white would stand out way too much. Tortoiseshell was the perfect festive alternative.
Before we knew it, we were saying ‘I do’ against a backdrop of sparkling sea. Anika Moa was very generous in singing for our ceremony – we let her choose the songs – she settled on ‘You are the Light’ for the procession, and ‘I Will Always Love You’ as we exited arm in arm to joyous claps and cheers.
As a special touch during the ceremony, we sent our rings around the room to be blessed by guests – it’s amazing to think our rings are infused with so much love and energy from our nearest and dearest.
To set the scene for our lavish reception, our close friend Richard built sensual centrepieces of green apples, succulents, moss, faux deer antlers, pheasants and birds. Flickering MOR candles filled the room with floral perfumery, and MOR lip balms sat at each guest’s place as a favour.
Our six-course degustation menu included dishes such as salmon, beetroot carpaccio with candied walnuts and a rack of lamb. The talented Jordan Rondel of The Caker created a sumptuous two-tier creation, with our only instructions to her being to keep it simple and decorate it with juicy Christmas cherries. Made from one layer of red velvet and one layer of chocolate fudge, Jordan iced it with a thick layer of buttercream and topped it with burgundy lilies. To accompany the feast, I chose champagnes keeping symbolism top of mind – Lanson White Label marked the missing of a white Christmas for Richenda’s family, and Lanson Black Label marked the black-tie theme. Again, it’s details like these that no one – except us – would notice, but they made our day an apt tribute to the commitment we’ve made.