Love in the sun
Caroline east and Miles Davis married at Otahuna lodge, Tai Tapu, Canterbury, on Friday, January 3, 2014
Will you marry me?
Miles and I met in the US in 2011. When Hurricane Irene struck, my uni sorority threw a party to wait out the storm and invited a neighbouring fraternity, which Miles was a member of. Fifteen months later, while Hurricane Sandy was approaching, he proposed. He had planned to pop the question at New Year in New Zealand, but couldn’t wait any longer. I guess you can say hurricanes have a way of bringing us together.
location, location, location
I’d always dreamt of getting married outdoors, so Otahuna Lodge – a Victorian mansion surrounded by picturesque gardens, forestry and lake – was the ideal location. We said ‘I do’ beside a garden pond, while the lodge’s airy ballroom, adorned with simplistic decorations in shades of cream, oatmeal and soft pink, made an elegant reception setting. Glowing candles graced the mantelpiece and windowsills, which we intertwined with jasmine to breathe fresh life into the classic interior.
Bridal beauty
My wedding gown was an exquisite Oscar de la Renta design that featured a strapless lace corset, a ruched silk skirt and a short bustled train. I accessorised with a close friend’s pearl and diamond drop earrings (my something old and something borrowed), while a bejewelled headpiece finished off my sleek updo.
Floral fantasia
We chose simple flowers with lots of green: stunning lisianthus, double freesias, gypsophila and antique roses. These blooms made up our loose bouquets and table centrepieces, which sat in low vases so they didn’t interrupt conversation.
a sumptuous feast
Hello My Sweet created a three-tier wedding cake based off a picture I found online – iced with pearly pink icing and covered in delicate handmade flowers, it featured white chocolate, lemon and vanilla bean and fruit layers.
something special
Miles and I swapped love notes to be read on the morning before the wedding, both taking a moment as we got ready to absorb each other’s words. Having this quiet time made our last moments apart very special, and now we have these cards to glance back on whenever we want to reread them.
advice for brides to be
If you’re holding your wedding over the Christmas holiday period, make sure you give guests adequate time to plan – we sent out save-the-dates nine months in advance so people could plan accordingly, and we were lucky that a 60-strong crowd was able to celebrate with us.