It was such a pleasure to be a part of Courtney’s big day! I love catching up with my brides after their wedding and seeing all the photos of their big day since I only get see the bride getting ready. When I saw Courtney’s photos I was blown away with how seamlessly her whole look came together. Her wedding is soft and rustic without trying hard. I loved her makeup which complemented her classic look so nicely. Read more to hear all about Courtney’s beautiful wedding day.

Firstly how did you and your husband meet?

We met at the Wellington 7’s believe it or not! It’s fair to say it was love at first sight for him; I was seeing someone else at the time but broke up soon afterwards and the rest they say is history.

How would you describe the overall look/feel of your wedding day?

Classic, rustic, country-themed wedding. We wanted something that was relaxed, intimate, simple and elegant. We got married at Gracehill Vineyard Estate in Kumeu and that really fit the bill; things fell into place once we’d decided on our venue and it was exactly what we were after. My dress was quite simple and that set the tone for the rest of my ‘look’ and fitted nicely into the rest of the theme. Christina did my make-up perfectly and exactly how I wanted it. I showed her a few pictures of what I was thinking and she effortlessly took that and made it work for me. I loved having her around too; Thank you!

How did you find the planning for your wedding day?

If I’m honest, at times it was rather stressful. Although I found most things easy to decide on because I knew what I wanted, when it came down to organizing all the last minute details and logistics, it was quite a lot to deal with, especially when you want everything to be  ‘just right!’ Robbie and my parents were fantastic though and helped to share in the load.

What was the hardest part of putting your wedding day together?

Probably the above where I mentioned organizing the logistics of everything/everyone for on the day. When you’re getting ready somewhere else, but staying the night in another place and you’ve got tables to set etc and making sure everything is there for it…. It’s a lot to do in a short amount of time! And no amount of planning ahead can get you on top of that as there’s only so much you can do beforehand. Thank goodness we were able to set the tables the day before, otherwise my mum and aunties would’ve been pretty stressed out on the day having to do all that as well!

Tell us about the food/decorations?

The food was fantastic. For Robbie and I food was really important to us so we did a few tastings beforehand to ensure we were choosing the right dishes. They were incredible and we got so many comments the day after about the food; Gracehill did an amazing job. The decorations were simple and we largely relied on Naomi and the flowers. Again, she did a fantastic job. We had a few props like old step-ladders and milk urns around the venue that she dressed with foliage and flowers and they just looked gorgeous.

On the day what was your favorite moment?

The moment my dad and I got to the bottom of the pergola where Robbie was standing and when Robbie came down to meet us. I still remember the look on his face and get butterflies thinking about it!

If you could do the day again is there anything that you would change?

Overall, we had a fantastic day and I look back on it and can’t help but smile. I’m sure that there were a few times in the lead-up to it that I doubted some of the decisions we’d made and that we ‘should’ve done this’ or ‘gotten that’ but now I can’t even remember. So, no, wouldn’t change a thing!

What advice would you give to a bride leading up to her wedding day?

As above really, try not to sweat the small stuff. It really all has a way of coming together perfectly on the day and you literally get swept off your feet with the emotion and fun of it all! Also, don’t make decisions too early on; I bought table-settings well in advance and then found I changed my mind, so those went to waste. ♥

Courtney’s Wedding Day Team:

Venue- Gracehille Vineyard Estate, Kumeu, Auckland

Dress- Hera Bridal

Flowers- Leaf and Honey

Hair and makeup- Boutique Bride and Freckles and Blush

Photographer- Jessica Sim Photography