Tag: kumeu

Today’s gorgeous couple planned their chic Auckland vineyard wedding from the U.K, and while this proved challenging, the brides advice is spot on!…

“If it all seems too much take a moment and remind yourself that ultimately it is about you and the love of your life celebrating your commitment to each other with all your family and friends and nothing could be more beautiful or special than that.”

Beautifully captured by Justin Aitken, and featuring always incredible florals by P+L Superstar Rose Tinted Flowers, this love story is filled with sweet inspiration for a simple yet stunning Autumn wedding! Enjoy xox

Who Jess + James Penman
Where Markovina Vineyard Estate, Kumeu, Auckland
Number of Guests 97

Our love story began…

James and I originally met through mutual friends when I was in high school. James messaged me a few years later and asked me out. We drank wine together and then spent hours talking and laughing down by the beach. We have been adventuring, learning and growing together ever since.

I said yes…

James proposed in Paris beneath the Eiffel tower on Christmas Eve, 2015. We had spent a few days before in Germany exploring the beautiful Christmas markets. James hid the ring box in one of his spare shoes the whole time so I wouldn’t find it! While we were walking under the Eiffel tower he asked if we could sit down but I was too busy trying to get a good selfie and said no! I finally gave in and when we sat down he got down on one knee and proposed. I of course said yes and after a few tears we went for a beautiful cruise down the River Seine and drank Champagne in the city of love.

Our wedding style inspiration was…

We wanted our wedding to be really aesthetically simple with an organic vibe. Being an autumn wedding I knew there would be so many beautiful colours from the trees and that crisp, clear feeling of a beautiful autumn’s day.  I would say that we didn’t really have a specific style but we did incorporate a few rustic and modern chic elements. Our venue had endless amounts of natural beauty with stunning greenery and beautiful white drapes in both the ceremony and reception areas so we matched our colour pallet to this using white, green, and gold for the florals, decorations, cake etc.

We saved by…

We wanted to incorporate as much input and help from our friends and family as possible not only to save money but also to make it a really special and unique day. One of my maid of honour’s (I had 2) designed our invites and all the stationary for the wedding. My mum and I created all the wedding favours and she made James a pocket square to match his bowtie by buying the same tie again, deconstructing it and remaking it into a square.

My step mum created the welcome board, an old friend created the stunning greenery wreath that hung behind us during our ceremony and my bridesmaids and I made petal confetti by plucking and bagging 100’s of rose heads the night before. One of my bridesmaids Bex did the girls makeup and we drove to the wedding in her Dad’s gorgeous blush pink Chevrolet. We also had an old friend of James’ as our celebrant and our videographer was a family friend.

We splurged on…

Our biggest cost apart from our Venue would have been our Photographer Justin but he was absolutely amazing and worth every cent. My dress was also slightly more than I had budgeted for. I actually had my heart set on a different dress by Grace Loves Lace but while I was at their concierge event in London my bridesmaid who I was with asked if I would try on the dress that the girl next to me had on and once I did we both knew it was the one.

Our advice to engaged couples…

Enjoy every moment of being engaged as it fly’s by so quickly and is such a special and exciting time in your lives. Also try not to stress! This is a hard one and something I struggled to do while organising our Wedding from England but it is so important and allows you to enjoy the whole process. Everything always comes together on the day and all those little details you spent months stressing about are all forgotten. If it all seems too much take a moment and remind yourself that ultimately it is about you and the love of your life celebrating your commitment to each other with all your family and friends and nothing could be more beautiful or special than that.

CREDITS

Photographer Justin Aitken 
Videographer Courtney Rodgers
Flowers Rose Tinted Flowers
Bridal party getting ready venue Lichfields Cottage
Wedding
 venue + catering Markovina Vineyard Estate
Stationery Maid of honour
Welcome sign Step Mum
Hair Boutique Bride
Brides makeup Kate Solley Makeup Artist
Cake Amy’s Secret Kitchen
Celebrant Shane Coote
Brides dress Grace Loves Lace
Bridesmaid dresses Esther Boutique
Bridesmaid robes Le Rose
Grooms suit Barkers 
Groomsmen Suit Source
Rings Bride by Robins & Moore (UK), Grooms is Great Grandfathers ring
Transport Bridesmaid’s Dad’s Chevrolet
Music Beat Works

Today’s wedding is a fab fusion of rustic, glam, boho and vintage with an absolute killer dress. Do I really need to say more? A big thank you to Photography by Nami & Pascale for sharing this romantic love story with P+L! xox

Who Zoe + Gene Merrylees
Where Markovina Vineyard, Kumeu
Guests 90

Swooning over this ‘getting ready’ venue Honeysuckle Cottage!

“I absolutely loved my dress!! I want something very different to all the dresses I have seen at other weddings. It is an Anna Campbell design which I bought from Secret Lace Bridal. Secret Lace Bridal was the only shop I went to. It was the last dress I tried on out of about 10 and absolutely had to have it. I went with my two sisters and two friends to try on the dresses. The ladies at Secret Lace Bridal were amazing and made me feel so welcome and comfortable.”

The proposal…

Gene had to sneak over to my dad’s house to ask for his blessing. Gene used the excuse of he was “fixing an oven”. Gene tricked me into thinking that he was taking me to Waiheke Island to celebrate my recent uni graduation. We had lunch at Mudbrick followed by a walk to the trig station overlooking the Island where Gene got down on one knee to ask me to marry him.

What was your theme inspiration? 

Our theme was a mix of romantic and rustic. We wanted our wedding to be timeless so went with a lot of white and greenery and minimal colour (a bit of blush pink).

Did you DIY?

We actually did all of the DIY together!

Wood rounds – love the rustic look of wood rounds but we wanted them to be personal and meaningful. We cut down a tree at our first home in Wellington then engraved each one with “with love from our first home”.

Favours – We really wanted edible favours that also doubled as place cards. We made milk chocolate moustache lollipops for the guys and white chocolate with pink food colouring lip lollipops for the ladies.

Signs – Gene cut the ply wood and I painted them.

Wishing well – Gene built the ply letter box and I painted it.

“We had always wanted an outdoor wedding in a garden. We fell in love with Markovina as soon as we went there to have a look. The gardens are amazing and the staff are very helpful. I also loved the pond and the idea of having a wedding photo in the boat in the pond. It was the only venue we looked at and needed to look at.”

Advice to engaged couples?

Do want is important to you as a couple as it is about your love and commitment to each other. There is no right or wrong way to do things only what is right for you two.

Photographer Photography by Nami & Pascale
Film Mata Films
Flowers Vidabela
Stationery DIY by Zoe Merrylees (bride)  with paper for invitations bought from Gordon Harris
Venue + Catering Markovina Vineyard Estate
Getting Ready Venue Honeysuckle Cottage
Music (ceremony + mingling)

Avya Trotter (acoustic artist)
Reception Music DJ4YOU
Ice Cream Cart Tip Top
Cake Bluebells Cakery  Top tier – chocolate with chocolate ganache. Bottom tier – lemon with lemon curd and cream cheese icing.
Lace Lanterns Paper Lantern Store
Celebrant Chris Mullane
Engagement Ring Diamond & Time
Wedding Bands Bride custom made by Laurie Kearns Jewellery + Groom Walker & Hall
First Dance Choreographer Perry Exeter
Dress + Hairpiece Anna Campbell from Secret Lace Bridal
Robes Homebodii + Cotton on Body
Hair Becs from Coiffure Chic
Makeup Lauren from Fresh & Flawless
Bridesmaid Dresses Shona Joy
Groom + Groomsmen Hallenstein Brothers
Pre Wedding Grooming Boar & Blade Ponsonby
Flower Girl Outfits Li’nakahli Collections
Page Boy Outfits H&M