Real Wedding | Anneliese + Samuel

Home is where you are ... Anneleise told Sam during there lakeside vows and it was a sentiment that echoed their lives together. Both originating from Auckland and returning there soon after their big day, they were asked countless times during the planning of their wedding why they weren’t getting married up there, but Central Otago made perfect sense to the couple who had made Arrowtown their home together. Ever so slightly nomadic and adventure loving, Sam and Anneleise have moved 7 times already in their time together and are already planning their next adventure. As Anneleise puts it “Home is wherever we both are”

Relaxed and natural was the vision for the day and their idyllic lakeside wedding was just that and so much more. Anneleise explained “ We planned the entire day around our likes, we wanted it to be a celebration of us”

With the focus stripped right back to encompass what they really loved, planning was easy. Styling was inspired by Pinterest finds, simple made beautiful, and together with their friends and family, Anneleise and Sam transformed the blank canvas of Lake Hayes Pavillion with their carefully curated wishlist of showstopping details to create a glamourous yet relaxed affair which was framed by the beautiful lake and mountainscape behind. From the cascading florals of the wedding arch to the gold leaf champagne served from the gorgeous Love & Good co caravan, Annie + Sam didn’t miss a beat with their impeccable styling and vendor choices for their perfect day.

WHICH SONGS WILL YOU RELIVE YOUR DAY TOO |

We played Six60 ‘ this is forever’ as our aisle song and Lauv ‘I like me better’ for our wedding dance as it had a loud beat to dance to. Can’t remember any other songs. Those were our two biggies.

WHERE DID YOU SAVE + SPLASH OUT |

We didn’t buy anything new, made all homemade presents and we didn’t eat out for 2 years! No lunches, no dinner, no drinks. (Imagine this: us at drinks sharing a diet coke... or at a lunch/brunch just sitting on a coffee for two hours. ) We saved and paid for in full our wedding AND honeymoon.

ANY ADVICE TO ENGAGED COUPLES |

Don’t compromise on the guest list- only invite them if they are important to the couple. Save up. Do you.

WHAT MADE YOUR DAY UNIQUE TO YOU |

I planned the whole thing to celebrate us and our likes. Our photos were up Cecil Peak. Sam was blindfolded on the helicopter trip as we did our first look up there!! he’s such a trooper. Oh and the food was a collection of our favourites. I had emergency gall bladder surgery a few months prior and had been dreaming of pizza and Denheath Custard Squares which I hadn’t been able to eat for a year... so we had them at the wedding!

Touches of gold subtly referenced the couples love for Arrowtown throughout the day. Rough alluvial flakes from the Arrow River were used for Anneleise’s engagement ring and Sam’s wedding band, and Anneleise’s wedding band was Shotover gold, all carefully crafted by Justin Eden from the Gold Shop in Arrowtown. The theme was carried through the day with custom Gold signwriting and champagne with edible gold leaf flakes served from Love & Good co’s gorgeous caravan.

PHOTOGRAPHY | JACK HENRY PHOTOGRAPHY VENUE | LAKE HAYES PAVILLION

EVENT STYLING + FLORALS | KYLA @ BESPOKE WEDDINGS + EVENTS BAND |CALCIO

CARAVAN BAR + PROP HIRE | LOVE & GOOD CO CELEBRANT | COURTENAY BOULD

VIDEOGRAPHY | HIGHLIGHT FILMS YOU FILM IT WE EDIT IT MAKEUP | EMILY PLUM

DRESS | BESPOKE DRESS MADE BY THE VERY TALENTED KRISTEN AT NEMO IN ARROWTOWN GROOMS ATTIRE | BARKERS HAIR | KIM AT ONSITE HAIR

CATERING | ANN MANN CAKE | MADE BY SAM! RINGS | JUSTIN EDEN @ THE GOLD SHOP