8 Hidden Wedding Costs
You’ve budgeted for all the major items – the venue, dress and photographer. But there are lots of little...
The Directory is where you'll find the perfect venue, photographer, dress, suit and so much more for your wedding. Just mouse over the menu tab to see the full range of categories.
Every category is packed with beautiful high resolution images, videos, a detailed business description of what they offer and full contact details including social media links. Shortlist those you love to keep track of notes about them, and use the enquiry form to quickly fire out requests for quotes.
You'll find that your enquiry details will autofill so you can easily request more information from many different vendors with a minimum of effort.
Our Wedding Showcase is a beautifully curated showcase of real Wellington weddings, designed to inspire you as well as giving you a first-hand look at what various venues, photographers and other suppliers can do.
We update the Wedding Showcase quarterly with the city's most beautiful weddings. Every showcase features 50 - 80 gorgeous professionally shot photographs, as well as comprehensive details on every aspect of each wedding - How We Met, Our Wedding Style, The Dress, Hair & Makeup, The Ceremony, The Reception and Advice for Brides To Be.
At the bottom of each showcase, you'll find contact details for all Wellington Weddings vendors featured.
Our Wedding Blog features expert advice from Wellington wedding vendors, such as the best time to have your wedding photo shoot, how to pick your first dance song, tips for bridesmaids much more. All articles are written by Wellington wedding experts for Wellington brides.
We update the blog at least once a week with articles covering everything from budgeting tips, top 10 lists, promotion of upcoming wedding events, competitions and recent trends as well as tips and secrets from the best in the business.
Use the Shortlist to keep all your favourite vendors in one place, and to record all your email and phone conversations with them for easy reference.
To add a vendor to your shortlist, just click the (show icon) icon. You'll need to be logged in to use this feature but if you are not a member already, clicking on the icon will open a register window where you can register with one click.
To review your shortlist, add notes and prices, and record who you have booked for your wedding, just click on My Shortlist, which appears in the menu when you are logged in.
Register to enter weekly competitions, read the latest blog articles, and access the Shortlist.
By Lorna Urwin
We’ve talked before about how to be a bride everyone will love and on being an unstoppable bridesmaid. Now it’s the grooms’ turn! Between putting a ring on her finger to the walk down the aisle, there are plenty of opportunities to shine. Read on for our top tips for being a world-class groom!
Image by Eric Kelley Photography (cover image by Danilo & Sharon)
Every couple is different when it comes to wedding planning. Some grooms-to-be will split the work 50:50, some will have areas of interest they want to take ownership of, others will offer moral support but leave much of the decision making to their other half.
The key is never to make assumptions about what you will or won’t do. Instead, have an open conversation about the roles you (and your fiancée) will play in the planning. Will you be responsible for the groomsmen and the bride’s gift only? Will you be involved in the bigger picture – the location, the guest list, the budget? Or all of that, plus the finer details? Will your role be an equal partner, consultant, or support? (Remember: there’s no right or wrong answer. Go with what works for both of you, your interests and schedules!)
Image by Jose Villa Photography
Once you know which parts of the planning you’ll be involved with, and how, it’s time to set yourself to the task! In general, it pays to be proactive. Do some research into what a wedding planning timeline looks like and then delve deeper into the subjects you’ll be most involved in, whether that’s the budget, guest list, venue hunting or entertainment. Make a schedule or checklist and give yourself deadlines to stick to. If applicable, keep your own wedding admin – emails, contact numbers, quotes, samples, receipts – well organised. Attend vendor interviews and meetings. Show and interest and express an opinion. Set aside time to share planning progress and thoughts with your bride-to-be and (equally important!) to relax and decompress together away from the wedding workload.
Image by Simply Sarah Photography
The wedding day will be pretty well regimented, so make sure you’re clear about how the timeline will play out before adding in any extras like beers by the beach or a game of golf.
Of course, this works the other way too – you’ll want to be prepared for any down time. Traditionally groomsmen get ready a bit faster than the bride and bridesmaids, so thinking ahead and planning some simple games and/or drinks can be a great way to keep things moving. (Drinks in moderation, of course!)
Image by Patina Photography
You’ll be treasuring photos of this day for years to come. While the thing that most shines through is the emotion, it doesn’t hurt to get yourself looking as polished as possible. Looking good starts from within – get plenty of rest the night before and eat a hearty breakfast when you wake up. When it comes to getting ready, think about visiting a barber and getting your hair (and beard, if applicable) done in honour of the big day. Otherwise, be sure to stick with shaving and hygiene products you regularly use to avoid any unforeseen skin irritation or discomfort. (And bring deodorant and mints with you, if you can, to prolong the feeling of freshness throughout the wedding!)
Image by Avodah Photography
Declaring your love on your wedding day doesn’t have to be limited to the vows. Go above and beyond with some extra touches to surprise your bride to be. Some thoughtful examples include:
Most importantly, don't be afraid to cry! Weddings are truly special; they signify a massive shift in your life and the emotion of it all can be overwhelming. On your big day, you will be starting an adventure that will last the rest of your days, and you get to share it with none other than the love of your life - if that makes you cry tears of joy, then let it!
Image by Danilo & Sharon
You’ve budgeted for all the major items – the venue, dress and photographer. But there are lots of little...
Etiquette may seem like an old, out-dated word to apply to a wedding, but in actual fact, it’s still very...
The wedding ceremony is a structure most women have been familiar with since ‘marrying’ bored little boys...
There’s something that feels so romantic about writing your own vows. It’s such a sweet way to...