MILLY & KENNETH | HAMILTON GARDENS
Looking to have an elegant and timeless wedding that was inline with their natural style, Milly and Kenneth went with earthy, neutral colours and a style that they knew wouldn’t date. They wanted their day to highlight all of what was most important to them, the people, food, music and them coming together to celebrate their love. And the Surrealist Garden provides the coolest backdrop for their ceremony!
Where did you find your inspiration for your wedding day:
There were so many places to find inspiration when planning the day, sometimes it felt super overwhelming but in the end we chose to stick with the colours and styles that we knew in our mind wouldn’t age and would remain timeless. We are also both big fans of the colours you see during Autumn/Winter so that definitely played a part.
Where did you purchase your dress and accessories from:
My dress was a Showpo option! I thought dress shopping was going to be tough but I ordered it online and it worked out great! I also had an incredible Cape made through Samantha Stokes Bridal and my earrings were a pair I had for a while, just did a little DIY to get them perfect.
Tell us about your venue and why did you choose it:
Our venue was the Surrealist Garden inside Hamilton Gardens. Originally pre-covid we were set to marry in the Italian Garden but we were fortunate enough that the Surrealist Garden became available for bookings and we fell in love with the space, the privacy and the simplicity of it all. The surrealist nature of the garden also added a fun twist too.
What were the highlights on the day:
Too many to list! Our Celebrant Cam was incredible keeping the laughs coming, we had an absolute ball shooting with Tash and Arie after the ceremony, seeing everyone enjoying the space created by the Love Club team in the afternoon sun, dinner was beautiful especially seeing all our friends and family enjoying our favourite food, the dogs being apart of the day, the Bridal party speech/song.. and the Covid Tracer App QR code they made for the night. Just such an incredible day.
Our wedding style was…
In line with our natural style but very earthy and neutral.
We splurged on…
There’s not much I would say we splurged on, we thought for the service and experience we had with all parts of day we truly spent the right amount. You get what you pay for and we really wanted to go with people we trusted and loved so it didn’t feel like splurging!
Our love story began…
About 7 years back – Ken and I met through mutual friends and just hit it off, once we got past friend zoning each other.. 😊
We saved on…
Quite a bit, my dress was super reasonable, which can usually be a bank breaker for some and by having dinner in our favourite restaurant in town we saved thousands on external caterers and man power. Our cake was made by my Mum which was a blessing. We also used family homes to get ready in so that helped considerably.
Do you have any tips for other brides & grooms?
Biggest thing for us was to ensure the day highlighted what was most important to us, the people there, the food, the music and us coming together. We knew we didn’t want a huge day, but it could still be incredible regardless of money or time spent. Just make sure you do everything you want to do so no regrets 😊
Tell us about the proposal…
We got engaged in Taupo, one of our favourite spots in the country. There’s an incredible forest by the beach that a few friends had taken us through one year and I loved it! He remembered and planned a whole day of riddles and games set up to lead us on path to end up there. The poor guy forgot half his words he had planned to say but created a really beautiful moment!
Your vendors:
Ceremony + Reception venue: Surrealist Garden & Madam Woo Hamilton
Photographer: Arie and Tash from Black Robin Photography
Videographer: Jethro Martin
Hire: Love Club Hire
Entertainment: The Bridal party.. 😊
Celebrant: Cam Wakefield
Caterer: Madam Woo Hamilton + family at the ceremony
Florist: Chloe and her team at Le Fleur Florist
Cake: Family made and decorated.
Hair and makeup: Hair – Maid of Honour Jess Clark and Make Up – Gabrielle Houghton
Dress: Showpo and Samantha Stokes Bridal
Accessories: Pre owned
Rings: Ken’s ring was bespoke ordered online and mine was made from family gold.
Bridesmaid dresses: Blak Bridesmaids
Groom & Groomsman: Suits - Hallensteins Brothers, shirts - Farmers. Cufflinks were bespoke to reflect the boys Chinese Zodiacs.
Was there anyone else who played a big part in your day?
Truly our family and friends were an incredible help, we don’t always like to ask for help but without these guys the day would have not been what it was. From Mum’s food preparation pre wedding day, to our friend Sal and both our sisters helping with food and dog logistics. To Love Club for working with our 3 hour ceremony window and all the others who made sure everything and everyone made it home that night. 😊
Loved this wedding? Hire this look!
The Bar, Birch and White Bar Leaners, Bar Stools - Oak and White, Diamond Rattan Bench, Rattan Armchair, Rattan Side Table, Seagrass Floor Cushions (Square), Outdoor Umbrellas and Stands, Signing Table, Bench Seats, Rimu Herringbone Table.