Sara & Jean Photographed By Melissa Mills

A beachfront family bach full of beautiful memories was the venue for Sara and Jeans’ relaxed and fun wedding day. Located in stunning Whitianga, Coromandel, with a peaceful ocean outlook and wild rocky shore, the venue was the perfect place for family and friends to gather and celebrate with them.

By taking a DIY approach to their wedding planning, this fantastic couple not only planned an absolutely epic celebration but began their very own wedding hire company, Twelve Tables, in the process! To complement their amazing clear marquees, handmade benches and tables, the couple enlisted the help of another local dynamic duo Two Foxes to take charge of the whimsical, nature-influenced styling.

With wild foliage and florals by Muck Floral against personalised signage details and luxe metallic and black tableware, we think they all nailed it! Two Foxes and Twelve Tables will both be joining us at our Tauranga event on May 26th, so make sure to come and have a chat about all things hire and styling with them!

Photographer Melissa Mills and videographers Love Soldier Weddings captured the day so beautifully, creating still and moving visual memories to be treasured forever.

This wedding was also featured by one of our faves Hello May which you can also check out here.

How did you meet?

We met in our first year at University in Dunedin (we were 18) we have been together 10.5 years

The Proposal…

Jean took me by boat to a little island in the middle of Wellington harbour, he had prepared all of my favourite food (say no more), there was red roses, poems, a book he made with all of our memories and messages from my favourite people. He had hired a house on the water… the list goes on. It’s fair to say Jean is the most romantic guy I’ve ever known.

The Wedding Style…

We wanted a relaxed but romantic style. We had a heap of ideas which we bounced off our stylists- Two Foxes, who helped us to rein it in and keep it cohesive.

The Wedding Venue…

A family batch where we’ve already created a heap of memories. The choice was a “no brainer”.

Favourite Details…

I loved my bouquet from Muck Floral. There were just so many details that I loved. The styling was amazing. I loved that we partied until 4:00am. Graham James (the musician) was next level amazing.

Favourite Moments…

Driving in on the motor-bike and seeing not only all of our favourite people laughing, but also the styling and setup, which we hadn’t seen prior. And a Conga line with my 86 year old Nana in the middle!

What does marriage mean to you?

Some people say “nothing changes” but I completely disagree. We had been together for almost 10 years when we got married, but the feeling or “marriage” is a whole new level of connection and love. It means that no matter what you have someone on your team.

Advice for other couples planning a wedding…

Styling, Keep it simple.
Invest in a great photographer who you are going to feel comfortable sharing 12 hours with, Melissa Mills was incredible.
If you’ve got the budget to, get a videographer, it will take you right back to the moment.
Don’t worry about traditions, do whatever the heck you want. If you want your Mum as a bridesmaid and to get ready with your soon to be husband, then do it.
Consider a ‘wedding planner’ or someone to help set up all the pretty details on the day of. You don’t want to be running around at 6.00am the day of your wedding making sure the napkins are in the right place.
Remember to have fun! Don’t take yourself too seriously.