Ella and Tom’s reveal, sheltered by ever-dried leaves overhead and underfoot and splintered by East Coast sun, kick started a day of celebrations across the Hawkes Bay.
Ella’s sleek silhouette was masterfully created by Hayes Bridal – a bespoke silk crepe de chine slip with a drop back, bias cut with the softest hint of a cowl neckline. Fine gold jewellery, pearl drop earrings and nude Chaos & Harmony heels added elegant touches from head to toe. Tom, nonchalant in a Barkers stone blazer and charcoal chinos. Both modern, relaxed and effortlessly cool.
Sharing a few solitary, euphoric moments together atop Hawkes Bay’s arid expanse of honeyed wine country, Ella & Tom were radiant against the ochre panorama. Across a sea of vines at Terrace View Vineyard, the couple exchanged vows and moved into mingle mode. Rustic tables for a large crowd were set with speckled ceramics, natural linen, classic glassware and touches of local flora. Scroll below for sun drenched highlights captured by Meredith Lord.
How did you meet and how long have you been together?We meet at a mutual friend’s party 5 years ago
How would you describe each other?Tom is kind, passionate, caring and funny. He’s super organised and always runs 10 minutes ahead of time. Ella is a smoking hot legend who always runs 10 minutes behind time.
Tell us a little bit about the proposal and your engagement?
Tom proposed on the beach at Whiritoa. It was a beautiful morning with just the two of us and our dog. Tom had bought the ring the night before, he planned on holding on to it for a while, but didn’t like the idea of having the ring rolling around in his car. So he proposed the next day which happened to be on the morning on one of his best friends weddings! We kept the news quiet for a few days, which was actually really nice as we had space to enjoy the moment ourselves and made sharing the news that much more exciting.
Tell us a little bit about the proposal and your engagement?
Tom proposed on the beach at Whiritoa. It was a beautiful morning with just the two of us and our dog. Tom had bought the ring the night before, he planned on holding on to it for a while, but didn’t like the idea of having the ring rolling around in his car. So he proposed the next day which happened to be on the morning on one of his best friends weddings! We kept the news quiet for a few days, which was actually really nice as we had space to enjoy the moment ourselves and made sharing the news that much more exciting.
Why did you choose your destination?
We actually had a separate venue booked in Raglan, then stumbled across Terrace View and fell in love! It ticked all the boxes with minimal set up, allowed us to organise our own food and alcohol and it had the most beautiful setting over several vineyards in Maraekakaho. Hawkes Bay was also appealing as it’s relatively accessible from anywhere in NZ. We didn’t get our deposit back from the first booking even though we cancelled over 10 months out… but no regrets!
What was your favourite moment from the day?
I loved the ceremony (which surprised me as it had been the part I had been dreading). Our dog Ruby trotted down the aisle just in front of Dad and I – such a nice little moment. One of our best friends Bellzy married us, which was so cool. She’s hilarious and made the whole thing light-hearted and fun. My veil flew off halfway through the ceremony and floated into some trees which helped to take the edge off!
What does marriage mean to you?
To me, lots of the concepts of marriage feel a bit outdated… But I couldn’t pass up the once in a lifetime opportunity to get all of our favourite people in one place for a big ol’ shindig! The whole process of voicing your commitment to each other in front of friends and family is pretty cool. Knowing that you have the love and support of so many people behind your relationship makes your bond feel even stronger.
What does marriage mean to you?
To me, lots of the concepts of marriage feel a bit outdated… But I couldn’t pass up the once in a lifetime opportunity to get all of our favourite people in one place for a big ol’ shindig! The whole process of voicing your commitment to each other in front of friends and family is pretty cool. Knowing that you have the love and support of so many people behind your relationship makes your bond feel even stronger.
Advice for other couples planning a wedding?
It’s never too early to start booking vendors! Everything gets booked out soo far in advance. Read all the T&Cs when making big bookings like venue. If it feels like they’re too gnarly, they probably are. Learn and practice a first dance! We’re both not big on being in front of a crowd but knowing a couple of moves when we got up there made it so much more enjoyable.
|| VENDOR CREDITS ||
Photographer: Meredith Lord | Videographer: Kagwa Kironde | Florist: Botanical Lane (bouquets) | Venue: Terrace View Winery | Bride’s gown & veil: Hayes Bridal | Bride’s shoes: Chaos & Harmony | Bridesmaids’ dresses: Blak& Shona Joy | Suits: Barkers | Rings: Jaime Lucinda Jewellery | Hair: Charlotte Lindsay-Sales | Bride’s makeup: Charlotte Lindsay-Sales | Bridesmaids’ makeup: Amanda Scott Makeup | Tableware: Tble. Linen | Bench seats: Empire Event Hire | Celebrant: Annabel Campbell | Catering: Vertigo Catering | Cake: Gaelyn Hutchings & Suzie Dowing | Entertainment: Shaun Preston
Looking for a dreamy wedding venue in Hawke’s Bay? We think you’ll love St George’s Restaurant – have a squiz over on our Wild Hearts Vendor collection, here and a recent Wild Hearts Styled Shoot with a beautiful line up of Hawkes Bay vendors, here.
Words by Isabelle McKay
