Harry + Annaliese – Captured by Hill Collective

The elegant & lively wedding of Harry + Annaliese beautifully captured by one of our favourites, Leanna of Hill Collective.

Harry & Annaliese decided to have their wedding in Annaliese’s hometown Tauranga, where sunshine was almost guaranteed – even in the middle of winter. Tauranga put on the most beautiful winter’s day, with warm sun all day and a stunning pastel sunset. Harry & Annaliese are very loved and heaps of fun to be around, as confirmed by a large bridal party of their best friends, and so many travelling to be with them in Tauranga. Their wedding was focused around celebrating love, celebrating friends & family, and celebrating the start of their new life together.

How did you meet and how long have you been together? We met at a friend’s going away party. In the two years that followed, we did an internship together and became great friends (though Harry wanted it to be more). Annaliese moved from Wellington to Dunedin which is when she realised how much she missed him. We started a two-year long-distance relationship. Not long after Annaliese moved back, we were engaged.

Tell us a little bit about the proposal and your engagement? In the midst of a very busy time at work, Harry bought Annaliese a pamper session and insisted on a ‘date day’. They went out for lunch at their favourite Wellington café, then went an explored a favourite spot on the wild coast. Here, Harry got down on one knee. We were engaged for 8 months.

Tell us about your wedding style. What influenced your planning for the day? We didn’t really start our planning with a certain style in mind, but as we did research, we realised all our favourite vendors had a similar feel – classy, natural, bold and beautiful. It wasn’t until after we’d booked most of our vendors that we realised many of them were associated with Wild Hearts!

Why did you choose your destination? Tauranga was where Annaliese grew up. We knew it would mean a lot to her family if we were to be married there. The chapel where they got married was particularly special as Annaliese went to church there as a child for many years.

What was your favourite detail from the day? We loved sneaking in bits of Harry’s Scottish heritage – tartan pocket squares, a Scottish prayer, even bagpipes to welcome the guests to the reception!

Did you have a stand out vendor from your Wedding? So hard to choose, we loved every part of our day, but we would have to say – our photographer! She made everything so chill and easy. She scouted out some incredible and unexpected spots for photos and we are so happy with the outcome!

What was your favourite moment from the day? We caught the sunset for some final photos at the end of the day. After a busy morning, and a late lunch reception, it was so fun to just relax into the evening, enjoy the memories and each other’s company.

What does marriage mean to you? We see marriage as a lifelong commitment to the other person, a way of beginning a brand-new family. Choosing to love, even when we don’t feel like it. Choosing to forgive, to compromise, to be patient, to be one another’s greatest supporters. Choosing to weather life greatest storms and most terrific triumphs – together.

Advice for other couples planning a wedding? Enjoy the journey! It is a super special day in your life, but it is still just one day. Figure out what really matters to you (for us it was the people we shared the day with, and our memories – photos!), all the other details don’t really matter – don’t stress over those little decisions. The day will be perfect if you don’t worry too much!