Hearts in Bloom || Kate + Matt’s Garden Wedding Celebration

Nestled in the heart of Christchurch, Kate + Matt exchanged vows in a stunning modern elegant garden wedding. The lush surroundings of Pemberton Gardens provided the perfect backdrop for their special day, with every detail exuding sophistication and charm. From delicate pastel blooms to the chic and minimalist decor, every element creating a refined celebration.

“Marriage to us is a beautiful commitment to each other and an amazing celebration of our love.”

As the sun began to set, the magic of the day continued with Kate and Matt’s stunning styling details. From the romantic champagne towers to the pops of pink, lush cake by Full Time Tart and pastel blooms scattered throughout the venue, every aspect of the day was carefully curated. The venue, with its elegant garden backdrop, created a romantic atmosphere that perfectly complemented the natural beauty of the surroundings. The table settings were adorned with gold cutlery, white linen, and delicate florals, creating an effortlessly chic and modern aesthetic that was both sophisticated and understated. The attention to detail was clear, and every element worked together harmoniously to create a truly unforgettable celebration of love.

Beautifully captured by Amour Weddings.

How did you meet and how long have you been together?

We met during our school years but hadn’t seen each other for 8 years or so when we bumped into each other out one night at the end of 2016. Early 2017 we went on our first date! Have been together about 6 years now.

How would you describe each other?

Matt is a very gentle, humble, kind, hardworking, determined, thoughtful and intelligent man! What’s not to love!

Kate is such a beautiful person inside and out. She is so caring, thoughtful, determined and is so much fun to be around.

Tell us a little bit about the proposal and your engagement?

Matt and I often drive up to the top of the hill we live on to sit in the car and have a beer while watching the beautiful winter sunsets. One friday on his way home from work he called me to tell me the sun was setting soon, it was going to be a good one, could I please get our jackets, couple of beers and meet him outside in 5 minutes. In hindsight I should have known something was up as we don’t usually need our jackets because we never get out of the car to watch the sunset in august (too cold!).. anyway we get up there and find a rock to sit on and crack open our beers. Then this man with a big backpack walks up the hill and starts unravelling a parachute a short distance away from us. As this paraglider runs off the top of the cliff and starts floating in the air Matt stands up so he can watch him float down over the hill face while slyly getting the box out of his pocket. Then he turns around, gets down on one knee and pops the question! It was a beautiful moment.

Our engagement was a little over a year. We celebrated with our loved ones and enjoyed basking in that feeling of being engaged! We were always set on getting married in the summer so knew it was going to be summer of 2022/23.

Tell us about your wedding style. What influenced your planning for the day?

I’d say our wedding style was classic, chic and elegant with soft pastels and wavy signage/menus. I absolutely love flowers so I always knew I wanted a pop of colour in our florals. And I’d always loved the contrast of having the bridal party in black and white suits and black dresses so it was an easy decision.

We knew that our wedding day would likely be the one day of our lives where we have both of our families and friends from all over all together at once. That was very special to us so we wanted to have the biggest celebration we could. So when planning the day, that meant good food, good drinks, good music and lots of time for mingling.

Why did you choose your destination?

Matt and I both really wanted to get married in a beautiful garden with the reception at the same location. As both of our families are based in Christchurch there was never a question of getting married anywhere else. Pemberton was beautiful and ticked all of our boxes so it was a very easy decision.

What was your favourite detail from the day?

My blouse that I wore over the top of the dress for the ceremony is probably my favourite detail from the day. I only decided a few months out that I wanted it and the lovely Lulu from Lulu Jackson bridal worked her magic! But I also think the florals and my little pink JE PEI hand bag worked so well together!

What was your favourite moment from the day?

The ceremony was probably our favourite moment of the day. It was so special to have all of our loved ones smiling at us as we tied the knot.

Who were your stand out vendors?

Sarah and Connor from Amour Weddings were bloody brilliant.

The amazing Kendal Mcsorley (Make up) and Monique Cadigan (Hair) were the best and made it such a lovely morning.

Britt our celebrant made the ceremony perfect.

Sophie from Full Time Tart created such a stunning cake.

Alicia from Bunch Floral made my flower dream come true.

What does marriage mean to you?

Marriage to us is a beautiful commitment to each other and an amazing celebration of our love.

Advice for other couples planning a wedding?

Figure out what is most important to you and splurge on that. Don’t let the stress of it take away the fun of it. Make sure you actually spend the wedding day with your new husband/wife… it’s too easy to end up talking to different people, losing each other and barely seeing each other all night