Set in this Italian inspired venue, Kylie & Ben exchanged vows in the beautiful Courtyard of Mantells Mount Eden. Engulfed by exposed walls and draping greenery, the space itself provided the perfect backdrop that needed little more than romantic blooms.
Surrounded by their closest loved ones, their wedding so effortlessly fused a classic and modern aesthetic, encapsulating the most stylish of touches to create an event that was both minimalist and chic.
“ love is patient, love is kind…”
How did you meet and how long have you been together?
Our best friends Viktoriya and Charlie were dating at the time (8 years ago) and Viktoriya decided to set us up by introducing us in Longroom (Ponsonby)! She came to be my bridesmaid at the wedding all the way from Greece and said to us she “came to seal the deal since this was her master plan after all!”.
How would you describe each other?
Ben is very outgoing, loves diving, fishing and the great outdoors. Kylie is more reserved, loves animals and being with family.
Tell us a little bit about the proposal and your engagement?
Ben proposed up north while away ‘glamping’ with our staffy Boston on a private beach where he cooked a beautiful sunset dinner before he got on one knee.
Tell us about your wedding style. What influenced your planning for the day?
Our wedding style was simple and classic, white roses and greenery. The venue influenced our style, it gave us the feeling of being back in Italy on holiday.
Why did you choose your destination?
The beautiful Italy/Spain/Sicily vibe. As soon as you walk through the doors you feel like you are on the other side of the world. A big reason was that we had people travelling from many different countries so having something central was important for us.
What does marriage mean to you?
It is a lifelong commitment to continue to do life with your best friend.
What was your favourite detail from the day?
The people! My mum and her 5 sisters were reunited for the first time in a long time. We had family from 6 different countries in one room (England, Fiji, Australia, Greece, Papua New Guinea, California, different parts of NZ)
What was your favourite moment from the day?
Honestly the whole wedding was incredibly special for us. We had experienced a landslide exactly 1 week before our big day at my parents home because of the first Auckland flooding. We were evacuated that night and had 40 mins the next day to take as much as we could from the house – watching all the steamed dresses being thrown into rubbish bags was a real grounding moment for me. The home was red stickered and we were forced to find accommodation for not only us but our guests arriving throughout the week. So it had been an incredibly hard week. I think at the wedding I was incredibly proud of my family and so grateful to have such a strong support network. We all pulled together to make everything work and the wedding went perfectly. We were mainly happy that everyone was safe and well and that all our overseas family were there despite a flooded airport earlier in the week!
Who were your stand out vendors?
My photographer Auburn Photography! She just exudes happiness and good vibes. She really made a big different to our day, we had so many people comment about how lovely she was.
Advice for other couples planning a wedding?
Even if you plan every single detail there will definitely be things that happen that are completely out of your control – just take it all in and enjoy every minute, you will be left with greater stories to tell the grandkids!
|| VENDOR CREDITS ||
Photographer: Auburn Photography | Venue: Mantells Mt Eden | Florist: Joie de Vivre Florist | Brides Dress & Veil: Trish Peng | Makeup: Makeup by Mavis | Hair: Lissy Steens | Grooms Suit: Dorset Suits | Rings: Culet Jewellery | Catering: Mantells Mt Eden | Cake: Amys Secret Kitchen
