Shayden & Georgia – Canterbury

Wild Romantics – Shayden & Georgia

The beautiful love story of Shayden and Georgia and how love and loss got them to this incredibly special day. Shayden who is quite frankly the legend of all Grooms, made sure to take over with all the planning and had three months to change their entire wedding so they could have it sooner for Georgia’s Mum to attend. While Shayden had his wedding planner hat on, Georgia was by her Mum’s side on her last days, who sadly didn’t make it to their big day.

The wildly rustic and captivating ceremony took place at Georgia’s Parents house in their Olive Grove, followed by the reception at Ohoka Hall. Photographer Susannah Blachford did an incredible job at capturing the love this couple and family exuded. Shayden and Georgia used their business Mooch Style to plan and style their own wedding which was a cohesive dream. The earthy tones for the wanderlust, rustic blooms were put together by Bunch Floral who made sure to incorporate their dreamy surroundings.

While this wedding is beautiful, this love story and these two, are even more so. Make sure you have a read about how they pulled this day together.

“And I’d choose you, in a hundred lifetimes, in a hundred worlds, in any version of reality, I’d find you and I’d choose you.” – The Chaos Of Stars

HOW DID YOU MEET?

Georgia and I met at a bar in January 2011. Me, new to Christchurch and Georgia just turned 18 were on a bar tour in Christchurch and it was the last bar of the night when I saw her and VERY nervously approached her. We then kept bumping into each other and then. After the Feb earthquakes we met again on an Easter get together that we were both at and have been together ever since living the dream!

THE PROPOSAL

I had been planning to propose to Georgia in the summer of 16-17. In May 2016 Georgia’s Mother Carol had all the family around to tell us that she had terminal cancer. I got planning the proposal fast after this, having Georgias soon to be engagement ring crafted at Kennett Jewelers using the stone from a brooch her mum gave her for her 21st Birthday. I wanted Georgia to know that whatever happened her mum knew she would be looked after and loved for the rest of her life.

It was a beautiful winters day and the hooker valley had a fresh dumping of snow, the sky was clear and the sun was out. Georgia and I were walking along and I had my proposal planned. I wanted to shoot on the second bridge on the way back. On the way back I was photographing bridges as Georgia is used to as I enjoy instagraming and needed content for our blog.

I was getting anxious because more people were appearing on the track so I was running out of bridges fast. On the last bridge after I had rushed people across the bridge I asked Georgia to turn around halfway across the bridge because I needed one more photo. She was getting angry because I was taking forever, the shot that I got was exactly the one I wanted. She was turning around to me on my knee – the rest is unknown because I can’t remember what I said, she stood there in shock then eventually ran to me very very happy!

After that we spent the weekend with family celebrating and enjoying the time we had in Tekapo with a flight up to Mount Joseph and relaxing in the hot pools.

THE STYLE

We hunted high and low for a hall. We were getting married in the feb of 2018 so it was very hard to find something available being very popular. We had planned to get married at trents vineyard in Christchurch which was going to be a contemporary wedding. Think blushes and blues – the thing most couples go for. Georgia’s mum went into the hospice in August 2017. We realised then that she wasn’t going to make it. We decided to bring our wedding forward to November however were too late as she passed away late October.

The planning for the day was heavily done by me. Georgia was off work with her mum being ill and had no headspace for the wedding. I wanted to give Georgia the day that she deserved but only had 3 months to turn around a completely new wedding to plan! I managed to source all new vendors including a new location in under 3 days. Our wedding fast become us, we were able to strip back the things that we didn’t like about the first wedding we were having and plan a wedding that was just as much about us as everyone that was coming to celebrate with us.

Everything we planned was based around an authentic feeling. Having the wedding at Georgia’s family olive grove set the scene and the rest flowed from there. It was funny, the wedding we always wanted was the wedding we ended up with! With this wedding there was nothing that influenced us but ourselves and what we liked. It all fell into place and on the day it was better than we had imagined. From the Pergola with the Turkish rug, the rustic bar with cordial dispensers to the old hall with the amazing blues band – everything was cohesive.

THE DESTINATION

When we shifted the wedding forward we had to choose a new location. Georgia’s family home had a beautiful olive grove and her step dad offered it to us when we were planning it at the hospice one day. We also had three halls in the area that we wanted to check out as we loved them all. I’m from southland and hall venues are very popular so it was a small way to bring a little bit of home to Canterbury, it was also a 5-minute drive from the ceremony so was good for guests.

We wanted a venue that was a destination for everyone, somewhere away from the city where we can all relax and really enjoy the day. The two worked so well to do that.

FAVOURITE DETAIL

Georgia:

The flowers by bunch floral transformed the day, the groomsmen matched the aisle bouquets and the bridesmaids matched the pergola. Then when the guests entered the hall we had a huge hanging centre piece that tied in with the table flowers. It made me and my bridesmaids feels so beautiful.

Shayden:

My favourite detail was the hall. I wanted a hall reception from the start but couldn’t have one due to our original dates being popular. The hall we chose was perfect, it added so much atmosphere for everyone and really completed the day. We have a homestyle blog and we blog about atmospheres and environments that you can create. I had so many comments that every detail of our wedding was a reflection of us and they could feel us in everything – I love that!

FAVOURITE MOMENT OF THE DAY

Georgia:

Getting our photos taken was very funny. Shayden had broke his ribs 2 days before the wedding. We were going to go in a paddock for photos and Shayden ended up getting chased by a bull with horns, he had to jump a fence holding his ribs It’s like he was back home on the farm haha. Then at the next location a man came and told us off – we laughed so much!

Shayden:

We didn’t have a first dance, we aren’t very traditional, we didn’t even cut a cake! At one point I looked around and the band was playing remix to ignition (one of our fav bangers), we were surrounded in parents, aunties and uncles, brothers and sisters, our little nephew and such great friends that were all dancing with instruments the band had handed out, it felt so great and so perfect – that to me was something I will remember for a long time!

WHAT DOES MARRIAGE MEAN TO YOU?

To us, marriage is a commitment, its trust – trust that you can always count on them, count on having someone to experience life with and to be there for you through the good and the bad. It’s also acknowledging that the other loves you and shares your values and supports you and your ambitions and appreciating them for that.

ADVICE FOR COUPLES PLANNING A WEDDING

Remember that it is your day and that it should be a reflection of you as a couple. When planning our wedding we made huge cuts because it was getting ridiculous. The next day we valued every cent we spent because there was nothing that was an “extra”.

You can find ways around expensive hire by buying things at opp shops and off trademe and then selling them after the wedding.

There were a few things that we see as essential:

If possible have live music for the ceremony and while guests are mingling.

Hire a good band – you will know why when your guests are all up having a blast.

Have an MC or two – make it someone funny that guests will listen to.

Invest in a good photographer and do your research!

Don’t over hire and create clutter, guests only notice the bigger things.