Ever wished the editor of one of the world’s best wedding magazines could chaperone you through the planning process, you could chat to couples who’ve gone before you and pick the brains of industry experts, or simply look and feel more pulled together while pulling together your big day? For the past year, Together Journal editor Greta Kenyon and An Organised Life founder Beck Wadworth have been working to make those dreams come true. Introducing their new wedding planner and your indispensable sidekick – a fusion of fashion and function that ticks all the boxes.
“I worked as a wedding photographer for 10 years before I launched Together Journal and for two years with Kinfolk, organising their New Zealand events and gatherings,” says Greta of how it all began. “There really isn’t much I haven’t seen, so creating a wedding planner had been in the back of my mind for a long time. I was a fan of Beck’s An Organised Life stationery products and their chic, simple functionality, and one day it popped into my head that she’d be the perfect person to collaborate with. I put it to her and it turned out she’d been thinking the same thing! It felt like a very even meeting of brands, minds and skills. I had a gut feeling Beck would be a wonderful business partner – and I was right.”
Both successful entrepreneurs, neither Greta nor Beck do things by halves, and the perfectionist pair considered every last detail in creating this ultimate planning guide. They spent hours and hours contemplating what’s most important, and talking to real-life couples and industry specialists from all over the world. “The first-hand tips are so useful,” says designer/stationer Beck. “Everyone’s big day is different, so we made sure we got advice on weddings big and small, and planning everything down to the finest details versus organising more low-key affairs.
“Combining both our strengths meant we could create one dream product,” she continues. “Greta is a very creative and hard-working woman, and loves organisation as much as I do, so we were able to power through deadlines then make time to let our creativity flow over breakfast at our favourite Auckland café. We’ve worked so well together that we’ve become great friends. I respect and admire her so much.”
The result of their passionate effort is a stylish compendium featuring timings, checklists and tips galore. Visually pleasing yet highly practical, it stays true to both brands’ covetable looks, while its 14 sections provide everything you need to arrange your day with less stress, plus the occasions before and after. And unlike many heterosexual-centric wedding planners on the global market, this one welcomes a diverse audience.
The design part of the project alone took Beck more than a month to complete. Elevated to fashion-item status, the finished product is the height of pared-back elegance, intended to look as good in your hand as it does on your desk, nightstand or bookshelf. Available in two shades and encased in a gold-embossed box, it’s also designed to last forever.
“Our hope is for it to become a precious memento of one of the most incredible days of your life,” says Greta. “I hope it’ll be passed down for generations. I wish I had something similar that my parents or grandparents had given to me, so I could see all the things that made their weddings so special.”
We were lucky enough to launch this at beautiful Wedding Planner at Wild Hearts Auckland. Our guests were the first in the world to see and pre-order this stylish & functional wedding essential. A year in the making, the planner is filled with detailed checklists, as well as expert advice from leading industry professionals, and insider tips from real-life couples. It’s a keepsake for future generations to browse through. We were honoured to launch it at Wild Hearts Auckland and we can’t stop raving about how detailed and well thought out everything within it is, along with being absolutely stunning, so you will want to show it off almost as much as your ring.
Words: Phillipa Prentice | Photography: Ana Suntay-Tañedo
