LOVE, LAUGHTER, AND HAPPILY EVER AFTER

FEATURE

“If I had a flower for every time thought of you… I could walk through my garden forever.” – Alfred Tennyson

Weddings are dear to most. Maybe you’ve witnessed a wonderful union of two souls evolve over time or experienced love first hand and are perhaps married today. There’s a reason it’s the subject of many a love song or the well-read fairy tale books from childhood. Weddings are for everyone.

Read ahead for three wonderful tales: our cover story on the beautiful bride Raksha and her recent wedding, a company offering a unique alternative to traditional wedding presents, and the magnificent Town Hall – now moonlighting as a central city option for nuptials.

A GIFT FOR CENTURIES

WORDS Sarah Dillon PHOTO Emma Brittenden

What do you get for the couple who has it all? Laura Dalzell and Charles Smart had set up house five years prior to their wedding and were looking for gift ideas that would mean the earth. The couple met in their first year at the University of Otago – although there were no signs of romance for a few years. Now together for eight, they’ve made their home together in Auckland with Sylvie, the cat, and were married in January this year.

While most COVID considerations were solved with a simple video call link, the problem of how to allow guests near and far to contribute meaningful wedding gifts remained.

“Not only did we feel we didn’t need any physical gifts, we didn’t have room for much in our wee townhouse,” laughs Laura.

“There were some family members who really wanted to give us a special gift – for which we were grateful – but we felt that it would mean much more to us to be able to give back to the world. We wanted our marriage to reflect our values of caring for others and the planet.”

The solution? Native trees. After some initial Googling, Laura stumbled across Trees That Count, a website that helps connect people wanting to donate native trees with over 700 planting groups across Aotearoa. Laura and Charles set up their own native tree registry, which works just like any other gift registry. Guests could log in to donate native trees and leave a message for the couple. They were overwhelmed with the positive response.

“Our guests loved the idea. Many of them commented how nice it was to give to a charity, rather than giving ‘stuff’.”

The opportunity also gave rise to a number of tree puns from creative guests, including, ‘We can’t be-leaf how lucky you are to have each other’, ‘We know you’ll stick together in the years ahead’, ‘Make sure to branch out and try new things; that’ll keep you feeling chipper’, and ‘You’ve grown so much together, and we know you’ll have a treemendous life ahead.’

Laura and Charles’ wedding registry received an amazing 452 native trees donated. The trees, of course, don’t head to the couple’s own backyard – they’ll be distributed to experienced planting groups in their chosen region of Canterbury. Most of the native trees gifted for Laura and Charles’ wedding will find their homes at Hidden Valley Farm, south of Christchurch. The landowners have fenced off two hectares of stream gully for native regeneration and are already seeing native birdlife return to the area with over 10,000 eco-sourced native plants in the ground.

More of the native trees donated by wedding guests will be planted at AvonŌtākaro Forest Park, an indigenous forest park established within the red zone. The final ten were matched to West Harbour Beautification Trust in Dunedin, a nod to the couple’s history in the city.

“We have strong environmental values, and we know that trees are so important for carbon storage and biodiversity,” Laura says.

“We felt that by creating our registry for native trees, we are contributing in a small way to our future. Being able to give in this way has meant a lot to us and added to the spirit and values of our wedding, which is a lovely way to start our marriage.”

COLOUR, RITUAL, AND CELEBRATION

WORDS Kim Newth PHOTOS Ruchika Jain

Bride and groom are bright with garlanded flowers and smile into each other’s eyes as they hold hands. She is dressed in red and gold (a bridal lehenga), draped with gorgeous jewellery, her veil delicate and exquisitely bordered. He wears soft red trousers, a debonair high collar coat with red chiffon shawl, and a cream turban. What a picture for Raksha and Sushant Saxena to cherish, one of many that so beautifully capture the Christchurch couple’s wedding day on 27 February 2021 at the Lower Hutt Events Centre. They chose a contemporary ceremony that was also steeped in Hindu tradition.

Fijian-born Raksha Kajol Singh was newly graduated from architectural studies at Victoria University of Wellington when she met Sushant Saxena, an IT engineer who had moved from India with his family in 2001. That was in 2017. They soon became friends and eventually, as they got to know each other better, started dating. When Raksha found work as a design consultant in Christchurch, Sushant began job hunting here too and followed her down. They continued dating for another two years, living separately until their wedding day out of respect for their religion and culture.

Whereas typical Kiwi weddings focus on ‘the big day’, Raksha and Sushant say Hindu weddings such as theirs take place over several days, with various ceremonies held before the main event. These include Ganesh Pooja, performed by a priest with only close relatives in attendance and Mehndi night when the bride and female relatives are adorned with intricate patterns in henna. The following day, Haldi or turmeric is used as a skin cleanser, and Sangeet is held in the evening – when the bride and groom’s families meet and mingle over food and dance.

On the day of the wedding, the bride’s family arrives at the venue first. The groom and his family and friends then parade to the venue with dancing and drumming (Baraat). It is also traditional for the groom to ride in on a horse.

“My sister helped me source a horse, [along with equine wedding attire],” says Sushant. “We drove to the car park, which was 200 metres from the actual venue and then I rode the rest of the way with my nephew sitting in front of me and everyone dancing and joining in.”

Following Raksha’s arrival, the couple exchanged floral garlands to welcome each other to the mandap – a four-pillared canopy – for the ceremony. It took place over an hour and a half and included many prayers and offerings. One touching ritual saw veil and shawl tied together to symbolise the couple’s union (Gath Bandan). The bride’s family stayed in the mandap to participate in prayers and gave Raksha’s hand in marriage to her groom.

To sanctify the ceremony, a small fire (Agni) was kept burning and offerings made. The bride’s brother gave fistfuls of puffed rice to the groom as a wish for his sister’s happy marriage. As well, seven promises or vows were recited, and this bride and groom’s first steps as a couple were also around the fire (Phere).

Traditional Indian wedding day fare is vegetarian with no alcohol served, but guests were able to toast the newlyweds at a joyous reception event held the next day.

ICONIC DAY, ICONIC VENUE

WORDS Kathy Catton

Choosing a venue for your wedding is a huge step. It’s an important one, too: once you have a destination in mind, you can start filling in all the other details that will transform your wedding into a truly special event. If the Christchurch Town Hall hasn’t been on your wedding venue horizon, it’s time to look at what this iconic location offers.

When most people think of the Christchurch Town Hall, they think of large concerts and visiting dignitaries. But did you know it’s host to dozens of weddings every year? This iconic Ōtautahi destination is an impressive setting for what will undoubtedly be one of the most important days of your life. And it’s not just for large weddings either. Small, intimate affairs are equally at home here.

The Town Hall offers two spaces in which you can host your wedding. The Avon Room offers exceptional views out over Victoria Park and the iconic Ferrier Fountains. With its white ceilings and blonde wooden features, it’s an elegant and welcoming space that can accommodate up to 170 guests. The Avon Room is fully customisable to suit your vision and offers optional access out to the beautiful fountain terrace for a refreshing outdoor element.

The Limes Room is the perfect setting for larger affairs, able to accommodate up to 260 people seated banquet style or approximately 400 cocktail style. The Limes Room is situated on the second floor, up the Town Hall’s grand staircase. Fully refurbished, this large and immaculate room combines light, space and treetop views to stunning effect.

Catering for weddings at the Christchurch Town Hall is provided by an adept culinary team – headed by a well-known chef with over 23 years of experience. He can work with you to create a bespoke menu, or you can choose from four packaged options featuring a delectable range of canapés, bowls, main courses, and desserts. The Christchurch Town Hall has a local procurement policy, meaning your menu and beverage choices won’t simply be mouth-watering for your guests; they’ll be supporting local businesses too.

You’ll be assigned a dedicated wedding event manager when you choose to host your wedding at the Christchurch Town Hall. They will assist you with everything, from designing the big picture to taking care of every last detail. Everything you need will be provided for by experienced experts, from set-up to coordination, sounds, and lighting – leaving you to focus on friends, family, and the things that matter.

The Christchurch Town Hall has long been a city icon, and as a setting for your wedding, it will also become a treasured part of your life. Imagine your special day in the midst of our stunning garden city, remembered through photographs on the grand staircase, in front of the Ferrier Fountain, in the gardens, or somewhere uniquely urban.

One thing is certain. After experiencing a wedding at the Christchurch Town Hall, neither you nor your guests will ever pass by this iconic place without thinking back to your special day, and the memories created.

weddings.venuesotautahi.co.nz

STORIES BROUGHT TO LIFE

Lifetime Legacy’s stunning ‘Magical Moments’ book is perhaps only missing one thing – your stories. As a vehicle for recording personal life stories in a oneon-one interview with your own writer, the experience is remarkably easy and enjoyable. Artistically illustrated native birds and flowers form a delightful backdrop, an apt setting to life stories being lived in New Zealand.

Mother and daughter team Joanne Cormack and Jasmin Bristowe – writer and videographer at Lifetime Legacy – transcribe a person’s stories into the book before it goes to print.

Ten life-stage sections form its basis, with personal photographs and the sharing of well-earned wisdom a key feature, and all with a view to creating an heirloom for future generations of one’s family.

The final book run, of perhaps ten or twenty, are store-quality, engaging coffee-table pieces. Jo’s passion for honouring the passing down of stories is inspiring.

“A person’s stories are the greatest legacy of their lifetime and have enduring value to future generations of their family. As digital print and video become increasingly viable, more everyday New Zealanders are recording their stories,” Jo says.

Lifetime Legacy also offers Living Legacy Videos where, in a one-on-one interview, a person shares their stories, life events, and memories, all within the relaxed setting of their own home.

“Imagine how wonderful it would have been to have viewed your own great-greats talking about their lives. It wasn’t an option back then, but it is now,” Jo says.

“Our framework supports people who want to be intentional about gifting their stories forward. It gives them a structure for the production of their book or video.” So often people don’t get around to recording their stories. Even if it’s what is considered a bucket list item, sometimes this important and integral part of recording your personal heritage is side-lined. This is usually because people ‘just don’t know where to start’, according to Jo.

“At Lifetime Legacy, we make it happen, and in the process, we make it a fun and rewarding experience.”

lifetimelegacy.co.nz