Engaged Wedding Magazine - July 2010 by Hamilton Media Limited

07/ 2010

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Our Place, Your Event Just 45 minutes south of Auckland you will find a little piece of the Mediterranean. Nestled in the northern slopes of the Bombay hills on more than 86 hectares and surrounded by 40,000 olive trees is the tranquil and beautiful Bracu. Your wedding is a personal and intimate Occasion. The decision on your venue is often the first and most important one you will make as it becomes the heart of the celebration. Simunovich Olive Estate provides privacy and seclusion which makes the property exceptional. The options for delivering your perfect day are endless and we will work with you to ensure all your dreams are fulfilled. There are a number of locations on the estate for you to choose from when it comes to having your ceremony and exchanging your vows. Bracu Restaurant is a dining destination that ignites the senses and captivates the palate. This excellence is carried through in every aspect of our food delivery. Our Head Chef and Restaurant Manager lead a talented team who deliver culinary delights that will leave your guests talking about the experience long after your big day. Modern, European cuisine with a hint of New Zealand influence uses the best of fresh, seasonal, local produce and products from the estate. We invite you to join in our relaxing atmosphere of casual sophistication.

WEDDINGS ON THE ESTATE 49 Main Road, R D 1 B ombay, Auckland 2675, New Zealand Telephone +6 4 9 236 10 30, reservations@bracu.co.nz

Notes from the Editors...

Cover Credits: Photography: Wild Photography Bride: Anna www.wildphotography.co.nz

Advertising Enquiries: Email: info@engaged.co.nz Phone: 09 8455925 Post: PO Box 137101, Parnell Auckland 1151 Hamilton Media Limited accepts no responsibility for material provided by readers or advertisers. All material supplied is assumed to have been provided with the consent of the appropriate copyright holders Engaged is subject to copyright in its entirety. All rights reserved in material accepted for publication unless initially specified otherwise.

With the weather having turned a bit nasty over the last month, now is a great time to think about planning an overseas wedding - who wouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t want to get away for these winter chills! We have some great tips for making it easier for guests to attend your overseas nuptials as well as some other travel-related articles. We also have a fantastic showcase of wedding photos from Tim Wild of Wild Photography. Many of you will have come across him on our discussion forums and it is great to have him share his work with us. Enjoy!

Tim & Gabrielle

... making your wedding dreams come true Just 50 minutes from Auckland’s CBD you’ll find magical Castaways. Castaways provides the ultimate wedding experience you and your guests will rave about for years to come. • Coastal cliff top ceremonies • Stunning sunset wedding receptions • Fabulous food • Award winning service • Guest accommodation • Honeymoon packages • Onsite activities Click here to download our new >online weddings pack<

Our team are available to meet with you onsite at Castaways. So contact us now and let’s start making your wedding dreams come true.

Castaways Karioitahi Beach, Waiuku Ph 09 236 5161 Email marie@castaways.co.nz Web www.castaways.co.nz * New & Exclusive to Castaways * Castaways is the only wedding venue in NZ to have its own “Little Black Photobooth”. Huge overseas, this is a great addition to your wedding, making it even more memorable.

“We’ve had such great feedback about our wedding at Castaways – amazing food, spectacular setting and outstanding service” (Castaways Bride, 2009)

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~ unique ~

~ memorable ~

~ affordable ~

THE PREMIER WEDDING EXPO HAS EVERYTHING YOU NEED FOR YOUR FAIRYTALE WEDDING

Whether itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s inspirational ideas, exquisite fashion shows, decadent cakes, stylish bouquets or fantastic prizes, you will find them all and more under one roof. Purchase your tickets online and save. www.weddingwonderland.co.nz. CLICK HERE TO PURCHASE NOW Auckland - ASB Showgrounds Sunday 11 th April Christchurch - Convention Centre Sunday 18 th April Hamilton - Claudelands Event Centre Sunday 16th May Rotorua - Energy Event Centre Sunday 11 th July Nelson - Trafalgar Square Sunday 18 th July

BROUGHT BROU R GHT TO ROU T YOU Y BY Y

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Wedding Shows Wedding Wonderland Expo - Rotorua Sunday 11 July 2010 - Energy Event Centre, Rotorua www.bridalshows.co.nz

Wedding Wonderland Expo - Nelson Sunday 18 July 2010 - Trafalgar Square, Nelson www.bridalshows.co.nz

The Grand Wedding Show - Auckland Sunday 12 September 2010 - Sky City Convention Centre, Auckland www.weddingshow.co.nz

NEWS engaged

GIVEAWAYS 6

Wedding Photography A Guide To Posing You pay thousands of dollars for your wedding photographer so why not make the most of your investment and learn about what your photographer will be trying to achieve. This fantastic book gives great ideas regarding posing and how to use the light as well as hundreds of other tips. Whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s more, there are over 400 images for you to look at and see what you love and how to achieve it. You can buy this fabulous book online at www.oliver-cameron.com

Win a copy of Wedding Photography - a Guide to Posing. We are trying something new this month - to be in the draw, you just need to go to our Engaged facebook page here and describe to us in twenty words or less your favourite wedding photo. Entries close 31 July 2010 and the competition is only open to New Zealand residents. You must become a fan in order to enter so that we can notify you if you have won. One one entry per person.

WIN! engaged

FEATURE

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Getting the best

DEAL Y

ou may have seen quite a lot of advertising recently for WebJet. co.nz and MixandMatch.co.nz, two online travel booking websites that make it easy for you to book flights even using different airlines for the outward and return journeys. The premise behind these sites is that they can save you time and hassle by checking flights from all of the airlines rather than you having to go to each airlineâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s separate website. Well, we thought we would do a little test of a couple of these and see how well these sites work and whether they give you the best deals. Please note that this test is very unscientific in nature. Where there are small discrepancies in price, it may be as a result of credit card fees being included in one but not the other. Rather than small vairations in price, we were more interested to see if there were any big differences between the offerings that really stood out. 9

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We did the test for flights leaving Auckland on 1 March 2011 and returning on 14 March 2011. We did not make any distinction between direct and non-direct flights and the only variable that we specified was that there had to be a baggage allowance included in the price.

Auckland to Singapore WebJet : Best Price: $1556 return (Emirates both ways) MixandMatch.co.nz : Best Price: $1813 return (Qantas both ways) Singapore Air : $1917 return Malaysia Air : $1852 return Qantas : $1796 return

Auckland to Tokyo WebJet : Best Price: $1242 return (Jetstar both ways) MixandMatch.co.nz : Best Price: $2030 return (Qantas both ways) Jetstar : $1240 return Qantas : $2030 return Air New Zealand : $2000 return

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Auckland to Gold Coast WebJet : Best Price: $355 return (Jetstar both ways) MixandMatch.co.nz : Best Price: $344 return (Jetstar both ways) JetStar : $344 return Pacific Blue : $399 return Air New Zealand : $392 return (although the return flight was for 15 March as no flight was available on 14 March)

Auckland to Queenstown WebJet : Best Price: $210 return (Air New Zealand both ways) MixandMatch.co.nz : Best Price: $209 return (JetStar there, Air New Zealand back) Jetstar : $278 return Air New Zealand : $241 return

So, whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the outcome? Well, I think that the upshot is that there can be quite a discrepancy between the best deals available between the websites, especially for international flights. For example, there is an $800 difference in the best prices offered between the two sites for a return flight to Tokyo - that could cover a large chunk of your accommodation costs! The moral of the story? It is definitely still worth shopping around to make sure that you are getting the best deal possible. Also, donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t forget that visiting your friendly travel agent may be able to get you the best deals possible for the least hassle... 11

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Latasha & Mike married at Boomrock (www.boomrock.co.nz)

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Real Wedding Photos

Exquisite

Images

This month we are excited to have Tim Wild from Wild Photography share four of his favourtie weddings. Based in Wellington, Tim is well-known for creating beautiful images that capture the true essence of the day, something that is abundantly demonstrated in this selection of images. Enjoy! www.wildphotography.co.nz

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Jacqui & Glen reception at Royal Wellington Golf Club (www.rwgc.co.nz)

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Briony & Jon married at Lansdowne House in Masterton (www.lansdownehouse.co.nz)

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Anna & Graeme married at Bracken Ridge in Martinborough (www.brackenridge.co.nz)

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FITNESS

Increase Your engaged

METABOLISM 45

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o you want to increase your metabolism? Good decision! Having a high metabolism means you burn more calories when you exercise, sit at your desk or even sleep. There are three ways to increase your metabolism 1. Strength training Putting on a bit of muscle or toning (for girls and guys) has the effect of boosting metabolism dramatically. This is because muscles are the main users of energy in the body which means even a small increase will have good effects. 2. Aerobic training We all know things like running and swimming burn calories but have you ever gotten off of a treadmill looked at the number of calories you’ve burnt and thought “You have to be kidding me! An hour of running and all I’ve burnt off is one Weetbix worth!”. Well the bitter truth is you have only burnt off one Weetbix worth but here’s what you probably didn’t know: the training you did for an hour is like hitting the nitrous button in a sports car; you still keep the extra speed up even after you’ve let go of the button. That hour of training you did resulted in a huge metabolism increase for the following 24 hours – so keep training every day to keep that metabolism increase up.

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3. Metabolism Foods Some foods boost your metabolism naturally, one of note is coffee which has the added benefits of suppressing appetite as well. Moderate coffee consumption has been proven to not have any bad health consequences (just don’t drink it too close to bed time!). So what is the biggest mistake that people make? Dieting by starvation. If you dramatically reduce the amount that you are eating, what happens is your body senses a lack of calories coming in and evolution has taught it that, when that happens, food must be scarce so in order to survive your body switches into energy saving mode and lowers the energy it consumes per day. That’s not the worst of it, it actually starts consuming your muscle for energy which in turn lowers your metabolism dramatically meaning you’ll put on weight much more easily in the future. Mentally, you’ll get tired and lose motivation which means you’re expending less energy - it really just creates a viscious circle. 47

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So how do you reduce the amount you eat and avoid energy saving mode? Easy! Break your meals up into five small meals a day. Implement all the above yourself (or join one of our fitness boot camps and we’ll guide you through it). When that’s done congratulate yourself on your new found massive metabolism increase – you’re now a calorie burning machine. Happy Training Everyone Sammy Mishriki Health & Fitness Consultant Fitness Evolved

Fitness Evolved run boot camps throughout the year. Each boot camp runs for six weeks, with three sessions per week. The sessions are based at the Auckland Domain. Visit their website to find out more about their boot camps and sign up to the next intake! Fitness Evolved are also now on Facebook - they have great tips on getting fit (you can ask questions and one of the trainers will respond), and you can even go in the draw to win a free Bootcamp! Check them out at : http://www.facebook.com/FitnessEvolved

www.fitnessevolved.co.nz engaged

R O M A N T I C A L B E RTO N A lovely centrally-located historic Auckland venue for weddings, civil unions, wedding photos and functions. Indoor and outdoor options available. web: www.alberton.co.nz email: alberton@historic.org.nz phone: +64 9 846 7367

Are you looking for a professional hairdresser and makeup artist who can come to you on your wedding day? With over 10 years in the industry, Natalie is working extensively in Fashion, Advertising and Film, as well as creating stunning results for bridal parties. Natalie's work is both versatile and innovative, offering her customers the complete package without compromise. Please go to my website www.natalieshields.com to view my work and prices.

www.natalieshields.com

TRAVEL

All images courtesy of the Singapore Tourism Board

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SINGAPORE The Lion City

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ith Jetstar recently offering $99 fares to Singapore, we thought that it was time to give you a run down on this fabulous city and all that it has to offer. It is a firm favourite of ours and is an easy way to get an introduction to Asia. As soon as you step out of Changi airport, you just know that Singapore is going to be easy to get along with. It might be a bit hot and humid, but the taxis ranks are well organised, the taxis are clean and the drivers even seem to know where they are going. Things are even easier due to the fact that, even though this is definitely an Asian city, english is an official language and is widely spoken. This is sort of a running theme for Singapore: it lets you enjoy a distinctly Asian experience with less of the difficulty experienced in many other Asian cities.

Getting Around Getting around Singapore is dead easy. There is a brilliant rail system (the MRT) which, as well as being tremendously clean, is super efficient and can get you to the main parts of the island. You can purchase single fare tickets (with fares for as little as $1) although, if you are going to be in Singapore for more than a week, it might be worth getting one of the EZ-Link cards which you can just top up when you need to.

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The famous Chilli Crab 53

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The other main way of getting around is by taxi. Taxis are pretty cheap and can be found at all of the shopping centres and hotels (of which there are thousands) so there is normally one nearby. They also have the advantage of taking you from air-conditioned door to airconditioned door (which when it gets really muggy is definitely worth its weight in gold, especially when you have loads of shopping to carry!).

Accommodation It doesn’t really matter too much which area within the main part of the city you stay in as it isn’t that big and it is easy to get around. Due to there being loads of hotels, there are normally some great deals to be had and will be something to fit every budget. When we were there, we stayed at the Parkroyal which had everything that you would ever need for $170 per night. Even if you are on a tight budget, make sure that your hotel has a pool. At the end of the day, there is nothing quite like going for a quick dip to cool off! If you really want an experience though, you can always treat yourselves to a night at the famous Raffles Hotel. This is an all-suite hotel and was rated by Conde Naste Traveller as one of the World’s Best Places to Stay. You do however pay handsomely for the privilege approximately $600 per night!

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Raffles Hotel

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The Food Being in the centre of main trading routes throughout the region, Singapore has developed a diverse population. The majority of the population are ethnic Chinese (75 percent), with approximately 14 percent Malay and 10 percent Indian. This has resulted in there being available a huge variety of cuisines,all with a bit of Singaporean twist to them. We always love eating from one of the many food markets. This is where you get the amazing flavours that the cosmopolitan society has created. One of our favourites is Newton Circus (sometimes known as the Newton Food Centre). It is full of food stalls that run from midday to 2am and is always bustling with both locals and tourists. The smells as you wander around are just amazing and, if you werenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t hungry before you got there, you definitely will be once you have been there for a minute or two! One thing to note is that the vendors can get a bit excited if you pay too much attention to them, so if you donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t want something, it is best just to walk on by without making eye contact. Our favourites were the satay, the chili crab and the yummy fried bananas . If you want something a little easier, you can always head to the air-conditioned comfort of one of the many franchise joints or you can even go and visit the ever-popular Hard Rock Cafe (which does great ribs!).

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The Bora Bora Beach Bar on Sentosa Island

For a more sophisticated meal out, there are plenty of top quality restaurants to choose from, offering some of the best cuisine in the world. The fine-dining restaurants do however tend to be quite pricey by New Zealand standards so be prepared to open your wallet.

Touristy things No matter what you are in to, there is loads to keep you busy in Singapore. If you are interested in Singapore’s history, head to one of the heritage centres on the island, such as the Chinatown Heritage Centre which is housed within the walls of three restored shophouses and gives you a glimpse into the lives of Chinatown’s early residents. For those into something a bit more lively, there is Sentosa Island. This is home to a theme park, wildlife reserves, adventure rides as well as a boat load of restaurants, bars and clubs and even three beaches! It is definitely worth checking out and it is easy to spend a whole day exploring. Another famous attraction is the Night Safari which is the world’s

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first wildlife night park. You can walk around the walking tracks or alternatively, you can catch the tram (departing at 7:30pm) which guides you around the night safari allowing you to witness some of the 115 species contained in the park. Another â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;must-doâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; is to head to the Long Bar at the Raffles Hotel for a Singapore Sling. Even though the current Singapore Sling is a modified version of the origial (first created by a bartender at the bar sometime prior to 1915), it is worth the visit to experience the atmosphere of the historic Long Bar.

Shopping Ten years ago, people would come home from holidaying in Singapore with fantastic electronics that they had purchased for bargain prices. Unfortunately, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not quite as competitive now as it used to be, however, there are still deals to be had. What it lacks in bargain basement prices, it makes up for with selection. There are hundreds of malls catering to every shopping need. If you are after clothes, you can wander down Orchid Road and find anything you want, from Prada and Louis Vuitton, to the more mainstream labels. Night Safari

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The Funan Digital Mall If it is silk, handicrafts, jade or jewellery you are after, Chinatown is the place to start. It also has a night market where over 200 stalls line the streets. Even if you don’t end up buying anything, it is worth going just for the experience. For electronics, the Funan Digital Mall is the place to go. It positions itself as Asia’s leading IT shopping mall and you will find all of the gadgets you could dream of. It is however best to know what you want (and how much you can get it in New Zealand for) before going there as it is very easy to get caught up in the impressive sales techniques of the shop assistants. With so many shops selling the same goods, make sure that you compare prices and don’t be afraid to bargain.

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Singapore is a great place to spend your honeymoon. On the face of it, it might not have the excitement of somewhere like Hong Kong, but it has the advantage of offering a brilliant Asian experience while being an easy place to travel to. Soaking up the vibrant Singaporean culture, sampling the amazing foods, dabbling in a spot of shopping - it would definitely be one of our top honeymoon destinations!

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nadia couture Redefining bridesmaids. nadia couture is Aucklandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s premier bridesmaid shop. Timeless design, quality fabrics and meticulous craftsmanship for the bride and your bridesmaids needs. nadiacouture garments range from soft silk chiffon to elegant formal satin, available in a wide range of colours and sizes. To compliment the dresses, nadia couture has exquisite jewellery and beautiful evening bags, guaranteeing nadia remains a â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;must-seeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; destination for your entire bridal party and every evening occasion.

271a Ponsonby Road, Ponsonby, Auckland customerservices@nadiacouture.co.nz

Phone: 09 361 1205 www.nadiacouture.co.nz

Stunning freeze dried Rose and Hydrangea petals in 25 colours and blends

Exquisite bouquets for brides and bridesmaids

Personalized petal cones

Beautiful table centerpieces

Gorgeous flower girl petal pails

Complimentary consultation and design

www.foreverpetals.co.nz

Leonie Fisher Mobile Make-up Artist

Coco a Berry invitation by design p

fishyleo@orcon.net.nz 021 389423

WEDDING STATIONERY

Save the date Invitations RSVP Menus Order of service Thank You cards and more www.cocoaberry.co.nz 021 2636 147 info@cocoaberry.co.nz

Create your own unique jewellery. Custom designs with delight. Beads for embellishment. www.beadsgloriousbeads.com 6 Kingsland Tce, Kingsland, Auckland - Phone: 09 815 1177

BEADS

JEWELLERY

CLASSES

Mob: 021 458 687 diana@outside-the-square.co.nz

Through the Lens

Showcasing Photographic Excellence

Photograph by VisionWorks Photography

Page 63 : engaged : May 2009

Amy Schulz Photography

Website: www.amyschulz.co.nz Email: AmySchulzPhotography@gmail.com Mobile: 0211556071 Wellington and Nationwide

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Emma Hughes Photography Website: www.emmahughes.co.nz www.weddingsonwaiheke.co.nz Email: emma@emmahughes.co.nz Phone: 09 372 8729 Mobile: 021 051 3292 Waiheke and Auckland Master NZ Institute of Professional Photography

Amanda Wignell Photography Website: www.awp.co.nz Email: amanda@awp.co.nz Phone: 09 426 2647 Mobile: 027 615 3078 Associate Member NZ Institute of Professional Photography Auckland and Northland

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Photography by Marijke Website: www.photographybym.co.nz Email: mail@photographybym.co.nz Phone: 07 572 4085 Mobile: 021 560 509 Bay of Plenty and Nationwide

Victoria Vincent Photography Website: www.victoriavincent.com Mobile: 021 213 5759 Wellington, Nelson, Nationwide

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Email: victoria@victoriavincent.com

Website: www.velaimages.com

Vela Images

Email: greta@velaimages.com Phone: 021 376 663 Auckland and Nationwide

VisionWorks Photography

Website: www.visionworks.co.nz Email: tim@visionworks.co.nz Phone: 09 845 5925 Mobile: 021 44 88 17 Auckland

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Brett Lees, Unique Visions Photography Website: www.uniquevisions.co.nz Email: brett@uniquevisions.co.nz Phone: 09 817 7014 Mobile: 0274 913 061 Qualified Member NZ Institute of Professional Photography Auckland

Jan Maree Vodanovich Photography and Art Website: www.janmareeart.co.nz Email: jan@janmareeart.co.nz Phone: 09 236 8553 Mobile: 027 281 5921 Auckland, Franklin, Hamilton

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Where The Heart Is Photography

Website: www.wheretheheartis.co.nz Email: info@wheretheheartis.co.nz Phone: 07 8547933 Mobile: 021 235 7976 Auckland, Waikato, King Country & Bay of Plenty

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Parker Swannell Photography Email: parkerswannell@gmail.com Phone: 09 817 2678 Mobile: 021 257 5355 Auckland

New Regent Studios Website: www.photos.co.nz Email: info@photos.co.nz Phone: 03 355 4448 Mobile: 027 229 2329 Christchurch

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Jeremy Hill Photography Website: www.jeremyhill.co.nz Email: enquiries@jeremyhill.co.nz Phone: (09) 8263394 Mobile: 021 2279196 Auckland

Vicky Broadbent VisionWorks Photography

Website:Website: www.vickybroadbent.co.nz broadbent@xtra.co.nz www.studioname.co.nzEmail: Email: info@studioname.co.nz Phone: 09 123 4567 Phone: Mobile:021 021633 123404 4567 Qualified Member NZ Institute of Professional Photography Coromandel and Auckland Auckland

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The Checklist Engaged to 9 months before Task

Notes

Done

Notes

Done

Announce your engagement, including notices in the newspaper Organise for your families to meet, if they haven’t done so already Choose your bridesmaids, groomsmen, MC, flower girls, page boys Discuss the type of wedding you want, including budget Compile a draft guest list (this will help determine venue size) Choose venues for the ceremony and reception Set the date and time for the wedding Choose and book the following: • Photographer • Videographer • Entertainment • Caterer • Florist • Transport • Wedding Co-ordinator • Celebrant Start thinking about your dress (you may need to book a dressmaker) Consider purchasing wedding insurance to cover those things that are out of your control which may result in the wedding being postponed or cancelled Have an engagement party

9 months before Task

Order your wedding dress Choose your accessories: veil, jewellery, underwear, shoes and so on Choose the attire for the rest of the wedding party as applicable: • Groom • Bridesmaids • Groomsmen • Flower girls • Page boys Select stationery including: • Invitations

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Task

Notes

Done

Notes

Done

Notes

Done

Notes

Done

• Thank you cards/notes • Place name cards • RSVP cards • Seating plan • Envelopes Book a calligrapher Send out save-the-date cards Contact rental companies to hire equipment, marquees, tables, etc Organise gift registry Start thinking about your honeymoon

6 months before Task

Order bridesmaids’ dresses Order/book the groom’s and groomsmen’s suits Help your mother and mother-in-law with their outfits Discuss your beauty regime with your beauty therapist Book in for marriage preparation course if needed Decide on and order your wedding cake Book your accommodation for the wedding night Investigate accommodation options for out of town guests Choose and purchase your wedding rings Make any honeymoon reservations

4 months before Task

Book hairdresser and make-up artist Order favours Discuss menu options with caterer/venue, including wine selection Organise entertainment if you are having children at the reception Speak with the celebrant or minister and decide on an order of service, responsibilities, speech making, readings, etc. Set your rehearsal date Let people know if they will be making a speech, doing a reading, etc Purchase wedding gifts for each other and the wedding party Organise time off work for your honeymoon Renew passports if necessary!

2 months before Task

Post invitations Write your vows Have your hair and makeup trials (remember to take your veil etc)

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Organise dancing lessons for the first dance Organise your hen’s and buck’s nights with the wedding party Confirm: • Flowers with florist – do they fit with the theme, colours, dresses • Menu with caterer • Accommodation for yourselves and your guests Organise any legal work, for example, pre-nuptial agreements, wills

1 month before Task

Notes

Done

Notes

Done

Apply for your marriage licence Confirm and finalise final guest numbers Make a seating plan (allow time for disagreements!) Have your dress fittings Organise bridal party’s final fittings (including accessories) Confirm groom’s and groomsmen’s outfits are ready Write your speech Confirm honeymoon accommodation and flight bookings Organise a house-sitter for while you are on honeymoon

2 weeks before Task

Confirm with everyone that you have booked for your wedding, advise final numbers and provide a emergency contact number to: • Venue • Caterer • Celebrant/Minister • Photographer • Videographer • Entertainment • Florist • Cake maker • Stationery • Car hire company • Hairdresser • Makeup artist • Favours • Hire company Make a list of everything that needs to be set up and/or taken to the ceremony and reception Have your final dress fitting including accessories. Take your chief bridesmaid so she knows how to how to attach your train etc.

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Make sure the bridesmaids have their dresses, footwear and accessories Have your final haircut and colour before the wedding Make sure the groom has his hair cut Finalise seating plan for reception Write place cards Practise walking around in your wedding shoes Have hen’s night and buck’s night

1 week before Task

Notes

Done

Notes

Done

Pick up your wedding dress and hang it in a safe place Wedding rehearsal (you may like to give the bridal party their gifts then) Pick up hire items, including groom’s and groomsmen’s attire Confirm honeymoon arrangements Pack for honeymoon Have your engagement ring professionally cleaned Pack an emergency kit for the day Final check on arrangements and plan for the day: • Who has the rings? • Have you paid entertainers etc ahead of time or do you need to take money? • Who is taking the gifts home after the wedding? • Who is dry-cleaning your dress the next day? • Who is returning the suits? • Make sure the bridal party are aware of their roles • Give a list of important contacts to a trusted family member or friend (can be the chief bridesmaid or the mother of the bride)

The day before Task

Relax and spend some quality time on your own! Present each other with gifts and remind each other why you love the other Give wedding bands to the best man and/or chief bridesmaid to hold during the ceremony

The big day Enjoy yourself!

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Next Issue out 1 August

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