Engaged Wedding Magazine

engaged OCTOBER 2009

GET HEALTHY The first step to get you looking and feeling your best

GIFTED

CAPTIVATING CORSETS

Instant glamour - and waistline!

Compare gift registries

AHLERGANCE

WEDDING PICNICS Embrace the summer

The Bay’s newest bridal label

SULTRY SYDNEY Dusty one day, perfect the next

Wedding Albums Make your wedding photos stand out

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: blindvizion photography www.blindvizion.com

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 initally specified otherwise.

We’ve been travelling this month. From beautiful Queensland to a very dusty Sydney, it seems that weddings are all around us!

We saw a very casual and relaxed couple and wedding party celebrating in a surf club right on the beach, some stunning emerald green bridesmaids’ dresses in the heart of Brisbane and a wedding boat cruise on the Sydney Harbour! The bride in Sydney doesn’t get a mention in our travel article, but make sure you check it out - there are some great ideas for if you do visit Sydney (whether on honeymoon or not!).

We came back to New Zealand’s gorgeous daylight savings. The extra hours of daylight definitely get us in the mood for early evening BBQs and picnics, which fits perfectly with our picnic ideas article from Wanaka Catering. A picnic wedding could be an excellent idea if you are looking for a low-cost, casual theme.

In addition, you can read about wedding albums, compare wedding registries and, drool over the stunning corsets produced

by Puss Puss.

Enjoy!

Tim & Deborah

REAL WEDDINGS Sarah and Johnny’s beautiful wedding photographs

GIFT REGISTRIES Different types of registry

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MAINTAIN THE BEAUTY Tips to make sure you stay looking your best

PICNIC RECEPTIONS Make the most of summer

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SULTRY SYDNEY Dusty one day, perfect the next Page 4 : engaged : October 2009

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CAPTIVATING CORSETS Instant glamour - and waistline!

GET HEALTHY The first of a series to get you feeling your best

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AHLERGANCE The Bay’s newest bridal label

table of contents Page 5 : engaged : October 2009

nadia couture Redefining bridesmaids. nadia couture is Auckland’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 ‘must-see’ destination for your entire bridal party and every evening occasion.

271a Ponsonby Road, Ponsonby, Auckland

Phone: 09 361 1205

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www.nadiacouture.com

Competitions Glamorpuss Cosmetics has generously given us a make-over valued at $75 to give away.

The make-over will make you look fantastic - the professionals at Glamorpuss will colour match the winner with foundation, concealer and powder, then apply colour to lips, eyes and cheeks with make-up artists tips through-out!

To be in the draw, hit the button below and complete the entry form.

Enter here

WIN A $1000 WEDDING DRESS VOUCHER! To celebrate the launch of their spring collection, City Bridal is giving our lucky readers the chance to win a $1000 voucher to spend on their wedding dress.

To enter, you just have to vote on your favourite dress from their spring collection.

To view their collection and enter the competition, click the button below.

Enter here Page 7 : engaged : October 2009

This month, The Pureskin Clinic has given us an emerginC eye cream and three emerginC eye masks to give away!

To be in the draw, hit the button below and complete the entry form.

Enter here

WIN A $1000 PRIZE PACKAGE! Bridal Grace and Sothys Paris have a fantastic prize package for you to win!

You’ve still got a couple of weeks to be in to win a $1000 prize package consisting of a $500 voucher off your wedding decorations package with Bridal Grace Ltd plus a $500 pampering package from Sothys Paris beauty products for both bride and groom!

This competition closes on 15 October, so enter now!

Enter here

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Captivating

Corsets

Images by Daniel Allen Photography Ltd

W

allis Simpson, who became the Duchess of Windsor, said that ‘a woman can never be too thin or too rich’. We can’t help you with the rich part, but Jillian Alexander from Puss Puss Corsets can help with the thin part – nothing defines your waist like a well-made corset!

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E.

Jill, tell us how you came to be making corsets.

JA: I am originally from England. I studied at St. Martins School of Art, graduating in 1977. I learnt how to make corsets from attending a London School of Fashion ‘summer school’ in 1997. I am very interested in the impact of historic costumes on today’s fashions: the changes in fashionable silhouettes from the late 1700s to the 1950s are so dramatic as women present their body shapes in such different fashionable proportions.

I started the Puss Puss label in 2002 as a branch of my fashion label Madcat.

E:

What materials can the corsets be made from?

JA: We can use most fabrics, although some fabrics need a little extra work. For example, the pile on velvet makes it a little difficult and sheer and delicate fabrics need to be mounted on to other fabrics to take the strain as the corset laces are pulled in to create the tiny feminine waist. We can use antique fabrics and lace from the bride’s mothers or grandmothers’ wedding dress.

E:

Do brides choose their own fabrics or do you have a limited selection?

JA: We can do both but we do prefer to help the bride with her selection.

We undertake fabric searches to follow through the wedding theme and I make fashion drawings of the end result so everyone is clear about the garment that is to be created.

E:

How are corsets normally sized?

JA: We size our corsets on measurements of the un-corseted figure.

The hip and waist measurement gives me a clear idea of the body proportions.

E:

Is there a particular body shape that suits corsets better?

JA: The Edwardian and 1770’s George 3rd corset are best suited to body sizes 6-12 with an A or B cup breast. The Victorian corset suits all sizes and

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gives great support to the breasts, whatever your size. The Victorian corset also looks amazing worn under a strapless dress as it gives full cup breasts so much support while reducing the waist to something amazingly small.

E:

Can brides who are not in Nelson send you measurements and you make the corset based on those details?

JA: We can do this but many brides take a weekend break to Nelson to meet us and try on corsets. We then work through the weekend to create the corset and start the skirt etc. The bride can leave Nelson with the corset knowing it fits perfectly and the skirt can follow by courier delivery.

We have a corset consultant in Christchurch and Napier. They have corsets for the bride to try on and fabrics to choose from. We also offer an on the day dressing service where ever possible.

E:

How long does it usually take to make a corset? How long before the wedding should the bride order?

JA: If a corset is made to measure as opposed to stock size then it will take a little longer. The Edwardian corset has 50 components to cut out, many of which have to be fused together at high temperatures so this can take a morning to achieve. The embroidery can take another hour or so depending on what is required. Then it will take another morning to make up the corset.

It has been our experience that brides lose weight in the time leading up to their wedding, therefore we recommend that we start making the wedding outfit eight weeks before the wedding day with delivery two weeks later. Depending on the time of the year and how busy we are, it is best to make a deposit of $300 to book the workshop. We are at our busiest in December and January.

E:

Can you tell us about how the corset is constructed?

JA: We take care not to use over-locking stitching in the construction of the corsets as this type of machinery was not developed until the 1920’s.

The busk was developed in 1850 to make dressing easier so only our Victorian and Edwardian corsets have them. The busks are the metal eyelets at the front which become locked in once the corset laces Page 16 : engaged : October 2009

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are pulled tight at the back. We use nylon boning instead of whale bones and the Victorian corset has a choice of coiled metal or nylon bones. Etched silver agulettes are available, sewn over the plastic tips of the corset laces to hide any evidence of this century.

E:

Do you make the skirts to match the corsets? Or do you recommend a particular dress-maker for this service?

JA: We make a variety of skirts to match the corsets, but are happy if a mother or member of the family wants to have a go at the skirt. I have also been making French knickers and a variety of chemises to wear under the corset.

This year we have also introduced historically-inspired waistcoats for the groom and best man to coordinate with the corsets. We even made a corset for a fox terrier and fancy collar trimmed with a little bridal net!

E:

How much do the corsets cost?

JA: The corsets start at $495, most bridal outfits are between $1000 and $1500.

E:

And we believe you complete your corsets with a special touch?

JA: The bridal couples’ wedding date and initials are embroidered into the corset as a gift from us to create a piece of personal history to cherish in the years to come and create a family heirloom for the future.

To learn more about Puss Puss Corsets, go to www.pusspuss.co.nz.

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Welcome to the first of a series of fitness-related articles which aim to put you on the road to looking and feeling your best on your wedding day.

We would like to thank Rachael Corcoran and Gym Junkie, New Zealand’s health and fitness community website, for contributing to this series.

www.gymjunkie.co..nz

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Fitness

MAKING THE BEST

START

By Rachael Corcoran

It is often touted that the best place to start a journey is at the beginning. It seems to make sense, after all a starting point helps us establish a number of things relating to our journey.

Therefore, the first article in our series (that aims to have you fabulous, fit and healthy for your big day), begins with establishing ‘why your health needs are specific to you’.

Future articles will then begin to help you with ways of moving towards looking and feeling absolutely outstanding for when you say “I do”.

Health is a very individual thing – it is your personal belief, regarding what optimal health means to you that is important. Your Health Profile needs to be your own personal plan – not a product or programme designed for the masses. This is because not only do we all have a different genetic structure, but we all have different life experiences which colour and shape how the various health elements, work best for us.

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For example, I know sets of siblings, where one is always ‘skinny’ and appears to eat whatever she likes without putting on a pound. Whereas, her sister only need look at a Tim-Tam, to look like she has consumed an entire shopping aisle of them. So it is important these people find the nutrition plan that is right for them as an individual, and discovers what exercise will work for them best, both on a physical and psychological level, for their health plan to be personalised – and actually work!

Conversely, you can also have closely related people, with both very similar starting points and very similar goals, in relation to some aspect of their health. However, to maximise their results, they have had undertake different forms of exercise, relax in different ways, and approach their eating in different ways (just to name a few).

The reason I believe it is best that you personalise your health strategy, is when you are working with what your body requires, in terms of nutrition, fitness, stress relief, emotional health and others, you tend to enjoy the process much more, and you attain results quicker.

Enjoying what you are doing, rather that it feeling like hard work or a ‘chore’, is important in you sticking to your health plan. Attaining results at a quicker rate keeps motivation high, and from a neurological perspective encourages you to continue.

Given that the plan that is right for you (with a little education and asking the right questions), is not difficult to establish, I would like you to ask the following questions of yourself: 1. What do you think you could achieve if you actually enjoyed working

on your health?

2. What do you think could happen for you, if instead of struggling to

get results, you attained targets and had a high motivation?

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To take this a step further, when you learn to understand how YOUR body works, and what needs to be included in your health plan (leaving some aspects out or to chance means diluted results), you can begin to operate from a position of knowledge and strength. You can begin to eliminate behaviours that are counter-productive, and build on those that provide the foundations for optimal health and looking and feeling fabulous.

So, now we have established why your health needs are indeed specific to you, and that your plan needs to be highly personalised to maximise results, our next article will look at why ascertaining our end point is also important for success.

Rachael Corcoran is Head Coach and Director of kHiSSt Health Coaching. As well as contributing articles, Rachael is a motivational speaker, her main subject material being body image, and inspiring health. www.healthcoaching.co.nz

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High Fashion Ahlergance Wedding Boutique, Tauranga’s newest addition to the wedding industry, has officially launched its inaugural collection.

Captured at first light at Marine Parade, Mount Maunganui, the stunning photography from Jen and Tyron from blindvizion photography (www.blindvizion.com) captures the essence and elegance of the collection.

Mount Maunganui’s beautiful beach front and majestic silhouette along with the Cargo Shed’s rustic and rare exposed interior provided the final two locations.

Enjoy these beautiful dresses and gorgeous photography...

Fashion

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About Ahlergance Ahlergance was first envisaged in 2007

by Ima Sumac Ahlers of Tauranga, Bay of Plenty and introduces an exquisite range of sophisticated and contemporary designs by amalgamating valued antiquity with modernity, to bring classic design silhouettes into the 21st Century!

Luxurious laces accompany breathtakingly beautiful beading and optional hand sewn Swarovski crystal embellishments are available throughout the collection. Subtle or striking introductions of colour can be created by adding colour to any sashes, bows, beads, or other embellishments, giving brides the flexibility to coordinate any Ahlergance dress with a wedding colour or theme.

Ahlergance takes great pride in the fact that no design is sold off the rack, in a standard size. To ensure a flawless fit all Ahlergance dresses are made to measure, delivering a unique realisation of exclusivity for Bay brides. Ahlergance customers can expect excellent quality, service, and fit as well as exceptional affordability!

Chocolate Promotions Say it with chocolate

Leave your guests with a delicious memento of your special day.

We specialise in personalised bitesize portions of mouth-watering mint chocolate with your own unique message or image.

The perfect finishing touch to your table setting.

When friends/family are unable to attend your special day.

When family/friends come to view your wedding gifts and photos.

Ahlergance is truly grateful to all who have contributed to their success and growth to date! Thank you blindvizion Photography, Image Models, and Creative Tauranga to name but a few!

Ring us for a free sample

09 - 2711042 www.chocolatepromotions.co.nz

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Gift

Registries

Last month we discussed the pros and cons of a wedding gift registry and, as promised, we now take a look at a few of the different types of registries available.

Single Store Registry An excellent example of the single store registry is Nest. A retailer of homewares, Nest’s wedding gift registry allows brides and grooms to choose products from the Nest range to add to their wish list. The choices can be made in store, wandering around and choosing products that catch your eye, or online, taking your time to select all that you desire.

The registry can be refreshed or updated at anytime and you have the ability to email the list to your friends and family. Guests can purchase online or in any Nest store.

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As guests purchase from the list, the item is automatically marked as ‘taken’ so other guests cannot purchase it, eliminating possible double-ups. However, there is one proviso with this – the guest must make sure that they purchase through the registry and not the standard online store or, if buying in store, they should inform the sales staff that the gift is a choice from your registry.

If your guests are buying online (through the registry of course!) they will have several choices to make during the ‘checkout’ process: to include a card and write a message in it, to have the product(s) gift wrapped

by Nest free of charge, to send the products directly to the bride and groom or have their purchase delivered to any other address. This last option is great if the guest wants to handwrite a card and deliver the gift personally.

Nest recommends setting up the registry two months before the event or to coincide with sending invites due to the seasonal nature of their stock. There is no charge to set up a Nest wedding gift registry. www.nest.co.nz

One Stop Internet Shop Another type of registry is where gifts are sourced from different suppliers and listed on one website. Guests are able to purchase directly from the website.

Tying the Knot has a huge range of exciting gift ideas and quality brands, including gifts that are a bit different and honeymoon destination vouchers. This makes Tying the Knot’s registry a perfect choice for those who have all the ‘standard’ homeware products and are looking for gifts outside the square.

Brides and grooms have the ability to rank gifts in order of preference and to see which gifts are the most popular choices on the registry (which we think is a great idea for those having trouble deciding what they want!). Again, changes to the list can be made at anytime.

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To personalise the service, Tying the Knot allows couples to attach notes to their guests and provides complimentary registry cards and regular email updates so you know what has (or hasn’t!) been purchased from your list.

Guests have the ability to part-purchase items or to purchase gift vouchers so that you can select a gift at a later date. Gifts are personally wrapped with a card attached and are delivered on a date chosen by the bride and groom just after or before the wedding Tying the Knot’s registry is also free. www.tyingtheknot.co.nz

Online Multiple Store Registry, In-Store Purchase Thank-you.co.nz is an Australasian service where the bride and groom have the ability to create a unique gift list from unlimited stores or service providers worldwide. The choice of gifts is all yours, whether it be homewares, honeymoons or horseriding.

For this type of registry service, you pick the presents you would like and list them online. Your guests look at the list, select the gift they would like to purchase, tick it off the list (so other guests know it has already been purchased) and then go to the store or service provider to buy it. Cash contributions to larger ticket items are also available.

The list can be edited as many times as you like and has the added bonus of a summary of what guests have purchased from which store available for up to six months after the wedding – perfect when doing thank you notes!

The cost of thank-you.co.nz’s registry is a one-off registration fee of AUD$45. www.thank-you.co.nz

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Online Multiple Store Registry, Online Purchase Like thank-you.co.nz, Not Another Toaster also allows couples to create their own unique bridal registry list including gifts from any store, anywhere. It allows guests to collectively contribute towards larger items and also offers non-conventional gifts, luxury items, honeymoon experiences, home renovations, charity groups or a combination of all of these. The difference with this type of registry and the one above is that contribution towards the gits is made online – the guest is not involved in the purchase of the item itself.

Not Another Toaster is an independent bridal service that provides personalised customer service and encourages brides and grooms (or guests) to visit them in their office. Their service includes unique professional registry cards, distribution of hard copy registries (for those not online!), 24-hour telephone or online helpline, registry setup support, and so on. Monetary gifts or contributions to, for example, renovation funds, are sent to the couple’s nominated bank account.

The one-off set up fee is NZD$150.00. www.notanothertoaster.co.nz

Honeymoon Gift Registers The final type of registry that we are going to look at is the honeymoon registry. These days it is often the case that couples have been together for a number of years before getting married

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and have accumulated all of the household items that they have room for. So, instead of getting more things that you probably don’t need, why not get your guests to contribute to your honeymoon.

Bon Voyage Cruises and Travel is one travel agent which offers this service. One of the main advantages is that, whereas with a traditional registry you need to consider gifts at different price points to suit all of your guests, with a honeymoon registry the guests can donate as much or as little as they want. You will then be presented with a list of who has contributed (but not how much) so that you can do your thank you notes. If some of your guests would prefer to give you something a bit more tangible, you also have the option of having specific activities on the list (such as spa vouchers, or a scuba diving trip) which they can purchase for you. www.bonvoyage.co.nz

Great receptions don’t happen by chance...

Christchurch’s elite professional mobile disco.

Providing high quality, tasteful entertainment for wedding receptions for over 20 years, with the experience and the skill to create something special just for you.

Therese Mitchell (aka DJ Chick) Ph: 349 2501 Mob: 021 216 2610 Page 44 : engaged : October 2009 djchick@djazure.co.nz www.djazure.co.nz

Weddings in Paradise

“Choosing Bon Voyage Cruises & Travel to organise my wedding travel arrangements was the first decision that I made, and by far one of the best! Tonia has such a broad range of knowledge in destination weddings, her advice was invaluable! From arranging packages for my family all over New Zealand to helping me choose the right resort for our wedding. We not only had the perfect wedding, we also enjoyed a fabulous holiday with our family that we will never forget.�

Stacey and Chris Morunga October 2008

Expert in Paradise!

Tonia Timmins is our Wedding and Honeymoon Expert, using her exceptional organisational skills, travel expertise and creative flair to design beach wedding and honeymoon packages. All wedding packages we feature are at resorts Tonia has visited, enjoying the hospitality and charm of island paradises in the quest to find the best Pacific wedding and honeymoon destinations.

Bon Voyage Cruises & Travel CRUISES & TRAVEL

8a Cleveland Road, Parnell, Auckland Ph 368 6804 www.bonvoyage.co.nz

Weddings at Castaways Castaways - for the ultimate wedding experience.

Coastal cliff top ceremonies, stunning sunset wedding receptions, fine food, award winning service and luxury onsite accommodation.

More than 100 couples have booked with Castaways to celebrate their marriage in the past year.

See why - contact us now for your appointment to view Castaways and to meet with our team.

685 Karioitahi Road, Karioitahi Beach, Waiuku Ph 09 236 5161 Email info@castaways.co.nz Web www.castaways.co.nz

conditions apply

“Thank you so much for offering us more than our dream wedding�

(Castaways Bride, 2008)

~ lodge ~

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~ restaurant ~

Preserving the Memories You spend hours and hours agonising over your wedding photographer, making sure that they will capture the very essence of your wedding day. The next challenge is making sure that those amazing photos are displayed in a way that lets you enjoy them (and show them off to your friends and family).

There are plenty of different options available for albums these days, with a wide range of ‘looks’ and pricing. When choosing your photographer, check they style of albums that they offer and, if possible, have a look at a sample album or two. If you want to create an album yourself (which in most cases we don’t recommend - see the sidebar), make sure that you will be given high resolution images to use.

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There are three main styles of wedding albums for you to choose from:

Traditional style albums The traditional style albums have thick solid pages that give this style of album a real sense of solidity. The albums tend to be ‘matted’, that is a mat is laid around the photo, framing it (similar to photos on the wall).

Some manufacturers have a set number of templates for laying out the photos on the page, while others give you free reign.

This style of album provides a classic look that will remain in fashion for a long time. By framing the photos, the photos stand out really well.

Digital albums The digital albums (sometimes known as storybook albums) are becoming increasingly popular. Essentially, each page of the album is a single ‘photo’ that is mounted on a solid page - the photo covers the whole page. This ‘photo’ may consist of a single image, or a collage of images. There is a huge amount of flexibility for the designer to create something very artistic. What can be done is only limited by what can be done in photoshop!

You will often pay a premium for the digital-style album. This reflects the extra time required to design the album.

Coffee-table book albums These albums are essentially the same principle as the digital albums, except that they have thin pages (like a normal book). These are increasingly popular at the moment as people feel like they are more likely to leave the album out for people to flick through (rather than ceremoniously bringing out the larger traditional albums when visitors come over). Like the digital albums, the design of these are limited only by your imagination.

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Create an album yourself?

Pricing There is a huge variation in pricing for wedding albums and, in some instances, you get what you pay for. At the bottom end, you can do self-mount albums yourself which may cost you $70, while at the other end, the digital albums may cost $2000.

For albums purchased from manufacturers, the cost will depend upon the size of the album, the number of photos, the number of pages in the album and the materials used (such as the cover material).

If your photographer offers an album as part of package, find out from them the size, number of pages and the cover material that is included. Also, check with them the cost of adding extra pages or changing the size (you will often find that you want to add a couple more pages just to get in those extra photos!). This way, you will have a realistic idea of how much you might end up spending.

While you may think that there will be a cost saving by designing your own album, there are a number of reasons not to.

First, many album manufacturers only sell their albums to professional photographers. This means that your choices may be limited when deciding upon the type of album that you want.

Secondly, with your wedding photographer you have paid for their artistic and creative ability. Designing a wedding album is no simple task, and it is worth utilising the photographer’s talent to ensure that the photos are shown in their best light.

Having designed many albums, the photographer will have ideas that you would never consider - in particular, they will better be able to visualise the best way to crop a photo (or group it with other photos). It is this ‘vision’ that will give your album the ‘wow’ factor.

Parent albums A great gift for parent or grandparents is a miniature parent album. Many manufacturers offer these and, provided they are a copy of the larger album, can be quite reasonably priced. And mums love having a little album that they can carry around in their handbag to show to everyone how gorgeous their daughter looked!

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

Wedding Shows October The Spring Wellington Wedding Show 4th October 2009 Overseas Terminal Function Centre www.thewellingtonweddingshow.co.nz Auckland’s Premier Wedding Expo 4 October 2009 ASB Showgrounds, Auckland www.bridalshows.co.nz Nelson Premier Wedding Expo 11 October 2009 Trafalgar Centre, Nelson www.bridalshows.co.nz

Summer Loving Beautiful wedding photographs from Vicky Broadbent Photography

Real Weddings

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Sarah & Johnny Late summer wedding at Black Barn Vineyard, Hawkes Bay Dress: Kate Dowman Johnny’s suit, tie and shirt: Crane Brothers Photography: Vicky Broadbent

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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

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Amy Schulz Photography

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

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Rob Driessen Photography

Website: www.rdphotography.co.nz Master NZ Institute of Professional Photography

Email: rob@rdphotography.co.nz Phone: 04 479 7769 Wellington

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

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

Vicky Broadbent Website: www.vickybroadbent.co.nz Qualified Member NZ Institute of Professional Photography

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Email: broadbent@xtra.co.nz Phone: 021 633 404 Coromandel and Auckland

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

Email: victoria@victoriavincent.com

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VisionWorks Photography

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

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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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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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

VisionWorks Photography

Website: www.studioname.co.nz Email: info@studioname.co.nz Phone: 09 123 4567 Mobile: 021 123 4567 Auckland

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Page 74 : engaged : October 2009

Maintaining Your

Beauty In the lead up to their weddings, most brides book themselves in for a series of facials and beauty treatments in order to get that gorgeous glowing bridal look on their wedding day. However many of these brides find it hard to keep that clear, radiant and more youthful skin in between facial appointments.

The secret may be using the right products at home to maintain and enhance the results you get from visiting a beauty therapist.

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We all know that in today’s world people think twice about where they spend their money. Surely it is a good investment to support your facials by applying the right products? What is the point of spending all that money on beautician visits if you cannot maintain on a daily basis the benefits you get in the clinic?

Let’s face it if you were to go to the gym only once a month, without exercising in between would you achieve that great looking bikini body for summer…. The answer for most of us is obviously “no”!

So what do you use?

Pureskin Clinic have chosen the pharmaceutical emerginC range of products to use in their facial and to recommend to brides for use in between visits. emerginC is a remarkably effective, full line of active, result-oriented products containing a wide variety of pure, potent botanicals and fruit acids, as well as cutting edge medical and cosmeceutical-grade ingredients from all over the world. It is a total food group for the skin and free of parabens.

With summer coming, the main products Pureskin would recommend in your daily skincare regime are Vitamin C serums and a good all round cleanser and hydrator.

• Vitamin C serum - A great natural sun block which is highly stable and an anti-oxidant. Fights free radical damage, key co-factor in the production of collagen, improves skin tone and texture, calming, fights sun damage, improves pigmentation problems.

• Multi fruit cleanser - A gentle but effective soap-free cleanser which helps remove dead skin cells, cellular debris and make-up without over-drying the skin.

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• emerginC hyper-vitalizer face cream - This rich, nourishing, hydrating cream combines the super-potent “master antioxidant” alpha-lipoic acid, coenzyme Q 10 and lutein.

By combining a well timed facial regime with the right products at home, you can look your absolute stunning best on your wedding day!!

If you have never been to the Pureskin clinic, why not try their Hollywood Woman’s package for an incredible price of only $99!

Your $99 Hollywood Woman’s Package includes ALL of these fantastic services…

• Professional Skin Analysis valued at $45 • “Pureskin” Facial their most popular full facial totally customised to your skin concerns valued at $99 • Ultimate Hydration eye treatment, ban those fine lines! Valued at $35 • Relaxing Arm and Hand Massage valued at $25 • Eyebrow Shape & Tint to beautifully frame your face. Valued at $35 • Eyelash Tint so your eyes look stunning 24 hours a day. Valued at $17 • IPL Consultation for permanent hair reduction to remove unwanted hair from your upper lip /chin / underarms or bikini. Value $50 That’s right, you pay only $99 for $306 of Beauty Treatments - you save $207!

Visit www.pureskin.co.nz for more information.

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Be in to win a $1000 Wedding Dress Voucher from City Bridal

To enter, just vote for your favourite dress from the City Bridal Spring Collection Click here to view the collection and vote

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Page 80 : engaged : October 2009

Al fresco Embrace the summer with an amazing al fresco reception

Summer weddings are ripe for an outdoor setting such as a beach or garden. Take advantage of the long days with an afternoon wedding, or highlight the glorious sunsets by saying your vows as the sun goes down behind you. And before you automatically think of moving to a reception venue for the celebratory meal, why not think outside the square and keep the festivities outdoors?

A picnic wedding may be just the ticket for those brides and grooms eschewing a traditional sit-down, reception dinner. Picture the scene: Picnic tables with gingham tablecloths and picnic baskets each containing plates, cups and some delicious goodies such as baby bagels filled with smoked salmon and cream cheese, curried chicken salad, ham and brie croissants‌ delicious finger food befitting the relaxed, laidback style of the wedding. Or your own BBQ, complete with chef (or have all your guests cook their own food!). Minted lamb

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back straps or marinated minute steaks cooked on the BBQ, alongside some delicious corn on the cob wrapped up in tinfoil and smothered in butter and black pepper, served with some lovely summer salads… …finishing off with some lemon curd tartlets and maybe the odd chocolate brownie... Guests strolling up to a drinks table used to serve home-made lemonade or sangria along with pitchers of ice water, sliced lemons...

It’s a perfect recipe for a relaxed, casual wedding that doesn’t break the bank!

Completing the theme The picnic-themed wedding can incorporate all of the elements of a traditional picnic, and by carefully selecting your decorations, you can add to the overall garden or beach feel.

If you decide that you would like to get married at the same venue as the picnic your bridesmaids could be in the floral theme carrying big baskets full of wildflowers or if the wedding is in spring why not choose a venue that is surrounded with spring flowers like hyacinths, daffodils and camellias.

For a summery, natural experience use fresh fruits and vegetables to decorate, perhaps including clementines and cumquats in your flower arrangements, or simply filling a large vase with bright yellow lemons.

Don’t forget lighting as a source of decoration. Imagine candles lit with fragrant flowers accenting the exchange of the vows or bringing light to an evening wedding with torches and strings of lanterns in the trees.

Continuing the picnic theme, include lawn games like bocce ball and horseshoes. And sack races are always a good time, especially after a few beers!

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Things to remember When deciding upon the location of the wedding, take into consideration the weather for the time of year. If the wedding is to take place during the summer, remember that heat may be a factor. Bugs are also something to consider - you don’t want your guests being covered in mosquito bites by the end of the evening!

Have an alternative plan arranged just in case of bad weather. This could be the rental of a tent, moving to an inside area, or changing locations.

Check tent rental prices prior to planning an outdoor wedding to prevent last minute shock. Just knowing your options will alleviate those unnecessary worries to keep your mind at ease.

Whatever you decide, your wedding day will have a uniqueness and your guests will be sure to enjoy the day.

Your wedding breakfast is one of the major aspects of your wedding day. Its time for your guests to relax together, families to meet, and your wedding to be celebrated.

Ph: 03 443 4129 or 021 304 293

www.wanakacatering.co.nz

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Spectacular

Sydney

T

he previous day a thick layer of dust had covered the Sydney skyline, obscuring the city’s most famous landmarks. The Opera House, Sydney Harbour Bridger and Tower were all indistinguishable. We crossed our fingers for a clearer day as the dust and wind didn’t bode well for a day of sightseeing and exploring Australia’s largest city.

Sydney delivered. We awoke to a beautiful blue sky, a polar opposite to the eerie red glow of the prior day.

Historic Sydney First up was a tour of The Rocks with Rocks Walking Tours. The Rocks is one of the oldest parts of Sydney, first inhabited by the First Fleet of convicts that arrived in Sydney in 1788.

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The area is rich with tales about the settlers and the indigenous people’s way of life in the area, with many original buildings still standing. These buildings have been lovingly restored and are dotted amongst cobbled lanes and courtyards. Our tour guide provided us with much information that wouldn’t be available from guide books alone and we would highly recommend it.

Aside from being an historically rich area, The Rocks and Old Sydney have a diverse array of shops and restaurants, including a delightful French style café and markets reminiscent of the South of France. Take your time exploring, including checking out the inside of the buildings – we were amazed at the transformation of the bar Argyle from wool store to bar – definitely somewhere we would like to check out again!

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The Grand Opera House On the opposite side of Circular Quay to Old Sydney is the magnificent Sydney Opera House. Immediately recognisable as a Sydney icon, the Opera House sits at the end of Macquarie Street set against the back drop of the harbour and, without a doubt, is an amazing piece of architecture.

Designed by Jorn Utzon and opened in 1973, the Opera House was inscribed in the World Heritage List in June 2007, with the World Heritage Committee declaring that ‘…it stands by itself as one of the indisputable masterpieces of human creativity, not only in the 20th century but in the history of humankind.’

The Opera House consists of two performance halls; one for opera and one for symphony concerts. These halls attract world class performances and at the time of our visit, Gilbert and Sullivan’s Mikado and Mozart’s Cosi fan tutte were featuring.

There are a number of tours inside the Opera House available. Or you may want to do as we did and admire the beauty of the structure from a nearby restaurant…there are a number of excellent venues along the walk to the Opera House After a leisurely lunch, it was time to hit the harbour!

View from the Water As part of a team building experience, we were invited to get out on Sydney’s Harbour with Eastsail. Using four 10 metre yachts, we joined 32 others for some racing, much like the SailNZ experience in Auckland, but with different views!

The experience is exhilarating – feeling the wind in your hair and the salt spray on your face as you navigate both physical and mental challenges to try to out-race your opponents. Shame we didn’t win, but the fun is in the game, right?

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If you have the chance to get out on the water in Sydney, make sure you do it! Be it this kind of experience or a ferry ride to one of Sydney Ferries’ multiple destinations, much of Sydney’s attraction is its beautiful harbour – again, much like Auckland!

Cooking Your Own The activity on the water had worked up an appetite and after a shower and clean up, it was off to dinner at Phillip’s Foote Restaurant, a well-known institution in Sydney. Located in Old Sydney in a historic building that used to be a sailors’ bar, custom agent and stable, Phillip’s Foote was turned into a BBQ restaurant in the 1970s.

The restaurant is a little different in that you select your cut of meat and then cook it yourself on one of the restaurant’s BBQs. Your meat is accompanied by salad, vegetable and breads from the salad bar. For travellers, it is like a little bit of home-cooking – your very own BBQ meal without all the preparation and cleaning!

View from the Street It’s not unusual when you are sightseeing to walk large distances. What a better way of ‘pushing play’ than exploring a new city.

Our Saturday in Sydney was spent walking part of the Harbour Circle Walk published by Sydney Coastal Councils Group. The Group has worked in conjunction with the Sharing Sydney Harbour Access Program (SSHAP) to improve access to and enhance the recreational enjoyment of Sydney Harbour. The Harbour Circle Walk is a 26km circle covering west of the Harbour Bridge and traversing over the bridge through North Sydney, Lane Cover, Hunter’s Hill, Drummoyne, Rozelle and back to the CBD. The walk has over 45km of optional walks and goes through bush, along beaches, down historic streets and over some of Sydney’s impressive bridges.

Whilst we had planned to walk from Greenwich through to Woolwich Wharf, an early morning repeat of Wednesday’s dust storm had us starting a little later than anticipated. A quick revision of the plan was necessary and after a ferry ride from Circular Quay to Woolwich Wharf,

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we started our walk towards Hunter’s Hill. The walk was a fairly gentle one, meandering through historic shipyards, past sailing schools, through parks, and down leafy suburban streets filled with impressive houses (both old and new), complete with short-cuts through alleys you wouldn’t know existed without the very detailed map.

Morning tea was at Hunter’s Hill and was rounded out nicely with a browse through the fantastic delis and French homewares store.

Our return walk to Woolwich Wharf took us over a slightly different route and gave us time to admire the sandstone buildings that are particular to the area. A picnic lunch in the park watching the sail boats whip past courtesy of the strong winds gave us enough energy to make it to the pub near the wharf for a quick drink before heading back to the city by ferry.

The walks set out by Sydney Coast Councils Groups really get you in amongst the city and walking other sections of the Harbour Circle Walk are definitely on the list for our next visit to Sydney!

View from above After viewing suburban Sydney from street level, it was time to take to the skies before the sunset.

Sydney’s Tower was opened in 1981 and is ranked as one of the safest buildings in the world. Standing at 250 metres, high speed lifts whizz you to the top of the tower, taking only 40 seconds from ground level (a better option than climbing the 1504 steps to the top!).

The view from the top is well worth the stomach-churning elevator ride.

We looked down on the route taken on our walk, the Opera House and Harbour Bridge, the tiny—looking ferries scuttling about…and then out further towards the Blue Mountains and Sydney’s beaches. The diversity of the landscape is stunning, especially after the recent dusty weather.

After taking in the view, we headed off to try the Tower’s OzTrek, a virtual reality ride complete with real-motion seating and amazing sound. Fun!

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Foodies delight On a recommendation from family and friends we also called in to see the David Jones Market Street Foodhall and immediately regretted not being hungry for once! The foodhall includes a decadent oyster and champagne bar, cheese and antipasto bars, sushi, juice, noodles, pasta, Panini, espresso, gelato and yoghurt bars… plan a mini- (or maxi-) taste testing session or buy things for a serious picnic!

Sydney is a large city – viewing it from above, from the water and from the street walking are all highly recommended!

Australia’s largest city, and the capital of New South Wales, Sydney has a population of approximately 4.34 million and an area of approximately 12,000 square kilometres. Flying in over the city is a treat, and on dustless days, you may get a glimpse of the city’s famous harbour.

A train runs from the airport terminals to the centre of the city departing approximately every 15mins and takes between 10-18 minutes, depending on your final destination within the CBD. Adult tickets cost $15.20 from the international terminal.

Air New Zealand, Qantas, Pacific Blue, Jetstar, Emirates, LAN and Aerolineas Argentinas all fly direct between Auckland and Sydney. There are direct flights between Christchurch and Sydney with Air New Zealand, Qantas, Jetstar and Emirates and between Wellington and Sydney with Air New Zealand, Qantas and Pacific Blue.

Flight time is approximately 3 hours, and Sydney is currently 3 hours behind New Zealand daylight savings time. This will change on 4 October 2009, when Sydney switches to daylight saving time and the city will be 2 hours behind New Zealand daylight savings time.

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Next Issue out 1 November

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