Today I’m joined by Gemma, who shares how she and Josh planned their beautiful, uniquely-them celebration: a private family ceremony on a hilltop, then a relaxed reception at their family beach property in Taupō Bay. All pulled together in six months while working full-time and parenting their four-year-old.

🎟️ Tickets for The Kiwi Wedding Podcast LIVE Event (August 31st in Auckland) are ⁠⁠⁠on sale now⁠⁠⁠! We’ll have delicious treats, champagne towers, goodie bags, and an incredible lineup of speakers, including makeup artist Kate Solley, dress designer Trish Peng, and Astrid Braid wedding planner from PS. I Love You. Brides, couples, and vendors alike - come along for a beautiful morning.

⁠⁠⁠⁠GRAB YOUR TICKET FOR THE KIWI WEDDING PODCAST LIVE! ⁠⁠⁠

We chat about:

💜 How they met at a Fashion Week after-party, built a life together, and decided to get married.

💜 The sentimental Bali proposal in Uluwatu with their son there - lots of tears, a hidden ring, and a celebratory dinner at Mason.

💜 Choosing a six-month engagement and keeping planning simple, focused and “them”.

💜 Why they split the day: an intimate ceremony with 15 close family, then a bigger reception later.

💜 The ceremony feels: sunshine, a family-friend celebrant, their son standing with them, and the “can’t-put-it-into-words” moments.

💜 Gemma’s bridal look: a Trish Peng mini (from an unreleased collection), picked quickly and confidently because it felt like her.

💜 Why they kept it small and removed tradition responsibilities when it came to their bridal party.

💜A late-in-the-piece giant tiramisu.

💜 Budgeting and how they saved by using their property and paying as they went.

💜 Inspiration without copy-paste: Pinterest/TikTok for ideas, then tailoring details to fit their style.

💜 Post-wedding: more “post-holiday” than blues; a mini staycation now and a family Bali trip later.

...and so much more!

🎧 Listen in for a masterclass on shaping a celebration around your life, your family and your favourite place, and why a private ceremony + big party can be the perfect combo.

Below you can find the handles for all G & J’s incredible vendors. Be sure to check out some photos on IG at ⁠⁠@thekiwiweddingpodcast⁠⁠ + give us a follow. Follow Lydia at ⁠⁠@lydiarachelphoto⁠⁠

Vendors:

Photographer: ⁠@liamsoulphoto⁠

Dress and Scarf: ⁠@trishpeng⁠

Shoes: ⁠@eleanorlouiseco⁠

Celebrant: James Braddock

Makeup Artist: ⁠@claudialouismarie⁠

Hair: ⁠@the_hair_box_nz⁠

Food: ⁠@the_wayward_italian⁠