Their Story
From university friends to a wedding at Grandview Gardens.
Anna and Peter’s story began at university, where they were introduced by mutual friends. They stayed friends for a long time, studying together and flatting together before eventually admitting there was something more between them.
The proposal happened in Samoa, while they were away on holiday after Anna had finally finished studying. On a beautiful sandy beach, Peter proposed near the beginning of the trip — lucky she said yes, or it could have been a very long holiday.
A Grandview Gardens wedding
Anna and Peter chose Grandview Gardens in Outram for both their ceremony and reception. They wanted a venue that could do everything, keeping the day simple and relaxed, and Grandview was the perfect fit.
With beautiful gardens, multiple places for photographs and the rustic atmosphere of the barn for the reception, the venue gave them exactly what they needed: a wedding day that felt easy, personal and full of atmosphere.
Rather than having a strict theme, Anna and Peter wanted the day to feel a little bit traditional, but also full of fun. They included as many personal touches as they could, making sure the wedding felt like theirs rather than something copied from somewhere else.
The dress, flowers and details
Anna found her wedding dress at House of Kavina. It was a Stella York gown and, in her words, nothing like what she had expected to wear. With lace, sparkle, a beautiful neckline and detail across the back, it turned out to be exactly right. It was light, easy to wear and perfect for enjoying the day.
Her advice for future brides is simple: try on dresses you do not expect to wear. Sometimes the dress that surprises you is the one that ends up feeling most like you. She also recommends getting as much done as possible before the week of the wedding, so you can actually enjoy everything when the day arrives.
The flowers were created by Amaryllis for Flowers, and Anna absolutely loved them. They were lucky to be able to include peonies in the bouquets, which opened beautifully as the day went on.
A relaxed photography experience
Anna and Peter described the photography part of the day as fun, relaxed and easy — exactly what camera-shy people hope for. The time flew by, there were plenty of laughs, and the experience felt natural rather than awkward.
They chose Craig and Sarah from O’Neill Photographics because they came well recommended, and when they met them, they felt friendly and easy to trust from the beginning. It was clear they knew what they were doing, and they made a special effort to make sure the photos would feel personal and meaningful.
“We had such a fun and relaxed time getting our photos done, making it easy for us camera shy people.”
The best part of the day
For Anna, one of the most memorable parts of the day was walking in and seeing all of their friends and family looking so happy, then seeing Peter standing there waiting for her. It was one of those moments that brings everything into focus.
After the wedding, Anna and Peter escaped to Rarotonga for a week of sunshine, snorkelling, fish-spotting, reading and relaxing.
Looking back, there is nothing they would change. The day was amazing and worked out exactly the way they wanted it to — because, in the end, they got married.
“The day was amazing and worked out exactly the way we wanted it to, because we got married.”
