What happens when an online quiz declares "rustic chic" as your ideal wedding style? For Brad and Erin, it became a beautiful blueprint! Their day blended earthy tones, personal traditions, and surprise announcements to create an unforgettable celebration filled with joy, family, and a whole lot of love.

When Brad took an online quiz about his “ideal wedding style” and the result came back as rustic chic, it felt like fate! We quickly knew that the beautiful Tarureka Estate was the perfect setting, blending Brad’s result with my love of natural, earthy tones. Together, it created a wedding aesthetic that felt timeless and completely true to us.

At the time, I was just four months postpartum with our third child, so the thought of wedding dress shopping was pretty daunting. Thankfully, the amazing team at Astra Bridal Wellington made me feel instantly at ease. They were so warm and reassuring, and I quickly found myself saying yes to the dress! I also loved weaving in the timeless tradition of something old, something new, something borrowed, and something blue. My chic blue slingback heels covered the “something blue”, heirloom rings from my mum and from Brad’s grandparents carried the sentimental weight of “old” and “borrowed”, and of course, my elegant gown and veil were “new”.

The morning of the wedding was full of family, laughter, and love. I got ready alongside our two eldest daughters, who were so excited about their hair, makeup, and dresses. Having them with me meant we could take photos before the ceremony and then head straight into celebrating afterwards without worrying about them getting tired. To make sure our youngest children were also well cared for, we had two kaiako from their kōhanga with us for the day and even into the following morning. It was one of the best decisions we made, because it meant everyone — including our parents — could relax and fully enjoy the celebration.

Brad chose a sharp look that worked perfectly with the bridesmaids’ black gowns. He and his groomsmen all wore black, while he stood out in a crisp white tuxedo jacket with a black lapel from Johnny Bigg. His pounamu was such a meaningful finishing touch. On the morning of the wedding, he surprised his groomsmen with their own pounamu, each specially crafted by local Māori artist Dean from Kuru Pounamu. That thoughtful gesture also explained why he’d been so insistent about skipping ties for the ceremony!

Brad has had his cherised pounamu for several years, a leaving koha from his workmates.

One of the lighthearted highlights was our welcome sign, which cheekily read: “Welcome to Brad’s wedding featuring Erin”. Let’s just say that was the outcome of three heated rounds of paper, scissors, rock!

For our confetti, we made our own using locally sourced dried florals, leaves picked from the trees in our yard, and a love heart hole punch — hundreds of tiny hearts, each punched by hand!

The ceremony itself was deeply emotional. We left a seat in memory of my dad, Sam, who had sadly passed away just days after Brad proposed. My brother Adam walked me up the aisle before stepping into his role as Brad’s best man. Our daughters made the sweetest flower girls — Shelby got so confident she scattered petals not once but four times! And then our eldest, Harper, moved everyone to tears with her heartfelt speech before we even shared our vows. I surprised Brad by reading my vows in both English and Te Reo, something very special to me.

I chose *E Kore Rawa E Wehe / Never Be Apart* by New Zealand Māori musician Teeks to walk up the aisle

Brad and I walked back down the aisle to *Ain’t No Mountain High Enough* by Cyril

And then came our biggest surprise of all — during the group photo with all our loved ones, we revealed that we were expecting our fourth and final baby. The joy in that moment is something I’ll never forget.

As the sun set, Brad and I slipped away for portraits together. That quiet time was one of our favourite parts of the day. After the joy and chaos of celebrating with all our friends and whānau, it gave us a chance to breathe, hold each other, and take in the fact that we were finally husband and wife.

Our photographer Michelle from Patina, and videographer Josiah Nevell, were calm, thoughtful presences throughout the day. Michelle helped us shape a timeline that worked for our whānau, supported us through portraits and group photos, and gently made space for all the moments that mattered — including our pregnancy reveal. She captured everything from the stillness of that sunset shoot to the full joy of the dance floor. We’re absolutely in love with the photos and so grateful to have these to treasure.

Our reception was the perfect reflection of our fun-loving spirit. Guests were greeted with a “shot wall” of Fireball whisky — or apple juice for non-drinkers — which doubled as their place cards. The head table was adorned with earthy, dried florals, while the rest of the décor remained simple and elegant.

Food was another huge highlight. Crescendo Cuisine catered the day with such care and attention to detail. As a coeliac, it meant the world to me that I could enjoy every single dish on the menu without worry.

Our vintage cake toppers have a charming story behind them — they’re actually salt and pepper shakers! Brad purchased them years ago when he was heading to one of his groomsmen's Hawaiian weddings. He used the male salt shaker as a “selfie” stand-in for himself during his world travels, long before we met. This playful nod to his adventures has now become a delightful part of our wedding day.

The speeches were full of love and humour, and every speaker found a way to honour my dad. At one point, the bridesmaids led a rousing rendition of Tūtira mai ngā iwi, and before long, everyone had joined in, singing. Then, few of our guests also sung Purea nei, which brought the speeches section of the night to a beautiful close. It was honestly all so magical.

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“Our love is forever, but this tattoo isn’t” — the temporary tattoo station and Instax cameras were a total hit with our guests!

Our wedding was everything we had dreamed it would be — a day filled with laughter, love, personal touches, and unforgettable memories that we’ll cherish forever.