The photos from Beatrice & Kyuwon's wedding at The Lodge Pauatahanui are something to behold. A day filled with joy and a blend of cultures, we love seeing the love between this couple!
Beatrice wore the Florina dress by Rebecca Ingram, an elegant modified A-line silhouette with delicate lace and soft sequins to add a touch of sparkle. She added a pleated tulle off-shoulder sleeve to the classic sweetheart neckline, such a lovely touch!
What was it that made this particular wedding dress catch your eye and fall in love?
The only thing I had in my mind when I first came to Astra Bridal was the shape, and I remember putting on the gown and feeling so elegant, sophisticated and beautiful. The shape showed off my figure, and the lace and beading details added a magical element to the gown that I loved. I tried on a few other gowns, but when my stylist let me try on that first gown again, I didn't want to get out of it. What sealed the decision for me was when my stylist gave me the sleeves, a veil, and bouquet to a full look, and I could finally see myself as a bride.
Tell us about your search for the dress and the experience at Astra Bridal.
I went to a few different salons to try and find my dress. I had a vague idea of what I wanted, but still hadn't found any that gave me that feeling. The team at Astra were so thoughtful, and really knowledgeable of their gowns, so any comment I made was taken and applied to the next gown. It honestly felt like I had extra bridesmaids who I had known for ages and were fully committed to help me feel my best self. After selecting the gown, the team was really supportive through the process of payment, measuring, ordering, and finally having a trial with my actual gown.
Tell us your story, how you both met, and the proposal.
We first met while still in high school, when leading at a children's holiday camp while Kyuwon was on exchange from South Korea. We hit it off, and when we ended up at Auckland University together, we started dating. After 5 years, Kyuwon planned the proposal with the help from a pilot friend. We flew in a private plane to the coromandel for a picnic, and he proposed by 'testing my Korean skills' as we walked down the beach. I had to guess what the words meant, and the last word was marriage. I was a bit upset initially, as I didn't do very well in the Korean quiz, but all was quickly forgiven when the ring came out!
What was your favourite part of the day?
My favourite part of the day was when we went into the courtyard and practiced our first dance under the fairy lights. The day had gone by so fast, and it was the first moment that we had alone to finally take in that we had finally gotten married!
Tell us about your wedding day as a whole.
We chose our venue because it had such a cosy and romantic vibe, with a beautiful outdoor space for the ceremony. I got ready at my parents house, so my family and bridesmaids spent the day hyping me up and keeping the atmosphere fun and relaxed. Our ceremony was the perfect balance of emotional and romantic, serious and fun. We had written our vows together, as we wanted to make the same promise to each other. This was particularly special for Kyuwon's parents, as I had learnt our vows in Korean so that they could understand them. We stayed on site for photos, and had so much fun being ourselves with our closest friends to get our photos. Into the evening we were able to share great food and music with all the people that we love, and it was the perfect way to celebrate the end of a perfect day.
Finally, what is your biggest piece of advice for brides to be?
Don't get too bogged down in the details. Once you have the big things, like the venue, photographer, dress, celebrant, (and fiancé), you have a wedding and will get to spend your life with your someone special. Everything else will fall into place.
