This week's blog features the winner of the Bride & Groom prize!
Katie and Sam won the Bride & Groom magazine wedding package at the Bride & Groom Show, receiving over $25,000 worth of wedding goodies, including a $3,000 voucher to go toward a dress with us.
Katie looked amazing in Scarlet by Maggie Sottero, a regal satin A-line gown with a dreamy draped bodice and classic covered buttons all the way down to the train. This gown is the epitome of timelessness and perfectly matches the chic city and vintage aesthetic of the day.
We hope you enjoy scrolling through their day as much as we do!
Check out Bride & Groom Magazine's own blog on Katie and Sam here.
What was it that made this particular wedding dress catch your eye and fall in love?
It was beautifully sophisticated and flowy, and I had a custom bow created for the back to add a feminine touch.
Tell us about your search for the dress and the experience at Astra Bridal.
For my dress, I was torn between two visions: one of a simple, classic satin dress and the other a high-neck lace dress. So, I decided I had to do both! I wanted my ceremony dress to be simple, so I chose the Scarlet gown by Maggie Sottero, and I love my dress so much.
Tell us your story, how you both met, and the proposal.
I am a flight attendant, and I have always loved traveling and visiting new places. Sam and I met six years ago through mutual friends. When we first started dating, we spent a lot of time together on road trips and in the ocean. Sam loves surfing, so we spend many weekends and early mornings chasing the surf around. Our relationship moved quickly once COVID-19 happened; I couldn't fly anymore, and we ended up in lockdown, spending so much time together and falling even more in love. Sam works in construction and grew up living at Piha Beach, where he spent a lot of time with his family and friends. Piha is one of the places where he has the best memories, which is where he proposed! It was very low-key, romantic, and relaxed. It was just us and the sunset—it was dreamy!
How did you feel to win the Bride & Groom Prize?
We were incredibly fortunate to win the amazing Bride & Groom’s Wedding Package. We were so lucky to collaborate with exceptional wedding vendors and incorporate truly special elements into our wedding. Knowing we would be moving to California after our wedding, we wanted to ensure that everyone could attend, so we chose a city wedding in Auckland, where both of us grew up.
All our vendors were amazing and went above and beyond to make our day special. We truly appreciated the opportunity to work with them and create unforgettable memories.
What inspired theme and style of your wedding?
We chose a colour palette of blues, crisp whites, and luxurious gold accents for our special day. From the gold cutlery to the elegant invitation calligraphy, and extending to our beautifully designed wedding website, every element reflected our chosen theme.
What were your favourite aspects of the day?
A few of our favourite special touches from the day include the church welcome flower box built by Sam and our drinks menu board, which featured pictures of our cocktails. Inkberry Calligraphy did an amazing job on the place card names for the chocolate favors, the addresses on my invitations, the welcome box sign, the seating chart, and the drawing of my drinks menu. She is so talented and adds a special touch to weddings.
Tell us about your wedding day as a whole.
The morning of our wedding was a whirlwind of excitement. I had so much fun with my bridesmaids, sister, and mum, and we all really enjoyed the entire getting-ready process. I think playing music, drinking champagne, and the anticipation for the day were massive highlights. Getting to see my bouquets arrive and getting into my dress were surreal experiences that I'll cherish forever.
Our church ceremony was traditional, held at St. Matthew's in the City, but we made sure to incorporate aspects of our relationship and personalities as well. Walking up the aisle toward Sam was amazing. Surrounded by our loved ones, the anticipation and emotion in the room were unforgettable. Hearing his vows for the first time made me so emotional, and everything felt so real in that moment. The music we chose added an extra layer of meaning to our ceremony. I walked up the aisle to "Chateau" by Angus and Julia Stone, a song we often listened to on road trips. We signed the register to "Better Together" by Jack Johnson, and it felt very us. Walking back down the aisle hand in hand was surreal!
Entering our reception was so much fun! We were overwhelmed with gratitude and joy to have the best people in our lives all in one place. We loved getting to see all our family and friends, dancing together and enjoying the food and drinks we had chosen. The highlights were hearing toasts from our loved ones, cutting our cake, and seeing the cocktails we designed come to life—I chose a French Martini, and Sam chose a Rum Amaretto Cola. Our vintage-style cake from Sweet Bites turned out beautifully and really captured my vision.
Our photographers, Valo, were fantastic, making us feel so comfortable, like we were hanging out with old friends. They ensured we got candid photos and went above and beyond to get some amazing shots. I took some photos that were similar to my parents' wedding photos. They were a similar age when they got married, and I thought it would be fun to have those to look back on.
It was the most perfect day—romantic, relaxed, and forever memorable.
Finally, any unexpected moments during the wedding?
The weather really was below average, which is definitely expected in Auckland. It was raining and humid, and my hair did not last. I was so lucky that one of my bridesmaids, Brooke, brought a curler! We did the best we could before we went out for the reception. Luckily, we were inside for most of the wedding, and once I got there, I couldn't have cared less!
My dress got absolutely soaked! Fortunately, we did get a few breaks in the rain and made the most of the lush greenery and the glorious views of this incredible garden. Despite the weather, everyone in the bridal party kept their spirits high, and the photos turned out beautifully. So many people said it’s good luck for it to rain on your wedding day, so we are just going to go with that.
