Modern Countryside Wedding // Jen and James

05/11/2022
bride and groom walking in the middle of beautiful mountains in Wainui, Auckland black and white Ana Galloway Photography

THE SLIDESHOW

Jen & James

PLAY
Jen and James have always found joy in the simple pleasures of home life, with the occasional walk down to the ocean in Red Beach, and enjoying the local treats their community offers. From a heartfelt proposal on a paint tin during home renovations to the way they express their love for their friends and family, their personalities were highlighted on their wedding day.
Nestled amidst the picturesque rolling hills of Wainui, Auckland, Jen and James exchanged their vows in the stunning countryside on Jen’s family farm. Jen looked breathtaking in her wedding gown, a custom design by Kenny & Harlow. Her dress, a perfect blend of simplicity and modern elegance, featured thin straps, a sweetheart neckline and a low-cut back. To finish the look Jen wore a long flowing veil and closed-toe shoes by Gucci, a nod to Jen’s eye for fashion. James wore a stylish black tie suit from Barker’s, which was the perfect compliment to Jen’s Kenny & Harlow dress.
Accompanying Jen were her bridesmaids, dressed in long black gowns from Gloria, each unique to themselves, they were a stark yet stunning contrast to Jen’s white gown and veil. They held fresh bouquets created by Isadia Floral, featuring delicate spring grass-seed strands, elegant white flowers and soft pink peonies giving them an English-countryside-esk feel that added a touch of softness and romance to the celebration.
For the reception, Jen and James chose a clear marquee by Twelve Tables, positioned amongst native Totara and Rimu trees and surrounded by lush green fields to complement the modern countryside theme. The rustic wooden tables were set with delicate white floral arrangements, their subtle colouring created a flowing contrast against the natural wood. The choice of wooden tables added a touch of warmth and authenticity to the celebration.
Each element played a part in the overall down-to-earth yet modern feel of the event. The serene outdoor setting, the modern simplicity of Jen’s dress, and the elevated floral styling and bouquets all created a beautiful scene for Jen and James’s modern countryside wedding.

THE GALLERY

Tell us three fun things about yourselves!

We’re real homebodies who love to be by the ocean, we’re obsessed with our two cats (James wants me to say we’d take them to the wedding) and really love our local community.

Describe your perfect weekend away

We’re real homebodies (unless we’re overseas then that’s a different story), coffee at our local joint, walk along the beach, surf if it’s there and not having to work on our renovation lol.

Tell us about the proposal?

We were in the middle of our renovation and I’d gotten grumpy at James for not masking up the skirting fast enough because I needed to head down back to our rental to grab some things. On the way up I told myself I’d apologise and as I walked up the steps James had set up a paint bucket with some champagne and on top of the house paint, he had the ring waiting with a sign taped to the bucket saying “will you marry me” with of course … masking tape. And then we drank from the bottle as we finished painting for the day 🙂

MY PHILOSOPHY

I SEEK THE STORIES THAT WEAVE US TOGETHER, THE UNSCRIPTED MOMENTS, INFUSED WITH A HINT OF NOSTALGIA TO REMEMBER HOW IT ALL FELT.

Throughout our lives, we experience connection, learning, different cultures, good food and wine, music, sorrow, love … and it’s beautiful. It’s all these little things that when bought together create the tapestry of our lives and our memories.

If you’re planning a wedding or would love some beautiful photos of you and the people most special to you, I'd love to hear from you.

"We didn't realise we were making memories, we just knew we were having fun"