Real Weddings

  The magnificent setting of Newport Beach in California was the setting for English born Camilla and her handsome kiwi husband Aaron's wedding. Sort of half way between the two countries. A favorite Aunt offered up her beautiful home as the venue and a cousin helped with the planning, helping this wedding come together so perfectly. Their love story began 14 years before, travelling the world and working together in the performing arts industry. With the addition of beautiful Finley to the family two years before the timing was finally perfect to say I do!Flowers: W&L Designs, Huntington Beach, CaliforniaRentals: Bakers Party Rentals, Costa Mesa.Hair and Makeup: Prive Beauty Group, Rancho Cucamonga, CaliforniaCatering: Jay's Catering, Garden Grove, CaliforniaSuits: Montagio, SydneyBridesmaid and flowers girl dresses: Two Birds, New YorkCelebrant: Liz Chaney, Anaheim, CaliforniaPhotographer: Elizabeth Lauren, Temecula, California.Videographer: Skyler Ehorn, California 

Paige and Ciaran's love story started when they met in Auckland through work; Paige being from Australia and Ciaran from Ireland. A castle in Ireland was chosen as the perfect destination for the wedding, with all Ciaran's family living in Ireland. Paige's mum in Aussie helped by supervising the florals via email. The beautiful castle they chose dates back to the early 15th century on the outskirts of Dublin. With it's expansive grounds their wedding had an elegance and magnificence that only a dreamy Irish Castle wedding could have!- Wedding at Lutlrestown Castle, Ireland - Photography by Rafal Borek - Flowers by The French Touch - Videography by Hitched Films

What a love story! Brayden planned big time to make his Olivia his wife. As a wedding gift he made a video of their engagement, with friends hiding in the bushes filming the whole thing, which was so beautiful it brought me to tears! Highlights of the day were Olivia's brother singing her down the isle, the driftwood candle stands her dad made, and of course her dream dress! - Ceremony at Olivia's Grandma’s church, Nativity Church - Reception at Marlborough Vintners Hotel - Styled by Holly Otene styling 

Rikki-Lee came to see us after becoming inspired by one of our gowns, Suri, which has gorgeous long sheer lace sleeves and made in beautiful beaded silver lace over silver and nude tones. A custom gown was designed and created, the end result is so feminine and soft, yet a little sexy with it's low back. I love it! The wedding was held at Adam's family Vilagrad Winery and styled to perfection. Having the wedding in Autumn, they brought in rich colours including deep plum which also complemented the silver and nude-toned gown we created together. - Wedding at Vilagrad Winery - Photography by Kelly Oliver Photography - Styling by Jess Rose Design - Flowers by Misc/Jess Rose

Briar came to see us after falling in love with a gown we featured at the Bride & Groom show. Being the first bride to order the gown we had to name the gown after her! We custom made Briar's gown, the same as the original but without sleeves. She looked incredible!  The beautiful guipure lace used in the gown with it's vintage look suited the Old Forest School venue  to perfection and worked in well with Corey's laid back style, complete with hat. The whole vibe was one of effortless style, love and celebration.- Wedding at Old Forest School - Photography by Kirsty Peta Stone - Styling by Two Foxes

This was one very special wedding. Extremely intimate with just close family set in the incredible beauty that is Queenstown. The date was chosen as it was one of the only days that the photographer was free, so we knew when we first met Sara that a special dress was called for - one that would not only be exquisitely beautiful but quite at home on the windswept mountains and able to hide the thermals!- Wedding at Matakawi Lodge - Photography by Jim Pollard

Nicole and Hayden's wedding was so beautiful and elegant, set in the stunning grounds of Kauribay Boomrock. Everything so on point, including the flowers, the bridesmaids' gowns and all the small details. We custom-made Nicole's gown; she was inspired by another gown we had made but had her own ideas as to what she would like. The result so stunning on her, she really looked and felt spectacular.- Wedding at Kauribay Boomrock - Photography by Jody Lidstone of I Do Photography - Bridesmaids dressesfrom Silk Laundry - Flowers by Print and Petal - Make-up by Blair Gamblin - Hair by Emma Sheen Styling - Suits from Rembrandt

Haley was set to get married in another designer's gown which wasn't working out, so she came to us three weeks before the wedding! With no time to lose, we crafted a design after Haley fell in love with the silhouette of one of our gowns and also the gorgeous beaded lace that had just arrived. The combination was stunning; the result flawless!  Haley looked and felt spectacular!- Wedding at Mudbrick - Photography by Lavara from Lavara Photography - Flowers by Anna Richmond from Miss Audrey's Florist - Mikes Suit by MJ Bale - Bridesmaid dresses by Evolution

Kate and Graeme had a such a beautiful wedding at Mudbrick on Auckland's Waiheke Island. Kate fell in love with our Lucy gown, which we custom made for her. Love how when Graeme saw Kate walking towards him, he broke down and had a good cry - in my books, that's a perfect result!- Photography by Emily Raftery - Wedding at Mudbrick on Waiheke Island - Flowers by The Flower Gallery

This gorgeous wedding had it all, the most beautiful wedding venue, perfect weather and a bridal party determined to enjoy each moment! These are only a few photos of what was a magical celebration. Amber of course stole the show looking so incredible in her custom-made gown. The highlight for me was how Denise, Amber's mum, said that when Amber walked in everyone's jaw just dropped, and stayed dropped all night. She looked and felt like an Italian princess.- Photography by Erica Jane Photography - Wedding at Ataahua - Flowers by Shaye - Make up and hair by Mary Estelle

With a Queenstown destination wedding planned, all Megan needed was a stunning gown. She came to Vinka Design brimming full of ideas of what she would like for a custom dress, only to be inspired by a gown in our current collection. We had a fantastic time pin-pointing what she loved about the gown to come up with a new gown that combined the best of our ideas, and in my opinion the final result was spectacular! – Photography by Warren Williams – Ceremony at Stoneridge Estate – Reception at The Winehouse – Flowers by Flower Room

Shalini had a spectacular wedding, set over several days with different ceremonies, all with so much significance and tradition. Here I have only included the main two; the Indian ceremony and the civil one, though unfortunately only some of the ceremony has been captured here in these photos. Sadly we can’t make claim to the beautiful sari, which came from India, but the wedding gown and veil was all Vinka!  - Wedding at Markovina - Photography by Hannah Baker - Flowers by Lila Floral.Co. - Videography by Shaun Paul Creative - Make-up by Melinda Patel - Hair by Emma MacKinnon

Olivia and Ben's beautiful winter wedding had so many gorgeous details.  The impressive setting of Bishop Selwyn Chapel made a stunning backdrop for the ceremony with the large glass windows showing the trees and landscape beyond. Olivia had a custom gown with long lace sleeves and a dramatic silk train.  Add Ben in a sharp suit, five gorgeous bridesmaids, four flower girls and five groomsmen and you have one impressive wedding party! I love the contrast of black on the bridesmaids and the men with the flowers and flower girls in ivory. - Photography by Anna Kidman- Ceremony at Bishop Selwyn Chapel- Reception at The Cloud- Ben's suit from Working Style- Groomsmens' suits Barkers- Bridesmaids' and flower girls' dresses from Celine- Flowers by Lu Dimond- Hair by Boutique Bride- Makeup by Fiona of Clare Beauty- Cake from Niu Cakery

Gorgeous and dreamy, this wedding  of Helena and Tim's really took my breath away. Honestly, I could have very easily put 50 photos up to share! I had the pleasure of creating our Delta gown for Helena, which looked absolutely stunning on her (if I say so myself)! The beautiful venue of Kauri Bay Boomrock was faultless as always and Emily Raftery did a beautiful job with the photos. It's hard to single out standout parts of the wedding - everything all just worked so well together. I did particularly love the whiskey/cigar bar however, that was a great idea!- Wedding at Kauri Bay Boomrock - Photography by Emily Raftery - Styling and flowers by Leaf and Honey - Hair by All Things Pretty - Makeup by Natalie Dent - Suits from MJ Bale - Bridesmaids' dresses from Modes Newmarket and Glamour Boutique Newmarket - Videography by We are Bubblerock - Cake by Sweet Bites Cakes, with sugar flowers made by Helena's mum Irena

Waikeke Weddings somehow always seem to be so beautiful but this wedding really is stunning. Lauren and Martyn choose Mudbrick for their Venue, which is such a magical spot - so elegant and stylish! Lauren and Martyn's wedding had a relaxing feel with all the elements coming together seamlessly. Naturally our stunning bride Lauren in her bespoke Mia gown steals the spotlight but that's the way it should be!- Wedding at Mudbrick - Photography by James from Chasewild - Flowers by Leaf & Honey - Jewellery from Partridge - Make up by Grayson Coutts - Hair by Aaron Team 7 - Shoes from Valentino - Groom's suit by Working Style Custom

Erin and Josh  got engaged in Cuba on their way home from living in Amsterdam.  The  wedding day was magical.  Perfect  weather (despite the fact that Auckland was flanked with two cyclones either side of the date) and the dreamy location of Kelliher Estate. Erin fell in love with our Ariel gown, which we custom made for her.- Photography by Jodi Lidstone from I Do photography - Hair and Make Up by Sarah Knight - Flowers by Vida Flores - Suits by Working Style - Bridesmaid dresses by Amber Whitecliffe - Flowergirl dress by Arabella and Rose

Ayesha and Nick has a beautiful wedding set in  venue of Plume in  Matakana.We made a custom gown for Ayesha, with a gorgeous beaded floral lace, which fitted her to perfection.Love how they made the ceremony so personal and set up the venue to resemble a circle of love -  enveloped by their loved ones on all sides, also having their rings blessed by everyone.Ayesha's dad is Roman Catholic and her mother is a Zoroastrian so they decided to add a little element of each to their wedding. Firstly having a Roman Catholic blessing/prayer  followed by a Zoroastrian/Parsi tradition called Achoo Michoo. It is all about warding off the evil eye and making sure the marriage starts pure and happily. Achoo Michoo is a typical Parsi custom of warding off the evil eye or evil vibes directed towards the bride and groom that is essentially performed before every wedding ritual.. The mother figure then applies a dot of kumkum on the bride’s forehead and a vertical tilak of kumkum on the groom’s forehead.Nick also made a beautiful wooden box for the day, even managed to put a heart into it. They had heir guests write notes, their parents write  letters, also  adding their vows  to the box - which they plan on open on their 10th anniversary.                Vendors: Planning and Design - Oh Such Style Flowers - Annie O Cake - Eat Cake Photographers - Perspectives Celebrant - Chris Mullane Venue - Plume Make up and Hair - Lipstick & co Grooms suit - Crane Brothers

One of the most important aspects of Louise's wedding was what she was wearing! We wear delighted to be chosen to create her gown but that meant trusting us completely which I think scared her a little! However  we were on the same page and end result so beautiful that we can only assume that the tears Ryan was wiping away as Louise came towards him were a little to do with her looking and feeling so beautiful! - Ceremony and Reception at Plume Vineyard Restaurant in Matakana - Photos at Omaha Beach, where Ryan proposed, as well as being a place where they spend a lot of their time - Photography by Kate Wark - Videography by Indigo Moon - Janice Kingston as the celebrant - Bride's shoes from Trosseau Bridal and Evening Shoes - Bride's jewellery and veil from Vinka Design - Groom and Groomsmens' suits from Frank Casey - Bridesmaids' dresses from Forever New - Cake from Bluebells Cakery - Hair by Inspired Hair - Makeup by Amber Carroll - Flowers by Floramay

Our beautiful bride Claire came to us unsure of what she wanted but once we put her in the Octavia gown the decision was easy. It was custom made to fit her to perfection but we made the train longer which really looked incredible.  The Auckland University Clock Tower and surrounding old buildings set a beautiful backdrop to this chic and elegant wedding.   - Photography by Jeremy Hill - Flowers from The Wild Bunch, Remuera - Boys’ suits from Working Style - Cake by For Heaven’s Cake - Ceremony at St Luke's, Remuera - Reception at Cibo, Parnell - Makeup and hair by Christelle McIntosh - Shoes from Trousseau - Earrings from Dyrberg Kern

Candice and Michael  had a magnificent wedding set in the beautiful Ataahua Gardens Venue in Tauranga. Truly this dreamy wedding really takes your breath away. But you have to say the star of the wedding was Candice and her incredible bespoke gown. Delighted Candice enjoyed wearing it as much as we did creating it for her.- Photography by Stephan and Nakita - Flowers from Sweetpea and Jasmine - Catering by Devour - Cake and desserts from Sponge drop - Bridesmaids' outfits from Shona Joy, but with a few additions - Hair and makeup by Fiona Clare Goddard Beauty - Groom's and Groomsmens' suits from Hallenstines - Cutlery from The Heirloom Styling and Prop Hire. - Videography by Patty Lager - Earrings from Zoe and Morgan

Kat and Logan couldn't have picked a more perfect day for their nuptials, which were set in the beautiful grounds of Markovina Vineyard. Kat came to us knowing what she wanted in a gown and wanted us to help bring it to life! The end result was a romantic gown made with layers of tulle and a beautiful beaded lace bodice. It looked so perfect it's no wonder that Logan choked up when he saw her!- Photography by Perspectives Photo + Cinema - Hair and make up by Alison Brewer, International Hair and Makeup Artist - Wedding at Markovina Vineyard Estate - Cake by Zhakita Cake Designz - Bridal Shoes from Trousseau - Bridesmaids' Dresses from Sorella Vita - Rings by Erika Watson Jewellery - Suits from Rembrandt - Tom Jacka as the Celebrant

Hannah and Campbell's dreamy wedding was flawless from start to finish, with the summery day and city landscape crafting the perfect urban wedding despite taking place in the middle of autumn. The creative process with her gown began for us with Hannah falling in love with a European lace that had only just arrived, causing her to forget all about her earlier plans for a plain silk gown. So excited to see how it all came together on the day - the photos speak for themselves!- Photography by Jody Lidstone of I Do Photography - Ceremony at St Matthew in the City - Reception at Quay Project - Flowers by Naomi of Leaf & Honey - Makeup by Serenity Makeup - Groom's suit by Crane Brothers - Groomsmen's' suits by Working Style

This is one very special couple, partly because they are beautiful people and partly because they are family! Tonchi is my late cousin Ljubica' s son and his stunning wife is Haley.  It was a joyous wedding but it was with a real sadness that both Haley and Tonchi's mothers weren't there to share the celebrations.- Reception at The Wharf - Photography by Libby Robinson - Veil by Vinka Design - Bridesmaids' Dresses by Deanna Didovich - Suits from Hallensteins - Flowers by Eden Kersten - Cake by The Caker - Girls' hair by Ejay Strickson - Make up by Ann-Maree McAullay - Boys' Hair by Vinny's Barbershop, Mt. Albert - Girls' Shoes by Tony Bianco - Flower Girl dress by Lauraine Mayn - Groom's Ring by Culet Jewellery - Bride's Ring by Worrall Jewellers

Stacey and Hamish planned this dreamy wedding from overseas as they came home from living in Japan for the occasion. Despite this, the wedding was flawless - even the weather played nice with the sun coming out just before the ceremony was due to start. The fittings with Stacey were few but the gown fitted perfectly.- Photography by Joanna Wickham - Bridesmaids' Dresses from The White Dress, California - Jewellery from Vinka Design - Flowers by The Wild Bunch, Remuera - Reception at the Royal Auckland Golf Club - Bride's Shoes from Trousseau Bridal and Evening Shoes - Make up by Sam Hart - Hair by Amelia Henderson

Danielle and Nick had an stunning wedding set in the magical Millbrook Resort in Arrowtown. The day revealed one perfect moment after another, beautifully captured by the Alpine Image Company. We were originally going to create a version of our Bridgette gown for Danielle but before we were due to start Danielle mentioned how she always loved our Saskia gown and was a little stumped about what to do. My idea was to incorporate the two fabrics and the best of both designs. The end result was so perfect we wondered why we had never thought of it before!- Location and Catering by Millbrook Resort - Photography by the Alpine Image Company - Celebrant: Charlotte Winkle - Gown and Veil by Vinka Design - Suits from Rembrandt - Bridesmaids Dresses from True Violet - Make up by Yasisa Boon from Charm Beauty - Hair by Kristen from Collective, Queenstown - Shoes from Bagley Mishchka - Jewellery from Vinka Design - Flowers by Studio 24 - Stag head from Danielle's Dad's hunting efforts

Diana came to us from Christchurch, and I'm so glad I had the pleasure of getting to know her and her awesome mum Andrea as they came for the various fittings of Diana's glorious gown creation. A lot of hard work and passion went into this gown to match the effort these fine ladies made coming to see me. The end result is so beautiful and ethereal, especially when seen in the magical setting that is Queenstown.- Hair by Kaye Briden from Yazu - Make up by Juliet Henry from J.E.T Make up - Flowers by Sarah from The Flower Room - Photography by Holly Wallace - Videography by Sean Craig of Burnt Hill Studio - Wedding at the Winehouse - Celebrant: Phillipa Cook

Cecilia came in to see us after falling in love with one of our gowns from New Zealand Fashion Week, and the moment she tried it on we all knew it was meant to be! We added some pearl buttons down the back and the end result was stunning, especially given how radiant she looked on the day! The day they chose to hold the ceremony on also happened to be exactly a year after they were engaged, which was itself exactly a year after they first started dating, and the added significance to the date just managed to make their wedding even more romantic.- Ceremony at St Pauls, Devonport - Location Shooting at Mount Victoria, Devonport - Photography by Elva Chao of Seeing the Light - Videography by Tamlyn Rose - Flowers by Orlando Flowers - Suits from Hallensteins - Hair by Lexia Dyer - Make-up by Anita Zahoor

Sophie and Auldan's gorgeous wedding at Markovina Vineyard Estate was one of the most stunning we saw this year and they both looked incredible. With this in mind it was no surprise to us that Sophie was named as New Zealand Wedding's Bride of the Year for 2016! So lovely that she managed to have such a wonderful day.- Photography by Coralee Stone - Preparation at Boathouse Row - Wedding at Markovina Vineyard Estate - Flowers by Vidabela - Hair by Amelia at Boutique Bride - Shoes by Badgley Mischka

I adored meeting with Jessica and being briefed on her ideas for a romantic, feminine gown fitting of an elopement to a castle in Scotland! Given that we were working with delicate, beaded Italian lace and layers of soft, dreamy tulle and organza it’s no surprise that the outcome was perfect. The ceremony was executed with such style and elegance, especially in adhering to Scottish traditions, that it almost feels like it comes from a fairy tale.- Photography by Wonderful and Strange - Wedding at Inverlochy Castle, Scotland

Clare and Mark were recently wedded at Casita Miro on Waiheke Island, and the weather looks almost as stunning as the photos! It's fantastic to see that their special day went so well. Clare is wearing a custom Saskia gown.- Photography by Anna Allport - Bridesmaids' Dresses by Miss Crabb - Flowers by Virginia Thompson at Waiheke Flower Gallery - Mark's and Groomsmens' Suits from Barkers - Cake by Mary Midgley and Jane Geor (both Mums) - Makeup by Kiri O'Brien

Angela and Tony chose the gorgeous Markovina Estate in Kumeu for their wedding venue earlier this year. The result was stunning - just look at these photos!- Bridal Jewellery from Vinka Design - Suits from Working Style - Wedding at Markovina Estate, Kumeu - Photography by The Lauren and Delwyn Project - Shoes from Trousseau Bridal - Flowers by Frond Florist - Hair & Makeup by Nikki Lovrich - Bridesmaids' Dresses from Kellylin Couture - Flower Girls' Dresses from Lizzy Love - Wedding stationary from Windmill Press - Cake by Sweet Bites - Music by Hands Off

Kirsten and Ben had a gorgeous wedding at Bracu just last year and the photos are stunning! Despite the rainy weather giving the day a poor start it wasn't enough to dampen the occasion, and it seems like they both had a fantastic time. I particularly love the colours of the flowers and her gorgeous shoes!- Ceremony at Kings Chapel - Reception at Bracu Pavilion - Photography by Jessica Photography - Shoes from Kurt Geiger - Bridesmaids' Dresses by White Runway - Bangles by Kate Spade - Groom's Suit from Working Style - Flowers from Van Lier Roses - Hair & Makeup by Angela Renee

I was lucky enough to attend Jade and Brett's beautiful wedding first-hand in the magnificent St Matthew's Cathedral, and it was spectacular. Jade's a very special bride to us; we had a lot of fun working together and the results are stunning! She looks beautiful, the flowers so gorgeous and Brett immaculate.

Lydia and Ben recently enjoyed a magical wedding starting off at Sutton's where they had their ceremony and finishing up at the Cambridge Town Hall with their reception. They look like they had the most fantastic time, so I'm really glad that everything went well! Also worth note that Ben made the 'LOVE' sign seen in some of the photos - it's great to see personal touches like that, it helps make the wedding feel even more unique. - Photography by Ruth Gilmour Photography - Flowers by Flowers by Karen - Hair by Belles & Brides - Makeup by KL Cosmetic Design - Shoes from Trousseau Bridal & Evening Shoes - Venue: Weddings at Sutton's (ceremony) and Cambridge Town Hall (reception) - Hireage from Carlton Party Hire / Blakes Hire Company - Food from The Boatshed Karapiro

Susan and David had the magnificent backdrop of Huka Falls at their beautiful wedding at the Huka Lodge in Taupo. Simply stunning. The day was perfect and Susan looked breathtaking.- Groom's suit from Working Style - Wedding at Huka Lodge, Taupo - Wedding Co-ordinator: Carole Harvey-Jones - Celebrant: Donna Inch of Eventrent Limited, Taupo - Photography by Ross Herbert, Taupo - Hair & Make up by Patreece Corban of Cremebrulee, Taupo - Bouquets & Flowers by Blooming Flowers, Taupo - Wedding Cake by PaulaJaneCakes, Kumeu - Invitations, place cards & stationery by Graphic Affair Limited - DJ & Sound Equipment by Mike Steffens, Auckland

Gemma and Colin were married to each other at the stunning Mudbrick Vineyard on Waiheke Island. Everyone, particularly Gemma, looks absolutely exquisite, I'm so glad they had a great day!- Taken at Mudbrick Vineyard - Photography by Alice Doig Photography - Bridesmaids' Dresses from Coco and Lola, in Perth - Flowers from Wildflower, on Waiheke Island - Hair and Make Up by Amber Carroll and Shontal Healey

Lindsay and Andrew had an incredibly beautiful wedding on a perfect day in late summer. She looks absolutely breathtaking, as does the whole wedding!- Photography by Lydia Arnold of Kate Robinson Photography - Taken at Lindsay's family home - Grooms suit from Crane Brothers - Groomsmen suits from Barkers - Bridesmaids' Dresses by BHLDN - Flowers by Miss Daisy - Catering by Dish Catering - Marquee from Platinum Hire - Tableware from Insphire