Sarah and Will share all the details from their gorgeous Canterbury elopement.
What was your inspiration for eloping?
‘Like so many weddings disrupted by Covid, we decided to cancel our April Easter wedding at the end of January as the uncertainty was too much to navigate with my mum stuck in Australia for eight months. Our 250-pax wedding had shrivelled to 25 in red light with our inclusive policy and became a shell of the former ideas.
‘We had decided that we’d do it all again in three years’ time for our joint 40th birthdays with a big bash, but with the continual dress fittings with Louise Anderson and just really wanting to be married to cement the new family name, we pivoted to an elopement in the hills at the place I’ve always dreamed of staying – Montrose Estate.
We decided on a very special date – my maternal grandparents’ wedding anniversary – a good luck charm with the longevity of their marriage!’
Tell us about your big day.
‘Unintentionally, the whole day felt like a little “Yellowstone-meets-Peaky Blinders” with our theme of a ’70s Scottish Highlands.
‘We had our families from around the country all congregate in Christchurch whilst I was MC at the South Island Dairy Event up until 5 pm the day before (fielding secret wedding calls over the two days side stage!).
‘Mum, Grandma and I stayed at my dress designer Louise Anderson’s Airbnb – she had such art for doing the dress up, so we thought why not get her to do it on the morning of the wedding! Stacey Banfield and Monique Woods arrived to do my hair and makeup before my brother-in-law arrived in a gorgeous Porsche Panamera to escort me to the steps of the Heritage Hotel where our family were waiting for us. We got all of our photos on the iconic staircase before celebrating with cocktails and canapés at our favourite bar, OGB!
‘As the snowy weather clouded the alps, we made the decision to have the ceremony at Montrose Estate, Mount Hutt, by the stone fireplace in the Paewaka House, the original homestead. Dad and I invented a new family tradition called “the warming of the hearts” with a swig of Fireball Whisky which is a father-daughter tradition at country music festivals.
‘My grandma, Anne, kicked off the ceremony with the warming of the rings to signify the importance of sharing our wedding anniversary with her. To also signify our family heritage from the banks of the Clutha and Rangitikei Rivers, we held a water unity ceremony blending the water and life force of both rivers together on the banks of the new river, Rakaia, which we are now calling home.
‘We wrote and read out our own vows of which mine was lyrics from my favourite country music songs followed by a beautiful Native American blessing. Our family feasted on special food presented by Chantelle Quinn from Twentyfour Catering Co. and provided from Dad’s whitebait, terrine from Will and Dad’s pheasant shoot, Will’s parents’ raised chooks and Lumina Lamb from nearby Quartz Hill Station topped off with our family wine.
‘Everyone had their turn speaking around the large table and we cherished being able to spend quality one-on-one time with every single guest which I can guarantee wouldn’t have happened with the last plan! To top it off our originally booked band, Assembly Required, happened to be playing at The Blue Pub in Methven the next night – couldn’t have been more perfect!’
Tell us about your vendors.
‘I can only best describe it as a tribe of incredible wāhine! I don’t think it’s hard to explain why I chose the wonderful Sarah Clements as our photographer, but more special than her talents I got to share bridesmaids’ duties with her at our friend’s wedding and she’s just simply a legend!
‘Our celebrant, Abby France, whom I’ve known from growing up together in Central Otago, had her beautiful new daughter arrive two weeks prior and still came to officiate – another legend!
‘Chantelle Quinn from Twentyfour Catering Co. demonstrated her flexibility, creativity and incredible unflappable nature.
‘Stacey Banfield and Monique Woods doing hair and makeup didn’t know it but felt like bridesmaids getting ready with me that I was missing terribly. The ladies at Mrs Bottomley’s Flowers did a fabulous job tying Will’s pheasant feathers into my bouquet. Rowena Watson designed the most gorgeous clear quartz earrings to go with my mind-blown couture wedding dress from the godmother of this tribe, Louise Anderson. Louise is truly an artistic mystery on how she works. It was my fortnightly fittings with her that doubled as counselling through the whole tumultuous journey and ultimately, alongside my husband, she underpinned how I felt on my very special day – perfect!’
