Tom & Courtney

Kumeu Valley Estate
Auckland

Summer Garden Wedding | Kumeu Valley Estate | Auckland Wedding Photographer

Tom and Courtney shared their vows in front of friends and family at the Kumeu Valley Estate on a gorgeous summers day. We asked them to share some of the highlights of their day and here’s what they had to say:

What is your favourite memory of the day?

Tom “Walking into the reception after our sunset photo shoot, our favourite song was playing and it was such a great atmosphere”

Courtney “The ceremony was perfect, it felt so wonderful being up there with Tom and it felt like we were absolutely the only people in the world at that moment”, “I still get the giggles thinking of the moment we cut the cake and Tom decided to cut the second tier not knowing that there was a disc under it. He was so confused trying to slice through it into the third tier. It made me laugh!”

What surprised you on the day?

Tom “My complete lack of nerves or anxiety, I just felt happiness and was so relaxed”

Courtney “Perhaps how relaxed I was about dancing in front of everybody! Again I just felt like Tom and I were all the mattered and I had so much fun!”

What’s your advice for future couples?

Tom “If you are having the ceremony in summer, a shaded location is a great idea – like the forest at Kumeu Valley Estate”

Courtney “ Trust your gut. Plan the day exactly the way you and your fiancé want it. This is your day and people are going to enjoy it more if you enjoy yourself. Many comments we had were about how “us” our wedding was. Don’t let anything stress you out either – this is a day to be happy. If it stresses you out, it isn’t worth it.”

What was one thing you wish you had known before planning your wedding?

Tom “Don’t assume the first venue you check out will be the favourite place, we looked at two venues before coming across Kumeu Valley Estate, and this was the perfect place for us!”

Courtney “I wish we had thought about filming our first dance as we really enjoyed it and would love to relive it.”

What is your favourite photo and why?

Tom “The series in the forest with the sun rays shining through the trees, Amber was taking these amazing photos while Zahn ran around us scuffing his feet to create the dust!”

Courtney “I love the one of us coming back down the aisle with the rose petals being thrown in front. It creates such a wicked effect and you can see the extreme happiness on our faces! On the flip side, the photo of me giving my vows with tears in my eyes fills me with emotion too”