So many couples worry when it comes to planning their wedding. They worry about having to invite relatives they haven’t seen in 15 years or friends they no longer see. But the important thing to remember is, it’s YOUR day! You set the rules for how your wedding day will pan out and if you don’t want a big wedding, that’s totally okay. Small weddings or intimate elopements with just a handful of people are hugely popular, particularly with social distancing rules now in place. There’s never been a better time to plan your small wedding!

Here’s Why Small Weddings Are Popular

• Small weddings are more affordable. So, more money to spend on the honeymoon!
• There’s much less stress with small weddings.
• Small weddings are easier to organise with venues and vendors.
• You get to socialise with all your guests at a small wedding.
• Small weddings are more relaxed, intimate and personal.

A Small Wedding in New Zealand

In March I travelled to New Zealand for the small and intimate wedding of Kristina and Brandon. And not one to miss an opportunity of an overseas trip, I flew in a few days early to spend some quality time with my son Adam before heading off to Waihi to do some reconnaissance on amazing wedding locations.

First on the list was to scope out the wedding venue, Falls Retreat, and then head to the wedding photo locations, Karangahake Gorge – Owharoa Falls and Victoria Battery gold mine ruins. After my reconnaissance was complete, there was nothing left but to enjoy the beautiful New Zealand countryside and wait for the big day!

The Big Day for the Small Wedding

The day of Kristina and Brandon’s small and intimate wedding arrived, and the weather was beautiful! And as a nature lover I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to go for a morning walk along the old railway line before heading off to Kristina and Brandon’s wedding.

Location, Location, Location!

Another bonus of small weddings are there’s usually no time wasted travelling between locations. And this was true for Kristina and Brandon. Kristina stayed at the wedding venue in a quaint little cabin and the ceremony was nestled in the pine trees, a short walk from the cabin.

Other Benefits of Small Weddings

Kristina and Brandon also had a short walk from the ceremony to the reception. Having everything close by is also the perfect opportunity for you to take some time-out with your new husband or wife to just enjoy the moment. So often with larger weddings, there’s so much going on you forget to take a few minutes to just enjoy the day.

It was also just a 5-minute walk to the waterfalls for Kristina and Brandon’s wedding photos, so there was no additional cost for transport.

Ready to book your wedding photographer? Get in touch here.

Thank you to Kristina and Brandon for choosing me to photograph their wedding day.

Here’s a little of their story…

How did you meet?

We met online and had a blind date in October 2013.

What was the proposal like?

The proposal was in March 2019. We had a sunset picnic at one of our favourite spots at Sandgate after taking Clancy, our Miniature Schnauzer for a walk on the flats.

Why did you choose New Zealand as your wedding destination?

Brandon and his family are from the area, so we got married there.

What was the date of your wedding?

14th of March 2020

What is the story behind having stone and gold for your wedding rings?

Brandon proposed with a brilliant cut diamond which is my favourite cut, with a gold bullion. The gold was sourced from Waihi, close to where we ended up getting married. Because we have a connection to where the gold comes from, our rings are more sentimental.

The Bridal Party

Brandon’s nephew was page boy, Kristina’s niece was flower girl. Kristina and Brandon had one attendant each. Brandon had a mate from school and Kristina had her sister-in-law Stacia.

The Guests

Kristina and Brandon had 46 guests, including family and friends who travelled from the United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand to attend their wedding.

Huge thanks to the wedding vendors:

Wedding photographer: Vikki – VS Photographer

Dress: Grace Loves Lace (@grace_loves_lace)

Earrings: Twigs & Honey (@twigsandhoney)

Bride’s shoes: Badgley Mischka from The White Collection (@thewhitecollectionau)

Suits: Devonche (@devonchelabel)

Bridesmaid outfit: Sheike

Flowers: Our Flowers Florist, Mount Maunganui, New Zealand (@ourflowersflorist)

Cake: Spongedrop Cakery, Mount Maunganui, New Zealand (@spongedrop)

Makeup: Hair & Makeup by Chloe (@hairandmakeupbychloe_nz)

Hair: Stacia Murphy (@divinemaven)

Venue: Falls Retreat, Karangahake Gorge, New Zealand (@fallsretreat)

About Vikki – Your Photographer for All Small Weddings

For the past 5 years, Vikki Siliato has lived in Redcliffe. She enjoys getting out and about on a daily basis, armed with her camera and accompanied by her dog, Zali. Vikki loves to photograph the beauty of the Moreton Bay Region. She is a full-time photographer and her main focus is weddings.

But her passion is landscape photography and Vikki has won multiple awards for her stunning landscape and nature photography. She strives to capture the essence of what she sees and feels while keeping the natural beauty of a landscape.

Vikki is an Associate member of the Australian Institute of Professional Photography (AIPP) and was a volunteer photographer for the AIPP Reflections project which ran from 2015-2017. And she also volunteers for Heartfelt, a volunteer organisation that provides photographic memories for families who’ve lost a baby.

Vikki is an adventurous soul who finds peace and joy when out with a couple of like-minded friends on one of their wilderness hiking adventures – with camera in hand of course.

If you’re looking for a photographer for your small wedding, drop Vikki an email here.