The Bungalow with a classic textural twist
March 2024
Modern yet classic, with a natural, textural twist, was the theme for Katie and Sam’s autumn wedding at The Bungalow.
The venue, The Bungalow, overlooks the Taranaki coastline. So we had the floral vision of natural grasses, paired with puffs of white blooms, delicate garden flowers, and pops of lemony yellows, which created the dreamiest scene.
The wind was blowing hard, but everything was perfect, making for the most magical day, which, I hear, ended in the most epic party. Exactly what a wedding day should be all about!
Read on for a glimpse into their unique wedding day.
Were there any important details that were special to you as a couple, you wanted to incorporate in some way?
Flowers, music and food were our top 3 things we wanted to prioritise. There wasn't really anything super special or intimate we wanted to do, it was more about having an epic celebration and hope that everyone had the best time.
Tell us a bit about yourselves and how you met?
I met Sam through mutual friends at a house party in Auckland. I was studying at University at the time and he was working as an apprentice builder.
What was your vision for the day and how did you choose your style?
This was the hard for me! I was easily distracted by all of the amazing weddings on Pinterest. I really had to pick a vibe and go with it. I decided to keep the vision classic, using mainly white and green tones, with subtle pops of yellow. I was really drawn to the idea of grasses to add texture, give a modern twist and link back to the coastal venue. I found it helped to describe my style in 3 words. If I didn't feel like it worked within that, I would try something else.
How did you find and select The Bungalow over other locations? What were you looking for in a venue?
We were tossing up whether to get married in Melbourne or New Plymouth. However by the time I reached out to New Plymouth venues, The Bungalow was the only one available! So it kind of made the decision for me. The Bungalow has stunning coastal views and is so beautiful in person. The reception room is quite literally a blank canvas so I knew that florals were going to become a large portion of my budget. One of my bridesmaids works in events and suggested I do a floral centrepiece to create a focal point in the room. The idea was to originally do the dance floor directly underneath the centrepiece. While that didn't quite go to plan, Rebecca did an amazing job ensuring the centrepiece still had the impact I had hoped for. I think the aim of your venue should always be that you love it without all of the decorations. It's the little added extras that enhance the venue and personalise the wedding to you both as a couple.
How did you go about choosing the vendors you booked?
Mainly word of mouth, through friends. All of the vendors I had chosen had been booked by someone I knew before so it gave me confidence that everything would go to plan.
Was there one key moment in your day that you will never forget?
I think reading my vows. It was probably the one moment I had the most anxiety about, being emotional over the microphone ha! But it really is the backbone of a wedding and what most people gather to see. Lean into it and enjoy the moment.
The planning process: What worked well for you?
I am not a party planner, at all. I found the process completely all consuming, I think it was all I talked about or all that people asked me about for the year ha! Which is wild considering it was less than a day. However, I look back on it as one the best days of our lives as a couple. Not many times you get to be just fully present and enjoy everyone you love, in one room, celebrating you as a couple. The notes app on my phone was my main planning tool and then google sheets for all the detail bits like timetables and guest lists. I'm proud of myself and so thankful for all my friends and family that helped. I was so reluctant to ask anyone to do anything, but I found people are so keen to help out and assigning jobs on the day takes the pressure off.
Looking back on your day, is there anything you would do differently?
I wish I got more pictures with my parents while getting ready. I really tried to limit anything that would turn me into a blubbering mess, but a few more family shots would've been amazing. I wouldn't do anything differently but there were a couple things I didn't think about which just came down to tiny details, like what do you want the bar/wait staff to wear? How do you want the desert table setup. Being as specific as possible really does help when others are doing the job.
What’s some advice you would give to couples, reading this, planning their day?
Prioritise what you care about most. You can never be 100% sure of how things will exactly look until the day, trust in your vendors and allow them space to play. Assign people jobs. Be specific about what you want and ultimately relax and enjoy it!!!
Also, having a person who was in charge of the venue (as Sandy from the Bungalow was) was such an incredible help and made the process so smooth.