Fi & Marc
Photos by:
Meredith Lord
R&S: Your engagement story
F&M: I was the celebrant for a friend’s wedding in Queenstown and persuaded Marc to come down to keep me company. After the ceremony I met Marc to have dinner. We wandered around the town as Marc “tried to find somewhere to eat”. After about 20 minutes of walking, my heels were killing me, and I grumpily told him I had about 2 more seconds of walking in me before I was going to cry. Marc suggested one more loop around the waterfront. After a detour to a pharmacy to get sticky plasters I agreed.
As we were walking past the lake Marc stopped and played me a video message from his kids. In the message they asked if I would marry their Dad and be their stepmum. It was a very easy yes.
No matter the weather you can bring any look to The Round Bar
R&S: When planning your wedding what was most important to you?
F&M: We really wanted to prioritise the guest experience as much as possible. We wanted everything at the same location, an abundance of delicious food and drinks, music, tonnes of florals, and a cosy, relaxed, but still high end lush vibe.
R&S: What have your guests commented on the most since your wedding?
F&M: The late night smashed cheeseburgers were, without question, the hit of the night. People still talk about them!
R&S: Who was the vendor you are glad you invested in?
F&M: We had the most incredible vendors ever. We were so lucky. From the second we met Paula and Blair and booked Rose & Smith we knew that, even if we literally did nothing else, the wedding would be amazing. The venue was hands down our best choice and investment.
Our other standouts were: Shaun Preston, Meredith Lord, Ben from Sink or Surface, Amanda from Inker Tinker, and Botanical Lane. I could not recommend these creative geniuses highly enough.
Fi was all about the gorgeous details
R&S: What went into or what was important to you when choosing your menu?
F&M: Primarily we wanted delicious food and plenty of it. The trickiest thing for us was narrowing the options down! We could have chosen literally anything from the Rose & Smith menu and been delighted. The food on the night was incredible. Being able to taste the menu at the famous Rose & Smith Taste function with friends was also so helpful.
R&S: Was there anything unique you incorporated into your day that made it extra special?
F&M: Having Marc’s two children there with us as we got married was so important for us both. Our marriage was as much about the four of us coming together as a family as it was about Marc and I so it was only right that they were our bridal party. It was so special.
We were also so lucky to be married by our wonderful friend and celebrant Rebecca Guthrie.
Glamour, glamour and more glamour!
R&S: What is the one piece of advice you would give to future R&S couples?
F&M: Make sure you relax and enjoy your day knowing that Paula, Blair and their staff have you covered from start to finish. The day really does go as quickly as people say and there is zero point wasting time being worried about anything on the day. Your mood as a couple will set the tone for everyone else’s day so have fun!
We also highly recommend making use of the accommodation options on site and close by. Having all our favourite people staying so close made the days before and after our wedding so amazing.
R&S: What initially drew you to Rose & Smith and what made you book?
F&M: Marc is a huge horse racing fan so having the Tauherenikau race course next door was a big selling point for him. For me, the look of the venue, the setting and overall vibe was exactly what I was looking for so it seemed like a dream fit. What sealed the deal for us was when we were driving past one morning and decided to try our luck and pop in for a cheeky (unannounced) visit. We found out there was a wedding that afternoon and, not wanting to get in the way, we quickly turned around to leave. But Paula and Blair stopped us from going, graciously took us around and were so kind and generous with their time. It was immediately apparent that their team had things completely under control. Everyone was calm and so organised. We knew in that moment that we were in the best hands and booked them on the spot. It was the best decision we ever made.
R&S: Anything else you would like to add about your Rose & Smith experience
F&M: We had the most perfect experience. Paula and Blair went out of their way to create our dream day. Rose & Smith really is a one stop wedding shop. No request was too big or too small and we came away with such an overwhelming sense of gratitude to them for making our wedding everything we could have ever hoped for.
END NOTE
Fiona and Mark, what an amazing day – everything was perfect! From your simple + elegant ceremony as a new family, to the super stylish reception with the most fabulous colour scheme ( and way too many mirror balls!) Then, just when we thought it couldn’t get any better, out came the second dress! Wow!
We loved being able to relax with you both at the Tauherenikau races the next day. As a horse racing lover and a celebrant you made the ultimate R&S couple!
As a planner there is nothing I love more than a clear vision and Fi you were a dream bride!
Lots of love,
Px