When Briar and Richard tied the knot, they wanted a day that was full of relaxed fun, with a side of saxophone! “I told Tricky (Richard) that we wouldn’t get married unless he found someone to play our aisle song and cocktail hour!” explains Briar.

With a beautiful abundance of colour, it’s a modern take on a classic New Zealand wedding (hello The New Zealand Issue!), and the charm the whimsy of it all, purely down to how these two prioritised their day. “We chose to spend the money on the things that were important to us, music, food, and the drinks. So we did flowers and signage ourselves and with the help of friends.”

Ana Galloway is the magic taker of photos for this day that unfolded not only with the aforementioned colour but with killer views and of course, laughter and a positively infectious mood.

Briar and Richard’s paths first crossed at a bar in Dunedin, eleven years ago, Briar tells the tale. “We met when I was 19 and Richard was 21 in Dunedin- I had moved there for University. A friend was visiting for the weekend and we were out at a local bar.

I spied Tricky standing at the bar and told my friend that he was very easy on the eye and that I was going to introduce myself. I tried to buy him a drink but my card declined – clearly my friend and I had already a few. Tricky swiftly came to my rescue and shouted – he even walked us home that night. The rest they say is history. We bought a house, got a dog – then moved to Auckland and we’re married 11 years later.

Richard asking Briar to marry him at Wahi Beach – a place where Briar’s family has holidayed for as long as she can remember. “We went there on a long weekend” she remembers, “We planned to do my favourite walk to the highest point – it was raining and misty and he still wanted to go which was odd. He proposed at the top covered in rain and mud. He had the ring made with my grandmother and great grandmother’s diamond engagement rings and added a pink sapphire – I couldn’t say no!”

The couple worked with Perspectives Photo & Cinema to capture their day on film.

Richard found his navy suit at Hugo Boss NZ. “Tricky would consider himself a bit of a fashionista” laughs Briar. “After looking online he settled on Hugo Boss – he picked a classic blue with a large check pattern. It was fitted to him in store and was like a glove. He informs me that is the only way he ever wants to buy clothes again.”

Briar had her classically elegant gown designed by Kenny & Harlow. “I wanted a fitted top and lots of volume in the skirt with a large split. It was an incredible experience to have the gown designed and made from a brown calico pattern. A little nervous that it might not be exactly as I imagined but with the last fitting and final adjustments it was perfect.”

The incredible, bright and beautiful floral details for the day were styled by Briar’s friend Penny of Penelope Jane Florals. “I wasn’t ever very into flowers. But my friend Jojo informed me that I couldn’t get married without some. Her darling mother Penny did up the bouquets for the girls with plenty of colour as I asked. She called them cheap and cheerful – I called them perfect.
A few days before the wedding I went around the local flower stores in Ponsonby and bought up a huge variety of coloured flowers and the night before I and a few friends made up table bouquets.”

“Ana was incredible,” says Briar of the couple’s chosen photographer.  Probably an understatement. She was also 4/5 months pregnant and such a long hot day. We are very awkward in front of the camera but you wouldn’t tell that from the photos. They are all so natural. A craft perfected.”

A surprise for the groom? “I had Tricky’s initials tattooed on my thigh a few days before the wedding and showed him just before the ceremony – he got a fright when I lifted my skirt!”

Briar and Richard held their wedding at Mudbrick Vineyard & Restaurant. “The venue was awesome. They took the stress away from the day and were very organised. One of our favourite parts of wedding planning was visiting the venue and testing out the menu. It’s truly a divine location with food to die for.”

Briar walked down the aisle with her parents to one of the couple’s favourite songs, Sonnentanz  ‘Sun don’t shine’. “Of course with the jazz musician (Lee Gray) playing the saxophone too!”

The couple had a friend officiate, Briar explaining “A good friend of ours Sonja got her celebrant license and married us, which was incredibly special. She even had a fuchsia pink dress made because it’s my favourite colour.
A friend Georgie read “All I know about love” by Dolly Alderton.”

Briar says the guests at the wedding, after the struggle of COVID, were what made the day so very special. “We loved having all our favourite people in one place. Covid has been hard and we feel blessed that we were able to go ahead at all.

Tricky’s grandmother Joyce at the age of 97 made the trip up from the bottom of the South Island to attend. She danced in her wheelchair and the smile didn’t leave her face all day. Incredibly special to have her, and she passed away six months later.”

The first dance was an ode to the couple’s love of music. “We love to dance and had to spend many summer months going to concerts and festivals together. So it only seemed fitting to have Shapeshifter  “One” ( a Kiwi classic).”

Congratulations to you both Briar and Richard! What a delight that we got to share your day. Thank you both and thank you to Ana Galloway for sharing today’s beautiful story, through imagery with us.