Mountain Top Elopement in Queenstown

If you’ve ever dreamed of tying the knot with the world at your feet, Tanya and Khan’s mountain top elopement is pure inspiration! High above Bayonet Peaks, with snow-dusted mountains and golden tussocks as witnesses, their wedding day was filled with unforgettable moments and adventure. For this couple, the sky truly was the limit, and with Kellie from Shaken And Stirred as their mastermind, they’ll never forget it!

Tanya and Khan met as many modern couples do – through the wonder of online dating apps! They first matched on Tinder when Tanya chose not to reply to Khan’s witty retort. Flash forward six months, and they matched again on Coffee meets Bagel – this time, things clearly went swimmingly.

Subverting tradition, Tanya proposed to Khan at one of their regular post-work ice cream sessions. And she was so nervous doing it that she didn’t even take her backpack off!

Khan had no idea they were wearing the same burgundy red until they had their first look – and what a beautiful reaction to the matching pair! He wore a burgundy suit from Tweedmaker, wanting to wear something woollen and warm for their adventure.

Tanya wore a customised dress from Alamour The Label – chosen for its stretchy comfort, the beautiful burgundy colour and the cut. She finished her look with her grandmother’s earrings.

Opting for a soft cottage-style floral arrangement from Bespoke Weddings and Events, Tanya and Khan wanted to honour their mum’s gardens in the springtime.

Their wedding party was kept short for their mountain top elopement, just the two of them, their incredible celebrant, the pilot from the helicopter and their photographer! “We wanted something windswept and rugged. Nature in all its glory.”

After their helicopter ride over to Bayonet Peaks, it was time for the ceremony to kick off. “We wanted our ceremony to be personal and private enough for us to say what we really wanted to say and what we wanted the other to hear. In-jokes and promises. It was perfect!”

The lovely Kellie Francis from Shaken And Stirred was the brains and brawn behind their mountain top wedding. “We did very little planning or thinking ourselves. She captured us exactly as we want to remember, and we will treasure it for the rest of our lives. Shaken and Stirred arranged everything and deserve all the credit!”

One of their favourite photos was this incredible shot of them wearing sunglasses, looking out over the mountains.

Once the ceremony had concluded, they had their first dance among the tussock, backdropped by the beautiful mountain terrain. They danced to “Need It” by Half Moon Run.

The top five things that made their mountain top wedding so unique were:

“1. The golden tussock

2. The snow on the mountains

3. That Khan didn’t know we were wearing the same colour

4. The board game shots

5. Just being by ourselves.”

Wanting to bring a touch of ‘them’ to the mountain top, Tanya and Khan brought their snacks, sunglasses and their favourite anagram set!

Kellie, being the mastermind behind the whole day, also created an incredible environment for Tanya and Khan to be themselves in front of the camera. “We are not normally very good (actually very bad) in front of cameras.”

The final piece of advice this couple want to leave for future married couples is this: “Just enjoy being with each other; that’s all it really comes down to.”