Set up by friends and sealed over a New Year’s Eve chat, Ryan and Alana didn’t waste much time getting to know each other – they just clicked. That same energy carried right through to their wedding day, which was all about bringing everyone together, letting go of anything too traditional, and creating a space where people could properly enjoy themselves. At Pasadena, the vibe was full of life, with The Evoke Company capturing every laugh, every dance floor moment, and all the little details in between!

Ryan and Alana’s paths crossed in an accidental case of matchmaking! “We met through our friends who were dating at the time (now married), Pat and Cassie. Pat was hosting an NYE party that Ryan attended. Cassie brought me (Alana) along. It was later in the night that Ryan and I started talking and hit it off straight away. We spent the whole night glued to each other, laughing, telling jokes and sharing stories. We got on so well so quickly, it felt so right from the start,” she shares.

As Alana explains, Ryan doesn’t do anything halfway – when he’s in, he’s ALL in! “His mum had a gift voucher to go sky diving, and he booked us in to accompany her. He told me about it 1 week before we were due to dive. The day started with some concerning weather, and our dive was almost called off (extremely stressful for Ryan to navigate, as I discovered later)! Luckily, we got to go ahead. In the mix, I was pushed to the back of the plane so I was to jump last – eek! Adrenaline pumping, as I’m gliding down to land, my instructor points out our landing spot. To my absolute surprise, there was a banner reading “Will you marry me” on the ground, with an awaiting Ryan holding a ring. We landed right in front of him. A very special day we’ll never forget!”

Ryan knew exactly what he wanted to wear from the beginning. He chose this beautiful dark green suit from Politix, paired with a dark brown paisley tie. “It was so gorgeous on him. We tried nearly every tie ever made before we came back to the first one we ever got: a beautiful, dark-brown paisley print. I think the combination was the perfect ratio of classic and fun. He was so comfortable all day and looked so handsome!” Alana explained.

Their wedding party was made up of their best friends and siblings. “The boys wore the same suit as Ryan and looked so good. For the girls, I wanted them to wear something they actually loved. Something they would actually wear, that looked good on them, and that matched their personality. My colour guide was pinks, peaches and yellow with textures and patterns. I wanted different dresses, but still to create a harmony between them all, and I think we nailed it. They looked so beautiful and were in a dress that was so them.”

Alana found her wedding dress in a sample sale – and had 20 minutes from the moment she saw it to decide if it was going to be the one. “I had never seen it before and it was two sizes too big! I had been to a dress fitting a few weeks prior with my bridesmaids and mum to try a few things. I feel like this helped me refine my thoughts, but I still didn’t know “the one”. I could picture myself in a lot of different styles. I knew a sample sale was happening and thought it would be a good idea to give it a go in case I found something great. My friend, Cassie, and I pulled three dresses from the racks, and it was one of them. By the time I’d tried it on, there were only 20 minutes left in the appointment, and I had to decide. I knew we’d be able to alter it, and it was a great price. We made it fit. Changed the sleeve style and trimmed the hem. It became my dress and something I love so much that it felt like ‘me’. I also had a short Shona Joy mini dress for the dance floor. It was fun and flirty and of course – easy to dance in. I changed into it for our first dance; it was such a fun moment,” she shared.

“My family made me a little charm to attach to my bouquet. It was the initials of both my grandparents who have sadly passed. They were there in spirit, and this was a very special token.”

Pasadena was the first (and last!) venue that Ryan and Alana looked at, and it was love at first sight. “We wanted something different and loved the coastal but chic feel. We thought the feel of it reflected us so much as a couple and loved the effortlessness of everything in one location. We couldn’t have been happier with the venue and would pick it again in a heartbeat,” Alana explained.

“As with the theme of the day, we wanted fun, colourful flowers! I really wanted a bit of everything, but knew it was going to blow out the budget, so we bought silk/artificial flowers from Catherine Phillips Flowers and I arranged them myself. This also gave me the flexibility to pick anything I wanted, even if it wasn’t in season. We were so happy with this decision and think they turned out so well! Another bonus is they’re now decorating our living room and I can hold onto them forever.”

With her dad on her arm and her mum trailing behind, Alana walked down the aisle. An acoustic version of “You” re The One That I Want” performed by Jamieson Entertainment floated through the air as they walked. “It’s a special song to us and felt so right.”

Their ceremony was led by their celebrant, Oliver Thomson, and was beautifully authentic to them. “Oliver was so amazing and nailed it. There was everything from laughs to tears. We felt so at ease the whole time so we could fully enjoy and embrace the moment,” Alana shared.

Alana has this advice for couples planning their own weddings: Stick to your guns! “Don’t get caught up in what you ‘should’ do, make the day exactly what you want it to be – it’s for you and your partner. Soak in every moment because it goes quickly. Have fun!”

Mathew from The Evoke Company was the perfect photographer for Alana and Ryan, capturing the joyful, vibrant atmosphere flawlessly. “Mathew was so amazing. He had excellent communication in the lead-up to the day and was incredible on the day. He got every shot we could have wanted. He was everywhere and nowhere at the same time. He never got in the way, moved so quickly, and somehow still managed to get the perfect shots. We were so so happy we chose him and absolutely love our photos!”

For Ryan, the best part of their vibrant spring wedding was the atmosphere itself! “Having everyone that we know and love in the one place, celebrating our love and having a good time. That’s so special.”

As a graphic designer (find her here!), it was no surprise to anyone that Alana designed all of their signage and stationery! “I painted the illustrations that are on our seating chart and we attached a tassel to every name tag. And the flowers, as I mentioned. I love crafting and creating, so while it was a lot of work, I loved it and wouldn’t have done it any other way,” she explained.

“Every place card / name tag for our guests actually had a unique instruction on it. This was done to spark conversation between our guests and for them to share or reminisce on some of our favourite memories with them. For example, one might have said ‘Hello Jack, ask Ash about the first day she met Alana.”

One of Alana’s favourite details from their reception was their audio guestbook from Off The Hook! “I loved everything! One thing that was special was that we had an old phone there that guests could use to record messages. Getting to listen back to these after the day was so fun and really special to have. People also wrote in a guest book, but having an audio message helps to transport you back to the day.”

Faith Hill’s “This Kiss” was the song Alana and Ryan chose for their first dance, choreographed entirely by them! “It was so much fun!! This was also such a special thing to share together in the lead-up to the day. We even had a section at the end where our bridal party joined in for the custom moves before everyone joined us on the dance floor.”

A huge thanks to The Evoke Company for capturing and sharing these incredible moments with us. And congratulations to Alana and Ryan on your beautiful celebration!