Sophia and Matt celebrated their love in Wellington, New Zealand, with a unique and memorable western-inspired wedding that reflected their personalities and passions. Their mutual love of ‘Desert Rock’ and ‘Dark Western’ music set the theme for the day.
“We approached the planning process with an open mind, thinking of it more like a party to celebrate our relationship and all the beautiful people in our lives,” said Sophia. “We were so lucky to find such talented and enthusiastic vendors who we gave plenty of creative freedom to when it came to executing our ideas, needless to say, we were absolutely blown away by what they came up with.”
The couple also drew inspiration from their love for horror, thriller and arthouse films, with elements like vintage rugs, skulls and their choice of music. “What made our wedding unique was the fact that we didn’t follow any set traditions or trends”, Sophia continued. “We simply chose what felt right to us. We also incorporated our hobbies, such as setting up a temporary tattoo parlour. It was all about staying true to ourselves and creating a day that reflected our personalities.”
The bride wore a stunning Rue de Seine gown with a Carbickova Crown and the bridesmaids and groomsmen were given free rein on their outfits, so long as they stuck to the colour palette. “Tuxes, poofy dresses and veils weren’t really our style, so instead we played into our theme and the men wore black pants, western shirts and bolo ties. I wore a halo crown and bold printed dress. One of the bridesmaids even went so far as to make her dress herself, and it came out so stunning,”
The ceremony featured self-written vows and carefully chosen music. The boys walked out to This is Love by PJ Harvey, and the bridesmaids and bride arrived to a Queens of the Stone Age cover of White Wedding. The bride’s granddad walked her down the aisle, which was very special and their celebrant read some lyrics from Metallica’s Nothing Else Matters to announce them as husband and wife.
The decorations throughout the day were largely DIY, including a hand-painted resin cow skull above the pergola where the ceremony took place, a raven skull cake-topper, vinyl records as a guest book, and a customised leather wedding jacket. They painted recycled gin bottles to look like terracotta, made table runners and designed their wedding stationery.
“When it comes to the wedding industry, my advice would be to shop around for vendors who truly understand and appreciate your vision”, the bride concluded. “Find people who are genuinely excited to collaborate. The right team makes a big difference.”
