Claire & Tom

Tom and I ended up meeting on a night out in Auckland in December 2010 – we had a few mutual friends. There was an instant connection and we spent the summer together, becoming official pretty quickly. Tom had already planned to move to London for two years that July, though cut his trip short and moved back six months later. From then on our relationship was more serious and we knew we would have a future together. One Christmas, Tom surprised me with the gift of a trip to Queenstown. He proposed to me at the Onsen Hot Pools in June 2018.

When we got engaged in Queenstown we knew straight away that we wanted to get married down there. After inquiring at Amisfield we were told about Jack’s Point. As soon as we saw the place we both knew it was the one. Its design is very modern with timber, exposed beams and polished concrete floors – and you can’t beat that view. Originally we wanted to hang floral arrangements and lights from the beams over the tables, but we decided that the venue didn’t need it. We chose the venue for its beautiful architecture, so why hide it? If you have a beautiful location you can spend the money you’d otherwise spend on décor elsewhere. Jack’s Point only holds weddings from May to October, so we chose a date in spring as it would be a little warmer, yet we’d still be able to see snow-capped mountains.

We definitely had a modern theme which could be seen everywhere, from the venue right through to the simple black and white stationery. Our black cutlery contrasted with the light grey linen tablecloths and our flowers were in shades of white and cream with greenery. Our spring date meant a wider selection of flower varieties and we included white moth orchids, roses and baby’s breath. Everything was super simple and modern.

I always knew I wanted a lace wedding dress with sleeves – so suited to a Queenstown wedding I think. I had a pretty clear idea of the elegant and timeless look I wanted and knew I would be going for a custom design. The Vinka Design lace gown was structured with boning in the bodice and a fitted skirt which flared into a beautiful train. The low back was overlaid with a deep V of sheer lace and the long sleeves were made from handsewn lace and had button detailing. All of my accessories were simple as I wanted the lace to be the main feature.

My four bridesmaids wore dark navy dresses from Shona Joy to fit in with the minimalist colour palette. It really made my dress stand out in photos. Tom’s niece was our flower girl and wore a little white lace dress with sleeves. The groom’s party were also dressed simply – we didn’t want waistcoats or patterned ties. Crisp white shirts with dark grey suits from Barkers were perfect. Tom wore a slightly different bowtie to the groomsmen and they each had a plain white pocket square with no cufflinks.

Claire & Tom Wedding

After our ceremony, we served a sit-down three-course dinner of shared plates. The food was amazing with very large portions and it was all beautifully presented. We opted for a wider selection so that there was something for everyone with manuka smoked salmon and chicken and prosciutto terrine for the entrée and main options of slow-cooked lamb or pork belly with lots of salads and vegetable dishes. We had so many comments about the food, particularly the salmon and pork belly. Following dinner, we served a selection of mini desserts alongside slices of our cake. Our semi-naked wedding cake was three tiers of raspberry, rose and coconut. It was decorated in white icing with white flowers and greenery; simple and modern to tie in with our theme.

The day went by so fast and it really sank in that it was our wedding day during the speeches. We actually had a second to stop and appreciate everyone who was there for us and see them laughing and enjoying themselves. We hope the whole experience was memorable for our guests and that they think of our special day when they next visit Jack’s Point. Our wedding was amazing, elegant and unforgettable. Picture perfect.

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