Zoe & Jon

It was wet and wild on that infamous Auckland anniversary weekend 2023, when 80 of Zoe & Jon’s closest friends and family braved the elements and joined them for a white wedding with a twist!

“Life isn’t about waiting for the storm to pass, it’s about learning to dance in the rain.”

Six months earlier, Zoe & Jon had a lovely evening at home and were sitting in front of the fireplace listening to music. Charlie, their little dog, dropped a ball in-front of Jon. It had paper sticking out with lots of photos of memories and a photo of their big dog Tucker. It had a speech bubble saying “check my collar”. On his collar was a new name tag that said “Will you marry my mummy?”. Zoe got down on her knees and told Jon she proposed at home on a day after work because she wants every day to be like this - coming home and sharing how their days were and being able to go to bed together and wake up together for the rest of our lives. There were tears and he said yes, it was perfect!

Flash-forward to the wedding... Zoe was not keen on the idea of wearing white, so turned the key the other way and asked her guests to do so instead! Zoe knew she wanted to wear an emerald dress with pockets, representing the growth of her relationship with Jon, and Nazneen Sethna, the creative designer of Alter Me, brought Zoe’s vision to life with this gorgeous gown. Zoe teamed her gown with classic and timeless makeup, a beautiful loose plait, and handmade dried florals.

Beautiful vintage cars escorted the VIPS to the ceremony, a little too smartly as it turned out… Since Zoe and father Johannes found themselves arriving early to the wedding, they decided to pop in to the local Hallertau brewery for a cheeky pint, which they got for free! It was classic Zoe-style and a great way to relax before the ceremony.

Zoe’s dress colour was a complete surprise to not only Jon, but all of the wedding guests. At the end of the aisle, Zoe’s father presented Jon with a pocket square, made with the same material as the emerald green gown Zoe wore.

Jon and Zoe wanted a personalised and intimate ceremony, with involvement from friends and family.

Zoe’s grandparents on her father’s side spoke during the ceremony. They also sung in both German and English. Those who couldn’t attend were able to share the ceremony via Zoom.

They decided to do their vows in private, giving their guests an opportunity to write down words of love while they did so.

Zoe and Jon wanted a classic look, and went for a dried flower theme. Living in Huia, West Auckland, they capitalised on the beautiful habitat around them and did all of the flowers for the wedding themselves. Zoe decided for a fan approach rather than a classic bouquet.

Zoe and Jon’s aisle song was Bohemian Rhapsody by Queen, because they have many fond memories singing it with friends, and wanted something special and fun that everyone would sing along to. Everyone sang as Jon and Zoe walked down the aisle as husband and wife. Afterwards, Jon and Zoe snuck off into the bushes of Kumeu for a rainy romantic shoot, which turned out absolutely stunning.

Decorations were all DIY. The photo wall was constructed by Zoe’s father and grandfather.

The cakes were extremely special, made by Zoe’s two grandmother’s.

Zoe loves a good surprise, and during the reception there were a few! Speeches were interrupted by an emergency weather alert on everyone’s phone, and a drag queen burst through the doors during the cake cutting! This ‘surprise’ was planned by the couple, and Ivanna Drink performed to I’m So Excited to entertain the crowd. In lieu of a first dance, Zoe surprised Jon and sung Beyond by Leon Bridges, and Zoe and Johannes (her father) did a father daughter dance to Flowers for Zoe by Lenny Kravitz.

“A day without laughter is a day wasted.”

Musicians Jasper & Jane switched between live music, pre-planned playlists, and a live DJ set. They were a highlight for many people who attended the wedding.

Zoe and Jon thought sparkler photos would be a great idea... they didn’t think about the potential burn or fire hazard. Despite them yelling “lift it higher” and almost catching Zoe’s hair on fire, the photos turned out great.