Morven & Rory chose to venture to Queenstown for an elopement wedding, after having to cancel their family wedding due to Covid-19. With an adventure to three mountain locations for a ceremony and heaps of exploring, it was bound to be an exciting day! We had a breezy day to work with thanks to some spring winds but Morven and Rory totally embraced it all. With those beautiful smiles and loads of laughter, you wouldn’t even guess that we almost couldn’t stand up straight, ha!!
The day started off at the luxurious Retreat by Stoneridge Estate where Morven and Rory got ready separately before we had a First Look on the panoramic lawn at the front of the property. Rory wore a traditional Scottish outfit complete with a kilt and tartan representing the Southern Lakes/Otago region, as a nod both towards Morven’s heritage and family, as well as New Zealand being their new home. Morven had a totally gorgeous dress by Vinka Design, inspired by cherry blossoms through the delicate beading and lace work on the bodice. Her incredible flowers were crafted by Steph at Orange Blossom Designs and embraced the colours of the region, as well.
Now for the helicopter adventure! Our first stop was at Lochnagar and while it was gorgeous with snow-capped mountains and the golden hillsides, the wind also stole our breath away. So we stuck to an adventure with plenty of cuddles, piggy back rides and windswept dresses and saved the ceremony for our second stop.
For the ceremony, we chased the tail-end of the wind for a sheltered and sunny spot in the hills of Rees Valley. It was our first time at this particular mountain spur and boy, it was a stunner! Again with the snow-capped mountains, including Mount Earnslaw in the background and a few rivers and waterfalls. Philippa created a ceremony with humour, wisdom and love that carried us through all the emotions, before a letter from family back home had us all in tears. The smitten pair were so excited to tie the knot and be each other’s half forever and it was such a sweet ceremony to be a part of.
To cap the adventure off, we had a quick snow landing en route home where the sun was slowly setting on the western horizon. It was pretty fresh so after knocking back some champagne and soaking in the view, it was time to head home in the golden light and tuck into a well-deserved wedding night feast
Congratulations again, Morven and Rory!! We had such a fantastic time getting to know you both and celebrating with you for your wedding. Thank you for trusting us and being so absolutely keen for an adventure 🙂 Keep that laughter going strong and we wish you all the best for your bright futures together xx
Our Team
An enormous thank your to our team of Queenstown wedding suppliers that helped create Morven & Rory’s elopement wedding 🙂
Celebrant – Philippa Thomas
Hair – Beautiful Bridal Hair
Makeup – Emily Plum
Florist – Orange Blossom Designs
Helicopter – Heliworks
Accommodation – The Retreat at Stoneridge
Dress – Vinka Design
Kilt & Tartan – Southern Lakes Tartan
Photography by us – Williams Photography
If you like what you see, you can scroll through some more Queenstown weddings here, or contact us if you would like to plan your own Queenstown wedding!
If you want to stay up to date with more of our work, like our Facebook Page or follow us on Instagram @mountainweddings_nz