Every wedding is special for me to shoot but when I already have a personal connection to the bride, the buzz and energy is just that little bit higher for me. That’s why I was stoked when wedding videographer, Anna Cudby, got in touch with me a while back to throw some ideas around for her wedding to long-time love and best mate, Stu. Having both grown up rurally in Central Hawke’s Bay, the couple wanted a wedding that reflected their roots so after a long hunt, the historic woodshed at Mangatarata Station was like finding a gold mine. And it was a rare but brilliant example of the ‘Kiwi way’ that the station owners shared their home with a hundred-odd strangers to help Anna and Stu’s dream come true. Here is how their day rolled…words by Anna, pics by me.

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Q: How would you describe the style of your day?

A: Relaxed, rustic, country. Both Stu and I grew up on farms in Central Hawke’s Bay and we really wanted a woodshed setting for our wedding that was unique, but also that allowed us to choose our caterer and bring in our own alcohol so we could save costs. I lived at Mangatarata Station as a child so getting married there was very special to me.

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Q: What aspects were most important for your day?

A: Great company! We wanted to celebrate with all our closest family and friends. Also, great food, great entertainment, photography and videography.

Q: What were the highlights?

A: There were too many to name! It was just amazing to see everything come together so well. We loved our ceremony that was full of laughter and a few tears, we loved our speeches, the food and the dancing. It was just the perfect day and we wish we could do it all over!

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Q: How did photography fit into your day and your priorities?

A: We were extremely lucky that Eva was available on our date, and when we met with her we just felt so comfortable and excited to have her. Her photos speak for themselves. She has captured the moment so well and we can’t help but smile looking at our photos. Having Eva made us feel at ease, especially knowing that weather in October can be dodgy and that if it was raining, Eva had the expertise to make the most out of a bad situation and still get stunning photos. Thankfully there was only a short drizzle on our day!

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Q: Did you spend all your photo time with your bridal party?

A: We wanted some time to ourselves so we asked to spend the first half of the 90-minute session with our bridal party on the farm, then Eva took us off-site to a location she loved and we got to spend some time alone, which led to some really candid images that might not have happened if all our friends were with us.

Q: What advice do you have to future brides planning a wedding?

A: Try not to stress in the lead-up, because on the day I felt like nothing mattered or would get in the way of our happiness. And it didn’t. It rained most of the morning, a few guests pulled out last minute…but on the day none of that mattered and I was just really content with it all.