Elopement at The Farm at Cape Kidnappers, Hawke's Bay

The love business has had so much heart break this year with the postponement and re-imagination of weddings that I thought it was time to ‘share the love’ quite literally with this little blog featuring the elopement of Andrea and Robin recently at exclusive Hawke’s Bay retreat, The Farm at Cape Kidnappers. Like many couples, their planned wedding during Level 4 lockdown was put on hold

But unlike many, they had always wanted it to be just an intimate celebration between the two of them. At a time when many couples are considering different ways to get married, their intimate commitment is an inspiring example of how special and beautiful a wedding can be even without guests.

After spending time together soaking up the luxury of The Farm (and a quick 10km cross-country run!), the couple split up in the afternoon so Andrea could enjoy the fun of the bridal experience with professional hair and makeup. A simple but emotional reveal for Robin in their suite just before 4pm was followed by a beautiful and powerfully intimate ceremony with only two witnesses from The Farm’s wonderful staff (a legal requirement for every marriage) and a celebratory champagne overlooking the epic views. With as much time as we wanted, we then had fun exploring the magical property and creating some beautiful photos that celebrated the landscape and created memories for them to share later with family and friends.

What I especially loved about Andrea and Robin’s day was that they celebrated so many lovely wedding traditions even though it was just the two of them. There was still the veil floating in the breeze, the decision to invest in professional photography, and a venue that created a true sense of luxurious celebration. I have shot elopements between couples from all over the world at The Farm because the landscape and experience is so epic.

A broken collarbone made this particular celebration a little different because my second shooter, Andrew Caldwell, got promoted to first position while I directed. We’ve always been an awesome team together but this made me really appreciate just how lucky I am to have him by my side at so many weddings.

If this romantic elopement inspires you, or you are reluctant to plan a large gathering at the moment, feel free to GET IN TOUCH and we can talk about how a tiny wedding could look for you.

A big thanks to Andrea and Robin for allowing me to share such a big moment in their lives with you, and to the other awesome Hawke’s Bay wedding vendors at this day:

VENUE: The Farm at Cape Kidnappers (Robertson Lodges)

CELEBRANT: Jane Grant

HAIR: Debbie Pearce

MAKEUP: Josie Brenstrum

FLOWERS: Susanna Todd