Can you tell us how you met?
Adam and I first met in late 2008 through mutual friends (my work and his University) in Sydney. I was new to the city and the group helped welcome me to the city. However, the following year I moved to Brisbane and Adam went off to America & Ireland for work. I didn’t return to Sydney until 2014 where later in the year we rekindled and finally went out on an official date and the rest is history! Adam proposed on my birthday at Paresa Resort in Thailand, I had booked it for my birthday which was 7 days into an 8 day holiday! We didn’t really want to rush the planning of the wedding at all, but there were a few other friends who got engaged around the same time as us who had already chosen their preferred dates so we decided to get ourselves organised.
How was your experience planning your wedding?
We were very keen on a summer wedding and I was adamant that I wanted to get married in New Zealand rather than Australia or Asia where we’re now living. In late May while I was back in New Zealand after a work trip, I decided to look into wedding venues. We selected The Duke only 7 months away! I personally thoroughly enjoyed the whole process. Our wedding manager was fantastic, and despite us living in Singapore, the assistance of both the wedding and the hotel room teams was superb. It was the busy season with a wedding the day before, on a long weekend and prior to a huge regatta. Yet, The Duke pulled it off seamlessly.
What made you choose The Duke?
Growing up, my family spent every summer camping at Tauranga Bay Holiday Park and fishing between the Bay of Islands and Whangaroa Harbours. So Northland had a very special place in my heart. I left Auckland at 22, lived in Sydney for 4 years, Brisbane for 4 and Hong Kong for 3 years. For Adam and I, Sydney didn’t really feel like a wedding destination that we could bring all of our friends and family from around the world. In December 2017, we had organised to have Christmas in New Zealand and we decided to head up North on a road-trip. On our way to Tauranga Bay, Adam and I stopped at The Duke for a balcony lunch and visited Christ Church, before spending the rest of our time with our friends on a boat in the bay. Out of all the places we had travelled, The Duke of Marlborough and Russell was the perfect place and the right vibe for what we were after. Also, as we were planning this wedding overseas, we wanted a venue that was all-inclusive. I have to admit, having a destination in the Bay of Islands made things easier than a major city (like Auckland) where I felt like choosing suppliers would’ve been a long, daunting task.
So, how did your wedding turn out?
Phenomenal! Every staff member made a difference and the personal touches in our room after the event was the icing on the cake! We would highly recommend The Duke of Marlborough for anyone looking for a fabulous wedding venue, who have a great selection of previous wedding suppliers and they know how to throw a fantastic party with local produce.
