Alyssa and Matt’s coral garden wedding couldn’t have been any sweeter — and we’re not talking about the adorable candy bar at the reception! From colorful details to tender moments, Nisha Ravji Photography captured every irresistible inch of the rustic New Zealand wedding. We can’t get enough of the bride’s first look with her father or the gorgeous garden bridal portraits.

The Couple:

Alyssa and Matt

The Wedding:

Woodlands, Hamilton, New Zealand

The Inspiration:

For our engagement party we were given a book by my aunty called “two” and the main theme of the book was “how will you create something beautiful together?” This was the theme we planned out wedding around. The decor was a combination of vintage and rustic with lots of handmade touches set in stunning gardens. My mother in law collected over 100 baby food jars from the preschool she works at and we decorated these with lace for tea light candles. Another friend cut up wood logs for me and we used birdcages with flowers for the centrepieces. My favourite touch was a wooden board made by a friend where we hung wedding pictures of our parents, grandparents and great grandparents. I bought the first dress I tried on which was French lace and very simple. The girls wore coral and the boys wore light grey suits which all fit nicely into the garden setting. We wanted the decorations to not only create a beautiful day but also to portray the beauty of marriage and the potential of our relationship to create something beautiful in the world.

The Moments:

Alyssa: My favourite moment was seeing Matt as I was walking down the aisle. He is not the type of person who cries but he sobbed as I walked down the aisle. There was so much emotion in that moment and needless to say I also balled my eyes out along with most of the guests. For me that was the most memorable moment because of the intimacy I felt with Matt and the tangible love and happiness surrounding us from all our family and friends.

Matt: I enjoyed the whole thing because It was an opportunity to spend time and share laughs with friends and family alongside my new wife. If I had to pick a particularly memorable moment it would be when Alyssafirst walked down the aisle. She looked beautiful and with the music playing and our family and friends around us, when our eyes met I couldn’t contain my emotions.

The Couple Recommends:

Nisha Ravji was incredible! Not only are her photos sensational but she is so friendly and fun to have around on your wedding day. She makes everyone feel really comfortable. Matt and I don’t really like getting our photos taken but nisha makes the process fun by getting you to do lots of things that feel totally natural. Our photos are amazing. We love them and the memories we will treasure forever.

The Wedding Team:

Photography – Nisha Ravji Photography
Venue – Woodlands
Floral Design – Petal Passion
Officiant – Andrew Savage
Wedding Dress – Mikaella Bridal
Bridesmaids’ Apparel – Forever New
Groom’s Apparel – Frank Casey
Rings – Michael Hill

Congrats to Alyssa and Matt on their coral garden wedding! Be sure to check out Melissa and Joshua’s hiking engagement in New Zealand to see more of Nisha Ravji Photography‘s keen ability to capture amazing, candid moments.