When Anne Paar, the photographer behind today's editorial, told us about the drastic difference in New Zealand's east + west coasts, we were definitely surprised to hear how much one was favored over the other. She says, I wanted to show New Zealand the beauty of its rugged West Coast. Not many people get married there; the West coast is often battered by strong onshore winds and the black volcanic sand isn't as pretty as the golden beaches of the East Coast. Still, I think in many ways the landscape is more beautiful and it has the perfect backdrop for a more dramatic wedding.

For this shoot I arranged for the awesomest wedding vendors (shout out to The Heirloom, Miss Daisy, Make Hey + Sweet Deer Hand Painted Cakes!) in the local area to get together. And hopefully it will inspire many brides to come and get married at this beautiful part of New Zealand.

Miss Daisy crafted the most beautiful bouquet that felt like such a great fit for the more un-tamed west coast beach. And the ethereal feel of the bride's Kelsey Genna dress gave the setting a sense of romance.

The hair + makeup by Marnie Jade Make-up Artist is just so pretty. We love the flushed cheeks + natural look.

This would be a super fun spot for a dinner, right?!

Thanks so much to these very talented creatives for showing us all the beauty of New Zealand's rugged west coast!

photography: Anne Paar Photography // planning + design: The Heirloom // venue: Ruapuke Beach in Raglan, New Zealand // florals: Miss Daisy // dress: Kelsey Genna // hair: Anniek Faubert of Tonic Hairdressing // makeup: Marnie Jade Make-up Artist // cake: Sweet Deer Hand Painted Cakes // stationery: Make Hey // model: Harriette of Stellar Management