This elegant Auckland city wedding reception for Farihah and Wayne, of four hundred and fifty guests was a glamorous heart-warming event that we at DU Soirée Weddings & Events had the pleasure of coordinating and planning, which was just few months before the pandemic took its official hold on the world. So we have fond memories of this reception, for all the effort put in by us and the amazing suppliers that were on board for this glamorous event. This wedding reception featured shades of blush against a modern take on a sixteenth century inspired French garden, which was featured beautifully at “The Great Room” at Cordis, Auckland captured exquisitely by Logan West Photographer. This gallery is filled with theater and grandiosity which is a visual treat to feast on.

 

After a two-year period of trying to find the right venue, Farihah,Wayne and their families chose “The Great Room” at Cordis, Auckland, which could easily accommodate their four hundred plus invited guests of family and friends, who were to fly in from all parts of New Zealand and from overseas. Creating an element of surprise and theater was important for the bride and mother of the bride , who chose to showcase hints of blush and other pastel tones at the entrance from the welcome sign to the guestbook before the grand reveal of the couple’s reception space.

 

The venue offered the elegant reflective glass wall panels that the couple and mother of the bride thought best fit,  the canvas needed for us to assist them in planning the wedding reception they had visioned. To add to the elegant grand affair, the blush hue which was featured strongly in the bride and grooms’ outfits was the inspiration for the reception with the deep burgundy floral garden motifs found on the bride’s lehenga, which was used as the accent color seen in the reception florals. The decor’s modern take on a French sixteenth century inspired feel featured the lush green topiary inspired backdrop, candle crystal chandeliers to the couple’s stage seating, which had features displaying crystals, brass and ivory to give the ambience of elegance and grandeur.

 

For the couple and the mother of the bride they wanted this to be a grand celebration showcasing hospitality, family bonds and to be a celebration of both cultures. The food service was a family style seated dinner for each guest table which effortlessly flowed from each course coordinated with the other events and performances happening during the night. Like the couple’s Henna ceremony, there were a few cultural dances and performances from the bridal party and family members who had flown in from overseas; which kept Farihah and Wayne’s guests entertained and smiling. This was followed by some beautiful speeches from the family that were heartfelt and poignant.

The reception picked pace, with the guests being enthralled by a wonderful performance of the couple’s first dance, as they danced in the fog created with Edwards Sound Systems creating the theater and drama for an unforgettable couple’s first dance, that opened the dance floor for a non-stop party of Bollywood music for their guests with DJ Areeb.

The day ended with the couple leaving in a lux white “Phaeton Mk V” by Excalibur Cars NZ surrounded by family and friends, which also incorporated the traditional custom of the toss of the bouquet, melding the couple’s eastern and western cultures.

 

 

Unique aspects of Farihah and Wayne’s elegant blush hued wedding reception:

The couple had a beautiful thank you note tied together with their menu with a blush ribbon that created a personal touch and incorporated their theme inexpensively and beautifully into their guest’s place setting with gorgeous favor boxes filled with traditional Indian palette cleansers with western inspired chocolate hearts by Chocoblock Chocolates with the couple’s official monogram. This monogram tied in with the monogram also being featured on their guest’s photos at the mirror photo booth by Little Black Photo Booth during cocktail hour.

The couple had a beautiful pre-wedding shoot with ChaseWild Photography, which was featured in a slideshow on screens all across their reception room for the couple’s guests to enjoy as they enjoyed an array of petite fours and slices of delicious wedding cake.

Cake cutting was a theatrical affair but also was a beautiful incorporation of western traditions to this beautiful fusion celebration. Their stunning five tier cake by Sweet Bites Cakes was cut to the song “A Whole New World” from the Disney Classic Aladdin, as an array of special effects of bubbles from Edwards Sound Systems, floated around the couple.

 

Supplier credits : Cordis, Auckland | Logan West Photographer | Aidan Rodgers | Chasewild Photography | Little Black Photo Booth | OMGness Styling| Covers Decoration| Chocoblock Chocolates| Sweet Bites Cakes| Edwards Sounds Systems | DJ 4 U | DJ Areeb | Excalibur Cars | Kwik n Ezy