Rotorua Weddings | An-An & Leonard
29 | NOV | 2023
An & Leonard got hitched at The Black Barn, Rotorua, with the picturesque Lake Tarawera as their background. We all gathered at the venue the night before the wedding (in the rain) to run through the rehearsal. But just like the lovely couples beaming personalities, the sun certainly shone for us on the Big Day!
The lucky couple, having been engaged for four years, knew that they would want to say “I do” at a wedding venue that truly represents the magic that New Zealand has to offer. Friends and Family from all around the world gathered to witness what was deemed “the wedding of the year”. A representation of their cultures and worldy experience was featured on their stunning four-tiered Wedding Cake: a map of the world - a small but very meaningful touch.
The bride and groom put a lot of effort and organisiation in to this wedding and the small details, from the matching robes and sunnies, the pocket watches that were gifted to the groomsmen, the Stroopwaffles (representing the grooms dutch heritage), and sparklers. As a Wedding Photographer, you could not wish for a more fun and detailed bride and groom. And although the day might not have stayed on schedule, The Black Barn is the perfect spot for inst-worthy bridal party portraits.
Come time for the wedding speeches - there was not a dry eye in the house thanks to the grooms speech - as well as the song he sang in his new brides language, dedicating his everlasting love. These guys DID IT ALL and have certainly set the bar high!! What an absolute dream of a wedding, and one I will remember for a very long time x
Wedding Venue: The Black Barn, Lake Tarawera, Rotorua
How we met: An-An & Leonards Love Story as told by Leonard
You probably have never heard of the country of Suriname before, but it is a small country in the north of South America. With just 600,000 people, it is a hodgepodge melting pot of many cultures. Five years ago, An and I met (with a little help from social media), after living one street away from each other for years, without us knowing.
In 2019, An & Leonard decided that it was time for a new challenge! A dart was thrown on a map. Not very surprisingly, it landed on a country that is quite often forgotten on the map, Aotearoa New Zealand! Leonard went and took the first step on realizing their dreams, after which An landed on Kiwi soil for the first time in her life several months later. Leonard was sure. If this girl was willing to follow him to the other side of the planet, than she must be the one.
And so it happened on the 30th of November 2019, that Leonard proposed to An on a beautifully deserted beach on a remote peninsula in the north of New Zealand. After the two most challenging years of their lives, it happened... Residency was granted and a place for happily ever after was acquired. Now nothing stands in their way.
