What do you do when your wedding venue suddenly becomes completely inaccessible just days before your wedding?

This week I’m chatting with Chandni about a wedding story that really proves you can plan all you like, but sometimes you just have to roll with it.

Chandni and her partner had planned two wedding celebrations, including an outdoor wedding in Whangamatā. But when the weather took a dramatic turn just days before the big day, everything had to change. What followed involved some very quick decision-making, a few unexpected venues, incredible friends and vendors, and one particularly wild solution involving a helicopter...

And somehow, despite all of that, they ended up having two really special days.

We chat about:

💜 How Chandni and her husband met, and the sweet proposal that caught her completely by surprise

💜 Planning multiple wedding celebrations, and the lead-up including a trip to India to find their wedding outfits

💜 Creating a wedding centred around good food, great drinks, music and a relaxed atmosphere

💜 The moment their carefully planned Whangamatā wedding suddenly became impossible

💜 The scramble to find new venues and completely rework their plans in just a couple of days

💜 The vendors who went above and beyond when their entire wedding plan was suddenly turned upside down

💜 Turning a friend's backyard into their ceremony space, before transforming a bar into their reception

💜 How they managed to stay present and enjoy the wedding when almost everything around them was changing

💜 The things they chose to let go of, and why the wedding they ended up with was still so special

💜 Chandni's biggest takeaway from the experience, and her advice for couples planning their own wedding

…and so much more!

Wedding Vendors:
Photographer: @aliceandrephoto + @jesseandjessieweddings

On-the-day Coordinator: @eightyeightevents_ + @dreamevents_nz

Florals: @floralcentric

Ceremony Location: @brads.warehouse + Private Property

Reception Location: normataps

Marquee: @raj_tent_club_nz

Chairs: @lucyseventhire

Tables: @flagship_events 

Makeup: @ssarika.makeupartist

Hair: @glammedbysilvia 

Catering & Beverages: @whiskcateringnz

Cake: @olivejaycakes

DJ: @privatebybt

Dress: @hayesbridal

Suit: @workingstylenz

Engagement Ring: @naveyaandsloanejewellery

Follow Chandni: @__chandnipatel

THE KIWI WEDDING PODCAST LIVE:

We’ve just wrapped our Auckland LIVE event, and I’m still coming down from it! It was such an amazing afternoon; everything came together so well, and I’ve had so many lovely messages from couples and vendors who came along about how helpful, fun and valuable they found it.

Now it’s Christchurch’s turn!

I’m bringing The Kiwi Wedding Podcast LIVE to The Welder on Sunday 27th September, with an afternoon of wedding advice, inspiration, Q&A, drinks, goodie bags and plenty of opportunities to meet other couples and wedding vendors.

I’ll be joined by:

💜 Kate Holmes from Soirée
💜 Kasia Stanicich, makeup artist & educator
💜 Sarah Borrell from Amour Weddings
💜 Jess Brooker from Flock Events

Christchurch tickets are still available:
https://events.humanitix.com/the-kiwi-wedding-podcast-christchurch-in-person-event-at-the-welder

If you enjoyed this episode, I would absolutely love it if you could take a moment to rate and review The Kiwi Wedding Podcast. It means so much and helps other couples find the podcast too!

If you're looking for a wedding photographer, you can find me at lydiarachel.com or on Instagram @lydiarachelphotography

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