Captured by Rhea Rodrigues Photography, this Auckland celebration combined two different worlds: a neo-Gothic church and a harbour-front hotel. Sophie and Dylan’s special day moved from history to the skyline without losing its balance. Every decision the couple made came back to one idea: classic form, modern texture. “We didn’t have a strict theme,” Sophie said. “We looked at hundreds of ideas and chose what felt like us — modern, elegant, and calm.”
Location: Auckland, New Zealand
Style: Classic, Elegant, Urban
Time of planning: 2 years
Number of guests: 80
Setting: Church and Ballroom
Season: Summer
Sophie and Dylan met through mutual friends and got engaged at Disneyland Florida, in front of the castle. She led the creative direction of wedding, and he trusted her vision. They planned the day over two years, choosing St Matthew-in-the-City for its architecture and Park Hyatt Auckland for its light. The moodboard landed somewhere between black-and-white minimalism and urban classicism: plain white roses, no heavy decor, clean stationery, clear light.
Bride's Morning & Fashion
Sophie and her bridesmaids got ready together in natural daylight, sharing coffee, fruit platters, and laughter before heading to the church. The contrast between black silk robes and the white interiors set the tone for the clean and elegant palette of the day.
Her beauty look was created by Grayson Coutts and Amelia Mowat of Boutique Bride. Hair was softly curled and pinned half-up, a classic shape that worked under the long veil. Makeup stayed close to neutral glam with defined eyes, glowing skin, and understated lips.
Sophie’s dress, Jane Hill “Scout”, from Felicity’s Bridal, combined structure and texture: a fitted silhouette, sheer sleeves, and lace detail that caught the light through the day. The veil from The Wedding Veil Shop added length and movement without competing with the dress.
Accessories followed the same restrained logic: engagement and wedding rings from Walker & Hall and Diamonds on Richmond, and shoes by Chaos & Harmony, a local New Zealand brand known for its modern bridal design. The bouquet, designed by The Florist NZ, consisted entirely of white roses, compact, symmetrical, and deliberately unembellished.
Groom's Fashion
Dylan’s morning unfolded with the same sense of calm precision. His suit, a navy merino wool design from Savile Row, tailored at Munns The Man’s Store, was chosen for its balance between structure and ease. He paired it with Hush Puppies dress shoes, a sage-green tie, and his grandfather’s cufflinks as a quiet nod to family.
Ceremony
The couple’s goal for the ceremony was not extravagance but coherence. Sophie wanted a church wedding in the tradition she grew up with in the UK, yet one that felt contemporary: respectful of heritage, but not overly formal.
St Matthew-in-the-City gave her that equilibrium: a 1905 neo-Gothic structure built from Oamaru stone and kauri wood, with stained glass, high arches, and one of the few remaining inner-city sanctuaries in Auckland. Sophie and Dylan decided to keep the service traditional but skip religious readings, making it feel personal without losing reverence.
The lovebirds chose to keep the service traditional in form but personal in spirit. They walked the full aisle under the cathedral vaults, surrounded by floral minimalism, white roses designed by The Florist NZ, held by bridesmaids in satin slip dresses and echoed in Sophie’s bouquet.
“The most memorable moment from the day was seeing each other for the first time on the aisle. Emotions were high and it’s a moment we will never forget,” the couple shared. Captured by Rhea Rodrigues Photography, the sequence of images follows a clear rhythm: stained-glass light, the quiet pause before vows, and the burst of petals as they stepped outside into daylight.
Moments Together
After the ceremony, Sophie and Dylan took a short break before heading to the reception, time for portraits and a moment to breathe. The location offered huge room, warm brick walls, and natural light that shifted through the afternoon. It felt calm and structured, a visual contrast to the church’s emotion.
These portraits after the ceremony show why Rhea is one of Auckland’s most in-demand names. Her work with Sophie and Dylan is calm, precise, and emotionally real, she captures moments that happen between poses. A glance, a smile, a gesture. Nothing looks directed, yet everything feels considered.
Rhea is also known for her sense of space and light. Here, she used the stained glass, kauri floors, and arches as natural framing rather than decoration. In the portraits that followed, the warm tones became part of the composition.
Her direction is minimal but confident, more like guidance than posing. Clients describe working with her as “easy and natural, almost like a dance,” and it shows here. The result feels structured but spontaneous, polished but human.
Reception & Decor
The reception took place at Park Hyatt, one of Auckland’s most modern waterfront venues. With floor-to-ceiling windows and a view over the marina, it created a perfect contrast to the morning’s architecture. As daylight faded, the city lights reflected across the glass, turning the space into part of the skyline.
The cake by Amanda Jull of Manda’s Cakes continued the monochrome story as a three-tier design covered in smooth icing and dotted with edible pearls. Its flavors were quietly nostalgic: banana, lemon drizzle, and Victoria sponge, a nod to Sophie’s British roots.
The design followed the same minimal direction as the ceremony — white roses arranged in low, compact clusters, glass vases, and neutral linens. The black seating chart added a modern edge and tied in with the clean typography of the menus. Every table detail felt deliberate: champagne flutes lined in symmetry, candlelight mirrored in the glassware, and a palette built on light, reflection, and simplicity.
By the time guests arrived, the sun had already dipped behind the skyline and the city lights began to reflect across the Waitematā Harbour. The glass walls of the waterfront ballroom glowed softly as Sophie and Dylan made their entrance to a drum & bass track, a fun choice that instantly set the tone. Their first dance to “Dancing in the Moonlight” wasn’t rehearsed, just natural and joyful, the kind of dance that makes everyone else smile without trying.
Signature cocktails, Summer Spritz and Yuzu Mojito, carried the rhythm forward. The first was bright and citrusy, a lighter take on the classic spritz; the second blended mint and Japanese yuzu, adding a crisp edge that matched the breezy, summer mood. Between toasts and laughter, guests gathered on the terrace, watching the harbour shimmer against the glass while the evening slipped easily into night.
As the lights dimmed, DJ took over, mixing old favourites with new beats that kept the dance floor alive until late. Sophie and Dylan moved between tables, greeting friends and family as the skyline outside turned to glitter. In the days after, they heard the same feedback from nearly everyone, that the night felt effortless, full of warmth and energy, exactly as they had hoped.
Advice from the couple:
• Book vendors well in advance, as they get booked out early.
• Remember to spend the whole day by each other’s side, enjoying every moment as it goes by so fast.
PHOTOGRAPHER Rhea Rodrigues Photography | VENUE Park Hyatt Auckland | VIDEOGRAPHER Fabian Fernandes Films | FLORAL DESIGN The Florist NZ – Joanna Davison | CAKE DESIGN Amanda Jull – Manda’s Cakes | MUAH Amelia Mowat – Boutique Bride, Grayson Coutts | GOWN Jane Hill – Scout Design via Felicity’s Bridal | VEIL The Wedding Veil Shop | BRIDAL SHOES Chaos & Harmony – Lover Pearl Heels | RINGS Walker & Hall, Diamonds on Richmond | GROOM’S SUIT Munns The Man’s Store | GROOM’S SHOES Hush Puppies | DJ DJ Yidz (Yiduo)
