Briar & Bailey
Briar & Bailey
Briar & Bailey’s styled shoot at The Finery in Alexandra showcased everything I love about photographing weddings in Central Otago. Surrounded by rugged hills, golden vines, and snow-capped peaks, the setting was the perfect mix of rustic beauty and romantic elegance.
Planned by Dream To Wed, the day featured locally grown florals by With Love Flowers, luxurious linens from Drape Linen, and stylish hire pieces from Wanaka Marquee and Party Hire. The look came together with a gown by Margaret Wray Bridal, a classic Laidlaw + Leeds suit, jewellery from Jamies Jewellers Alexandra, and hair and makeup by Charlie Oswin. The standout detail was the plum-inspired cake by She Bakes NZ, adding a playful, seasonal touch.
As a Queenstown and Central Otago wedding photographer, I loved capturing the way this shoot blended sustainability with beauty, proving that intentional details and breathtaking landscapes make the perfect pair.
central otago autumn elopement
Melissa is absolutely outstanding! My now husband and I are from California and we decided to elope in New Zealand. We knew nearly nothing about New Zealand before we went but found Melissa online and hired her to plan and shoot our wedding. She helped us plan the absolute perfect day based on the vibe we described we were looking for. She absolutely nailed it! She arranged the perfect location for us at Coromandel Peak and also arranged our transportation (which included a helicopter ride), my hair/makeup, champagne toss, a perfect romantic post-wedding dinner, dessert, flowers, music, etc. She went above and beyond to make our day so special.
Melissa is so incredibly fun to be around and is fantastic at making you feel relaxed in front of the camera (of which we are naturally awkward). We found Melissa on Instagram and fell in love with her style of photography and editing. We really wanted a photographer that would capture the beautiful Queenstown landscape but also our love as well, and she did it better than we could have ever imagined.
We hired Melissa to photograph our elopement in the Queenstown area. She went far beyond our expectations and we couldn't be happier with the results. We would absolutely recommend her to anyone in the area looking for a photographer. She asked us to create a vision board on Pinterest so she could find the best locations for us, and she nailed it! She played the role of photographer, coordinator, Uber driver, and friend. We had the best elopement day because of her.
