Abbey & Aiden
“The Adventure Photo and Film Packages”
Love Story
Abbey and Aiden first met at just 14 years old, both part of the same RSL club — Aiden playing cricket and Abbey as a dancer.
They clicked instantly and became the best of friends. Then, at 15, their club took a trip to New Zealand for two weeks, and something shifted. Their friendship deepened into something more, and a brave young Aiden asked Abbey to be his girlfriend. She said no. (poor guy!) She didn’t want to risk the friendship, and honestly, fair enough.
But some love stories just can’t be stopped. The two grew closer and closer over the years, and when Aiden tried his luck again at 17, Abbey said yes.
Since then, they’ve done life together in the most beautiful way. Cheering each other through high school graduations, university degrees, landing their dream jobs, buying their first home, and welcoming their big chocolate Labrador, Maverick, into the family. Oh, and getting engaged, of course.
These two are adventure lovers at heart. Camping, hiking, 4WD trips, swimming all summer long, and travelling whenever they can, always with Maverick in tow if they can help it. Their perfect weekend? Morning cuddles with Maverick, a walk by the river, coffee in the sun, a swim at the dog beach, and wrapping it all up with a backyard BBQ and lots of laughs with the neighbours.
They’ve always been an intimate couple who love keeping their biggest moments just between the two of them, so eloping felt like the most natural choice in the world. And when it came to choosing where to do it? New Zealand was never in question. It’s where their love story first began to bloom, and there was nowhere else on earth they’d rather come back to, to make it official.
Accommodation: Airbnb, DaleField
Ceremony: Bayonet Peak
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On the day
Abbey and Aiden flew over from Australia for their Queenstown elopement, and honestly, from the moment Tom and Kaleb met them, it was clear it was going to be a beautiful day.
They had booked the most incredible Airbnb out in the Dalefield area near Spear Grass Flat — we’re talking a sprawling, stunning property with sweeping views and open fields that felt like something out of a dream. Tom and Kaleb captured their getting ready there, and the details were so lovely. Abbey’s bouquet had the most beautiful blue flowers running through it, and guess what, her shoes were blue as well!
Their outfits were stunning too, particularly Aiden’s suit, which was honestly one of the nicest we’ve seen on an elopement day. Tom and Kaleb also got to photograph some sweet shots with their dog, which was just the cutest thing.
After their first look in the garden, they all headed out to Heliworks. It was a moody, overcast kind of day with a chance of showers, but they decided to go for it. Because of the wind conditions, the pilot suggested Bayonet Peak over their original location, and Abbey and Aiden were so wonderfully flexible about it. They got married up on Bayonet Peak with those dramatic, moody skies all around them, and the soft light from the cloud cover made for the most cinematic photos. A few little spots of rain came through, but honestly, it just added to the atmosphere. Aiden was a little nervous about flying and the heights, but he was an absolute legend about it!
After flying back, Tom and Kaleb took them to a gorgeous lakeside location surrounded by the most lush, green fields, so typical of Queenstown in November and December, everything is just so alive and beautiful. The day wrapped up back at their stunning Airbnb with a cake cutting, just the two of them, before they headed out for a romantic dinner together.
Such a stunning day from start to finish.
Vendors:
Planner: Ella | @lostinlove
Photographer: Tom | @lostinlove
Videographer: Kaleb | @lostinlove
Celebrant: Andrew Bell | @andrewbellcelebrant
HMUA: Liv King | @livkingmakeup
Florals: Kyla Page | @bespokeweddingsandevents
Heli Hire: Heliworks | @heliworks
