The Kiwi Wedding Podcast

This week, I’m joined by Hebah, a bride and makeup artist who created the most beautiful blend of Fijian Indian, Islamic and Kiwi wedding traditions. Her day felt deeply rooted in culture, but also fresh, personal and very “them.”

We chat about:
💜 Meeting Reyan through family friends and navigating a long-distance relationship between Auckland and the States 
💜 Approaching marriage with intention within their faith, and how that shaped their journey 
💜 Planning an intimate-by-cultural-standards wedding with 110 guests 
💜 Choosing a dry hire venue and what that actually looks like behind the scenes 
💜 Their Islamic nikah ceremony, including the floral partition and separate seating 
💜 Creating a full mocktail hour so they could properly spend time with guests 
💜 Custom designing her dream traditional wedding dress with a wholesaler in Pakistan 
💜 Styling sage green across the bridal party and close family 
💜 The emotional first look with her parents 
💜 What she would do differently, and the small things she’s made peace with 
💜 Hebah’s best makeup advice for brides, from skincare timelines to why trials really matter

… and so much more!

Follow Hebah: @makeupbyhebah_

Let me know what you think of this episode!

If you’d like to see photos from Hebah’s day, make sure you’re following @thekiwiweddingpodcast and @lydiarachelphoto where I’ll be sharing more from this beautiful celebration.

Vendors:
Venue: @hedgesestate
Photography & Videography: @thehpcollective
Cake: @shugarcoat__
Stationery & Signage: @brushletterco
Bride's Outfit: Custom-made in Pakistan
Florals: @smithiestheplantsmith
Makeup: @makeupbyhebah_
Food: @chaahat_indian_cuisine, @indiansweetsnzl 
Hair: @shergillbeauty

Also featured on Together Journal.

Join ⁠⁠⁠THE LOVE LETTER BY LYDIA RACHEL⁠⁠⁠, a fortnightly note from me with wedding inspiration, podcast highlights, real weddings I’m capturing, and a few things I’ve been loving lately.

This week, I’m joined by Robyn Munro, a bridal hair specialist with decades of experience in the wedding world. We dive into everything from what actually happens at a hair trial to how to create a calm, joyful wedding morning without the stress. If you’re planning your day right now, this one is packed with practical advice.

We chat about:
💜 How Robyn carved out a niche in bridal hair (and why not every hairdresser wants to do weddings)
💜 What a hair trial is really for: testing products, curl patterns, timing, and the overall plan
💜 Whether you should book hair and makeup trials on the same day
💜 Wedding morning flow and why strict run sheets can sometimes create more stress than calm
💜 Booking a hair + makeup team vs booking separately, and the pros and cons of both
💜 Pre-wedding hair prep, from scalp health to colour placement and timing your cut
💜 Busting the “dirty hair is better” myth (and why clean, dry hair is usually best)
💜 Current wedding hair trends: softer, bigger waves, sleeker updos, and half-up half-down having a moment
💜 How to choose a hairstyle that suits your dress, venue, vibe, face shape, and the NZ weather
💜 Budget expectations for bridal hair and what actually influences pricing, from experience to travel and time

…and so much more!

Let me know what you think of this episode.

Follow Robyn: @robynmunrohair

If you loved this conversation, go check out the photos and follow along at @thekiwiweddingpodcast and @lydiarachelphoto for more real NZ wedding inspiration.

Join ⁠⁠⁠THE LOVE LETTER BY LYDIA RACHEL⁠⁠⁠, a fortnightly note from me with wedding inspiration, podcast highlights, real weddings I’m capturing, and a few things I’ve been loving lately.

Join ⁠⁠THE LOVE LETTER BY LYDIA RACHEL⁠⁠, a fortnightly note from me with wedding inspiration, podcast highlights, real weddings I’m capturing, and a few things I’ve been loving lately.

This week, I’m joined by Kelly, who shares the full story of planning a wedding that felt completely true to her and her husband, from a modern meet-cute to a fun, personality-filled celebration in Auckland.

Kelly talks openly about what mattered most to them when planning their day, how they made decisions without getting swept up in wedding “shoulds”, and why guest experience was always the priority. This episode is packed with honest reflections, practical advice, and plenty of moments that will make you laugh and nod along.

We chat about:
💜 How Kelly and Mike met and the New York proposal, where Mike waited until the moment felt right
💜 Choosing The Glasshouse as their venue and why being weather-proof in NZ was non-negotiable
💜 Planning a cocktail-style wedding with no sit-down dinner, and focusing on great food, drinks, and music
💜 Kelly’s dress shopping experience at Hera Couture, including a very memorable fire alarm moment
💜 The mental load of wedding planning alongside work and real life
💜 Bridesmaids dresses, decision fatigue, and what Kelly would do differently next time
💜 Making the day feel personal with thoughtful details like a custom newspaper, handwritten notes for guests, and fun favours
💜 Budgeting honestly, what they chose to prioritise, and why photo and video mattered so much to them
💜 Letting go of perfection, trusting your vendors, and remembering you’re the guest of honour, not the host

…and so much more!

Let me know what you think of this episode.

You can check out photos from Kelly’s wedding over on Instagram - and make sure you are following ⁠⁠⁠⁠@thekiwiweddingpodcast ⁠⁠⁠⁠
Follow Lydia ⁠⁠⁠⁠@lydiarachelphoto⁠⁠⁠⁠ 

Find all K & M’s amazing vendors:
Location: @glasshouse.nz
Dress: @heracouture 
Photography: @ashmuirphoto
Videographer: @flatrocfilms
Flowers: @floralcentric
Hair: @jules_armishaw_makeupstyling
Makeup: @katesmithmakeup
Candle Installation: @revelandlight
Crane Machine: @kiwikrane
Band: @velvettonesnz

Kelly's Wedding Featured on Capsule
Wedding Dress Shopping Experience

Join ⁠THE LOVE LETTER BY LYDIA RACHEL⁠, a fortnightly note from me with wedding inspiration, podcast highlights, real weddings I’m capturing, and a few things I’ve been loving lately.

This week, I’m joined by Libby, a celebrant, founder of Love on the Run Weddings, and all-round straight-talker when it comes to weddings. Libby shares her own wedding experience alongside what she’s learned working in the industry, with plenty of honest, practical advice for couples who want a day that feels relaxed, personal, and genuinely enjoyable.

We chat about:
💜 Libby’s own wedding day, including a bright, fun DIY approach and choosing what actually mattered to them
💜 Why photography and videography were non-negotiables, and why some things are worth spending properly on
💜 Letting go of the pressure for your wedding to be “the best day of your life” and why that mindset can actually ruin the experience
💜 Guest experience in a real, practical way, from plus ones to weather plans and comfort
💜 A clear explanation of what a registry wedding in New Zealand looks like now, including the rules, restrictions, and why many couples are surprised when they start researching it
💜 Libby’s business, Love on the Run, and how it offers a more flexible, affordable registry-style ceremony without all the usual limitations
💜 Why your wedding is not a performance, you can’t fail, and sometimes the moments that don’t go to plan end up being the best ones

…and so much more!

Follow Libby:
@loveandlibertynz
@loveontherun_weddings
@view14_house

Let me know what you think of this episode!

You can check out photos from Libby’s wedding and businesses over on Instagram - and make sure you are following ⁠⁠⁠@thekiwiweddingpodcast ⁠⁠⁠
Follow Lydia ⁠⁠⁠@lydiarachelphoto⁠⁠⁠ 

Find all L & B’s amazing vendors:
Photo & Video: @chris_turner_weddings
Celebrant: @marriedbybex
Dress & Veil: @harriettfalvey
Makeup: @rachelmackwood
Hair: Mackenzie Hair Coromandel
Venue: French Bay Yacht Club
Furniture: @flockevents
Catering: @drifterspizza
Cake: @zi__sweet (currently closed)

Join THE LOVE LETTER BY LYDIA RACHEL, a fortnightly note from me with wedding inspiration, podcast highlights, real weddings I’m capturing, and a few things I’ve been loving lately.

This week, I’m joined by Laura Mohi Ryan, founder of Wild Pilates, and recent bride. We’re chatting all about her somewhat unconventional wedding-planning journey.

Laura and her husband Liam had been together for 14 years. Instead of planning a big wedding straight away, they ended up doing something that suited them perfectly, an epic Indonesian elopement on Sumba Island, just the two of them, plus a photographer and videographer who flew over from Bali.

We chat about:
💜 How Laura and Liam met, and the Italy proposal that totally shocked her (in the best way)
💜 Why they stayed engaged for a couple of years and how that shaped their wedding choices
💜 The “write your list separately” exercise that helped them figure out what actually mattered
💜 Deciding to elope, not inviting anyone, and why they didn’t tell family and friends until afterwards
💜 What their wedding day looked like on Sumba Island, from ocean swims to vows on the sand
💜 Finding her dream two-piece outfit at LVR Bridal, plus the veil moment she didn’t see coming
💜 Doing her own hair and makeup, and the one thing she recommends if you have to DIY it
💜 The best way to tell friends and family afterwards (and why a few sneak peek photos helped)
💜 Budgeting for an elopement without it quietly turning into the cost of a small wedding anyway
💜 Laura’s advice for couples planning right now, especially if you’re feeling overwhelmed
💜 A little intro to Wild Pilates and her healthy, realistic approach to feeling good in your body leading up to a wedding

…and so much more!

Follow Laura:
@wildpilates
@lauramohiryan 

Let me know what you think of this episode!

You can check out photos from Laura and Liam’s wedding over on Instagram - and make sure you are following ⁠⁠@thekiwiweddingpodcast ⁠⁠
Follow Lydia ⁠⁠@lydiarachelphoto⁠⁠ 

Find all L & L’s amazing vendors:
Location, Celebrant & Catering: @thesanubari
Photographer: @imanperdana 
Videographer:  @alokjosaphat 
Bride’s Outfit: @lvr_bridal 
Bride’s Shoes: @paris__georgia 
Groom’s Outfit: @porterjamessports 
Groom’s Shoes: @drmartensnewzealand 
Rings: @colinbartlett 
Makeup & Hair: Bride @lauramohiryan
Pre-wedding makeup lesson: @katesolleymakeup

Also featured on Together Journal.