Ben and Lindsay Tie the Knot
Our gorgeous, leggy intern, a retired international model (no surprise), and her New Zealander banker boyfriend of two years tied the knot last month in Hawaii, and we were green with envy – in a good way. Take a peek at their love-filled big day on the beautiful, sun-drenched island-state as Lindsay shares the highlights of the wedding.
What was the most memorable moment of the wedding?
There’s no one moment per se – the entire day was filled with an outpouring of love and encouragement. If I had to choose one particular instant, it would be the surprise Haka, a traditional Maori dance in New Zealand, by my husband and his mates, which overwhelmed me to experience the immensity in the marriage – literally – of different cultures. I cannot put into words how special it was to me – something I would never forget.
How many times did you visit Hawaii as part of the planning process?
Destination weddings are always hectic, but I had never been to Hawaii, and only got there three days before the event! I was driving around like Valentino Rossi trying to organise it all. Everything was sight unseen, plus with the time difference I hardly spoke to anyone on the phone. I was prepared for things to fluctuate, but at the same time, I wanted to do everything I possibly could on my end so it was easier on everyone else. We didn’t have any type of coordinator or planner and had 75 people and nine vendors at the wedding. It was a challenge to say the least.
How did everything come together?
The venue we had chosen was perfect – it was part of a reserve on the east shore called Kualoa Ranch and matched the vibe of our day to a T. It was all very organic with the perfect “Hawaii” feel. We were extraordinarily pleased with all of our vendors, and the house we rented for our two families was second to none. We held our day-after BBQ there to chill out and catch up with the people we don’t get to see very much of.
Tell us about the dress!
It was a very classic and simple Nicole Miller dress made of raw silk, which I embellished with an ostrich feather sash made by Sara Gabriel. By the end of the night, both pieces were trashed – I completely shredded my 30-pin bustier from all the dancing!
Was there an overall theme?
There were lots of ivory, accented with little touches of nudes and blush tones. Things were kept simple – we had to transport everything from Singapore to California, California to Hawaii, so an elaborate set wouldn’t be practical. But it drove my focus toward our guests and creating an intimate setting that’s reflective of our personalities. There were small touches of things we loved, like geronimo balloons, a vintage globe as a guestbook, and Victorian skeleton keys used as place cards. Nothing over the top.
How did you decide on the bridesmaid dresses?
I wanted something that fit the varied style and body types of my girls, so they each chose their own dress based on my parameters of short and white/ivory. Luckily LWDs were on trend, so there wasn’t any lack of choices. I also had a brides’man’ on my side (my brother) who wore the same outfit as rest of the groomsmen. Each of them had different superhero cufflinks – something my husband has an affinity for.
Did anything in particular go amiss?
Well, my dad forgot his shirt, and we only found out when we were on our way to the ceremony. Let’s just say trousers and a shirt jacket with chest hair wasn’t necessarily my intention when I said “relaxed vibe”. Thankfully, my brother had a spare (it’s bridesman to the rescue!), so it all worked out in the end.
Any advice for future brides?
Holding a wedding is like having a kid: just because someone has an opinion on it doesn’t mean it’s right for you. The most valuable things I’ve learnt from the process is to build relationships with your vendors and choose them based on how they are able to capture your personality, and not how good their portfolio looks. Events are about the flow and feel – if the food tastes great but the staff are rude, it lessens the experience. You’ll want them to treat your day with more love and care than you have for it, rather than just doing it for the money. Most importantly, learn to properly pronounce your new surname before you’re signing the marriage certificate, especially if it’s foreign to you!
Groomsmen: Spurling Suits from Myer
Caterer: Memoirs
Bartenders: Aloha on the Rocks
Florist: The Floral Boutique
DJ: Dynamic Sounds
Balloons: Hawaii Balloon Company
Hair and Makeup: Leslie Fair
Cake: Tiers of Joy
Rentals: Pacific Party Rentals
Venue: Moli’i Gardens, Kualoa Ranch, Oahu, Hawai’i
First Dance: Resolution by Matt Corby
Father Daughter Dance: Untitled piano piece composed and played by the father of the bride from 1991.
All images taken by the incredible Mark Holladay of Holladay Photo.
Want to show us your party? Send us high quality photos and share with us about your big day by emailing [email protected] with photos and a brief description.