Papamoa Beach Wedding | Janey and Chris

Janey and Chris planned a wedding weekend centred around connection, family, and relaxed beachside celebration - renting out most of the beachfront cabins at Tasman Holiday Parks – Papamoa Beach so their guests could fully settle in and enjoy the occasion together in privacy. Their ceremony was held on the grassy area overlooking the beach, with the ocean stretching out behind them and their closest people gathered around, with Mount Maunganui in the distance.

Of course, as every couple quickly learns while planning a wedding, there are some things you simply can’t control.

In a twist nobody could have predicted, their wedding weekend landed on the same weekend as the Surf Carnival, which had been relocated from Mount Maunganui to Papamoa due to the rāhui following the devastating slips at the Mount. Suddenly, the possibility of thousands of people filling the beach directly below their ceremony space became very real. But instead of panicking, Janey and Chris handled it beautifully - working closely with the surf club to redirect some events further down the beach and requesting no loudspeaker announcements during their ceremony hour. In the end, thanks to thoughtful planning, good communication, and the elevated location of the ceremony space, everything unfolded smoothly and peacefully.

And honestly, that’s such a huge part of weddings.

No matter how organised you are, there will almost always be something unexpected. A weather shift, a timeline running late, missing buttonholes, faulty speakers, windy hair, forgotten vows - something will happen. But at the end of the day, the bigger picture remains the same: you’re there to marry the love of your life, surrounded by the people who matter most.

I popped by their rehearsal the evening before to meet everyone and get a feel for the space, which also meant I could offer a few practical insights before the big day - including which side the wind was blowing from and how that should influence where the bride and bridesmaids stood during the ceremony. Beach weddings are absolutely stunning, but they do come with their own little quirks. I’ll always gently recommend tying hair back where possible for coastal ceremonies - wispy face-framing pieces look gorgeous in still moments, but constant wind and hair tickling your face can quickly become distracting during vows and portraits!

The day itself was full of beautiful emotional moments. Nieces, nephews, and the couple’s children walked down the aisle before the five stunning bridesmaids made their entrance, followed by Bride Janey and her dad. One particularly unforgettable moment was when Janey played a recorded message from her daughter telling Chris that “Mummy is coming” - and it very nearly broke him. There were more than a few happy tears during the ceremony, and I always try not to listen *too* closely myself so I don’t end up tearing up behind the camera too.

Not everything went 'perfectly' - the speaker system borrowed from the holiday park unfortunately malfunctioned during the ceremony, meaning the processional music was quieter than planned and vows had to be projected loudly. A disappointment in the moment, absolutely, but far from the end of the world. The ceremony was still incredibly heartfelt, emotional, and filled with so much love.

A large bridal party always brings such fun, vibrant energy to a wedding day, and Janey and Chris’ crew were no exception. Coordinating a big group for beach portraits can sometimes mean rounding people up and keeping an eye on the clock, but it also creates so much laughter, movement, and personality within the gallery - and their bridal portraits down the beach were full of exactly that kind of energy.

After cocktail hour with their guests, we snuck away to a quieter section of beach away from the Surf Carnival activity for portraits before heading to the Surf Life Saving Club where their guests awaited for the reception. Along the walk over, the bridal party were busy rehearsing their planned reception entrance under the guidance of the bride and groom, creating plenty of laughs before we paused for a few romantic portraits of the newlyweds beneath the veil.

Their reception entrance absolutely delivered on the fun, and after capturing the excitement and celebrations kicking off, I left them to enjoy the rest of their evening surrounded by family, friends, and the kind of joy that makes all the unpredictable moments along the way completely worth it.

This curated collection of images has been selected directly from Janey and Chris' final delivered gallery, offering a genuine, true-to-life example of what 3 hours of wedding photography coverage can look like. From emotional moments and candid laughter to relaxed portraits and newlywed portraits, their gallery perfectly reflects the joy-filled, connected atmosphere of the day. I don't offer 3 hours of coverage on all dates, please enquire.