top of page
Aug 18
2 min read

Updated: 4 days ago



Black and white photo of the groom and groomsmen walking in the rain with umbrellas past a glass-walled building in the Botanic Gardens

Lily + Ben

Ilex | The Botanic Gardens


Lily and Ben had their hearts set on a peak summer wedding at Ilex, tucked inside the Christchurch Botanic Gardens, the kind of golden-hour, garden-party day every couple pictures when they start planning. The weather had other ideas.


But if you ask anyone who was there, you'd never know it. From the moment the celebrants opened the ceremony to the last song on the dance floor, the day was full of love and laughter, proof that the best weddings are made by the people in them, not the forecast.





Inside, Ilex set the scene beautifully, soft florals, a gorgeous cake, and a dance floor that didn't empty once the band struck up.


The bridal party refused to let a bit of rain get in the way of a good photo. Photographer Keryn Sweeney led them out around the gardens between showers, capturing some of the most joyful, unguarded shots of the day, bouquets in hand, laughter mid-frame, the Botanic Gardens' greenery doing exactly what it does best as a backdrop.


Our favourite touch of the whole night? Lily and Ben got behind the decks themselves. The pair had spent the lead-up to the wedding secretly learning to DJ with the help of friends, and kept it as a surprise — stepping up to spin their own opening set and welcome everyone onto the dance floor before handing things over to the band. It was a small detail with a lot of heart, and exactly the kind of personal touch that made the night theirs.






We had the pleasure of coordinating the day for Lily and Ben, and this is exactly why on-the-day coordination matters so much to us. When the weather turned and the plan had to shift, moving photo timings, adjusting the flow between ceremony and reception, keeping everyone in the loop, Lily and Ben didn't have to think about any of it. They knew they had someone in their corner handling the changes, so all they had to do was be present with each other and their guests. That's the whole point: no matter what the day throws at you, having a steady hand and a great team beside you means love and laughter can lead the way regardless.





THE CREATORS:



 
 
bottom of page