Now here is a wedding I didn’t want to leave. Actually, I kind of didn’t either. What. A. Party.

I first met Lily and Dan a few years ago in a castle in Wales at a mutual friend’s birthday party. I had just flown in from photographing a wedding in Tuscany,  so was still buzzing a bit from that experience. Add a bit of jet-lag, some fancy dress costumes, a full weekend of mayhem in a castle, and I had decided I quite liked these people. When Lily emailed me a few years later to say they were getting married, did I remember them, and would I be interested in photographing their wedding, my answer was a big definite YES.

I should also mention now that Lily’s family were quite famous in my childhood. For those of you who grew up in the 80’s in New Zealand, may remember going to see an ‘Aunties’ show. Lily is none other than Arif Usmani and Madame Salami’s daughter. So you can only imagine the sort of fun that was lined up for this love festival of a wedding. From Lily’s brother Adam (another talented Usmani) singing one of my favourite Beatles songs during the ceremony, with everyone singing along too. Including myself. To Nana making her own specialty dip and handing it around herself after the formalities. Table settings were personalised with nicknames, a lurking cat decided it wanted to join the party too and didn’t leave all day, and there was a giant piñata hanging from the ceiling in the reception hall.  Lily and Dan had also hidden costumes under all the seats at the reception, so when the guests sat down for in the evening, they were all instructed to find these and put them on. Queue party.

As I mentioned, we found it so hard to tear ourselves away from this day, every part of it was so magical and fun filled.  We departed after lengthy goodbyes to all the family just after Lily’s brother Adam got up on stage and sung a house music anthem he had written for the couple, which then prompted everyone to get on the dance floor and really start things. Full photos of all the love and mayhem below. X

Venue: Coatesville Settlers Hall

Flowers: Blossom Wedding Flowers

Hair and Makeup: Kaitlin Chapman

Dress: Michelle Roth

Boys Getup: Roger David

Tags: auckland wedding photography, blossom wedding flowers, coatesville hall wedding, coatesville settlers hall, costume wedding, emily raftery, emily raftery photography, emily raftery wedding photography, fancy dress wedding, garden wedding, hall wedding, kaitlin chapman hair and makeup, michelle roth, michelle roth wedding dress, roger david, roger david groomsmen, roger david wedding