Stephanie and Chris were married at The Milk Station, Otaki in early summer. We were delighted to cater for such a stylish wedding, and to share their story.
“We wanted our wedding to be an understated yet elegant event for our friends and family to enjoy with us. We felt it wasn't just a celebration for us as a couple, it also recognised everyone who's shared in our journey and played such big parts in our lives.
“We were so relaxed throughout the whole planning process and on the day itself, the day felt perfect for us,” Steph smiled.
Why did you choose Ruth Pretty Catering?
“As soon as we started to even think about catering, we knew we wanted Ruth Pretty Catering. Ruth is such a respected caterer, especially in the Wellington region, and food was one of the most important aspects of our wedding day.
“We've both had the pleasure of Ruth's catering before, so we knew we'd be in safe hands. Discovering she does many weddings at our venue, just up the road from her kitchen, we knew she'd be the best fit.
“Fortunately, working with Ruth was an absolute delight - from our meetings at Te Horo, to being able to pick up the phone and chat to her or her team for those last-minute changes!
“Ruth's team provided truly impeccable service and really made sure our day was stress-free and went off without a hitch. They took care of so many little details, even those not directly related to the catering, and that’s where her experience is so valuable.
Did you have a clear idea of the food and service you wanted? And did everyone enjoy it?
“We wanted the give our guests a complete dining experience. When we go out for a special occasion, we enjoy a plated, three-course meal so that’s what we chose for our guests. Chris's family are in the wine trade, so it was important our food was well paired with the beautiful wines we selected.
“We also wanted to highlight some of our favourite foods. I love pomegranate and avocado, so that was matched with Crispy Skin Snapper; while Chris has a soft spot for a good bearnaise sauce, paired with the Wakanui eye fillet. See menu here
“Ruth’s experience was invaluable, with some really great suggestions about what can work well – and what doesn't work so well! We wanted the menu to offer variety and be cohesive so that the choice of sides worked well with both main course options.
“Choosing the canapes to start was fun and we ended up with many different flavours: Vietnamese chicken skewers, miniature beef tacos, whitebait fritters, croquettes and cauliflower shortbread.
“Coping with quite a mix of guests with dietary restrictions, Ruth went above and beyond to make sure everyone enjoyed a superb meal. Nothing was too much hassle for the team, which we really appreciated.
“Five of our littlest guests between 2.5 and 5 years old were thrilled with their special individual rope-handled kiddie bags, with name tag and balloon, to take home.
“We ended up going a bit extravagant with a five-layer wedding cake. Smooth White Chocolate Buttercream on the outside, but each layer was different: Chocolate Mud Cake on the bottom layer, then working up we had Jo-Anne’s Carrot Cake, Serena’s Lemon Curd Cake, Almond and Orange Cake and topped with Ruth’s famous Rich Fruit Cake. It was served with Boysenberry, Blueberry and Strawberry Salad.
“We thought that would be enough for dessert, but Ruth suggested a dessert buffet, with amazing ice creams and sorbets served on request in waffle cones or sundae glasses. They were a hit and something we'd never seen at a wedding before.
“Since then we have had so many compliments about the amazing food, we're really pleased that we had Ruth looking after us. Sometimes it’s the little things you remember best: like having canapes brought to us during the photos, and cake for breakfast the next day!
Why did you choose The Milk Station as your venue?
“We wanted to be close to Wellington where most of our families are based, with a good indoor ceremony option just in case the weather didn’t co-operate. We found The Milk Station by chance and it met our needs perfectly. Luckily the weather was good on the day!
“We hadn't been to a wedding there before, and the rustic, elegant Tuscan atmosphere felt like us. The venue is perfectly laid out with plenty of space for different parts of the day, and the on-site accommodation for family sealed the deal. Norbert made the whole process so easy.
What about The Dress?
Steph says “I wore a Martina Liana pure silk zibeline A-line gown, with a double strap back and a cathedral length train. I wanted something simple yet classic, with minimal detailing, not too lacy or extravagant.
“Only the second dress I tried on, I knew this was the one. As a bonus it had pockets, and anyone who knows me knows how much I love that in a dress!
“Inside the pocket, Mum stitched in my 'something blue'; a blue velvet heart with tiny ceramic clogs on a tartan ribbon, representing my family heritage. When Chris finally got to see the dress, he said it was "just so me".
“The cathedral-length veil had an embroidered lace edge. It fitted the dress’s train perfectly, but caught on the concrete and grass so I took it off pretty quickly!
“Chris wore a midnight navy peaked-lapel tuxedo, with the groomsmen in black tuxedos, all from Working Style. Rex at Working Style went above and beyond helping the boys suit up for the big day,” the couple added.
To conclude?
Steph and Chris summed up their day “We felt so lucky on the day: everything went without a hitch, with excellent vendors working with us to create our vision. We trusted our suppliers – they're the experts and just as invested in our day as we are!
“For a final touch, Ruth Pretty Catering dropped off a selection of brunch treats to a beach house in Waikanae the day after. It was the perfect way to wrap up the weekend, enjoying the sun with our guests and catching up on stories from the night before,” they concluded.
Photo Credit: Nisha Ravji
