On the day:
Rachel and Nimi both got ready in separate rooms in the Hilton hotel in Queenstown New Zealand before their elopement. They had originally planned to get married in Fiji, where Nimi is from, but Covid stepped in and Queenstown was the lucky spot chosen instead.
15 of their nearest and dearest were flown down for their intimate and adventurous mountain elopement.
Nimi’s cousin helped him to get changed into traditional Fijian wedding attire while, in another room, Rachel’s sister was helping her to put a beautiful flower crown on her head.
Once the couple was ready we all flew up to the Remarkables in a helicopter for a once-in-a-lifetime ceremony. Nobody in the wedding party had ever been in a helicopter before so it made the experience all the more special.
Traditional Fijian wedding mats were laid down for the ceremony and their local Paster married them in one of the most authentic and beautiful ceremonies I have ever had the pleasure of photographing. Their family sang traditional songs as I snapped photos of the happy couple surrounded by their loved ones.
After the ceremony, my videographer Tom joined myself, Rachel and Nimi in another helicopter ride to Cecil peak for a private couples session. This is the part of the day where the couple can just be together in the moment and take in everything that has just happened. It is their first time together as newlyweds and it is an incredibly special photo session when time slows down for an hour and it’s just them, together, as a married couple in one of the most beautiful places in the world.
When it was time to go, the helicopter brought us all back down to earth where we headed to Botswana Butchery to meet back up with the family. The private dining room was waiting for us with a 3-course meal and cake, which was the perfect end to the perfect day.
Congratulations Rachel and Nimi, Bula Vinaka!
