A look inside It-girl Laura Hadlow’s Auckland wedding

1 June 2023

By Sarah Murray

Romance sparkled in the air at the exquisite wedding of Kiwi It-girl Laura Hadlow.

It was just as Tamaki Makaurau/Auckland-based fashion marketing and creative strategist Laura Hadlow was donning her dress that she paused for a moment — struck suddenly that this was exactly where she was supposed to be.

Her wedding, which took place in March, had been years in the making — not unlike her relationship with her now husband William Mitchell, whom she met through friends and had been dating since she was 17.

For the celebration carefully curated to perfection by Hadlow with the help of wedding planners Pure Black, the couple worked to transform Laura’s parents’ central-suburb home into a Mediterranean wonderland.

The focus was on joyful gathering, shared food, and bright blues and yellows reminiscent of the freshness of the Adriatic Sea and balmy summer nights. “I’m half Croatian, so I leaned heavily into my Mediterranean culture for inspiration,” says Hadlow.

Whether to host the wedding at her family home was an easy choice. “Our house holds so many special memories for me, and I really wanted my wedding day to be one of them,” she says. “I also love the sense of intimacy that a wedding at home creates, and how unique the experience is for everyone involved.”

Hadlow walked down the aisle with both her mother and father to Pachelbel’s Canon in D played by a string quartet. She wore a Monique Lhuillier gown she had made in Sydney by flying in and out for fittings, with her measurements being sent to Lhuillier’s couture house in LA. The long-sleeved, off-the-shoulder confection was crafted from lace — a nod to Hadlow’s mum and nana, who wore similar dresses on their big days.

“When I met William at the altar he said, ‘Hey baby, you look beautiful. I love the dress,’” she says.

The only issue? It was heavy, so not ideal for dancing, which saw Hadlow change into a second dress later in the evening — a slinky number by Galvan London, just right for grooving to L-O-V-E by Nat King Cole.

Of course, holding a wedding at a venue not created for such a grand event can be a challenge, and Hadlow and Pure Black had to come up with some creative solutions for the layout.

“We created the space for our sit-down reception by covering the pool with a special platform,” says Hadlow. Like any themed celebration, on the day it was the little things that counted. With Hadlow’s family home built in the 1920s and complete with exquisite stone terraces and ivy trailing along the driveway and around the pool, there was an excellent foundation to work with for an alfresco affair. Banquet-style tables were dressed with intricate plates, linen napkins and colourful florals. One of the highlights of the meal was the gelato cart that showed up to offer the couple’s 78 guests scoops of pistachio, chocolate, espresso and mango-coconut for dessert.

When it came down to it, Hadlow had only one non-negotiable for her and William’s special day, and that was the cake. Due to its size (70cm in diameter), no less than 12 bakeries politely declined to make it.

Fortunately, Sonia Haumonté of Vaniye Patisserie was happy to take it on. “The cake was inspired by the traditional Italian wedding cake, the millefoglie, but instead of pastry, I opted for a layered framboisier sponge cake filled with mousseline vanilla bean cream and topped with fresh raspberries,” says Hadlow. “Our chef sprinkled icing sugar on top, then cut and served it in front of our guests. It absolutely lived up to my expectations!”

The day went by much too quickly but without a hitch. Hadlow says it felt like a fairytale and was more magical than she could ever have imagined. She smiles as she recalls her favourite moment, which took place at the very start. “It was when I peeked out the window just before the ceremony and saw William waiting for me at the end of the aisle with the biggest smile on his face. The butterflies, excitement and love that I felt at that moment were indescribable.”