A Personal DIY Wedding at St Bathans, New Zealand

St Bathans, New Zealand, was the spot for Claudia and Yvette’s DIY wedding. Nestled in the heart of this charming old gold mining town, their celebration was a true labor of love, filled with personal DIY touches, laughter, and even a few surprises – like the unexpected appearance of wild pigs!

Tell us about the proposal.

Y: I proposed to Claudia while we were on a bushwalk. She thought I was joking at first, which was hilarious, but I think I caught her by surprise. It was all very low-key, which is exactly what we wanted.

C: I had no idea it was coming! She had my ring made by a contemporary New Zealand jeweler, Barry Clarke, which I absolutely love. Later, I gave Yvette a 1930s vintage engagement ring.

What inspired you to choose St Bathans as your wedding venue?

St Bathans is really special to us. It’s this tiny, charming old gold mining town with fewer than ten permanent residents. My family has owned an old mud-brick cottage there since the 1930s. When we started dating, we spent a lot of time fixing it up, and it’s become a place full of memories for us. Both my parents and grandparents met in St Bathans, so it just felt right to have our wedding there.

A person is adjusting their veil while standing in front of a mirror in a room with striped wallpaper. A bouquet of brightly colored flowers and a vintage-style lamp are on the wooden dresser beside them.

A person wearing a white dress and veil smiles as they stand in front of a striped wallpaper background. A bouquet of vibrant flowers sits on a wooden dresser next to a vintage lamp.

How did you go about planning your DIY wedding?

C: We were super involved in every aspect of the wedding, and almost everything was DIY. We had a lot of help from our amazing friends and family, which made the day even more special. We designed the invitations, made beeswax candles for our guests, and even crafted our wedding bands ourselves.

Y: We spent months collecting decorations from op-shops and borrowing dishes and cutlery from our moms. Claudia’s sister made our incredible vintage-inspired cake, and her mom created the colorful ribbon bunting behind the altar.

It was a true labor of love, and we wouldn’t have had it any other way.

What were some of your favorite moments from the day?

Y: Where do we start? Arriving at the ceremony and seeing all our favorite people in our favorite place was just magical. And there were so many little moments throughout the day that stand out – like sneaking away for sunset photos and having a dance party that lasted into the early hours of the morning.C: Oh, and we can’t forget the smoke machine triggering the fire alarm at 2 a.m.! The police and local volunteer fire brigade showed up, and after realizing it was a false alarm, they even posed for a few photos with us. It’s a moment we’ll never forget!