This week, I’m joined by Robyn Munro, a bridal hair specialist with decades of experience in the wedding world. We dive into everything from what actually happens at a hair trial to how to create a calm, joyful wedding morning without the stress. If you’re planning your day right now, this one is packed with practical advice.

We chat about:

💜 How Robyn carved out a niche in bridal hair (and why not every hairdresser wants to do weddings)

💜 What a hair trial is really for: testing products, curl patterns, timing, and the overall plan

💜 Whether you should book hair and makeup trials on the same day

💜 Wedding morning flow and why strict run sheets can sometimes create more stress than calm

💜 Booking a hair + makeup team vs booking separately, and the pros and cons of both

💜 Pre-wedding hair prep, from scalp health to colour placement and timing your cut

💜 Busting the “dirty hair is better” myth (and why clean, dry hair is usually best)

💜 Current wedding hair trends: softer, bigger waves, sleeker updos, and half-up half-down having a moment

💜 How to choose a hairstyle that suits your dress, venue, vibe, face shape, and the NZ weather

💜 Budget expectations for bridal hair and what actually influences pricing, from experience to travel and time

…and so much more!

Let me know what you think of this episode.

Follow Robyn: @robynmunrohair

If you loved this conversation, go check out the photos and follow along at @thekiwiweddingpodcast and @lydiarachelphoto for more real NZ wedding inspiration.

Join ⁠⁠⁠THE LOVE LETTER BY LYDIA RACHEL⁠⁠⁠, a fortnightly note from me with wedding inspiration, podcast highlights, real weddings I’m capturing, and a few things I’ve been loving lately.

Join THE LOVE LETTER BY LYDIA RACHEL, a fortnightly note from me with wedding inspiration, podcast highlights, real weddings I’m capturing, and a few things I’ve been loving lately.

This week, I’m joined by Laura Mohi Ryan, founder of Wild Pilates, and recent bride. We’re chatting all about her somewhat unconventional wedding-planning journey.

Laura and her husband Liam had been together for 14 years. Instead of planning a big wedding straight away, they ended up doing something that suited them perfectly, an epic Indonesian elopement on Sumba Island, just the two of them, plus a photographer and videographer who flew over from Bali.

We chat about:

💜 How Laura and Liam met, and the Italy proposal that totally shocked her (in the best way)

💜 Why they stayed engaged for a couple of years and how that shaped their wedding choices

💜 The “write your list separately” exercise that helped them figure out what actually mattered

💜 Deciding to elope, not inviting anyone, and why they didn’t tell family and friends until afterwards

💜 What their wedding day looked like on Sumba Island, from ocean swims to vows on the sand

💜 Finding her dream two-piece outfit at LVR Bridal, plus the veil moment she didn’t see coming

💜 Doing her own hair and makeup, and the one thing she recommends if you have to DIY it

💜 The best way to tell friends and family afterwards (and why a few sneak peek photos helped)

💜 Budgeting for an elopement without it quietly turning into the cost of a small wedding anyway

💜 Laura’s advice for couples planning right now, especially if you’re feeling overwhelmed

💜 A little intro to Wild Pilates and her healthy, realistic approach to feeling good in your body leading up to a wedding

…and so much more!

Follow Laura:

@wildpilates

@lauramohiryan

Let me know what you think of this episode!

You can check out photos from Laura and Liam’s wedding over on Instagram - and make sure you are following ⁠⁠@thekiwiweddingpodcast ⁠⁠

Follow Lydia ⁠⁠@lydiarachelphoto⁠⁠

Find all L & L’s amazing vendors:

Location, Celebrant & Catering: @thesanubari

Photographer: @imanperdana

Videographer: @alokjosaphat

Bride’s Outfit: @lvr_bridal

Bride’s Shoes: @paris__georgia

Groom’s Outfit: @porterjamessports

Groom’s Shoes: @drmartensnewzealand

Rings: @colinbartlett

Makeup & Hair: Bride @lauramohiryan

Pre-wedding makeup lesson: @katesolleymakeup

Also featured on Together Journal.

This week, I’m joined by Tess and Hayley, the founders behind Slay My Day, a brand-new, all-in-one platform built to make wedding planning easier for couples and more transparent, inclusive, and accessible for vendors across Aotearoa.

Between them (and co-founder Carla), they bring years of experience across digital marketing, tourism, elopements, photography, and hands-on wedding work. After seeing first-hand how overwhelming planning can be, and how limited or expensive existing directories often are, they decided to build something better.

We chat about:

💜 How Slay My Day came to life and the gaps it’s designed to fill

💜 Why wedding planning can feel so overwhelming, and how having everything in one place helps

💜 Supporting couples to plan their day their way, without pressure or outdated expectations

💜 What makes Slay My Day different from traditional wedding directories

💜 The vendor dashboard, analytics, and why transparency matters

💜 Regional searching and helping couples find the right vendors at the right time

💜 The upcoming recycle marketplace and the importance of sustainability in weddings

💜 Current wedding trends, from smaller, more personal celebrations to doing things differently

💜 Advice for couples planning their wedding right now

💜 Their big-picture vision for the future of weddings and events in New Zealand

…and so much more!

Follow Slay My Day:

Online: slaymyday.com

On Instagram: @slaymyday.nz

Let me know what you think of this episode!

Follow on IG: ⁠@thekiwiweddingpodcast⁠ and ⁠@lydiarachelphoto⁠ 🤍

This week, I’m popping into your feed with a little bonus episode to share something very special I’ve been planning.

To celebrate summer and over a decade of photographing weddings, I’m giving one couple the chance to win their full wedding photography package with me, Lydia Rachel Photography.

ENTER HERE

This is something I’ve never done before, and I’m so excited to finally share all the details with you.

💜 We chat about:

• What’s included in the wedding photography giveaway
• Who this giveaway is perfect for (and a few important eligibility details)
• How and where to enter
• Key dates, including when entries close and when the winner will be announced

If you’re recently engaged, in the early stages of planning, or know someone who would love this, make sure you listen in and head to the entry form.

ENTER HERE

Follow:@lydiarachelphoto@thekiwiweddingpodcast

Keep an eye on Instagram for updates, reminders, and the winner announcement.