Anna's Amy Kushel gown modified to have straps and a sweetheart neckline. Also pictured, her shoes.
Anna was born and raised in New Zealand. James was born and raised in Northern California. Little did Anna and James know, thousands of miles away from both of them, New York City was waiting for both of them.
James describes what happened in 2004 – “On a hot August evening in New York City’s Chinatown, I approached seven flights of stairs that would forever change my life. On crutches with torn Achilles, floor by floor, I sweated my way up the old pre-war building to find the smiley green-eyed Kiwi girl I’d make my wife. A sizzling New York City romance followed with long evenings of drinking Gigondas at Balthazar, breakfast lattes at Café Gitane (on Mott Street), and cocktails at SOHO House. Three months later, Anna relocated to west to live with me in San Francisco on the Pacific Ocean…”
We got engaged in the garden at the Louvre in Paris in September 2007, our first trip to Paris together. It was magical and overwhelming. James surprised Anna with a few days in Paris before taking her to Provence to meet her family (who had traveled from New Zealand) to watch the NZ All-Blacks Rugby team play in the 2007 World Cup of Rugby in France.
After Anna stopped screaming and staring at her over the top diamond, we strolled across La Seine to Restaurant “Les Deux Magots” at 6 place Saint-Germain-des-Présmargot and to drink Billicart Salmon rose champagne (Anna’s favorite!) and devour Foie Gras and oysters. The trip only got more perfect when on the train to Provence we were seated next to Anna’s idol, Gourmet Magazine’s Editor in Chief Ruth Reichl, who gave us fabulous advice on the best restaurants and cafes in Provence!
- Their incredible view. Anna having her hair done by friend & TV make-up artist Vicky Morgan.
Our wedding was about bringing all the people we love together to spend meaningful time together on the little island where Anna was raised as a child, Waiheke Island. Waiheke Island is a magical place, only a 30-minute ferry ride from Auckland, populated with just fewer than 8,000 permanent residents, and the home to more than 30 vineyards – Truly Wine Island!
Our ceremony took place on a cellar roof lawn at The Mudbrick Winery. The Mudbrick Winery is one of those places you read about but never seem to actually visit in real life (think Wizard of Oz!). The Mudbrick has it’s own heartbeat – and has the most warm and lovely fell surrounding it when you visit. The Mudbrick overlooks the Hauraki Gulf and Rangitoto (an active volcano), along with the Auckland city skyline in the distance.
- The ceremony at Mudbrick Winery
- The Ceremony
- A little girl tosses rose petals and their rings.
- A witness signs the marriage license while Anna and James look on
The Mudbrick Restaurant and main dining room, where we hosted our reception, has a wonderful ambiance, and has been described as “one of the most romantic places on earth”. The main dining room offers the most spectacular sea views throughout the wedding dinner overlooks Waiheke’s rolling vineyards and Auckland’s Hauraki Gulf. The restaurant has French doors that completely peel back and a roof that opens to the stars. We added only candlelight, white lilies, and white covered chairs to compliment the natural traditional beauty of the Mudbrick venue.
At the reception and dinner, we wanted to showcase the very best NZ and Waiheke Island ingredients and highlight produce from the winery’s vegetable garden. We served the Mudbrick’s own award winning Rose, Chardonnay and Syrah, as well as a special wine from Anna’s family vineyard in honor of Anna’s late brother Kiet who had planted the grapes as a boy.
- The wedding cake
- Details from the reception
Anna’s aesthetic has always been “fresh, clean, and green” so there was no need to fight with the spectacular scenery offered by Waiheke. Anna’s chose colors consistent with the very 60’s combination of Kelly green and bright white to compliment the special glacial turquoise NZ oceans of the Hauraki Gulf.
- Yummy food!
- Dancing the night away!
- Anna and James the day after the wedding walking in the hills
Anna on their photographer Lauri Levenfeld of Zoom Photography – “As well as being one of our closest friends, Lauri is a fantastic photographer of people and human emotion. Her natural eye for capturing the most important moments in peoples’ lives is remarkable.”
Anna recently opened Marlowe, a restaurant in the stylish San Francisco Soma neighborhood were they also live. After working in venture capital, James went on to work at a Moka5, a technology company in Menlo Park as a VP.
Congratulations Anna and James! Thank you for sharing your story with us!
