Christchurch Marquee Wedding at Tai Tapu Hotel - Mel and Murray
Rich tones, incredible food, and a wedding that felt completely theirs
Mel and Murray’s wedding at Tai Tapu Hotel was one of those days where everything just made sense.
The colours. The venue. The food. The guest flow. The helicopter moment, obviously. Casual behaviour.
It was rich, sophisticated, relaxed and deeply personal, which is exactly the kind of wedding we love working on. Not overly fussy. Not trying to be something it isn’t. Just a really beautiful celebration built around the couple, their people, and the kind of day they actually wanted to have.
And while the end result looked effortless, let’s be very clear, this kind of beauty does not happen by accident.
There is a lot that goes into creating a wedding that feels calm, cohesive and easy on the day. Physically, mentally, logistically and creatively, there are a lot of moving parts. We’ve been doing this for well over 15 years now, and it still takes a full team, a lot of planning, and a very committed relationship with coffee.
Worth it though? Absolutely.
The brief
Mel and Murray wanted a wedding that felt like them.
They wanted to celebrate with their closest friends and family, enjoy incredible food, and have a day that felt intimate and relaxed without losing that elevated, considered feel.
It was never about putting on a big performance. They didn’t want the whole day to feel like it was only about being watched or photographed. They wanted to enjoy it. Properly.
That meant creating a wedding that was guest-forward, easy to move through, and full of thoughtful moments, while still feeling stylish and polished.
Basically, beautiful without being uptight.
The colour palette
The colour palette was easily one of our favourite parts of the whole day.
We worked with rich, sophisticated tones throughout, bringing deep burgundy foliage together with soft peach florals and punchy rust accents. The result was warm, moody, romantic and full of depth.
The florals really did the heavy lifting here.
They brought the whole styling direction together and set the tone for everything else, from the signage to the furniture and décor. We also included dried elements to add texture and stop the overall look from feeling too soft or predictable.
No flat florals here, thank you very much.
Everything had depth, movement and warmth. The kind of floral brief that makes you very happy to be elbow-deep in stems.
The styling
For this wedding, we carried the rich tones through every part of the setup.
The florals, signage, furniture, décor, stationery and lighting all worked together to create one cohesive look. Nothing felt randomly chosen. Nothing felt like it had been added just for the sake of it.
That is always the goal.
Cohesion does not mean everything has to match. It means everything needs to feel like it belongs in the same conversation.
The furniture choices helped ground the spaces and bring warmth to the marquee. The signage picked up the colour story in a way that felt intentional. The florals added the drama, softness and texture. The lighting brought everything together once the day moved into the evening.
It was polished, but still relaxed. Elevated, but not precious. Styled, but not stiff.
Our favourite kind of brief.
The venue
Tai Tapu Hotel was such a strong choice for Mel and Murray’s wedding.
The venue allowed the day to move across different spaces, which made the whole experience feel considered from start to finish.
The ceremony was held in a separate area, giving that part of the day its own moment. After the ceremony, Mel and Murray headed off by helicopter for photography, which is one way to make an exit.
And honestly, we respect it.
Guests then moved through to the marquee for the reception, before heading into the adjacent main event room later in the evening for music and dancing.
From a guest flow and comfort point of view, this worked so well. Each part of the day had its own space and purpose, without guests feeling like they were being shuffled around awkwardly or left wondering what was happening next.
The area itself is enclosed and private from the main hotel and bar, with great facilities and plenty of parking.
Not the sexiest sentence ever written, we know, but these things matter. A beautiful wedding is even better when guests can park easily, find where they need to go, and feel looked after throughout the day.
The food
Food was always going to be a big part of this wedding.
With Murray being the owner-operator of Tai Tapu Hotel, the catering and hospitality experience were naturally top of mind.
This flowed through the whole day. The wedding felt generous and guest-focused, with an emphasis on good food, comfort, atmosphere and ease.
It was not just about how everything looked. It was about how the day felt for the people there.
And that is where the best weddings land.
The ones where guests feel relaxed, well fed, comfortable and part of something really special. The ones where the couple can actually enjoy the day instead of worrying about whether everything is running properly in the background.
That was Mel and Murray’s day.
What we looked after
For Mel and Murray’s wedding, The Little Hire Company looked after the florals, styling, furniture, décor, stationery and lighting.
Having those elements under one roof made such a difference to the final result. The colour palette stayed consistent, the styling felt cohesive, and the creative direction carried through every detail.
No mixed messages. No disjointed styling. No five different suppliers interpreting the same brief in five different ways.
Just one clear vision, thoughtfully brought to life.
Kind Words
“We used Fallon and her amazing team last November for our wedding at The Tai Tapu Hotel. My first meeting with her was so easy and exciting. I told her what we liked and said you create the rest as we trust you. She absolutely brought our dream wedding to reality for us. We were so blown away by how detailed everything was. Using Fallon was like having our own personal wedding planner, we felt like we didn't have to do anything. Definitely what you want as weddings can be stressful. We can't recommend them enough. THANK YOU team for all you did! You are truly the BEST in the business“
- Mel and Murray
Vendors
Florals: The Little Hire Company
Styling, Furniture, Décor, Stationery and Lighting: The Little Hire Company
Venue and Catering: Tai Tapu Hotel
Photographer: Sophie Isabella
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