hey friends!
We’re Lauren & Claudia, sisters from Aotearoa New Zealand joining forces to share our unique intersection of expertise in sustainability, events, fine art & photography. This naturally came to life as Union, our collaborative approach to curating, facilitating & photographing adventurous unions and tiny weddings in our extraordinary corner of the world.
We grew up together in the Waitākere Ranges, at the almost-opposite end of the country to where we currently reside in Tāhuna Queenstown. It was a childhood of trees, beaches, and bare feet, and our love of nature no doubt has a lot to do with these rainforest beginnings. Travel, itchy feet and a growing sense that we wanted something different spurred us into looking for new kinds of adventure further afield – how lucky are we that our answer was the same?!
southern migration
The calm and clarity that the mountains in Tāhuna exude is palpable – if you’ve been here, you already know. Our ability and motivation to access and enjoy the outdoors has amplified exponentially since living here, and it’s been a joy to discover the diversity of landscapes and adventure potential all on our doorstep. Though our paths wound away, through, and ultimately back toward one another’s, we’ve developed a remarkably similar values system along the way and the persistent pull to be able to express this in our work as well as personal lives was a big incentive for us in creating Union; we don’t think it should be unusual that businesses take responsibility for their inevitable impacts, and take the necessary actions to offset that. Aligning our livelihoods with our values is a true dream, and doing it with each other is *chefs kiss*
Sustainability, adventure, inclusivity & authenticity are enormously important to us, and we hope you can feel them woven through everything we do; combining them with our experience and relationship is, we’ve realised, what makes us a powerhouse. We have the unflappable dynamic that can only come from a lifetime of knowing one another intimately in all seasons (siblings out there, you know). We’re a vendor in the big busy wedding industry whose priorities are getting you and your love outdoors for the best day of your life, leaving a minimal impact on the land and a maximum impact on your hearts (sometimes corny is the only way). An event planning team with the creativity, local knowledge and clockwork organisation to design a rad adventure celebration, as well as actually facilitate it (yes, even - or especially - if it rains). A business that channels creativity into change for good, using love stories to generate financial contributions to environmental and social causes. A couple of Kiwi sisters who love to laugh and be outside, who will almost certainly be shedding tears behind the lenses over your beautiful day, and who can capture stunning snaps along the way – we can’t wait to meet you!
frequently asked questions
frequently asked questions
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There is something magical and uniting about witnessing the majesty of the great outdoors, and doing so side-by-side; the vulnerability it allows when you’re looking forward and experiencing something new, together. Adventure is of course not a requirement for a happy wedding or relationship, but we find it opens people up and engages presence like nothing else, and that’s an ideal baseline for one of the most special days of our life. We also love the slower pace of days like this, and the exhilaration and freedom that comes from marching to the beat of your own drum.
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It mostly depends on your time investment; a 4hr day starts at $6,000, a 6hr day starts at $8,000, and an 8hr day starts at $10,000. For more details see our pricing page.
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Nope! It’s the area we know best given we live here, but we love travelling and camping and hiking and generally merry-making all around the South Island, and are open to adventure weddings in all of these areas. Faves include the Mackenzie District, Fiordland, and Mt Aspiring National Park, but you know what? Listing them out reminds us of all the places we love; if there’s somewhere you’re keen to go, let us know! We’re open to everything.
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Um, this combo is IDEAL. Lush accommodation, indulgent spas, exquisite food, these are all amazing complements to a day of adventure. Tāhuna is known for all of these things and more, and we would love to help you find your perfect combo.
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PLEASE DO! The final gallery we send you is all high resolution imagery, and you will have free personal use rights to display them however you like; we retain rights to the images for our own promotional purposes, but you can print and share to your heart’s content.
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Repeat after us: I 👏 can 👏 wear 👏 whatever 👏 I 👏 want 👏
Truly. Our couples tend to favour outdoor footwear because of the types of places we go, but we cannot over-emphasise how much we love the unconventional whether it’s heels in the outdoors or hiking boots with formalwear or something else uniquely, iconically you. Outfits can and should be WHATEVER you feel comfortable and celebrated in, and we’ll plan accordingly.
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Look, we’ll be honest – this is quite likely. We would encourage you to see this as a sign of what a rad time you’ve been having, and that you’ve been fully immersed in the adventure and fun of the day! We’d also add that this is pretty common outcome even at traditional weddings; wine gets spilled, trains get stepped on, food gets dropped, lawns get muddy. Thankfully, these days launderers can work magic! If this is a big concern for you though, you can flag it with us early and we’ll propose locations accordingly and keep it in mind if weather changes.
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This should be one of the most magical and authentic experiences of your life, and if a helicopter is an imperative part of that for you, then you should do it! Based on our values and working style though, that does mean that we are probably not the most aligned photographers for you. We are generally of the mindset that avoiding helicopters results in a superior experience for multiple reasons: it helps to preserve the beautiful lands we’re exploring; it absolutely pumps you full of endorphins and a sense of achievement; you’re much more likely to have a unique experience, as helicopter elopements tend to favour the same spots; it leaves you with heaps more budget for other fun things, or extending your trip; we could (and probably will) go on. It may help to know that our portfolio only features locations accessed by car & foot, so rest assured epic views do not hinge on helicopter access!
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It is so deeply normal to feel uncomfortable in front of a camera – we feel it too! The thing is, we don’t really want you to pose. We want to capture your joy, connection, love and wonder as they are, in your most relaxed and natural state. We’ve got some tricks to help you forget that we’re there, and we’re also comfortable offering direction if that’s what you’d prefer! We’ll chat about the details as we work together, but please do not fret about this – nothing can stop us taking beautiful photos if you are having a great time, and that’s our top priority.
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Fun times ahead!