Champions’ Alumni Family and Friends Fun Day 2024

We would like to pass on our thanks to the organisers and contributors. We had a magnificent day enjoying the venue and catching up with many families that we went through the champion centre with (class of 2013). We all came home buzzing about what a great time we had. So thank you all very much.

No event is too big or too small for Emma. I have attended beautiful weddings that Emma has had a hand in and been in awe, so when I wanted to host a small 40th/house warming I wondered whether Emma would even be interested. She was and her help and enthusiasm is the only reason it went ahead. Within hours of meeting her she had put me in contact with all of her key event contacts – catering, cakes, drinks, balloons, furniture hire – you name it, she has a contact for it. She also provided a run sheet for the lead up to the party and the night. She is nothing short of amazing and I highly recommend her for any event you have.

Lastly, and most importantly Emma Newman……

I engaged you to help me with a wedding of a turnaround in 7 weeks, and yes you stepped up. Although Paige and Connor only had one stipulation which was they wanted to get married, the MOB needed it to be in a timely elegant fashion, with limited amount of stress on the bride, so she could be left to enjoy the experience. I loved your commitment, communication and being on top of every aspect of the project. I love the way you read the room and ensure that everyone is happy with their roles and have what they need to perform to their best, which is exactly what they did.

I wanted you all to see collectively that as a team and under the helm of a committed wedding planner in Emma Newman, you have produced a wedding that was absolutely flawless, not one issue, no stress, just a Bride and Groom that are now happily married with a wonderful day to remember for the rest of their lives and this is all due to each and every one of you.

From the bottom of our hearts

Thank you for making our children’s day so special.

Kate Carville (MOB)

I truly can’t thank you enough for everything that you did for us! Your dedication, incredible skill and ability to ease our stress during this busy time of our lives was nothing short of miraculous. I truly felt like I had a very dear family member caring for me throughout the process, ensuring that the day ran smoothly and that I had absolutely everything that I required; from checking that we were happy with the details and in the right place at the right time, to placing a napkin on my lap and making sure that that we ate and had a drink. It was even more special to hear from my family that you also cared for them all in this same manner, thank you!!!!

Your bubbly, positive personality brought so much joy to the day and we will be forever grateful for you making such a special occasion so enjoyable and memorable for us all!

I did also want to say thank you for introducing us to such a incredible team of people; I will send them all a message to say thank you directly but I did just want to mention how grateful we are for each and every one of them and how special they made our day for us with their amazing skills, thoughtfulness and support.

Thank you ever so much again and have a wonderful day!

All our love, Clementine & Hadley

From the moment Emma accepted to help us plan our wedding, we were relaxed in knowing the biggest day of our lives was in incredible hands. Emma’s help meant we were able to host it at a property very special to us, which had never hosted a large event before. She assembled what can only be described as an A Team of vendors and took us through each planning step while diplomatically combatting any potential stressful factor.

Emma really listened to what was and wasn’t important to us and used that to help guide our decisions. Whether it was in creating our exceptional menu, incorporating personal touches, choosing a fantastic florist, or balancing our guests having fun with our ‘lower’ alcohol approach, Emma was our guiding force.

On the day, if there was a single issue we didn’t know about it and neither did our guests. Their resounding applause as we thanked Emma in our speech was the perfect evidence of that.

If we were to get married all over again, we would hire Emma in a heartbeat. She’s our fairy godmother of wedding planning!

With love and appreciation,

Amanda and Harith Barakat, and our families.

We engaged Emma Newman Events to plan Forte’s 10 year anniversary. It was important that the evening was special. Emma was excellent in finding the venues and suppliers as she has great knowledgee about local vendors and she followed this up with detailed planning. She took the stress away and created a fun, well planned and executed evening. We would not hesitate to recommend Emma for any corporate event.

On behalf of the CNC board, I want to express my sincere gratitude for the outstanding job you did in organising not just one but two incredibly wonderful events. Your ability to plan, execute and deliver both our official opening evening and the open day was truly commendable.

I was genuinely impressed by your approach, how you seamlessly handled the events on the day and your resilience in managing any stress or unexpected challenges. Your professionalism shone through and made a significant impact on the success of both occasions.

We are truly thankful for your dedication and hard work.

Looking ahead, I am hopeful that we can continue to build and strengthen our relationship. Your expertise and commitment are invaluable to CNC

Anna Galvan
Executive Director

I am absolutely thrilled to write this review for Emma Newman Events! Emma recently managed not one, not two, but three incredible events for us, all on extremely short notice to open the new Canterbury Cancer Centre, and they exceeded our wildest expectations in every way possible.

First and foremost, Emma’s ability to handle three entirely different events with unique themes and audiences was nothing short of astonishing. From a high-end art fundraiser, a formal opening to a community party, each event had its own distinct flavour, and Emma executed them flawlessly..

The level of detail and meticulous planning that went into these events was truly remarkable. Emma left no stone unturned, ensuring that every aspect was thoughtfully considered. From the initial concept and theme development to the logistics, decorations, catering, and entertainment, Emma demonstrated a level of professionalism that left everyone involved in awe. She handled every last-minute change and unexpected challenge with a calm demeanour that put everyone at ease.

Emma, thank you for making the impossible possible and for making our events unforgettable. You are truly a remarkable talent in the world of event planning and we absolutely recommend you.

Janice Porter-Hoare Partner Manager

Thank you so much Emma for helping with our special day. Can highly recommend having Emma as a wedding planner. We had first thought of only having the initial planning package but after meeting with Emma we knew we wanted to have her onboard for everything! She is a foundation of knowledge and wasn’t afraid to say if she thought something wasn’t necessary or should be done differently. The day of and week before the wedding we were relaxed as we knew the planning was all in hand. My Mum said that everyone needs an Emma at their wedding.

All the best  Sarah & Andreas

Following a recommendation from another not for profit organisation we engaged Emma Newman to be our Event Manager for our Education Trust fundraising event. From the first meeting we realised we had the right person for us. Emma was so enthusiastic about our event and kept us positive about sticking to the plan, even following a covid cancelation

Emma looked after our budget, booked the venue, engaged caterers, created an event plan leading up to and including the day and so much more which ensured the event ran like clockwork. We have been so impressed by how things have gone we will look to engage her for our 2024 event.

Andrew Marshall NZIOB CET Trustee

Emma Newman swooped in at the last minute and saved our event.  Despite already having a full plate of projects, she kindly took on the role of event manager for our fundraiser when I couldn’t find anyone else for the job.  I can’t fully express my relief that I could leave the details in her capable hands.  She made all the calls, liaised with all the suppliers, came up with great ideas and solutions, and was a treat to work with.  She was always communicating, always keeping us up to date.  There were zero surprises.  On the night she was a force of nature,shaking every hand, checking every table, and our team was able to chat with guests, relax, and enjoy the show.  I cannot recommend her enough.  Stop what you’re doing and hire her.

Heather Locke, Manager- Fundraising and Communications, Cancer Society Canterbury- West Coast

Emma made our wedding a very special day! She took the stress away from us with expert planning and organising right from the start. Throughout the journey we felt like we had control and was informed of what was going on through regular catchups and phone/emails. Along with planning, Emma recommended some expert contractors and came up with ideas that we wouldn’t have thought of ourselves. She took the initiative and went above and beyond including joining us in our special day for our catholic wedding. We would 100% recommend her for your special day or event.

Emma allowed our day to be about us. Throughout the day everyone and everything was just as and where it was supposed to be. Emma allowed us to be guests at our own seamless wedding.

After (only slightly!) begging Emma to fit us into her busy summer schedule, we were so pleased that she agreed!

Emma kept us on task and was the perfect balance of supporting our ideas whilst sharing her wise practicality, bringing her in-depth experience and knowledge to our wedding.

Emma gave us so much confidence in the day running smoothly, which meant we could enjoy every aspect and soak up all the moments that made our wedding memorable and poignant.

Not only did Emma deal with us superbly, but also our families, suppliers and friends. Emma’s people management skills were unparalleled as she coordinated everyone.

We truly couldn’t imagine a better person to help plan and run our wedding, we are eternally grateful for the lifelong memories Emma was integral in creating. 

Thank you Emma Anna and Bleu

Emma was the best planner we could have hoped for! Not only did she stick with us for nearly 3 years over the pandemic (for an international wedding – coming from the US/Australia), she managed to keep track of all of our vendors and other moving parts like a pro (and with so much patience!). She seems to know everyone on the South Island and recommended the absolute best vendors! Our guests are still raving about the food, and we had many comments that it was the best wedding they had ever attended. We were extremely lucky to find her!

With covid still having an impact, a newborn and living in Australia – we knew we needed some help to plan our perfect day. What we didn’t know is just how amazing Emma would be! We opted for the initial planning advice package which gave us the tools and confidence in the lead up and everything ran so smoothly on the day. It was unforgettable! Thank you so much.

I cannot speak highly enough of this amazing woman. Not only was she professional and so approachable but just such a great person to be around.

Emma was so patient with us as we tried to find a suitable date, which took us a very long time. We then presented her with some challenges – wanting our wedding in Hahei on the Coromandel, and the bride snapping her Achilles tendon three months out from the wedding day. Despite being a planner from the south, Emma rallied around, found and contacted all the local suppliers. Everyone loved her and were amazed by her organised, competent and lovely manner.

Emma promoted an environment where we were able to discuss exactly what we wanted, and she was able to implement that without judgement. With her vast experience, she was able to provide good honest advice when needed and offered suggestions and ideas to help with any problematic areas. She had an answer for every question.

Emma’s communication skills and knowledge are legendary. She made everything so much easier by collaborating with all the suppliers and providing regular updates to my partner and me to ensure we were informed and involved. She effectively planned our entire Coromandel wedding from Christchurch, and that is no easy task….

On our day, Emma made us feel so special and ensured that our wedding ran smoothly. She was very proficient and made sure everything happened on schedule. She was always calm and gracious. All the staff and our friends and family loved her. Emma and Alix were an amazing team, quietly effective, always positive and accessible. When thanked during speeches she got a standing ovation and deserved every second of it.

I highly recommend this incredibly special, talented woman to ensure that your day is everything you have dreamed of, and more.

Our day was enhanced and enriched by Emma’s involvement.

I couldn’t think of a better person to have with you before you walk down that  aisle

Thank you so much Emma- we adore you.

James and Alex xx

Emma is an absolutely incredible event planner. She worked with us to organise our wedding from overseas (we are based in Sydney), during all the uncertainties of covid. Unfortunately we had to postpone, but Emma was fully on top of this and ensured all suppliers were notified and booked in for a future date. Leading up to our wedding, I honestly didn’t feel any stress as I knew any hiccups would be dealt with by Emma. I fully trusted her process and the day was just perfect. All our guests commented on how amazing she is and we agree! I cannot recommend Emma highly enough for any event you are planning, big or small. She has an exceptional work ethic, is always positive, friendly, easy to get along with, and will go the extra mile for you. I will be forever grateful to Emma and her involvement in our wedding, she really is one of a kind and we couldn’t have done it without her!

Laura the Bride

You really know you have a great wedding planner when your guests are raving about her. Emma was all over it in terms of support and help to us planning our daughters wedding. My back up when I forgot to do things in the rush of the last moments getting ready, assisting our guests even to the point of recognising them in the street and helping them with last minute clothing purchases. So loving and friendly and knowing exactly what to do and what is appropriate. No words can tell you the full extent. Her knowledge within the industry is amazing and she really can deliver. She took the stress away and just made it so much dam FUN! We love this lady.

Toni the Mother of the Bride

I had the pleasure of working with Emma to organise Christchurch Netball Centre’s 100^th Centenary celebrations, Emma was innovative, friendly and professional, with excellent contacts and advice, and a joy to work with. Her work ethic and unfailingly positive personality ensured we had a fun and well organised event which was thoroughly enjoyed by all those who attended.

Emma is an incredible person to work with. Our wedding day would not have been such a success if she wasn’t involved from the beginning.  From the outset her communication and expertise were excellent and the advice and assistance she provided was invaluable.  Emma is professional, organised, insightful, tactful (where needed) and incredibly supportive and kind.  Emma helped us manage a postponement of our wedding through covid by dealing with all our suppliers on our behalf and made a stressful moment so much easier.  All of our suppliers found Emma so great to deal with that it made the whole event run perfectly.  Emma was such a big part of our day that I could not imagine trying to get married without her.  We simply cannot express how much gratitude we have for her amazing skills, support and expertise during this process.  We had the most wonderful day because she made it happen.  She is an absolute must have for any successful wedding.

In September we held a major event with some influential guests who were used to attending such events. The positive unsolicited feedback from all who came, was that it was an outstanding success. Emma’s knowledge, organisational skills and efficiency, and assistance in every respect from 9 months prior, to the weeks leading up to, and the night of the event itself, were invaluable. Everything was anticipated and double checked before we even thought of checking! Her follow up from meetings is always prompt, and she seems to action things within hours, (even minutes) of their being decided!

The Trustees were not hassled or worried about details, but felt relaxed knowing Emma had things under control. They could focus on talking to guests, while the event unfolded seamlessly around them. Emma is a delight to work with as she is cheerful, enthusiastic and unfailingly polite, with the rare skill of being able to understand how best to work with her clients, and develop good relationships rapidly.

Celia Barker Chair Person – Champion Foundation Trust

After three postponements due to COVID-19, Emma’s unwavering commitment to help deliver a sensational gala event for Rangi Ruru Girls’ School was just what was needed. Her wisdom and knowledge of the event industry along with her calm and reassuring nature meant that our evening ran without a hitch. The bonus was the abundant energy Emma brought with her, which was positively contagious. Thank you, Emma, for helping us successfully deliver our House Party within such a challenging climate.

Bridget Woodham, Rangi Ruru’s Girls School, Head of Development

We cannot recommend Emma enough!! Emma helped us plan our recent wedding in Wanaka and was amazing throughout the whole process. Emma went above and beyond for us, even when we were forced to delay the event and change a number of details due to Covid. Emma has a great knowledge of local suppliers and venues and was able to point us in the right direction. Emma was amazing on the day, keeping things running smoothly, on time and allowed us to thoroughly enjoy our day. We can’t thank you enough for making our day so amazing!

Our wedding was such a special day. If we could do it all over again, we wouldn’t change a thing. I know this would not have been the case if we didn’t have Em as our planner.  Having changed our plans and deciding to go with an out of town wedding, Em was even more valuable to us. She had fantastic recommendations of vendors we required down south, which made the planning process a lot easier for us. I couldn’t fault a thing. Many of our guests commented on how amazing Emma was and that she just didn’t stop. I couldn’t recommend Em more, she really is special. The fairy godmother you didn’t know you needed!

Emma was absolutely fantastic and the only reason we were able to enjoy the lead up to our big day. Even when she got hit with COVID the week of the wedding nothing slipped through the cracks while keeping us both stress-free. Emma Newman is a one-woman-wedding-planning-army and just an utter delight to talk to and be around.

Emma assisted with the planning of our wedding right from the beginning until the wedding day was complete.

Without her help we honestly do not believe our day would have been as memorable or special.

She always pointed us in the right direction and kept track of everything right down to the minor details.

And her communication with our suppliers took a weight off our shoulders.

But most of all she was an absolute gem on the day before the wedding and the wedding day itself.

We unfortunately ended up having to go with one of our wet weather options for the ceremony.

There didn’t end up being much time to make the changes required but the way that this was all pulled together with Emma’s direction was incredible.

The ceremony didn’t go as originally planned but Emma 100% pulled it off and now we couldn’t imagine the ceremony happening any other way.

Thank you Emma for bringing a huge amount of joy to our wedding.

Terri and Adam

SCAPE Art’s Avant-Garde Summer Gala on Friday 11 February 2021 at Eliza’s Manor in Christchurch was seamlessly managed by Emma Newman Events.

With a bespoke four-course dinner curated by the chefs at Eliza’s Manor in collaboration with our SCAPE artists, guests tastebuds were tingling. Especially with Pegasus Bay pouring their best North Canterbury wines to match our meals! Guests arrived in their finest, avant-garde outfit’s ready to enjoy an exclusive 100 person event with outstanding music, exceptional art and fabulous company. Standing proud on Bealey Avenue, Eliza’s Manor was recommended by Emma as a splendid venue with all the charm of yesteryear, this classic 19th Century manor whisked guests away to another world for our evening of art, music and fabulous food.

Thanks to expert management by Emma and the generosity of those attending it allowed us to raise $70, 000 from our Auction! This support enables us to provide our free public art and education programmes to Canterbury’s communities throughout 2022 – and beyond.

Emma superbly managed all aspects of the event – the resounding feedback from our guests were that they had a wonderful time. The photos tell the story of how enjoyable the evening was.

Added complexities of managing an event such as ours (that was postponed two times prior due to COVID-19) meant extra measures were needed to be put in place to celebrate safely. Emma Newman Events have all the knowledge, skills, charm, charisma and experience to run fabulously safe, professional, successful, fun and entertaining events to the highest standards. I would highly recommend and work with them again.”

Deborah McCormick, Executive Director, SCAPE Public Art Trust.

Emma was a pleasure to work with and did a phenomenal job making sure everything ran smoothly. She was a calm and confident at all times — just the person you want on your team to make events successful. We wouldn’t hesitate in recommending her to anyone

We didn’t know the first thing about planning a wedding and it is safe to say that even now after the wedding we still wouldn’t know where to start! That is how good Emma is she manages the entire thing effortlessly.

Having Emma on board meant that every detail was meticulously planned which ensured that we went into our wedding stress free. We got to spend time with each other and our guests on the day whilst Emma kept everyone and everything ticking over. Guests commented that our ‘aunt’ was so efficient and that is a great way to describe the relationship Emma creates with her clients. During such a special time in our lives Emma became part of our family. She took time to understand us as individuals and as a couple and worked with us to bring our dreams to life.

Emma is the fairy godmother everybody needs for their wedding or event; we will be forever grateful for her services and for creating the best day of our lives.

Alice and Patrick xx

Throughout the process of planning our wedding, Emma came to be part of the family. Her warmth, positivity and incredible efficiency made everything feel effortless. Nothing is a problem for Emma and she really takes time to understand your ideas, dreams and vision. Her attention to detail is phenomenal and we could rest easy knowing that she had absolutely everything covered. She is far more than a ‘wedding planner’…she is a wedding angel! Because of Emma, we could relax and soak up every moment of our day which is something that all couples should be able to do. We are so grateful for Emma and all she has done for us. We honestly could not have done it without her!

Miranda and Elliot

Two of our children have been married in our garden in the past three years. People tell us that must have been stressful and a lot of work, but we tell them that it wasn’t – because we had Emma.

Emma is an organisational guru who has a unique ability to read people and deliver what they want and more. Efficient, positive and friendly, she is a great communicator who keeps the whole team ticking along and defuses any glitches before they arise.

She effortlessly manages the mountain of minutiae involved with these events, and even on the day was a life-saver – rounding up aunts for photos, placating tired toddlers, delivering sandwiches to helpers and a million other things. While we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves!

Sue Allison

Mother of Bride and of a Groom 2019 and 2021

Thank you so much Emma for helping us make our Golden Wedding Anniversary celebration so special.

It was wonderful to have you come in and take all the worry of organising our special day in such a way that it made the whole day completely stress free.

You were so bubbly and enthusiastic making all the arrangements and ensuring everything flowed perfectly on the night.

Thank you so much.

You made our 50^th Anniversary a day we will never forget.

Pam & David

Wow! We couldn’t have gotten married without you! You are the most incredible woman. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for all of your work to pull off the best day of our lives. You have a truly amazing skill and business, which blew us both away. We are so happy to have chosen to work with you. We will miss our chats now that the planning is all over.

Keep creating magic and thank you for making our wedding so special.

We’d like to acknowledge how grateful we are for having Emma Neman as our expert wedding co-ordinator . As stated in the Grooms Wedding Day speech ….

“ Our Dear wedding planner Emma Newman, you’ve been incredible Emma, you’ve seamlessly stitched this event together with Ease. I complained a lot about the extensive emails from you ( 400 or so in the last year and another couple of hundred txts on top of that ) anyway , it’s all been worth it and Brooke and I are very grateful for all your hard work “

Your extensive knowledge and large portfolio of contacts in the industry were so useful and an incredible resource

Thank you so much again,

Brooke & Ben

Our centenary celebrations were such a success thanks to the hard work of Emma. There was not a detail that wasn’t thought of and it was the most seamless event which took into account so many factors. We wouldn’t plan an event with out the input of Emma and know that everything will be taken care of, taking the stress out of the planning.

We love Emma and look forward to the next big event!

Em was amazing from our very first meeting with her. She is organised, decisive and professional. She gave us the right amount of advice all the way along without being overbearing. We really couldn’t have got married without her help! She was a godsend!

Hi Em
Just wanted to say thank you sooooo much for all your organisation and work you did to make their day the best ever.  I was nervous when Shelley decided to have her wedding down south but you were amazing.  We all had the best day possible.    Hope you enjoyed your champagne.  Will highly recommend you.  Thanks so much again.

Loved your work
Love from
Sue (Mother of the Bride)

We couldn’t speak more highly of Emma, after an unfortunate family illness we had to bring our Wedding forward 10 months, allowing us only 8 weeks to plan. Within hours Emma had been on the phone to all our key vendors, pulling strings and asking for favours to get our big day off the ground.

Emma took control at a time that we needed someone too, allowing our family a chance to have one more special day together, with the confidence and reassurance that everything was under control.

Emma, a huge thank you from us and our families for all the work you did to pull this together. You went above and beyond, and we will be forever grateful.

Rebecca and William

Asking Emma to plan our wedding was the best decision I made! She handled absolutely everything and had fantastic recommendations for suppliers, caterers etc. Everything we needed was sourced promptly and contact was amazing, with updates coming often.
We were the first of our friends to have a wedding planner and I think we have now set a trend as Emma made the entire process easy.
On the big day I was able to relax and enjoy it as I knew everything was handled. I highly recommend having Emma plan any events because they’re guaranteed to be amazing!

EMMA NEWMAN is a true wedding superstar! After working in the wedding industry myself for years when it came to planning my own wedding I knew exactly who I needed and trusted to help me have the relaxed and calm day I dreamed off.

Emma is professional, organised and the perfect calm presence any bride needs on their big day. Emma has everything under control, no detail is over looked. She is amazing with making sure vendors are looked after, helping with any last minute jobs and ensuring guests have the best experience possible.

We cannot thank Emma enough for being apart of our special day. She is incredible and I could not speak more highly of her. She has the best advice when planning based on years of experience and makes the whole experience a dream. With Emma on board there’s not a single thing to be worried about as you know she’s got everything covered.

Thank you Emma you are a legend

Sophie and Simon

Emma Newman made our wedding day! The day we first met her we knew that we had to have her on board. As we had most of the big things sorted, the things that weren’t falling into place came together with Emma part of the team. The way it was run and timing she was all over it, with timetables, spreadsheets you knew Emma had it sorted. Everything went off without a hitch. From the moment Emma arrived to the moment she left, she made everything smooth, relaxed and so enjoyable. Anyone that needs a reliable, fun, ‘goes over everything with a fine tooth comb’ wedding planner get in touch with Emma Newman you will be so happy you did.

Thank you Katey and Rob

Dear Emma

We can’t thank you enough, having you made it seriously so much easier for me!! You are always so positive and full of solutions!!

Sam

Dear Emma

Thank you so much for all you did to make our day the best day of our lives. Truly, we wouldn’t change a thing. You were an absolute rockstar all day, helping everything run so smoothly. You came to us with solutions whenever there was a problem, which made us feel like you had everything under control, which you did. Our families loved you, our bridal party loved you, but most importantly, we loved you! Thank you!

And then some more lovely words later on…

Our wedding day was perfect, we wouldn’t have changed a thing. And this was not just because of the weather, the guests or the fact that we couldn’t wait to get married, it was in huge part because of our wonderful wedding suppliers and partners. But most importantly, the day was a dream because of our wedding planner, Emma. I knew from the first meeting, we had picked the right person to help us manage the day and she did just that so beautifully. From pre, to day of and days after, Emma was there to ensure my husband and I, our families and friends had the best time in Queenstown. Thank you Emma, from the bottom of our hearts, for helping to make our wedding day the best day of our lives.”

We used Emma to plan our 40 person wedding at Rippon Hall in Wanaka. We live in Australia and Hong Kong, so we needed someone who could work and communicate effectively from afar. Emma did not disappoint. She delivered exactly what we wanted – a wedding that was beautiful and elegant with top-quality food and decor, but fun and low-key at the same time. She took the stress out of finding and following up with vendors, and actually made the planning process fun. At the wedding itself she was there from start to finish, personally ensuring that everything went smoothly. She was highly responsive, honest and transparent throughout the process, providing valuable input without imposing her own “agenda”. She offers a bespoke service that met our needs perfectly. I cannot recommend Emma highly enough!

We had an initial consultation with Emma to guide us while planning our wedding from overseas. She helped our decision making process immensely by providing advice and context that we wouldn’t have had otherwise. Her years of experience, professionalism and extensive contacts are invaluable. And she’s lovely to boot!

Annabel and Rasmus

“We couldn’t have done it without her! You don’t realise how much there is to do or the amount of pressure that comes on in the closing days. I did consider planning it myself but I’m so happy I didn’t. Emma gave us the ability to spend our time with friends and family in the days surrounding the wedding. It was a relief knowing that everything is under control and we could just enjoy the day. She has a calming smile that tells you to just enjoy yourself.”

Hi Em,

We’ve thoroughly enjoyed planning our special day with you and were very happy with how it all turned out. All our guests commented on how smoothly the day seemed to go and how well thought out it was. So a big huge thanks again for all your work.

Emma and Colin

Dear Emma

We just left Hapuku and are on the way to the seal colony. Looking at the weather today we are so blessed with the last 2 days! On TOP of that we had a Super Star team that made our day so magical.
We didn’t get a chance to say proper goodbyes to you this morning, but Emma thank you so much for everything and for the phenomenal coordination for everything.
Tong and I and all our guests had the absolute best time – and we can’t wait to see the photos and videos!
Thank you for everything Emma you’re our star!

Sharon and Tong

Emma

I can’t find the words to express my appreciation and awe of your fabulousness!

Thank you on behalf of Pathway for all the extra miles that you went and thank you personally for being a support to me.

Couldn’t love your work any more if I tried!

Kirsten Billcliff, Pathway

I engaged Emma Newman Events to coordinate elements of the University of Canterbury AUC2019 conference, which attracted 80 delegates, 60 of which came from around the world.  I needed someone with cool ideas and superb planning to organise an excursion day to treat the delegates to a New Zealand experience, and an evening celebration dinner the following day.  I wanted to showcase what Canterbury had to offer and I needed it to be well run and enjoyable.  Having Emma on board meant I could concentrate on planning the actual conference papers, symposiums and lectures, but I didn’t need a full conference company either and Emma provided a number of options, which was great.

Emma kept me up to date with the arrangements and was great with details and keeping track of everything (including the budget).  On the day, she was superb at people movements and smiling and chatting to people as well. Prof. Karen Fleming remarked “Emma is amazing, so friendly!”.  Her ideas were spot on—the excursion entailed truffle hunting and a winery lunch, which was a massive success, and the dinner was stunning.  I received lovely comments from many of the delegates and we have set the bar very high for the next conference somewhere else.  Prof. Borries Demeler, who is organising the next meeting in Canada, quipped “We will have to hire her for our event in 2021!”.

Emma was great, she kept to budget, and to have a right-hand person to help you enjoy your event knowing someone is there in the background sorting everything was so valuable!

Ngā mihi nui, Renwick Dobson

Dearest Folder away of chairs, pourer of pre-wedding champagne and dinner wine, organiser of P\photos (and smiles), herder of Bridesmaids, runsheet writer of time, asker of important questions and patient replier to the unimportant, locator of loo lights, stress saver, warm welcomer.

Thank you for being the glue that held Pippa and Nick’s day together.

Thank you for your energy and enthusiasm and thank you for all those things that we don’t even know that you did.

With love Neil, Kate and the Smiths.

Our over-the-top wedding expectations would never have been met had it not been for Emma Newman, Wedding Planner extraordinaire. She is the perfect combination of BFF, Fairy Godmother, and conductor. Thanks to her amazing organisation in the lead up, and execution on the day, our wedding was totally stress free. We were able to enjoy the event and interact with our guests – our number one requirement – knowing that she was directing traffic in the background.

During the planning phase all decisions were actioned with the speed of light. No request was too big or too small. We were kept up-to-date on key items, and kept out of the operational conversations in the background (of which there were many).  She was there with a gentle but firm nudge when it was needed it, and she was incredibly understanding when we got wedding fatigue and needed her encouraging words. With her vast experience comes lots of ideas and suggestions, of which added much value.

On the big day Emma was on the ground directing family members for photos, fixing ties, coordinating suppliers, showing guests to their seats, making sure everything was running to plan, etc, etc, etc. “Who was that woman….”, a question we were asked by many who saw Emma in action and were suitably impressed. The icing on the (wedding) cake is that she has amazing energy and is so much fun!!

Emma is extraordinary and we wholeheartedly recommend her. But be warned, it’s a sad day when the wedding is over and you don’t have an excuse to talk to her every day…..

Thank you Emma, we love you xxx

Emma Newman from EN Weddings planned our wedding in February. The day was amazing, largely thanks to Emma’s thorough and very hard work in the months leading up to the event, and on the day itself. Emma told us early on that if our guests were well fed and watered, not too hot or cold and well entertained, they’d leave happy and only talking about how beautiful the bride looked, and her efforts in no small part contributed to that exact result. Emma’s easy-going personality, positive attitude, ability, supplier network, contacts and knowledge of all matters and people wedding-related made the planning for our wedding almost effortless for my wife and I, and If we were ever asked to recommend a wedding planner, we’d wholeheartedly put Emma forward.

Kind regards Gareth Holley

Em,

Where do I start?

Thank you SO much for supporting us through the most amazing experience of both our lives and helping us create our dream wedding surrounded by friends and family.

We have had the most amazing, smooth run up to our special day and we can’t thank you enough for all that you have done.

Everyone is in awe of what you do and how you made our day so seamless and wonderful!

Your amazing and I can’t wait to share photos with you!

Thank you from the bottom of our hearts,

Taylor & Mitch xxxx

Hello Emma

For our wedding Nick and I decided to have a marquee at Nick’s parents place and on an empty section next door. There was a lot to organise and manage. We had had Emma recommended to us and we booked her as our wedding planner. We were pleased we did!

She was available for meetings and helped keep us on track during the lead up and then she and her husband Alix were available in the final days and on the day. He was very calm and superb with our guests and basically got things done. We are so grateful for the Newman’s help and would recommend them to anyone!

From the very first email to running our wedding day Emma has been an absolute pleasure to work with. She takes about 30 seconds to reply to any text or email which is unheard of. She has great knowledge and relationships with many suppliers in Christchurch and the South Island, so you know you are in good hands.

Life is about making memories and as the Mother of the Bride I was really wanting my daughter Sophie’s wedding to create happy ones for everyone involved, including myself. Since the wedding I have been overwhelmed by the amount of positive feedback I have had and I know this is the result of my having involved Emma and Hayley in the planning and the day. I am in Christchurch, Sophie and Peter are in Melbourne and the wedding was in Wanaka so there was a lot of long distance coordination required and a lot of potential for error. By involving Emma and Hayley from the start I had support nearby. A lot can be done remotely but sometimes a face to face meeting is preferable and very reassuring. A wedding is a big event and if you haven’t organised one before you definitely lack the specific skills and experience it needs to make it a success without creating a lot of stress for yourself and the possibility of not quite getting across everything that needs to be arranged.

Emma and Hayley have separate businesses and their own skill sets but they combined very well to ensure a seamless operation which covered every aspect of the wedding. They quickly tuned into what Sophie and I wanted to achieve and were able to save us a lot of cost, time and stress by coming up with solutions we liked first off. They also saved us cost, time and stress by communicating with the suppliers and double checking everything. They certainly didn’t have a checklist of things that they would do and went over and above any job description to respond to anything that came up and deal with it in a pleasant and efficient manner which sometimes included their physical labour! They were extremely good at communicating with us promptly and kept us in the loop at all times.

Over the wedding period we didn’t have to worry about any practical details and were totally free to enjoy our family and friends and instead of rushing backwards and forwards to the venue to set up and then clean up the seating and decorations. Any big event will have its glitches but Emma and Hayley were there to anticipate and correct for these or to sort things out as they happened. The venue decoration was amazing and far beyond anything I could have achieved alone and the whole day far exceeded our expectations and really did create those wonderful memories I was hoping for.

Jenny – The Mother of the Bride

Emma helped us with the initial stages of planning our Yorkshire wedding. We were quite nervous about planning it from so far away but Emma was fantastic. She listened to what we wanted to know/find out from her and highlighted so many practical important details that we would have never thought of! Would highly recommend her services; it was so valuable to have her input and experience in the early stages of planning, and I’m sure our fantastic wedding wouldn’t have run so smoothly without her initial help.

Dearest Emma,

We had a very short turn around from engagement to a large at home wedding, it didn’t rattle her at all!

Dear Emma

Wow – where do we begin to say a huge thank you for everything you did to plan and run our wedding day – it was fabulous and we had a blast and words cannot even begin to express our gratitude for what you did to for us. You are AMAZING

Love Jason and Jo xxx

Dear Emma

We wanted to thank you again for everything you did to make our wedding such an amazing day. Everything went perfectly and we are so appreciative of everything you did behind the scenes. All our friends and family were blown away and it will truly be a day to never forget! We hope you are getting some well deserved rest now that wedding season is winding down.

With lots of love Sabine and Edward

Dear Em

How fortunate were we to have you there throughout this process, helping us over the hurdles and getting us to the finish line. The day, the venue, the styling the food, the service, and the music, was just as I had envisaged and as Sabine and Edward had hoped for. The atmosphere of the entire wedding was all we had all hoped for. As you say, to see so many of all ages and all nationalities still on the dance floor dancing around Edward and Sabine at the end of the night was pretty special. To bring together a collection of people from Edward and Sabine’s life. Throw them into a tipi on a hillside and hope it all worked out was always going to have an interesting vibe, but I think what I enjoyed the most was the positive energy that the evening had and a real sense of joy and happiness. The whole evening ran like clockwork and to be only 5 minutes out at the end was extraordinary.

Em your energy over the last few days was second to none. Several guests with their various health and age issues all felt very included, considered and cared for, thanks to you. You were always consultative and kept me appraised of any issues or potential issues. I received so many lovely comments about you and thank you for your attention to our guests. I hope you have a chance to relax and gather some more of that extraordinary energy for the next occasion and the next fortunate people to engage you.

Em, I’ve loved working with you and look forward to another occasion when I can do so again.

Best wishes,
Julia (Mother of the Groom)

What a cracker of a wedding that was Emma.

Thanks so much for making that a completely stress-free event for Libby and I. Knowing you had things covered means we could enjoy it as much as everyone else. I have not stopped hearing from every guest what an amazing time they had and I think its got to do a lot with you and all the service providers we had. So cheers again.

Thank you Clive and Libby.

Dearest Emma This little card cannot possibly contain enough words to completely express our appreciation for you. We are still in awe when we look back on all that you did for Ryan and I before, during and after our special day. You created the perfect Wedding Day for us in Wanaka and we will remember this day forever. Your planning, preparation and attention to detail was amazing. You really are an absolute expert at what you do Emma and we feel so honoured to have worked with you.

Thank you Alix too for your help on our wedding day also. We hope that you enjoy this wine together, you both certainly deserve it!

So much love

Ryan and Julianne.

Planning a destination wedding is almost impossible without having someone actually there on the ground, and for us Emma Newman was integral to the success of the day. She coordinated everything and took all the pressure and stress off us and our families. The food and wine pairing at the reception were outstanding and Brent from Gantleys did a sensational job. What was really amazing for us however, was the cake. I think it must be everyones favourite wedding cake and we still talk about Clare at Cakes of Wanaka today. We honeymooned around NZ after our wedding and had a slice every day. Incredible!

As published on line in Together Journal 

If you are reading this and are looking for a wedding planner, look no further! Emma is simply the best!

We live in the UK and took 18 months to plan our wedding in Queenstown. We looked at lots of wedding planners in the South Island, but from the moment we spoke to Emma, it was obvious she was the one for us. Planning a wedding overseas is hard work but everything with Emma was so easy. Emma was with us every step of the way: through initial bookings, grand plans and changing venues, to finding amazing suppliers, great providers and keeping us on track with payments to match our budget.

Emma was everything we wanted and needed in a wedding planner. She has a breadth of knowledge of excellent venues and suppliers across the south island. We had a fantastic photographer, beautiful flowers, delicious cake and an awesome band. The venue was perfect for us.

In the days before the wedding Emma was there for us and rolled with the punches when last minute changes were needed. She set the venue up and was on hand throughout the day to make sure everything ran smoothly. It was all so well planned it went without a hitch. We suspect she even arranged for the perfect weather on the day! All our guests commented on how efficient, professional she was, and above all, so warm and welcoming.

We can’t recommend Emma highly enough and we owe her a huge THANK YOU for helping us have our dream wedding.

Wendy & Vanessa x

Thank you to Emma for teaming up her connections to organise an unforgettable and stunning wedding for us that was absolutely far beyond our expectation. Being a wedding planner is not just about getting a venue booked and guests fed as there are other tiny things that do make huge difference in this special occasion. Emma has got what it takes to come up with lots of new ideas and foreseeing problems from all angles. Her expertise and experience have been very useful throughout the whole event. A big Like for you!

Emma was a Godsend for my wedding. Six months counting down to the day, we were going through an emotional time having recently lost my Dad. Planning for the most important day of my life was hard enough without the family challenges we were now facing. Emma took it all in her stride with humility and tact, using her polished skill set: Managing all the planning, contact with suppliers, facilitating all admin booking tasks, maintaining our cashflow ensuring we got the very best within our budget requirements.

On the day Emma was the ultimate wedding planner of the silver screen, going over and above with a tight timeframe to collect the groomsman’s forgotten shoes which were left behind in Christchurch when we were already at our destination Hanmer Springs! It was such an overwhelming relief to know I could trust Emma to follow through! The day was perfect and guests commented on Emma’s efficiency and how smooth it ran and how relaxing and enjoyable the event was – many thanks to Emma Newman Weddings, she was a magician and made the entire process seamless and a joy.

Based on my experience I would tell any bride a Planner is essential and not hesitate to recommend Emma’s professional service to remove all stresses associated with wedding planning.

Thank you for gift of your wonderful service Em” – Holley

Our amazing day was exactly that it was amazing and this was all because of you. It was so perfect we would not change a single thing without you this could not of happened. You made our day run smoothly and not once did we feel any stress.

You were amazing the day was amazing everything was AMAZING!!

Thank you to you and everyone that was a part of our wedding . Without you all, the day wouldn’t of been so perfect and we now have such an amazing thing to remember. Every one of our friends have said they had the most amazing day as well

Love always Mr & Mrs Sheehan !

Emma not only made our wedding day perfect, she made it possible! Trying to organise a wedding from the other side of the world could have been an impossibly hard task but Em was so amazing at co-ordinating every last detail. She was such a pleasure to deal with, supportive, fun and hard working! 

She made what could have been a stressful time so enjoyable for us. We can’t recommend her highly enough!

Thanks for everything Emma

xxx

Dear Emma

Once again a heartfelt thank you for the beautiful wedding that you arranged for us! Besides perfect organisation, all of the coordination and you being our witness and doing the reading during the ceremony, we are grateful to you for making us feel at home in New Zealand and as if we were surrounded by our families! We hope to you soon here in Japan!!

Lot os Love Carolin and Joseph

There are no words to describe just how grateful we are, I can tell you right now that it’s not going to fit into a card! You were hands down the best decision we made in this whole of this wedding process, we really did have the best day of our lives and we will treasure it forever. For two people who were very much out of their element you were patient, understanding and clear in your communications. Thank you for the late nights, the never ending emails, the laughter and the memories. From the venue to the band, photographer, florist and everyone involved we were blown away by the cohesion and beauty in every aspect of our day.

Emma is so much more than a wedding planner, she is an angel who goes above and beyond on all occasions. Her knowledge, attention to detail, and dedication are just amazing. She is a rarity and a diligent professional, from the little details to the overall picture she made our day absolutely perfect. People don’t believe us when we said we never felt stress, only joy, but it’s true.

A small THANK YOU for a BIG job.

Much much love Georgie and Niki xxx

Emma helped us plan our wedding at Rippon in Wanaka in April 2017 and our day was perfect. It was just the way we wanted it . 

Emma is amazing, her attention to detail is outstanding.

She is a great organiser and replies very promptly.

She is super efficient, very easy to get on with, gets things done, and fits into any situation. 

Everyone that was involved with our wedding commented on how lovely Emma was.

I couldn’t recommend Emma high enough as a Wedding Planner. She goes the extra mile to make your day so special.

Thanks so much Emma you have become a friend to us. 

Justin , Nikki and our wee Skye xxx 

We can’t thank Emma enough for all the work and effort she put into making our wedding day so special! Such a seamless day with so much happiness and fun.  

In the lead up to our wedding we were so busy moving towns and working in the family business that we had very little time to plan a wedding. We could not have done it without Emma – so much behind the scenes work that we didn’t even know was going on and all taken care of by Emma.

Having a wedding at my parents house, we knew we needed some help and mum and dad didn’t have to worry about a thing (apart from the garden). Having Emma a part of our wedding made it stress free and a fun time.

Would never have a wedding without Emma involved!!

Thank you so much Emma, you truly are a star

Xx

Emma,  This is a time when thank you seems insufficient.

But thank you.

Thank you for helping us navigate the terrifying world of planning a wedding. Your smiling face on the end of FaceTime was always a delight!

You were patient and encouraging, always striving to help us to fulfil the vision we had for our wedding (even when some of our ideas were ridiculous!).

Your calm and reassuring presence on the day and in the days leading up to the wedding meant it was stress free for us and our families. Thanks to you (and Alix [what a man!]) we could really relax and just enjoy our time together in the lead up to the big day.

We honestly could not have imagined a more perfect day and it was thanks to you that it was possible!

Thanks again Emma

xxx

Dearest Emma

We love what you do! You’re very good at it.

Thank you so much for all your tireless work leading up to our wedding and during. So much fun! We loved working with you. The wedding was amazing, one we will cherish forever. What a Fantastic party!

Em you were a huge part of our lives in 2016, you’re relaxed, caring, professional and talented. We won’t forget you. 

Love Andrew, Lizzie, Ziggy and Willa. xxx

From the moment we had our first session with Emma, we knew our wedding was going to be an awesome event.

Emma had been referred to us by the property managers of the location we were staying at in Scrubby Bay NZ and we couldn’t have been happier with the outcome.

What was immediately obvious to us was Emma’s genuine passion and care for making our day the best it possibly could be. Nothing was too much trouble, no request too crazy, and over the months during the pre-planning, we developed a very special relationship with Emma (one we hope to continue).  Skype sessions and communications were fun, frequent and easy, with Emma checking and double-checking as standard practise.  Emma took all of the stress and worry away to ensure we could enjoy our day as much as possible.

Emma was also instrumental in pulling together the larger components of our day (given we live in Australia). These included fantastic recommendations for a Wedding Celebrant, the Florist and our Cake Artist – the 3 key ingredients to an amazing event – all of whom we would also highly recommend, and who proved a lasting testament to Emma’s capabilities and experience as a Wedding Planner.

On the day itself, Emma ensured everything ran like clockwork and that a glass of bubbly was never too far away.  The table setting and decoration that occurred whilst our photos were being done was just breathtaking and I do honestly believe that without Emma’s help and professional approach we wouldn’t have experienced such a magical occasion to the level she was able to create for us.

We would highly recommend Emma’s services to anyone thinking about using a wedding planner, and would go so far as to say ‘stop thinking about it and call her now’.

Emma states on her website

‘I understand the importance of sharing the love between two people with family and friends. I have an eye for detail, excellent organisational skills, and a passion for weddings and hosting a great day.

This is why I love being a wedding planner.’

We would absolutely agree with this statement as Emma  totally delivered on that promise!

Thank you again Emma. We couldn’t have done it without you!

Dear Em

Thank you for everything you did to make our special day the amazing day that it was. We could not have had the day that we did without your guidance, professionalism and amazing ability to organise and maintain calm.

Your relationship with suppliers and our venue made for a seamless event and allowed us to enjoy every minute of our day. The respect you demonstrated towards our families and friends was simply amazing and we can’t thank you enough for how hard you worked to ensure everyone was accommodated for.

We wish you all the best for the future and would not hesitate to recommend you to anyone looking for a wedding planner. We already miss working with you! All the best, Miles and Michelle

Hi Em!!!

Thank you so so much for everything you have done to make the wedding so wonderful for us, we literally had the time of our lives and loved working with you! You are an amazing wedding planner, you kept us calm and brought fun to each step!!  Literally cannot thank you enough!!! Thank you thank you thank you! 

Lots of love 

Alice and Nasi xxx

We absolutely loved working with Hayley for the styling of our wedding, she has such a great ability to turn thoughts and ideas into a reality. We were so lucky to have the combination of Hayley and our wedding planner Emma Newman, as they work so well together and were able to transform our ideas into something more than we could have ever imagined. When we first decided to have the wedding we were a little bit worried about planning it from the UK and arriving into Christchurch the week before, however Hayley and Em’s communication and organisation couldn’t have been better and we felt so relieved to be in such capable hands with literally nothing to worry about! Thank you both so much for the most amazing and beautiful day xxx

Hey Emma,

Our day wouldn’t have been the same without you, you were amazing!!

Love Mel and Brad xo

Um, so what just happened???? The most amazing wedding that’s what!!!!!!

Love Rachel Callander (Photographer)

Dearest Emma

Just a little note to say how much we appreciated your help organising our wedding. Nothing was a problem and you really did create our perfect day. It was lovely to have your warmth and energy. We miss you!! We hope you and Alix (My husband who worked on this wedding too) can have a lovely evening out together on us.

Thanks again Pip and Jake xxx

Dear Emma and Alix

I know you are a champion emailer but I do want to put pen to paper to thank you for the wonderful job you did planning Pip and Jake’s wedding. Thanks to the efficiency of you and your FAB team – Hayley Josie, other Emma and all and the generosity of Pip and jake I was able to enjoy the role as “Mother of the Bride” to the hilt with NO stress. I hope when your children marry one day that you have a panner as lovely as you.

Warm wishes Susan and Cyril (The Bride’s parents)

Emma,

I just wanted to send a personal thank you and acknowledgement for your  role in making Jake and Pips wedding a very special day. I find its not often that I become involved in a major event that I cannot reflect back on it and not have a few things that I would change or improve on.  In the case of Jake and Pips wedding I would not change a thing and frankly cannot raise a single item that could be improved upon.

I want to congratulate you and your team for your kindness, thoughtfulness, professionalism, skill and your ability to over deliver on all aspects on the day. I am well aware of what it takes to achieve customer satisfaction and you certainly did this.

I wish you well with your business, I would not hesitate to recommend you to anyone I come across looking to plan their wedding and I would be delighted to provide a reference for you at any time in the future if you required it.

Kind Regards Robin (Father of the Groom)

To Emma

Thank you seems so inadequate but thank you so much for the amazing job you did on Friday.

You had everything running like clockwork and I didn’t have to worry about a thing.

You did a great job and I had a great day so everything worked out as planned. Thank you, thank you, job well done!!

Love Debbie and Andy xxx

Thank you so much Emma! We had such an amazing time! It was everything we hoped for and we couldn’t have asked for better.

xx Abby and Ben

Hi Emma

Congratulations on running such a successful Wedding.  Everything went perfectly – we felt that it was a particularly special day – Christov was brilliant , the music great , speeches we very honest and intimate , the Bride spectacular and no hitches anywhere. 143 people all were very happy.  I would like to go back and play the whole thing again in slow motion as the day went so quickly – and didn’t get a proper chance to appreciate all the finery of the day. So many nice touches.  The Venue was great – Gustavs when the sun came out was really warm and loverly , the food over this period very good. The conversion of the “shopping Mall” into a reception area was completed seamlessly. The desert bar hugely impressive . Terry did a great job with the sound.

Your positive spirit throughout the whole preparation period set a tone which carried through to the day – melted away tension, and held everyone together as a seamless team. A joyful day. We are very appreciative and wouldn’t hesitate to recommend your services.

Thank you John (Bride’s father).

Dear Emma

Thank you so much for the wonderful job you did for us. Everything was fabulous and you were so calming and friendly Abby, Ben and Families xxxx

Dear Emma
Just wanted to write properly and say thank you so much for all your help organising the wedding. We had the absolute best day thanks to your organisational skills and great personality…Thanks again and will look forward to seeing you at another wedding in the future no doubt! (Not mine!)

Lots of love Vic and Oli.

Hi Emma

A special thank you to you for everything that you did for us in the lead up to and day of our wedding.  You really did help us pull together the most special day of our lives.  You remained unfailingly positive, despite a few weather complications and pushed for us to get what we really wanted from our wedding day.

Nothing seemed to be too much trouble at any stage along our wedding journey.  You were always approachable and quick to respond so that we were never left wondering.

It was obvious that you had everything so firmly under control, which meant that both us and our families could relax and enjoy our day.

I would absolutely recommend that people use your services.  It has been a pleasure working with you and we truly appreciate everything you have done for us. Love Mr and Mrs A

Dear Emma

Words cannot express how grateful we are for everything you did for us. It was truly the best day of our lives and we will treasure the memories. Your professionalisim, dedication, humour and kindness created the most prefect day. Thank you.

With love Shalon and Carl

Dear Emma

Thank you for being the best organiser in the world – your efforts are appreciated and will never be forgotten

Lots of Love and Best Wishes

Glenda and Seymore (Parents)

Emma Newman, one word ‘essential’. My mother and I knew from meeting her that she would be the perfect planner for our day. From one meeting we knew she was knowledgeable, experienced, and had great energy and excitement for planning our wedding day. She portrayed an image of success!

Emma remained in control of our wedding at my parent’s home from day one. Her spreadsheets were meticulous with every detail required to ensure our wedding went off without a hitch!

I would absolutely recommend her to anyone planning a wedding.

Dearest Emma

I don’t have the words to thank you! You’re amazing Em, such a beautiful genuine person.

Our day wouldn’t have been the same without you, you made it what it was. You have such a gift Emma, and you went above and beyond with us.

Thank you Love Sam and Brad.

It’s not very often that you come across a business, a service or a person who blows you away in terms of what they can deliver. 

For us, this was exactly the case with Emma Newman, she is phenomenal. 

Living in Brisbane we were really happy in doing the right thing by returning ‘home’ to be married in Akaroa in Banks Peninsula, Canterbury. This is a super special place for us as this is where our family had landed in New Zealand over a hundred years ago. We chose two venues across Pigeon Bay for the ceremony Annandale and then reception The Point. Planning to organise a wedding in a remote part of New Zealand, two locations, one which had never held a wedding ceremony … we needed serious help. 

After some time researching for wedding planners we were fortunate enough to come across Emma Newman. A quick skype call later and we knew we had found the right person to help us put together an amazing day. From the start of our time with Emma to when we said ‘goodbye / see you soon’, Emma was faultless. Her ability to organise, provide advice, keep on top of all the details (and there was a lot) was stunning. 

One tricky area for us was that we didn’t know any suppliers (cake, decorating, beverage, photographer, catering, equipment, audio, celebrant, entertainment … the list goes on) in Christchurch. We soon found out it wasn’t a matter of what Emma knew, but who knew Emma. She was able to provide great options and recommendations for all of our wedding suppliers. Not only did they also faultlessly deliver to a very high standard, they were just wonderful people to work with who really cared about our day which made a big difference. 

Where Emma was incredible was her management of the wedding day itself. Emma had planned and was across everything so well that all was left was for us to spend the time with our family and friends and to celebrate a great wedding. After months of planning one of the comments from the bride Charlie was that it was incredibly refreshing not to have to worry about a thing on the day and just enjoy. No issue was too big or small to attend to, nothing left uncovered. We had our share of ‘oh bugger’ moments on wedding day, we had left some really important items back at the wedding venue. We mentioned it to Emma and faster than Flash Gordon she had driven back to the wedding venue and saved the moment. It’s’ not just about all of the great work that Emma did, but how she went about it, just awesome. 

All in all one of the best feelings we have about our wedding is we wouldn’t have changed a thing. A lot of feedback from the day was that it was the best wedding many had been to. Emma played a huge part in this, we wouldn’t hesitate for a moment to recommend Emma for any planning, support and management of your wedding. Emma, is certainly not just a wedding planner, she is an absolute expert in this area and we’ll be forever thankful for all of her help. 

“Many thanks for arranging a fabulous party for us last night. I know it was really challenging pulling it off in an operable construction site. However you did a fantastic job. The party was a huge success and everyone had a great time.”

Best regards Ant (Ant Leighs)

Emma is a wedding planner extraordinaire; helping to successfully execute a wedding despite all parties being in 3 different time zones (New York, New Zealand, and Singapore) and all correspondences done via email and Skype.

We hired Emma to help coordinate our wedding from start to finish (including the actual day) and were completely blown away by how everything came together. Emma always had everything in control and there was never a time where we needed to worry about anything. She handled the few last minute hiccups like an absolute pro which allowed us to spend time with friends who had travelled halfway around the world to celebrate our special day with us.

We couldn’t ask for a smoother execution of the wedding day itself. Emma did a wonderful job shepherding everyone, including the bride and groom, along to their respective venues and activities. All our guests had an amazing time; some of our friends had their toddlers with them and were impressed with how Emma went out of her way to make sure they were all well looked after.

Long story short – we feel, and all our guests concur, that Emma is the reason our wedding was absolutely unforgettable for all the right reasons.

Two words ‘dream woman’. Not only is Emma a dream to work with but she was instrumental in putting  together the ‘dream team’. Everything we imagined and much more was achieved by a truly dedicated and  passionate bunch of people. Thanks again Emma for keeping things on track, pushing us when we needed to  be pushed and for a magical day that went off without a hitch. Dreams can come true 🙂

We chose Emma as our wedding planner as we had recently moved back to Christchurch and didn’t know where to start with planning a wedding! We were both busy at work and wanted it to be an enjoyable process, rather than taking over all of our spare time. Emma was fantastic to work with. She was able to take our ideas and turn them into a fabulous day. Her advice on styling and suppliers was perfect. Her recommendations and planning led to a seamless day where we could totally relax, enjoy each other and our guests – without having to worry about a thing. Emma is organised, lovely to work with and nothing is a problem. We can’t thank Emma enough and would definitely recommend her to others.

Anna

Wow – where to start? Emma is amazing! From day one enquiring with Emma, knowing absolutely nothing about organising a wedding she made me relax and feel like I was in good hands. Nothing was ever a problem and her bright, bubbly, positive personality was an absolute pleasure to work with. From start to finish Emma took meticulous care of every detail to ensure our vision was brought to life.

Having Emma on the day was one of the best decisions we made when planning our wedding. Emma and her lovely husband Alix being on site, making sure everything was tickety boo and everyone was doing as promised allowed  us and our families to relax and enjoy the day (and what it’s all about).

I honestly thought we wouldn’t need a wedding planner but looking back we actually could not have pulled off such a wonderful occasion to be remembered forever without her. Emma is a godsend when planning a wedding.

Mother of the Groom Robyn

I just wanted to thank you so much for your amazing job at Mark and Anna’s wedding. We both enjoyed the day so much more and just knew it would all go according to plan thanks to you. You worked tirelessly and it paid off and the food, wine and speeches were a tribute to your organisation.  Thank Alix as well and will highly recommend you to any one who is looking for a wedding planner.

Hi Emma,

A big thank you from Summer and I for what you had achieved for us. We both had a wonderful stress free day and an awesome experience. Thank you.  Your team also did a great job, the decorations were fantastic, from Lanterns to flowers. The food was great and the desserts  just divine.

We have only great memories of the whole experience and really appreciated your positive , sparkling and fun approach to the planning of this event.  Please pass on our heart warm application  and thanks to the rest of you team.  Many thanks. Karel and Summer Adriaens.

Emma was absolutely amazing for our wedding!

Even my husband said it was the best money we spent for the wedding!

Thank you Em for making our wedding even more enjoyable and special. The guests are still talking about you! Beautiful person and without a doubt the best wedding planner ever!!

Choosing Emma to plan our wedding was quite simply the single greatest gift we could ever have given ourselves.  So many of our guests commented not only on how amazing the day was, but on how calm and relaxed we were throughout, and the praise for both is owed entirely to Emma.  We had high hopes for how all of our many ideas would translate, but really never imagined that our expectations would be so thoroughly surpassed.

Throughout the planning process, she remained undaunted by any request or hurdle that arose and was always able to provide the ideal solution.  The day itself ran beautifully; with Emma at the helm we were able to just enjoy ourselves, footloose and fancy free.  Each and every vendor she recommended was also an absolute pleasure to work with and similarly went above and beyond to ensure our wedding was a magical occasion.

We will forever be grateful we found Emma and can’t imagine how we would have coped without her.  Not only a brilliantly organised wedding planner, but a skilled diplomat, master of family relations, negotiator, peace-keeper, and most notably of all, a truly lovely person.

Emma took all the stress out of the wedding. She easily gave us options for what we wanted and covered all those aspects that we would never have thought of. It meant instead of trying to find out if we were being charged too much for something we could spend time writing vows and enjoy visiting family.

It made all the difference and was worth every penny!

Julia The Bride’s mother

You rock!!! I don’t think we could have pulled off a more perfect day if it hadn’t been for your expertise!!! Bouquets to you and a humongous thank-you and hug for making this such a special day!!

Caitlin the Bride

Thank you so much for everything you have done! Yesterday was more amazing then I ever imagined, it was absolutely perfect. I’m so happy to have gotten to know you over the last year, I am so happy that Frank recommended you to me! You made our day so special and we are so thankful that we had you there. We were so sad when you left! We really appreciate everything you have done xx

A wedding planner is essential not just for brides who’ve been dreaming of the day since they were little but even more so for those of us who hadn’t! As the groom and I were a blank slate Emma helped us tap into an aesthetic that was true to us and that we could get excited about. In contrast to an event held at a professional venue, our at-home wedding required even more planning than we had anticipated and she brought to our attention numerous details that we had never considered.

We always felt like a priority even though Emma had other clients to attend to. From the first consult to the day itself she kept us on track and motivated with her constant enthusiasm, and in many respects exceeded her brief regarding this.  Having access to her ready-made list of tried and tested suppliers saved us a huge amount of time in the planning process and from any disappointments on the day, and it was hugely reassuring for us and family to have Emma take over completely in the final couple of weeks.

Our wedding day was just what we had hoped for and we fielded endless compliments over the overall organisation, the decision to have a children’s entertainer, and the choice of caterer – all thanks to Emma! Another point of difference was the large number of children attending and as a result of Emma’s recommendations the kids had a great time as well as their parents.

On behalf of us both and our families – my parents especially – we’re immensely appreciative of all your efforts Em. Many thanks for all of your support during the year and for working so hard for us on the day. We would highly recommend Emma to any potential bride and groom

As we are travelling from Australia to Queenstown for our wedding, we wanted a wedding planner to assist with the organisation of our big day. After our first interactions with Emma via email and Skype, we had found a wedding planner that was passionate, knowledgeable and very prompt with her responses. We originally booked Emma for supplier recommendations only but after experiencing the benefits Emma provided with our planning, we organised for her to do our bookings also. Doing all this from another country, it is definitely worth the investment! Emma was wonderful to deal with and we would highly recommend her as a wedding planner to anyone planning their wedding in New Zealand’s South Island.

Thank you so much! Words aren’t really enough to express how incredibly grateful Darran and I and also Mum and Dad are to you.  You have made this wedding process such a pleasure and I am so sad that now I don’t get to have lovely catch ups with you! Yesterday was so amazing it exceeded my expectations on every level. Even the weather turned up at just the right time. Nothing went wrong, it was seamless.  All down to your impeccable planning and unflappable nature.

I had so much fun, and surely that is the hallmark of a great celebration.

From the moment I first skyped Emma I knew that my wedding day was in capable hands.  I was pretty stressed having to organise a marquee wedding in a 5 months from the other side of the world but having Emma working for me in NZ was a godsend. Nothing was too much trouble and she gave me a fantastic list of vendors as well as sourcing a number of props that I couldn’t find.  She kept my planning on track and sorted out all the details that I hadn’t even thought about (like power supply for the Dj and water for the caterers!). The best bit was the days before the wedding when Emma came down and took over the set up. She organised the families and coordinated all the vendors as well as dealing with all my last minute requests and changes.    Having Emma there meant we got to feel like guests at our own wedding and our families were able to relax and enjoy the day with us.  Our day was amazing and I’m so glad we decided to hire Emma to help us, I wouldn’t hesitate recommending her to anyone.

I never thought that we would be the type of people who would use a wedding planner, however its a decision I would never regret.

Having Emma on tap was having someone who knows the best parts of weddings and what to avoid and meant that our wedding was better than we could have possibly imagined.

Emma was always available to us, and all of the people she put us onto gave us a fantastic service.  Her knowledge of the industry also meant that she was able to give us accurate information on what services would cost.  She was also incredibly fun to work with!

For my Husband (Still fun saying that) it meant that his life wasn’t taken over by wedding planning and he was quite happy to sit through a regular meeting every few months with Emma rather than have it be a daily occurrence.

I would recommend to anyone having a conversation with Emma about how she could support you in planning your Wedding to make it a stress-free and happy day for yourselves and your families.

Rachel and Kerry

Just a message to say how incredibly grateful we were to you for all your organisation and planning of Rachel & Kerry’s wedding.  No doubt Rachel will send you some photos but it was a truly wonderful day that we will always remember.  Its success was due to your meticulous organization and the fact that there was no stress in the weeks before.  The morning of the wedding was really lovely and we were all able to completely enjoy the occasion.  It was summed up by one of Rachel’s uncles saying it was the “best wedding ever”.

Rachel’s parents Graeme and Gwynneth

Our wedding was amazing! Thank you for all your help at the start. I wouldn’t have been able to do this with out you!!!

Whitney

We wanted a wedding planner because we had a short time frame, busy work schedules, and we wanted minimal stress. Thankfully, Emma delivered. Our first impression of Emma was someone who was competent and professional. We soon added prompt, patient, fun and flexible to the list!

Emma has great contacts, and an excellent reputation with many suppliers. She provided fantastic guidance and advice throughout the whole journey. She was always organised and calm, and kept us up-to-date and reassured.

And on the day itself, the weather behaved, the schedule ran perfectly, and we had a wonderful time. Emma was always busy in the background, and we still marvel at how easy it all seemed afterwards. Our guests always comment about how smooth and well-structured it was. We sincerely thank Emma for making our special day so wonderful for both us and our guests. We would not hesitate to recommend her to anyone.

Em I don’t even know where to begin in thanking you from the bottom of my heart for all of your expertise and knowledge, advice and love in helping Andy and I plan what our guests have dubbed “the best wedding, ever”!

We often say we had the A-team of weddings for our day, and that was all thanks to you!  From all the way over here in Perth, it was no mean feat trying to find wedding suppliers in Christchurch, but with you by our side, it was a breeze and we could not have hoped for a more amazing team!  Not being there in Christchurch never felt like an issue, knowing you had our backs, and I always came away from our Skype catch-ups feeling incredibly excited about what we had in the works.

To have had no stress in the couple of weeks leading up to the wedding, as well as on the actual wedding day, was simply superb!  Andy still comments on how amazing and easy our wedding day was, with no concerns ever brought to our attention.  We are sure that there was the odd hiccup over the course of the day (as with any wedding day), but having you there meant we were none the wiser!  From hand delivering bouquets to keeping two year olds entertained and quiet during the ceremony, and arranging a basket of goodies to take with us during our photos to ensuring the venue was spick and span the following day, you did it all plus much more and we will be forever thankful for that.

My parents still talk about the amazing Emma (now an honorary member of the family, I’m sure) and what love, life, fun and happiness you brought to our wedding!  We cannot speak highly enough of you and readily recommend you to anyone planning a wedding in New Zealand!  Not only do you help save time, money and stress, but you also offer professionalism, a huge knowledge base and a beautiful shining personality to support any couple in the planning of their big day!

Thank you so much Emma you are truly outstanding at what you do and if I had one piece of advice to couples planning to wed it would be to get you on board. You are knowledgeable, practical and most importantly to us personable. The base work you put into our Queenstown wedding made all the difference. Thank you again for helping us make our wedding so incredible.

We would like to thank the AMAZING Emma Newman for the love and support through our wedding time and making it such a breeze and joy to create our dream wedding……and what a dream wedding it was!!!!

We would absolutely recommend this wonderful woman to anyone who is planning their wedding. I know in NZ most of us think we should take on the whole shindig, but to be honest Emma will save you money and so much stress especially when you have a large wedding like ours was (150). She has all the contacts and fabulous people around her to make it one of the best times in your life

Emma – We wanted to just say thank you for helping us organise our big day. You are a star and any bride and groom who are lucky enough to have you plan their big day will never regret it.

Quite simply we could not have done it without you – with me working in Australia and Fiona running her business here in Christchurch we simply did not have the time to do everything that was required.

Right from the first meeting until the end of our day you listened, advised and organised to make sure that we got the wedding we wanted but you organised.

Your attention to detail and amazing communication skills kept us informed and gave us such confidence and made us feel in control of our wedding throughout the whole process.

We had the best day ever my beautiful wife was really relaxed and we have you to thank for that.

Once again thank you Emma for making our day truly amazing!

We asked Emma Newman to assist us with the preparations for our February 2013 wedding.  From start to finish she did an excellent job and exceeded all our expectations.  As a result, we have already recommended her services to several other engaged couples.

Emma’s contributions to our wedding included:

• guiding us through the planning process step by step
• recommending outstanding suppliers, such as the marquee hire company, caterers and florist
• proposing budget-friendly solutions – yes, having a wedding planner can save you money!
• being an on-call troubleshooter
• ensuring a stress-free wedding day by serving as the point of contact for all things logistical

In all of the above, Emma was reliable, extremely prompt in returning communications and highly organised.  A natural people-person, Emma also  got on well with both our families and worked hard to ensure that everyone felt included in the wedding preparations.

Emma takes great pleasure in wedding planning and the quality of her work reflects her enthusiasm.   From early on, it was clear that she was the right person to help us plan our celebrations.   We were delighted with the result, and our wedding truly was one of the best days of our lives.

On behalf of my wife and I, I would like to say the biggest THANK YOU to you most of all. So many people were outstanding in their professionalism, courtesy and care for our wedding, but as with a beautiful orchestra symphony, the star of the show is the conductor.

We simply couldn’t have done it without you.

We honestly felt like everything (even the weather!) fell into place perfectly and we wouldn’t change a thing or could have hoped for anything better. Your help in liaising with all the excellent service providers and the superb Otahuna staff really helped every single person at our wedding have the most wonderful time. Penny and I are so happy and glad we made all of the choices that you helped us with and our memories of every single facet of the day will always be special.

A huge sincere thanks for all your hard work and efforts behind the scenes which made our lives easier. I honestly think it would have been a near impossible task trying to organise it from afar, given the amount of time we are out of the country.

So, thank you Emma once again, I am sure we will cross paths again soon.

..Em, you succeeded spectacularly! We are both extremely happy with the day and the lead up and wish to thank you with all our heart for your help in achieving this. You are incredibly professional, patient, encouraging and most of all passionate in your role.

We have had so many positive messages from our family and friends from both NZ and Australia commenting on how wonderful the day was and how much they enjoyed themselves.

Thank you Em, for ensuring that our long awaited day was worth waiting for!

Warmest wishes

My husband Kieran and I saw Emma three times during the planning stages of our Wanaka wedding and we feel very lucky to have done so!!! During each meeting she made us feel completely at ease and she was very helpful and professional. She was a breath of fresh air to deal with, bubbly, personable and an absolute darling. We both highly recommend using Emma for any amount of wedding planning you may need before your special day, she was absolutely brilliant – our day was a complete success and we can’t thank her enough!!

I am really sad that we will no longer be talking regularly….

Em we feel the day was a real success and the feed back we have received from our guests has been all positive, everyone had an amazing time. This is totally down to you without you the day would not have been as well organised or unique reflecting us in every way. Your attention to detail and professionalism was evident were ever we looked.

Not having a bridesmaid was something I was conscious of, but you were amazing with our reassuring conversations and the bubbly at appropriate times, I really appreciate you helping me with the photo’s holding my bouquet and the shawl to stop me freezing.

You really have found your calling and have a natural gift when it comes to planning weddings. I realise the huge amount of work you put in but would like you to know it is worth it, you made us feel important and valued every step of the way.

We just wanted to say a huge, massive thank you for all your help and support – it was great to work with you, you really got us focused and helped us get a better idea of what we wanted and then made sure we got that. I’m confident now that our day is going to be magical and perfect for us… it brings a little tear to my eye just thinking about it! 🙂

Love

Eve & Stewart

Emma is the best thing (after us of course) that happened to our wedding. Craig and I got engaged the week after the February earthquake, we both decided 8 years together let’s do this!! Neither of us are the ‘plan a wedding from your childhood’ type so we actually had NO idea where to start. We contacted Emma and organised her for an initial planning meeting. I immediately felt at ease with her and she was able to find out (through clever questions) that we did actually have an idea, she was just able to put it into words and enable us to visualise it.

We quickly decided that having Emma for the wedding day package would be an excellent idea, from there it all picked up steam with Emma by our sides to help with everything from general advice, problem solving and positive comments to wrangling wayward relatives. Emma is the most amazing wedding planner and comes with so many tricks up her sleeve I doubt there is anything she could not fix or solve!! We never imagined that our wedding day could be so fun and we were able to relax and enjoy it knowing that Emma was there to support us. We have had so many positive comments about our wedding day mostly that everything was so us, and that is all thanks to Emma. All of our guests loved our wedding day and our wedding planner and so did we.

Thank you Emma, we are so happy that we got to know you through this process, you are one in a million!!

We wanted to say a massive thank you for all your help leading up to the wedding day, and a special thanks and huge appreciation for your work on the day, which meant we were both very relaxed about the proceedings.

Molly and Alice in person; the Barbecue was a great evening, and after such a long time planning things via email and Skype, it was really good to meet for real and share some good food and drink as friends.

Lots of Love

Thank you very much for all your help over the 18 month build up to our wedding and then ensuring everything went like clockwork on the day. It wouldn’t have been what it was without you.

You guys were absolutely amazing and we really appreciated all the help you gave us and what that added to our day. Emma your support, calmness and willingness to get stuck in on the day and morning before was so great (even an offer to do some ironing!) and Alix’s calmness and control on the day was invaluable support to aid in the smooth running. He also took some great photos on one of the bridesmaids cameras which was an added and unexpected bonus! Thank you so much.

After announcing our engagement in late October 2011 my wife and I decided we wanted to get married sooner rather than later. I had absolutely no idea where to start planning and thought very quickly we had bitten off more than we could chew. I had worked with Emma Newman in the past so I gave her an email and asked for some advice. Within an hour Emma came down to see me and told me that anything was possible with the right information, tools and help. Very quickly Em had organised us a list of possible venues and began liaising with various contacts she had to find us somewhere we loved at short notice in the middle of wedding season.

After a 2 hour consultation with Emma and another email with templates, website links, suggestions and ideas I started to feel we could actually pull this off. Without Emma’s help and advice along with the vast amount of resources and contacts she has there would have been no way we could have organised our wedding so quickly. Emma’s ongoing support and desire to make sure we had the perfect wedding was something I can’t thank her enough for and am truly grateful.

I would recommend Emma’s wedding planning service to anyone looking to get married in the Canterbury region. Whether for an initial consultation and framework to plan the wedding yourself or for the full package as she is an absolute pleasure to deal with and is without doubt the best in the business.

We are from Hong Kong and thanks to Emma, we had a wonderful intimate wedding in Christchurch last November. We approached Emma by recommendation from a Christchurch photographer. Emma gave us all the help & advice from the early planning, choice of the team and preparation through to every little details that made our big day run smoothly. She is so friendly, professional and considerate in all aspects we needed, which is especially important to us as we are not familiar with the area. Moreover, she managed to deal with any unpredicted issues which happened with her experience and her capability which gave us great confidence.

We knew from the beginning that this would be an experience of a life time for us to get married here and Emma didn’t disappoint us. I will definitely recommend Emma as a wedding planner to any bride & groom to be who are going to get married in New Zealand.

Thank you so much Emma.

Dear Emma,

The Best Wedding planner in Christchurch! You were and are fantastic. We couldn’t have done it without you. You kept us on track in the lead up to the wedding, introduced us to some great suppliers and worked incredibly hard on the day.

We sincerely thank you for helping to make our dreams come true.

Love Bec and Nick.

We planned our dream wedding on Waikuku Beach North ChCh for March 2011. This was a special place for me and my wife as it was her first sight of the stunning beach and pacific ocean that is New Zealand.

As we live in the U.K we decided we needed a Wedding Planner to help create our special, perfect day.

We found Emma online and organised a ‘Skype’ chat. We hit it off instantly and she fully understood what we wanted to create. This was a must as we had to trust her judgement and skills as we were on the other side of the world.

Emma was brilliant from the word go, always professional, friendly, great sense of humour, nothing was to much trouble….’its your day I’ll frick’in find it for you’

Emma couldn’t do anymore than she did for our special day.

We never dreamt that the day could have been as magical and perfect as it was. Emma took full control of all the days events, her people skills are amazing and all our guests commented on how organised and wonderful she was.

We couldn’t recommend Emma highly enough. If you are looking for the ‘Perfect Wedding Planner’ look no further.

We can’t thank Emma enough for our AMAZING DAY, we now consider her a very special friend indeed.’

If there was one big thing I wanted to achieve for our wedding, it was that I didn’t spend the day stressing about things. I’m a bit of a control freak, and on top of this, our relocation from Christchurch to Hawke’s Bay meant I couldn’t even be in the same place as our wedding. So I sent Emma an email explaining that I just wanted some confirmation from our reception venue and it wasn’t happening. She called me straight away and did some initial butt kicking for us to get things in place. I liked the idea of having someone down in Christchurch watching our back, so what started off as a small task ended in the year long project management of our wedding. Emma would Skype us every second month and told us all the things we needed to get sorted. I loved this as I was still in control of what our wedding was, but she highlighted the things that we needed to make decisions on for the next 2 months. If things got tricky, Emma even made the calls and emails I really didn’t want to make. This relationship proved invaluable when the earthquakes hit Christchurch. I knew Emma had my back, and if there was anything that became too much for me to deal with, she was willing to sort it out.

Emma, you are a truly wonderful person and you’re more like part of the family then our wedding planner! You’re energy and professionalism creates the perfect mixture of someone that is easy to get on and can get stuff done. You planned around OUR vision of our wedding, rather than plan YOUR vision of our wedding, which meant that although we had ‘help’, everything was completely ‘us’. Because of your support, I had the most relaxed and enjoyable day.

After months of being overwhelmed in trying to plan our wedding, I can honestly say that contacting you was one of the best decisions we made. Thank you enough for all your wonderful advice and recommendations. As it turns out, no amount of planning could of prepared us for the February earthquake. With our wedding day only 4 days after the quake and Irish relatives in transit, it was fair to say we were in bit of panic. I felt terrible calling you in such a state of disaster but the moment I spoke to you, I immediately felt better. Thank you for taking the time to help us find new venues in less than 2 days. We couldn’t possibly thank you enough Em xxx

If I had to choose between having my dream wedding dress and having Emma plan our wedding, there would be no contest. I’d choose Emma. And make no mistake; I truly loved my Louise Anderson gown.

Emma’s planning over the year was meticulous.  Her support was constant. Her suggestions were inspired. Her inside knowledge on suppliers was a dream.

Emma left nothing unplanned – and even then she had a plan B in place for everything. Even after Emma’s contract had finished she was offering assistance. Such is the dedication of Emma. She was the best investment we made for our day of celebration. We offer our wholehearted endorsement.

David and I are home: very happy and just a little bit tired … Thank you so much for everything you did to make our wedding day so special and perfect. It was truly exactly what we envisioned.

Thank you for making all the arrangements for our wedding, We had a perfect day in a perfect setting. Phillipa made it feel very special and we have some great memories to take home with us. Thanks to your planning it was everything we hoped for and more. Thanks again Neil and Stephanie

Hi Gorgeous Emma
The dust is starting to settle, but euphoria and marital bliss live on.

Ali and I are so grateful to you for your pivotal role in organizing the “bestest” wedding ever!!

We are so pleased in hindsight Ali saw your add in the magazine and responded immediately. We are frenetically busy people and could never achieved the marvelous occasion and standards you reached

Your “savoir faire”, reading of our likes and dislikes and tastes was so intuitive, and your connections to the best or most appropriate in the business of photography, make up, music, apparel, transport, florist etc etc saved so much time and I’m sure money and negated the chance of failure or mistakes in these critical areas. And I know your being with us throughout the day and night (pleased you left before I swept my bride away at night though!!) was great reassurance.

And another major , you were a joy and fun to work with.

Many, many thanks, you don’t get a more important day than wedding day and ours was a stunner thanks in no small measure to you.

We would happily speak to anyone contemplating working with you

Rich and I are just leaving Hawaii (sad frown) after having spent a lovely few days lying in the sun post wedding. We are so grateful for everything you did to make our day so amazing. Truly, you are incredible, the way you dash around everywhere, tirelessly pleasing us all….

Will talk soon. Thanks again, it was the best day of our lives.

Love Celia

Thanks for your great help in suggesting all our suppliers who contributed to the success of our day. Our guests could not stop saying how much they enjoyed the wedding day.

all the best,
Christopher & Veronica

We are both so happy with all the effort you put in to make sure that our day was just perfect. We definitely could not have done it without you & wouldn’t hesitate to recommend you to anyone.

Thank you for being a part of our wedding. You have been such an amazing support.

Love Hayley and James

Reece and I really want to sincerely thank you for your incredible support to us all – not only on the wedding day but through out the entire week and experience. You were truly brilliant and have immense talent – I was personally bowled over by how completely ‘in to it’ you are. But not only that but you were so much fun to have as a part of it and a special person to have as part of the journey.

Thank you so much for making everything so seamless and stress free – your expertise was quote something to behold.

With love and thanks Becky and Reece Morrow

We first approached Emma Newman via e-mail when we came across her website on Google. Since we were organising a wedding in Blenheim from London we wanted someone on the ground that could ensure the planning and coordination would run smoothly.

We were immediately impressed with Emma’s quick response to our original query, her professional and friendly manner ….

During the course of the year Emma helped us identify all our wedding suppliers. The list was extensive and we really valued her wealth of knowledge and experience about identifying those suppliers that would best meet our needs and desires.

We found Emma very approachable and found her extremely responsive to any questions. At the same time Emma was proactive and helped us identify things we might not have otherwise considered – another big plus.

Our wedding day was a huge success and would not have run as smoothly without Emma’s help in planning and coordination on the day. We can’t thank Emma enough. All our suppliers were outstanding and there was no stress leading up to the day because everything was so well planned. We would strongly recommend Emma to anyone planning a wedding.

Emma helped plan our wedding, which took place in November 2008. As we live in the UK, her role was much more than helping: she acted for us in planning, sourcing suppliers and services, and in the indefinable but so important matter: taste and style. She had to make decisions which reflected what we would have wanted had we been there ourselves.

How did she do? We had a stunningly successful day. The logistics were flawless, all the bits and pieces came together effortlessly (or so it seemed), and we and our guests (who had come from across NZ, from the UK and even from Afghanistan) had time to really enjoy the day.

None of this is easy. Emma is a tireless, methodical organiser. She uses her own contacts and network on your behalf effectively and ethically, and she understands the importance of getting the atmosphere as well as the details right. Emma has superb taste, and an ability to genuinely support the bridal couple without being intrusive or obvious as she does so.

We count ourselves fortunate to have had her help for our wedding. We have some cloudless, poetic memories of the day – made possible because the hard work had been done by Emma. If you want a great wedding day in Christchurch, you’d be silly not to start with Emma Newman.

With Many Thanks

The local surf club helped clear one end of the beach for our ceremony, and our fabulous – and very hands-on – wedding planner, Emma Newman, directed the layout….The whole day progressed without a hitch thanks to careful planning by Janene and Emma. It was a perfect day in all respects!

(extract from the NZ Bride and Groom Featured Wedding May – July 2009)

…After viewing her website in August 2007 my husband and I decided to make contact via email to Emma, her response was almost immediate. Within twenty minutes of sending an email to her we received a phone call.

After talking to Emma for just a few minutes we decided to use the services of Emma as she portrayed to us confidence, sincerity and experience.

We found her to be extremely well organised, friendly and totally dedicated to making our wedding day dreams come true…

I can’t say enough thank you’s to you Em. The day was immensely special to everyone there and we all felt as though we had a zen-like experience (for lack of a better term). Everyone was so connected and it was very emotional for all of us. I remember less about the details and more about the feeling that was produced…this overwhelming sense of calm. And not just because it was finally over. 😉 Since I am such a perfectionist, I have never said that anything was perfect before, but I think that our wedding truly was perfect. I couldn’t imagine any of this without all your help and encouragement. Thank you so very much.

Thank you again for everything you did for us for the wedding you were invaluable and everyone commented on how incredibly lovely you were and how helpful.

Woman’s Day 2006 about Melanie Lynskey and Jimmi Simpson’s wedding
“Finally out of frustration, Melanie searched for a wedding planner. “I found an amazing woman called Emma Newman who has absolutely saved me”

A friend, who is getting married later this year, asked for hints on how to pull off a successful wedding. She had worked in the same office as me for a year and new that I was a ‘stresser’. She wanted to know how I managed to be so calm on my wedding day. The secret…wedding planner extraordinaire, Emma Newman.

The greatest part about having Emma at our wedding was being able to enjoy every aspect of our special day with the knowledge that everything was being taken care of…Emma’s supplier suggestions enabled us to pick suppliers with confidence. All were businesses that Emma had worked with before and had had positive experiences with.

Beyond the call of duty, Emma had just given birth to baby Alice. Alice was just 14 days old on our wedding day and Emma and her wonderful husband had a plan of attack to ensure Emma was able to be with us on the big day. Such was Emma’s dedication to our wedding.

Making sure I ate something before leaving for the church… is an example of Emma’s attention to detail. When nerves take over it is easy for the bride and her family to be absorbed in the moment, Emma made sure the practical jobs were all taken care of. Even down to the final re-assurance that we all looked gorgeous as we stepped through the church door, Emma stood there with tissues and rescue remedy in hand just in case.

Emma provided bible reading suggestions for a non-religious couple and also organ music suggestions, she answered our wedding etiquette questions too like which side of the bride my granddad would stand. Emma provided amazing electronic planning templates, colour scheme suggestions, even sending clippings of ribbon she had found and lovely regular emails just to see how I was getting on.

Emma, we are so glad we found you. Your advice and support was so beneficial – We really couldn’t have done it without you. I was completely at ease about getting married knowing that we had put the work in prior and that you were there on the day. I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend your assistance to anyone that wants their big day to be entirely stress free and memorable.

Thank you, thank you, and thank you!!

Emma’s networks and relationships with the florist, photographer, caterer and so on saved so many hassles. She was able to get everything organised, agreed and signed off very efficiently. Her relationship with them also meant we got that extra level of service…

I am very organised and focused at work, so it was wonderful to have someone with the same tenacity to work with in preparing for our special day. Our wedding would’ve have been half of what it was without the work Emma put in…

Almost every guest commented on the attention to detail and planning that must have gone on to create such a seamless and relaxed day…

Planning a wedding in NZ from overseas would’ve been a nightmare. Emma’s support turned the whole experience into a dream come true. We couldn’t have done it without you!

Where can I start… The hugest thank you from both of us for the most amazing effort you went to for our wedding… you thought of everything.

Thank you so much for all of your very hard work and keeping us to date and in line – it helped make the day as perfect as it was.

Emma thank you so much for creating such a stunning, gorgeous amazing day for us! Everything was just so perfect. You have given us some truly special memories we will cherish forever.

Annie and Simon’s Bestman PJ
Wanted to make sure that you were told what a fantastic job you had done. The whole thing was top notch and your organisation integral to the smooth running of what was a wonderful celebration. Many Congrats and well done!!

Emma made herself absolutely indispensable both in the planning and on the day. With her extraordinary people skills and calming personality she is extremely good at what she does…She is very capable and efficient and somewhat of a perfectionist who inspires 100% confidence. If you ask Emma to do something you know she will do it quickly, efficiently and to the best of her ability.

Emma is also a very creative person and pays attention to the finer details which a preoccupied bride is unlikely to think of, especially on the day. She continually came up with great ideas from 12 months before my wedding up until the day, when she added many thoughtful touches, taking the initiative, taking care of things I hadn’t though about… with her outgoing, friendly personality she is comfortable in any social situation, She made a strong impression on many of our guests and people still ask after her. Having a wedding planner of Emma’s skill, expertise, creativity and passion facilitated the planning and enhanced my wedding day in many ways and I would strongly recommend her as a wedding planner.

As a relative newcomer to Christchurch, I found Emma’s extensive knowledge and experience of wedding arrangements invaluable. She was able to give me a list of recommended providers in most areas I required in the areas I required, along with comments on their level of service. This gave me the assurance of using providers with a proven record as well as allowing a cost effective approach.

I was impressed by Emma’s professional yet friendly approach when providing advice and ideas. She was able to offer suggestions without being forceful and while everyone has their own personal taste, I didn’t feel she was trying to influence my style, but draw out my themes and dreams for the day. .. In conclusion, Emma makes what can be a stressful, busy time enjoyable with her enthusiasm and genuine interest in planning for one if the most significant days of your life.