Alas the day is fast approaching, and soon we will gather you all into one room to feed you, hug you, thank you and gently bully you into dancing.
As an introvert, I (LiWen) have spent months mentally preparing to be looked at from multiple angles, say sincere things out loud, and move these hips in public.
AS AN EXTROVERT I (KELLY), CANNOT WAIT TO HAVE EVERYONE WE LOVE IN ONE PLACE *oops getting too excited* laughing loudly, making new friends and becoming emotionally invested in this seating plan we're still arguing about.
This website has useful things: where to be, when to arrive, what to wear, and how to get home once the music, wine and feelings have done their magic.
We are so excited to celebrate with you!
Like all great romances, ours began with a faceless Instagram account. Kelly messaged LiWen to compliment his photo feed. LiWen, a man of great depth and subtlety, replied, "I like your face." Somehow, it worked. We met at a restaurant in downtown Auckland, laughed a lot, bantered well, and then cautious Kelly disappeared for months after deciding LiWen was simply "too smooth."
Then, in a dramatic display of fate, we ran into each other nine months later on a Queenstown ski slope. We were both with our own friends, both completely caught off guard, and both nonchalantly played a stranger. Months later, we met for a second date in Wellington. This time, no one ghosted anyone. Sparks flew, the messages kept going, and after two years of flights between Auckland and Wellington, LiWen realised Kelly had become his world and asked her to move to London with him.
Then, May 2025, in a quiet English garden in Middlesbrough, LiWen got down on one knee and asked Kelly to be his forever. She said yes, because by then he had proven he was not only smooth, but persistent.
The ones who picked up phones at odd hours, said yes to dresses, and have signed up to keep us calm, fed, and moving in roughly the right direction on the day.
Saturday, 14th November
Mantells, Mt Eden · Attire: Cocktail
Welcome drinks
Four-course dinner
Wine, beer & non-alcoholic beverages
Your presence at our wedding is the greatest gift we could ask for. Truly - you're here, that's the whole thing.
That said, a few of you have asked, so for anyone who would like to contribute to our future together, we've set up a way to do so here.
We are deeply grateful. Thank you for being part of our day.
Please RSVP by September 14th, 2026.
Coming in from out of town? Here's how to get to Mt Eden — Auckland's easier to navigate than it looks.
Mt Eden sits just 10 minutes south of the city centre. Most things you'd want to do in Auckland are within a 15-minute taxi ride.
→ Hotel suggestions — feel free to update with your preferred picks and any room blocks.
A few things our guests often ask. If anything else comes up, please reach out — we'd love to hear from you.
Doors open at 3:20pm. Please be seated by 3:50pm - the ceremony begins at 4:00pm sharp and we'd love to see all your faces when it does.
Cocktail. Think: your best dinner party look, a smidge of effort, heels you can dance in or immediately regret. LiWen will be in a suit. Kelly will be in a dress. Somewhere in between is where you live.
Mantells, Mt Eden - 66A Mount Eden Road, Auckland. Ceremony, drinks, dinner and dancing all under one beautiful roof. No venue-hopping, no logistics, just you and a glass of something cold.
Yes, and generously. Welcome drinks and canapés from 4:30pm, followed by a four-course dinner at 6pm with wine, beer and non-alcoholic options flowing throughout. Please don't eat beforehand. We mean it.
Tell us when you RSVP and we'll sort it with the kitchen. Nobody goes hungry on our watch. (Unless you forget to tell us, in which case we will feel terrible and you will eat the bread rolls.)
Officially, 11pm. Emotionally, that's between you and the dance floor. We'll be saying our formal farewells at 11 - but we fully expect to cry through most of it.
Your invitation tells you exactly who we've reserved a seat for. The seating plan is a carefully balanced ecosystem and we are very emotionally attached to it. If you need to discuss, come find us - we're friendly.
We've done the research so you don't have to — check the Travel & Stay section for a curated list of nearby options. All chosen with "getting home after the open bar" in mind.
Your presence is genuinely the gift — we're not just saying that. But if you'd like to contribute to our future together (mortgage, adventures, good cheese), the Registry section has the details.
