Paul and Liz Taylor pose in front of a smokebomb at their wedding. Photo / Supplied
Paul and Liz Taylor pose in front of a smokebomb at their wedding. Photo / Supplied
Colourful smoke bombs, pet wranglers who help pamper fluffy before he walks you down the aisle, and walls covered in donuts.
They are the wedding vendors you never knew you needed.
Adding to an already pricey affair, several dedicated niche nuptial companies have cropped up in a world where postingon social media is sometimes as important for millennials as the day itself.
The extravagance starts before the wedding day.
Far-flung engagement photography has proven popular in Asian culture with happy couples often flying to New Zealand for a scenic backdrop.
Filipino blogger Kryz Uy flew to Wanaka this year with Onethreeonefour, which specialises in destination photography, for a pre-nuptial wedding shoot atop Coromandel Peak.
Uy and her fiance hired a helicopter to reach their destination.
The company's cheapest pre-wedding New Zealand package costs $3800 and includes transport, makeup and hairstyling, two wedding gowns and a suit to wear for the shoot, bridal accessories and a 30-page album.
It's more extravagant package costs $8200 and includes 18 hours of photography over three days and six wedding gowns.
Uy, an influencer with 600,000 Instagram followers, posted about her travels before jet setting back to the Philippines.
On the other side of the lens was Hannah Andrews, a New Zealand photographer who is flown to weddings across the globe for couples only content to have their photo taken by her.
One week she is in New Zealand; the next, the Hawaiian Islands.
For the ultimate Instagrammable wedding shot, one company sells colourful smoke bombs, usually used within the construction industry for airflow testing.
Smoke Grenades NZ, based in Tauranga, first sold their product for paintball before migrating to weddings after continued interest from couples.
Smoke-bomb photography is a new trend gripping the social media generation. It is being used in pregnancy, engagement and wedding photo-shoots. Photo / Supplied
Manager Dale Miles said business has been booming in the first year of operation.
The bombs are usually sold for $99 for packs of three.
"We've found our customers are mainly couples or photographers... But we've also found maternity shoots, gender reveals, and engagement shoots are extremely popular."
But it comes with a risk - brides not wanting to get their white dresses covered in a cloud of red or blue should stand a few feet away.
For many couples, a key source of stress can be finding the right venue.
Joining the gig economy, is a website that works like Airbnb. Backyard Weddings lists private properties that people are willing to rent out for weddings.
Envy Events director Becks Murray says donut walls are the most recent trend to come to N.Z. Last season candy buffets were flavour of the month . Photo / Jodie C Photography
"It is New Zealand wide, we have places in Kerikeri and in the bottom of Otago, there are about 100 NZ wedding venues," said creator Tamarin Vermeer.
"It all started when I wanted a very simple wedding, with a barbeque and some family and friends."
Some venues are now booked through to 2020.
One woman with a property in Auckland hosted about 12 weddings a year, and at $4000 a pop that was good cash for the vendor, Vermeer said.
The website had become so popular she has expanded across the ditch and has about 20 wedding venues listed.
And just like the bride, the happy couple's pets can be pampered in the moments leading up the ceremony before they walk the aisle or stand by groomsmen.
The culture of AirBnB has spilled over to backyard weddings. Now over 100 New Zealanders are offering their properties up as wedding venues. Photo / Supplied
Diamond Dogs director Emily Nicholls makes sure your pooch attends a pre-wedding groom and is walked and fed before standing with the groomsmen or walking down the isle with the bride.
She even takes them home and tucks them in at night.
When it comes to catering, food trucks are so last year. Candy buffets, metallic cutlery and walls with hanging donuts are just some of the services offered by new-age wedding planners.
Envy Events director Becks Murray helps couples reach their vision or guides those who don't know quite what they want.
Farm dogs Sasha and Holly escorted bridesmaids up the isle during a wedding at Pemberton Gardens in Canterbury earlier this year. Photo / Diamond Dogs
Like fashion, wedding trends changed from season to season, she said. This season donut walls are in, Murray said.
"There is always trends, before the donut wall there was candy buffets, they look for something that is trendy or interesting and different.
"I noticed the vintage theme went around for a while, everyone would get wood slices, mason jars and wildflowers, it could be done cheap or it could be elaborate."
People in Auckland were making the experience longer compared to five years ago, she said.
"I think people are spending more on weddings and I don't think they necessarily want to but they aren't willing to compromise for that they want."
