Run by partners in life and crime, Two Foxes is the brain child of Auckland duo, Jess and Jared. With a penchant for pushing boundaries, the pair (together with their creative team) imagine, concoct and create epic weddings and events. We chatted with the two young lovers about the origins and ethos of their New Zealand styling biz, as well their perfect recipe for a kickass wedding.

The Two Foxes themselves – Jess and Jared captured on the job by Coralee Stone.

Jess and Jared, we love a love story – can you tell us how the Two Foxes met?

Ha, don’t we all! We actually met when we were both at University waiting in line at the local coffee shop. I’m not actually sure how plausible this is on Jared’s end as he didn’t drink coffee at the time but he says he was waiting for a juice. We got talking in the queue and basically never stopped!

Tell us a little about your backgrounds. How have your past experiences shaped your roles and abilities as event stylists?

Jess: I’ve basically grown up in the wedding industry with my entire family coming from a hospo and event background. As soon as I was old enough to help out I have been in and out of the kitchen, on room setups and generally immersing myself in this beaut of an industry. Out of uni I went on to work as a wedding and event coordinator for a few companies in Auckland which really fuelled the passion to offer something a bit different here in NZ. An eye for detail and incredibly over-active imagination has fuelled a passion to bring something fresh to and meaningful this rad industry.

Jared: I’ve also come from a family immersed in creativity with my mum working in fashion design for the majority of my life and my dad in engineering. It’s been a new venture stepping into this role for me but having a different perspective and take on a brief has been a great thing to offer to our clients, especially our grooms.

Bohemian beach wedding editorial styled by Two Foxes and captured by Amy Kate Atkinson.

What can a couple expect from Two Foxes when engaging you for their wedding? Do you have a set process or is it a case-by-case kinda thing?

We create rad, love-filled events, full stop. So when a couple comes to us we are hoping they are, a) looking for an epic-as-heck party and, b) looking to be buds through the process (typical outcome with our awesome couples).

Everything we do is unique, because every couple is different, right? So their wedding should reflect that! We like to keep the whole process pretty relaxed, typically we catch up over a coffee/wine/beer (over Skype is fine to), so we can chat all things weddings and get a good grasp of who our couple is and what we think would fit them best, be it planning, styling, hire or a combo.

Lush riverside wedding styled by Two Foxes and captured by Benjamin and Elise.

Are you originally from Auckland? What do you love about the city?

One half of Two foxes hails from Auckland (Jared), while the other comes from just down the line in the Waikato (Jess). Both city dwellers I think we tend to find the variety and incredible amounts of natural inspiration the best part about living here. It’s such a multi-faceted city and only growing larger, so I think we are pretty lucky to call it home. Plus plenty of coffee options and a beach on its doorstep is hard to beat!

Who are some local vendors you love working with?

We’re pretty lucky in Auckland to have many incredible vendors available to us, but foxy favourites are Kate from Make Hey for some incredible stationery, Charlotte from Rock ‘n’ Rosie for epic floral work, Arkade Hire for great furniture goodness and way too many photographers to count!

Cute ceremony tipi styled by Two Foxes and captured by Paul Tatterson.

What kinds of weddings most excite you?

I think the best thing about this job is that every wedding is different, so there are always elements and stories to get excited about. If we had to define a favourite style, we’re probably most drawn to weddings filled with lush greenery, unexpected lighting and moody intimate evenings, topped off with a dance-off on a rad-as-heck dance floor!

Any memorable stories from weddings you’ve styled?

A recent week-long excursion this summer down to Marlborough has to be one of the most memorable weddings so far. Add in one kickass couple, a mind-blowing venue and some amazing vendors and it definitely tops the list. The weather was doing its best to put a corkscrew in the plans with gusts so strong it was literally lifting the marquee out of the ground!

Finally, do you have any tips for couples planning their wedding?

Go with your gut and really think about what’s meaningful to you as a couple. It is way too easy to get sucked into the vortex that is Pinterest and head down the pathway of crafting hand knitted cacti for 6 months, only to realise you don’t actually like cacti! Think about how you want your day to roll – would you rather be chilling out with your best maids with champagne in hand or up in the rafters dodging spiders the day of you wedding! And don’t underestimate the importance of a good dance party, sometimes left to the wayside, the 5 hours after dinner should be treated with as much respect and time when planning your day!

Alfresco wedding feast styled by Two Foxes and captured by Paul Tatterson.