This Model Bride and Groom Honored Their Maori and Jewish Roots at Their New Year’s Wedding in New Zealand
Model Maia Cotton and Max Feldstein’s meet-cute at the beginning of 2019 began like the plot of Friends. They were both living downtown in New York City—she was rooming with her best friend Kendall on the Lower East Side, and he was with his best friend Cully in Soho. “Our roommates started dating, and suddenly, we were around each other more frequently,” Maia remembers. “It wasn’t long after when we started dating as well. Max courted me for a few months, but once we began seeing each other, we never looked back.”
They got engaged on January 1, 2024, in the Bay of Islands, New Zealand, where Maia’s parents live and where she returns every summer. “For the past few years, Max and I have done a sunrise swim to ring in the new year,” Maia explains. “That morning, I felt like sleeping in but Max insisted we go to the beach.”
When they arrived at 5:45 a.m., there were flowers, candles, and a carpet set up on the sand. “At that moment, I knew instantly and then Max got down on one knee. It was the best way to kick off 2024. One year later, almost to the day, we were married.”
The wedding was held in Queenstown, New Zealand, on January 2, 2025, at a private villa overlooking the mountains and the waters of Drift Bay. Guests came from around the globe and were presented with gift bags upon arrival. “It was important for us to create the guest journey as soon as they landed as everyone had traveled so far,” Maia says. “We had custom silk scarves with beautiful custom artwork merging New York and New Zealand, local wool throws, and of course, snacks, hydration, and everything you need to kick off an amazing week in New Zealand.”
The couple enlisted planners Laice and Doug Bollen of Place of LB, who are based in Australia, to help put together the entire wedding weekend—and caught up with them virtually regularly as they were on opposite sides of the world from one another. “It was so special having our families involved too,” Maia notes. “That was very important for Max and I as we had so many logistics, people traveling from all over, and we wanted to ensure everyone had a special time.”
The weekend began with a welcome party on New Year’s Eve at Amisfield Winery. “To contrast with the bright whites at the wedding, Laice suggested a pink carpet for the staircase at Amisfield. I loved how this was such a juxtaposition to the chateau look of the restaurant,” Maia explains. “We were also incredibly lucky to have the very talented chef Vaughan Mabee create a delicious Mexican-inspired menu, as well as thankful for DJ Rich Penny, who got everyone out of their seats. It was such a fun way to ring in 2025!”
The traditional Jewish ceremony was held the next day at a nearby estate called Bella Luce. “We loved having two incredible perspectives of Queenstown—the mountains and the lake,” Maia says. “Guests truly got to experience how amazing New Zealand is.”
Since Maia was hosting a wedding in her home country, she focused on showcasing all Kiwi or Australian-based designers in her wardrobe. “I was fortunate to work closely with Elly Sofocli on two of the three dresses,” she says. “For my bridal gown, Elly made subtle customizations to a dress from her collection, and it was a truly wonderful experience. Elly also designed my third look of the night—a mini inspired by a full-length version called the Rune, which I fell in love with during my bridal fitting with her in New York. I really loved the Japanese stone pearl droplets that hang from the bottom of the dress, and Elly was able to channel all my favorite details into such a unique mini-party dress.”
The bride’s second look was a custom two-piece by the New Zealand designer Olivia Cashmore. The beading in the skirt was inspired by a Māori pui pui skirt to highlight Maia’s heritage. “There were a variety of Māori traditions that were performed at the wedding, and I wanted to honor these traditions with an outfit that signified my appreciation for this aspect of my culture,” Maia says. “I worked with Logan Hollowell for all my jewelry. I want to be deliberate about the jewelry I wore, too, and Logan was able to help me create a clean and simple look to pair with my wedding gown.”
The bridesmaids wore custom Olivia Cashmore. “I had quite a large bridal party, so when it came down to deciding on their dresses, I wanted them all to wear something they loved,” Maia says. “Olivia designed nine unique white dresses for each of the girls. I personally didn’t feel like I had to be the only one in white, and it suited the environment beautifully.”
The weather during the ceremony was perfect, and the couple had friends and family join them under the chuppah for various parts of the service. “The most special part of our wedding, which was so unique and fascinating for both us and our guests, was the mix of cultures coming together,” Maia says. “I come from a Māori background, and Max comes from a Jewish family. Both families were so receptive of the other culture, and we were able to incorporate elements from both.” While a rabbi married the couple in a traditional Jewish ceremony, Maia’s family also performed a Haka during the dinner. “Both sides found it so interesting to learn about the other culture,” the bride says. “Everyone embraced each other, and it was truly beautiful to see.”
Naturally, it was very emotional for both the bride and groom. “I cried about 10 times,” Maia admits. “Max cried a few times as well which is funny because he’s not much of a crier. Of course, we were overcome with happiness.”
After the ceremony, guests were whisked away to the reception location a few minutes away. “It was nice to have a little alone time with Max immediately afterwards,” Maia admits. The newlyweds then joined everybody at Drift Bay for canapés and dancing, followed by dinner.
The marquee was set right on the lake with incredible views of the mountains at every angle. “We wanted the florals to be classic and refined yet also add a Kiwi touch so we had grasses and many flowers native to New Zealand,” Maia explains. The enormous bar served as the centerpiece, with greenery in the marquee extending all the way to the roof.
Instead of a seating chart, guests were given special cards during canapés—on the front was a key memory in the form of a photo, and on the back, it had their name and directions to their seat. “This was so special for Max and I as people had traveled so far, and we wanted to acknowledge this and ensure we had details like this to truly show our love for everyone,” the bride adds.
Meanwhile, Maia and Max sat separately on a couch—just the two of them. “It was so nice being together looking out at everyone and having guests join us for a chat,” Maia says. “Being present on our day was important, some traditions we followed, others we didn’t. I did a first dance with my dad. We cut the cake in private. Then, we got the party started. Overall, I was so incredibly proud to see the coming together of Max’s Jewish heritage and my Māori culture in one room—and I also don’t think I’ve ever danced more in my life!”
Photo: Jack Henry1/81We were lucky to host our welcome party on New Year’s Eve at the famous Amisfield Winery. As one of our favorite restaurants and home to chef Vaughan Mabee, it was the perfect setting to showcase the best of New Zealand food and wine.
Photo: Jack Henry2/81Our wedding planners, Place of LB’s Laice and Doug, suggested a pink carpet to contrast the rustic venue and add a bit of festive NYE fun. I’m so glad we did it.
Photo: Jack Henry3/81Max and I walking into Amisfield.
Photo: Jack Henry4/81To continue the pink theme, our florist Cecilia Fox sourced these beautiful hydrangeas for the night.
Photo: Jack Henry5/81I loved the idea of wearing something tonal and earthy for this event. This Tom Ford gown was the perfect fit.
