Camille + Cameron by Nita Meyer Photography - Together Journal

Cam and I both are/were athletes – we met in 2011 and have spent the last 10+ years racing and training, and travelling together.

Tell us a little about yourselves, what you do, what you love…Cam is the NZ record holder in the 400m hurdles and represented NZ at the 2018 Commonwealth Games; I run distance. Mostly the 5k and 10k events at World Championships, Commonwealth Games and at the Tokyo Olympics. We have had a very nomadic lifestyle leaving NZ each year for at least 6 months at a time to race and train. We were based in Bath, UK for a year in 2019 before returning home due to Covid restrictions and lockdowns. Cam is now working in the construction industry and I am returning to training targeting the Paris Olympic Games in the marathon event. We have a very cute and active little girl called Sienna, who is nearly 10 months old.

How/where/when did you meet – and what were your first impressions? We met back in 2011 at the track. We were both athletes at the time, and I had just returned from the US on a track scholarship, and we started seeing each other very casually. I initially thought he was more of a lady’s man, but as I got to know him, I realised he was actually really nice and caring underneath and quickly started to realise this was going to be much more than casual!

When did you first realise that this was someone you’d like to spend the rest of your life with? Hard to say. Honestly, I feel like I liked him right away, but we were so young, and I was so independent the idea of spending a life with someone was scary. Years flew by, and we always loved spending time together; it never got boring; he was always the first person I wanted to tell and share everything with. I think it didn’t take long to realise this was a lifelong relationship; 11 years later, we officially said ‘I do’, but for sure, we knew long before that!

Was there a proposal? Tell us a little about it…So Cam and I have been together at this point for 8 or 9 years, and anytime we go away for a weekend, ‘will I get proposed to’ never comes to mind anymore; I’d always thought, one day, but honestly, time seemed to fly by and this weekend was no exception. We went away using a canopy camping voucher from my sister for my birthday. He had organized the whole event but it worked out so well as it seemed as though I had planned the weekend – but in actual fact, he had other plans! He had asked my Dad for his blessing the weekend prior, and I had no idea. He also bought a ring without me having any idea. After a morning spent kayaking, he was like, “Should we go and have a picnic or nibbles for lunch rather than eggs here at the accommodation” Obviously, that sounded like a great idea to me. We took a short drive and found this secluded cove/beach access down a very steep climb, but it led onto a little private bay near Opoutere. He seemed a little nervous, and suddenly my heart started racing, and that is when he asked me. It couldn’t have been more perfect, and I LOVED the ring.

Tell us about the vision you had for the mood or style of your wedding…we wanted a relaxed vibe but also well-organized behind the scenes. We wanted everyone to mix and mingle with lots of food and drinks and a place overlooking some water. We also wanted private property so that we could dance late into the night! With everyone staying nearby, and able to walk home and come back the next day for more food and drinks and games into the night.

What was one element you were happy to splurge on? Honestly, weddings are expensive, we tried to do a lot – a fairly large number of guests, fully catered with drinks and an unlimited amount of food + wanted to cover all the bridesmaids and groomsmen expenses, have a good photographer and videographer, there are a lot of small things that were important too when you put it all together. I think it was more of a “how do we make this work for everyone” rather than a splurge on one specific item.

Did anything happen on your wedding day that you laugh about in hindsight (even if it was stressful at the time)? Honestly, I feel like maybe it is a little raw still, but it was the wettest day in history in the area. Somehow the day I had picked, to be a king tide with the wedding to be overlooking the harbour, had the highest rainfall recorded. Ever. A WILD day, chaotic as we had to rearrange everything. But somehow, it was completely perfectly unperfect. All the guests brought their A game and helped to move everything and being a really happy and excited, and positive mindset. It ended up being such an amazing day despite the crazy weather!

Tell us about your main outfits, what was unique, and is there a story? Cam and I were set to be married in January 2022, 6months after the Olympic Games, not January 2023. So, I bought and try on the dress a couple of months out from the Games (in March 2021), making sure I had time to get it sorted in time. A year postponement due to Covid regulations on numbers etc, and a baby later, I was nervous to be walking down the aisle in the same dress. I had fallen in love with it at the time and hoped I magically would fit it again. And it did. A few weeks out, I tried it on and breathed a sigh of relief. Cam’s suit was from Barkers, he fell in love with it, and again it was purchased long before the day!