Celine + Maryn by Malia Photography - Together Journal

The overall vision was to highlight the serene natural surroundings of white sand, green coconut trees and taro leaves.

Tell us a little about yourselves, what you do, what you love…

Kia ora! We’re Maryn and Celine. We both come from rich, mixed cultural backgrounds – Maryn is Samoan, Māori, Chinese and Scottish, while Celine is Samoan, Māori, Chinese, Irish and Norwegian. Our heritage is an important part of who we are, and it shaped our wedding day, as we made sure to honour our family in every part of our day.

We both share a passion for helping others. Maryn is a police officer, and Celine works in mental health, finishing her training to become a clinical psychologist.

In terms of what we love most – that would be our family. They’re everything to us, hence why we had such a large wedding party, as it was important for us to include everyone closest to us. We also included several elements in our day to honour our family. For example, Celine surprised her parents and walked down the aisle to their wedding song from 34 years ago. Moreover, instead of numbering our tables, we named them after important people in our lives, such as our grandparents, an aunty who had passed away and Celine’s beloved cat who passed away.

We also both love sports – Maryn is all about rugby league while Celine loves her netball. We also love travelling, exploring new places, and eating amazing food. When we’re not out and about, you’ll find us at home watching movies together.

How/where/when did you meet – and what were your first impressions?

We met 10 years ago when we were 16 and 17, playing touch rugby for our high schools. After weeks of messaging, Maryn built up the courage to ask me about our first date, which was at the movies. I remember feeling so nervous but excited. Maryn had this way about him – my first impression was that he was handsome, smart, kind, confident, talented and driven. I still remember how big my smile was the night I got home from our first date.

From Maryn – When I first saw Celine, I thought she was the most beautiful person I had ever seen. I thought she had the most beautiful smile. When I met her, I thought she was really thoughtful. She was so easy to get along with, and I quickly learnt that we could relate to each other on so many levels, both going to catholic schools, being sporty and both from big families.

When did you first realise that this was someone you’d like to spend the rest of your life with?

Celine – When I saw how Maryn treated my family and friends, I knew he was the person I wanted to spend the rest of my life with. Yes, he makes me feel beautiful every single day, yes he’s funny, smart and handsome. He’s a million things, but what I’ve always loved most about him is the way that he loves and takes care of my people, too. There is nothing in this life that could convince me to love anyone else. He is my person.

Maryn – I knew Celine was the one for me very early on. I had won a rugby league game, and I celebrated with her on the sidelines after the game. I quickly realised that that win was more memorable than any other win I had ever had. Not because of the game itself but because it was the first win I got to celebrate with her. I knew because everything in my life was better with her in it. Every milestone since then has been more memorable just because she was a part of them.

Tell us about the vision you had for the mood and style of your wedding. (theme, key styling elements, florals, colour palettes etc.).

Celine – I grew up in NZ; however, my paternal grandparents lived in Samoa, and I was lucky enough to visit them on many occasions growing up. There, I fell in love with the islands and all things tropical. The beaches, the flowers, the coconut trees. I always knew when I got married that, it would be somewhere tropical.

Instead of looking at previous weddings, I tried to draw inspiration from artwork by a Hawaiian artist, Mayan Llanera. Her pieces Mauna Loa and Haku Lei guided the key styling elements of our day. There are vibrant,t rich reds, oranges and pinks in the artwork, while the blues and greens from the surrounding landscape offer balance and tranquillity. This contrast was mirrored in our wedding with vibrant tropical flowers, paired with softer whites/nudes and greens in our wedding party outfits and other styling elements. The greens and whites/nudes also matched the green coconut trees and white sand that surrounded the lagoon we got married on.

The overall vision was to highlight the serene natural surroundings of white sand, green coconut trees and taro leaves, with pops of tropical colour to create an atmosphere that celebrated both the natural beauty of the environment as well as our union.

What styling and visual elements worked best for you? (could be things, the florals, particular hire products or your marquee etc., something the stylist created or simply just the scenic beauty of your location or the existing design of your venue).

The scenic beauty of our location was by far the most impactful element of our wedding styling. The venue itself, with its stunning white sand beaches and lush green coconut trees, decorated itself. The natural surroundings created such a breathtaking backdrop that the styling felt effortless. We didn’t need to add much to enhance the atmosphere because the beauty of the location already did the heavy lifting.

Our styling was focused on highlighting, rather than changing, the beauty around us. The florals and key styling elements were chosen to complement and accentuate the natural setting, using vibrant tropical colours to bring in pops of warmth without overwhelming the view. Simple, elegant touches were all we needed to make everything feel cohesive with the surroundings.

What did you enjoy most about the planning process and do you have any tips for couples starting their wedding planning journey?

Celine – I enjoyed the whole process because I like planning things in general – Maryn, on the other hand, is not a big planner, so what I enjoyed most was seeing him get involved in the planning and being able to do it together. We made a point of making it fun and enjoyable. For example, we had wine and cheese nights in our backyard to pick our favourite songs for the DJ while writing our vows together. We went for cocktails right after our fittings, allowing us to enjoy the moments in between the tasks, too, and celebrate all the little planning wins. It wasn’t just about getting everything planned, it was about creating more memories throughout the process too.

For couples starting their wedding planning journey, our tip would be to find ways to make it fun for each other. It doesn’t have to be a tedious task or feel like a chore, and make sure to celebrate all the small planning wins along the way.

Tell us about your main outfits, what was unique, is there a story?

Celine – For my wedding outfit, I wanted something that felt classic and timeless—something I could look back on in 20 years and still love. I opted for a design that was elegant yet simple. The dress had a long train that could also be hooked up for the reception. When hooked, it flared out and ended at the ankles, creating a different vibe for the evening. A small but special detail was my earrings, which were called the “Celine” earrings—an unexpected, perfect match for my name, adding a personal touch to the outfit.

As for Maryn, it was important that his suit was lightweight, given the heat of the islands. He chose a sand-coloured suit that was a perfect match for the colour of the sand in the lagoon where we were getting married. A meaningful detail was his watch, which was a gift from my dad. It was a symbol of the bond between him and Maryn and a reminder of the love and support that surrounds us.

What was one, or two elements that were most important to you both that you were happy to spend a little more on? (food, photography, florals, the venue, your outfits?).

One of the most important elements for us was being able to celebrate our wedding for more than just one day. We didn’t want the celebration to end after the reception, so by having a destination wedding, we were able to extend the experience for 10 days, surrounded by our closest family and friends. Yes, we spent a little more on flights and accommodation, but in return, we got to enjoy a full holiday with everyone who mattered most to us. It was an unforgettable experience that allowed us to connect, relax, and celebrate at the same time.

We were also happy to spend a bit more on drinks. We both love a good cocktail and a party. Since our guests had travelled all the way to Rarotonga for us, it was really important to us to have a wide selection of drinks available and plenty for everyone to enjoy. It was a key part of ensuring that everyone felt appreciated and had an amazing time.

Did anything happen on your wedding day that you laugh about in hindsight (even if it was stressful at the time)?

There were definitely a few funny and unexpected moments on our wedding day that we laugh about now! One of the most memorable was when our beautiful local florist, who was a friend of our photographer, went into labour the morning of the wedding. When we got the call, we prayed for her safe delivery and briefly wondered if we should start picking flowers from around our villa to make our own bouquets! But somehow, she managed to deliver our flowers on time—along with her baby! What a woman!

Another funny moment happened when I realized I forgot to order flower petals for our flower girls. The morning of the wedding, all my bridesmaids were out picking tropical flowers from around the villas, so the girls had something to throw. Thankfully, being surrounded by beautiful island flowers saved the day!

Then, there was a little hiccup with our music. As we went to walk down the aisle, the music didn’t start in the right place, so we had to walk back to the starting point. Once the right part finally played, we made our way down again, but we couldn’t stop laughing at the mistake! It made for some great candid shots of us laughing as we first made our way down the aisle.

And last but not least, a stray dog decided to join in on the fun and walked down the aisle behind us as we were heading back up. We didn’t even notice until we turned around and saw him strolling down, greeting our guests as he went! The resort named him “Dewy,” and apparently, Dewy loves weddings. We couldn’t have asked for a better surprise guest to join in on our special day!