Charmina + Aaron by David Le - Together Journal

Photo and Video by Stills x motion David Le and Sink or Surface www.davidle.co.nz

“I wore a classic black suit with a Samoan ula fala, a necklace made from pandanus fruit painted red. My boys wore the ula pu’a with black beads. It was important for us to have threads of our culture running through our day.”

Aaron ——I was a bar manager when we first met but changed course and have been building for the last few years. I love what I do. Charmina ——I work as an analyst. Aaron and I met shortly after I finished school and had called it quits with my ex-boyfriend. I was meeting my cousin at a bar that her close friend managed. My cousin texted her friend, who’d just finished his shift and lived upstairs, to come down and meet us for dinner. A couple of minutes later, in walks Aaron with the cheekiest smile and laughing for absolutely no reason.

I loved him from the moment I met him. During dinner, I joked that it was awkward when people add friends on Facebook after only one meeting. The next day I had a friend request from Aaron. I introduced Aaron to my wider family on our first Christmas together. Family is everything to us—we both come from big Samoan families—and although I already knew he was the one, seeing him interact with the kids and elderly family members sealed the deal.

Aaron ——I knew Charmina was the one when we were still in the hanging out phase and were watching an NBA game at the bar I worked at. She knew about the players and teams just as much as I did: future wifey.

Our first trip together was to Melbourne. We fell in love with the city and each other. I secretly organised a ring with the help of her sister. On the last day, we went on the Melbourne Star ferris wheel, and I asked her to be my wife. It was a full circle moment—low-key, sentimental and perfect.

Charmina ——The wedding was really a love letter to our family and friends, so we focussed on what we knew they’d love: beautiful food and a big old party. In the middle of the ceremony, a tree fell on a power line, cutting power to the venue and 2000 other properties in the area. We didn’t know what was happening, but our celebrant and band didn’t miss a beat and beefed up their voices to finish the ceremony off strong. The power came back on a couple of hours later, just as we were about to make our entrance into the reception.

I knew I wanted a Hera Couture dress and immediately fell in love with the Le Vie in crushed satin. I wanted a second look for the reception but instead of a dress, Ursula suggested a second sleeve. Genius. The team worked through lockdowns and virtual fittings to finish the alterations. I didn’t get the finished dress until a few days before the wedding, but it was perfection.

Aaron ——I wore a classic black suit with a Samoan ula fala, a necklace made from pandanus fruit painted red. My boys wore the ula pu’a with black beads. It was important for us to have threads of our culture running through our day.