I actually had a massive sixth sense that Liam was going to propose.. so I messaged the girls excitedly, telling them I was about to get engaged and painted my nails while he was out retrieving the ring!
Tell us a little about yourselves, what you do, what you love…
LR: 9-5, I work as a Financial Adviser with Milford Asset Management – A job that I really, really love. Outside of work, I’m pretty obsessed with sports, and I spend plenty of my spare time watching anything rugby, league, cricket, football….. the list goes on.
ER: I work as a development manager in a property development company, it’s great and very fast-paced! I love spending downtime with friends and family (especially my nieces and nephews), walking my cocker spaniel Ralph, reading and cooking. In more exciting times, I love exploring and travelling with Liam, though we haven’t been able to do as much as we’ve wanted to do lately.
How/where/when did you meet – and what were your first impressions?
LR: Emma and I first met in 2013 after I received a tip-off from my sister, who had spotted a girl who was “just my type” working at the local coffee store. Sure enough, Emma was “just my type”, and my coffee consumption went through the roof over the following weeks and months as I frequently visited the coffee shop to steal a couple of minutes with Emma. My first impressions are much the same as my impressions today, almost 10 years later. Emma is absolutely stunning both inside and out, and I’m batting well above my average!
ER: I thought he was a massive hottie! I remember quickly taking off my branded café cap and fixing my hair every time I saw him parking up in the distance.. it always made my day! I also thought he was a massive gym junkie (he was not) as he always declined a chocolate fish or marshmallow as he was ‘just heading to the gym’. Hey, it somehow worked!
When did you first realise that this was someone you’d like to spend the rest of your life with?
LR: I actually mentioned this in our vows, and it’s a bit cliché… but for me, it was love at first sight. Don’t ask me why it then took 8 years to propose! Good things take the time, I say.
ER: Mine was probably when we’d only been chatting casually for a few months, and he mentioned to me that he’d just booked a one-way ticket to London. I hardly knew him but remember feeling so gutted in the pit of my stomach. It’s like I knew that this was it. Luckily, he asked me to move over with him a couple of months later!
Was there a proposal? Tell us a little about it…
LR: In the end, there were a couple of proposals planned, thanks to COVID and Auckland lockdowns! Initially, I’d planned to do it on a weekend away in the Bay of Islands (where we ended up getting married) however, as the Auckland lockdown dragged on and on, I started to get pretty antsy and tired of continually rescheduling our accommodation up north. One Sunday late into the lockdown, I woke up and decided to propose that day, out at Piha on the Mercer Bay Loop Walk Track. I made some excuses and headed to my Mum and Dad’s (where I’d hidden the ring) before packing some food and drink and heading west. It was a beautiful sunny day, and unfortunately, Piha was very busy, and it was tough to find a quiet moment to propose in privacy. Luckily though, I did manage to find an isolated spot off the main track to do the deed. Midway through the proposal, we were actually walked in on by another couple, but after locking eyes with the bloke, he and his girlfriend quickly hit reverse! I still owe him a beer or two.
ER: I actually had a massive sixth sense that Liam was going to propose.. so I messaged the girls excitedly, telling them I was about to get engaged and painted my nails while he was out retrieving the ring!
Tell us about the vision you had for the mood or style of your wedding…
ER: I actually started with a classic white and sage green colour scheme as I initially wanted to go with a classic, clean, simple style. I purchased the green bridesmaid dresses and ordered the flowers, signs and everything! Although timeless, in the end, it didn’t feel like it aligned with the day we were after and I last minute changed it to a bright, multicolour theme with pops of pink, purple, orange and yellow (thank you to my amazing vendors). I am so glad I did, as looking back, the style represented the day that we wanted and ended up having, bright, fun, romantic and a bit wild!
What was one element you were happy to splurge on?
ER: The venue! You cannot beat the stunning Bay of Islands backdrop you get at Baylys’ Farm. We also thought that we could go quite simple with the decorations, as the backdrop did all the talking. Looking back, we’re still stoked with the decision, and the Bay of Islands will always hold a special place in our hearts. The service and support from all the vendors were second to none – they are a well-oiled machine up there!
Did anything happen on your wedding day that you laugh about in hindsight (even if it was stressful at the time)?
LR: The entire day (and lead-up) was pretty stressful due to amongst other things, the weather! We got married the week/weekend between the Auckland floods and the Auckland cyclone, and the weather was still pretty dicey. One of the reasons we picked Baylys’ Farm as our venue was its amazing beachside location, and we’d imagined a hot, sunny day for our wedding. The thought of torrential rain didn’t do a lot to calm our pre-wedding nerves, and although it did rain on the day – we were very lucky that it held out until the evening, and we got to have the majority of the day outside. In hindsight, I wouldn’t change anything as the day was amazing, and for us, the wedding was about the amazing people we had there to share the day with us. My advice to couples getting married is don’t sweat the small stuff and don’t worry about things you can’t control, including the weather! The day will be great regardless.
Tell us about your main outfits, what was unique, is there a story?
ER: I wore a stunning Hera Couture Harmony gown. I tried on so many stunning dresses, but although beautiful, the more intricate designs didn’t feel very me and I was after something quite understated and simple. The ladies at Hera brought me some puff sleeves to try on just for fun, and I absolutely loved them, they really elevated the simple style into something that was even more me. One of my best friends kindly lent me her stunning veil, and I opted for gold strappy heels from Bared Footwear. My favourite item I wore was the gold and blue Christie Nicolaides earrings. I think I got away with wearing something so bold because the rest of my outfit was so simple.
I changed into a shorter white Aje dress, again with puff sleeves for after the reception, as I knew I wouldn’t be able to get around as easily as I wanted to in my gown. Was very happy with this decision as I did not leave the dance floor!
LR: My outfit choice was very easy, I knew for a while that I wanted to wear a light linen jacket and black pants. Emma also surprised me with a pair of RM Williams as a gift for the wedding.
CEREMONY + RECEPTION Bayly’s Farm, @baylysfarmnz / PHOTOGRAPHER Moments & Waves Weddings, @moments_and_waves_photography / VIDEOGRAPHER Motion Bros, @motionbrosnz / CELEBRANT Bonded by Love, @bonded_by_love / ENTERTAINMENT Ceekay: Bay of Islands DJ Hire, @ceekay_nz / STYLING Parlour, @parlourevents_ / HIRE The Best Day Ever, @bestdayever.nz / MARQUEE Bayly’s Farm, @baylysfarmnz / FLORIST Parlour, @parlourevents_ / CATERING + BEVERAGES Kindred Spirits, @kindred_spirits_nz / STATIONERY Nel & Nui, @nelandnui / BRIDAL DRESS Hera Couture, @heracouture / SUIT Barkers, @barkersclothing / RINGS Diamonds on Richmond, @diamondsonrichmond / BRIDAL SHOES Bared Footwear, @baredfootwear / GROOM’S SHOE RM Williams, @rmwilliams / EARRINGS Christie Nicolaides, @christienicolaides / MAKEUP Make up by Philippas, @makeup_by_philippakriz / HAIR Phillipas Hair Retreat, @phillipashairretreat / FRAGRANCE Tocca, @tocca
