When we started dating, everything just felt perfectly right, like we were where we were meant to be, and every day has been better since then.
Tell us a little about yourselves, what you do, what you love…
Both myself and Tyler work in my parent’s family business my grandparents started in the late 1950s Danske Mobler I’ve been in the company for over 8 years now, when I’m dad got throat cancer 8 years ago I had just finished Uni and was working in the magazine industry in marketing. I suddenly got worried I was never going to be able to learn from my dad with over 35 years of experience in the furniture industry. I was off to look after him while he went through his cancer treatment when he started going back to work, I started heading in with him, at this stage, we didn’t have a massive Facebook and Instagram online presence, so I thought it was a good opportunity for me to expand our customer base. I’ve since expanded my role and now do all the merchandising in our 10 Danske Mobler stores with my mum. I do all our photography styling, and I’m lucky enough to be in our buying team. Both my parents look after different areas of the business, and I love learning from both of them. My twin sister has since joined in the last two years, who looks after our NZ-made upholstery team, and so has my husband, who looks after all of Danske Mobler’s property and many other things. Its easy to say we love our work and working together as a family, we all worked on two new stores openings this year, one new store in Tauranga and another in Palmerston North. Me and Tyler love our little bungalow and have done it up recently in Three Kings and collect old Danske Mobler originals made by my grandads. Apart from creating and enjoying our home we love the water, being by the beach or on a boat is something we have always loved. This is why the groomsman got ready on Pacific Mermaid and why Mantells was the perfect venue for us, as it was so close to the marina. Pacific Mermaid has been in our family for 25 years and has been around the world more times than I can count, without my grandad around anymore he would have loved that we made the boat apart of our special day as it felt like he was there to enjoy it with us.
How/where/when did you meet – and what were your first impressions?
2012 in Fiji, my mum, chatty as ever, started talking to the lovely lady next to her by the pool; Mum said those are my twin daughters, just there and their two friends. Anthea said something like my son Lukey is here with his friends, “Ohh, look, there they are now” They came walking across from one side of the pool, Luke in bright yellow shorts and Tyler with his cute Justin Bieber haircut. Two weeks of hanging out with a fun group of boys soon became the new normal back in NZ. First impressions were great, Tyler and the nicest eyes and smile, with a kind caring personality to match. Although we didn’t get together when we first met, there was always something about Tyler that was special. We both went our separate ways. When we came back to NZ, we would catch up at parties and uni. Our friend groups became close, and we saw each other over the years as friends. We both had our own relationships before finding each other at the very end of 2018, both single and ready to see if that something special was more than just in our heads.
When did you first realise that this was someone you’d like to spend the rest of your life with?
When we started dating, everything just felt perfectly right, like we were where we were meant to be, and every day has been better since then. We are always there for each other, especially on our bad days, he always makes me laugh and smile. And he always holds my hand when we are out and about.
Was there a proposal? Tell us a little about it…
Yes, in Fiji, in my favourite sunset spot under the palm trees, Tyler was a bit nervous we were going to our favourite but casual restaurant called Cardos, Tyler kept asking me to wear a new Caitlin Crisp dress, and I kept saying no because we weren’t going anywhere fancy for dinner, he then changed the dinner location so I would wear my new dress, off we go to our sunset spot where he asked me to marry him and out from the bushes pops Tylers dad Bruce who had been taking pictures from in the bushes, I didn’t realise he had been waiting for us for 30minutes because I was taking so long to get ready. The lovely Fiji people sang a song as we walked back to our room, where our family and some close friends were waiting for us to celebrate. The best little trip away post-COVID, and with our favourite people, it couldn’t have been a better proposal.
Tell us about the vision you had for the mood or style of your wedding.
Wedding style was classic with modern elements, my mum had gypsophila at her wedding and my mother in law had hydrangeas so the combination of the two were perfect. I asked all my guests to wear black to match the wedding colours as well as matching my gorgeous bridesmaids in their Paris Georgia Heart Dresses in black with white lines and the groom’s party in their stunning suites. I had black ribbons on all of my wine glasses and black and white signage. With white flowers only.
What was one element you were happy to splurge on?
Flowers and photographers, both Ruth and Sapphire Studios, capture our day perfectly. Our Event Coordinator, Mel from the Event Refinery, was amazing. She coordinated all the vendors and just made the day run smoothly; it was the best money we sent.
Did anything happen on your wedding day that you laugh about in hindsight (even if it was stressful at the time)?
The cake was massive I took so big the scale was way bigger than expected, but I loved it as we got the chance to share it with our factory team at work, who all loved it too, I’m a pretty relaxed bride and was very organised before the day so everything really went according to plan.
Tell us about your main outfits, what was unique, is there a story?
I loved my wedding dress from Alice at Hayes Bridal (I’m a twin, and so is she) she made the process so easy, and the dress was so me it couldn’t have been any more perfect, the open back of the dress was my favourite with the long piece of material out the side and across my arm. I also loved my big bow on my peonies bouquet it was so different I hadn’t seen it done before but also very me and chic from Ruth Fiona Florals.
CEREMONY + RECEPTION Mantells Tāmaki Drive, @mantells_ FLORIST Ruth Fiona Floral, @ruthfionafloral PHOTOGRAPHER Sapphire Studios, @sapphirestudios__ OFFICIANT Carla Rotondo, @the_love_celebrant_ STATIONARY Papier HQ, @papierhqevents HAIR + MAKEUP The Peach Club, @thepeach_club BRIDAL DRESS Hayes Bridal, @hayesbridal BRIDESMAID DRESS Paris Georgia, @paris__georgia SUIT Working Style, @workingstylenz GROOMSMEN SUIT Fifth Avenue, @fifthavenuemenswear VEIL Made with Love, @madewithlovebridal HANDBAG Georgia Jay, @georgiajaybags LARGE BOW On Flowers, @ruthfionafloral; @gloria_nz_ ENGAGEMENT RING Timmermans Jewellers, @timmermansjewellers SHOES Borrowed from my Mum – Dune London, @dune_london CAKE Zi Sweet, @zi__sweet BRIDAL PARTY – GETTING READY HQ Parents Home in Epsom GROOM’S PARTY – GETTING READY HQ Pacific Mermaid Orakei Marina
