The idea of spending the rest of our lives together goes without question.
Tell us a little about yourselves, what you do, what you love…
MA: I work as a dietitian, and Will is an engineer. In our spare time, we are usually near the ocean, whether it be surfing or fishing, working on our house and landscaping, and making good food to enjoy with friends. We are both very social, so most weekends are jam-packed with activities and catching up with friends and family.
How/where/when did you meet – and what were your first impressions?
Being from small Taranaki, we both knew of each other but didn’t properly meet until one university break back in New Plymouth. We started chatting in a bar, and the rest is history.
When did you first realise that this was someone you’d like to spend the rest of your life with?
There wasn’t one moment for either of us that we realised we wanted to spend the rest of our lives together. We have been together for 9 years and have done so much growing in that time. Sharing so many different experiences, including completing a masters, moving around different regions of New Zealand, travelling, and building a house together. The idea of spending the rest of our lives together goes without question.
Was there a proposal? Tell us a little about it…
MA: Our proposal was super casual. We were walking along Oakura Beach on a Saturday afternoon. It was raining, and it totally caught me off guard. Both families and some of our friends came around to celebrate, which was followed by an impromptu party. It was the best weekend!
Tell us about the vision you had for the mood or style of your wedding…
MA: We both wanted it to feel like a relaxed summer party. It is so easy to get caught up in the wedding hysteria, our focus was on bringing friends and family together to share good food and drink and have a dance to some great music.
What was one element you were happy to splurge on?
MA: Both coming from foodie families, good food was an important element for us. We were lucky enough to have parents help us with this. Toret did an amazing job, and all of the food was incredible. My dad provided us with homegrown wagyu beef, as well as making each guest a jar of his famous feijoa relish.
Did anything happen on your wedding day that you laugh about in hindsight (even if it was stressful at the time)?
MA: Our wedding day went smoothly, and on reflection, there isn’t one moment that stands more than another. However, the week of our wedding was extremely stressful as my dad had a bad farming accident. We weren’t sure if he would make it to the wedding and had moments of questioning whether to go ahead with everything. We were so grateful that he was able to leave the hospital for our ceremony, and he was determined to still walk me down the aisle, which made for a very emotional ceremony.
Tell us about your main outfits, what was unique, is there a story?
MA: Initially, I thought I wanted to get married in a mini dress but ended up randomly purchasing a dress online from Shona Joy which felt like a gamble, and I was half expecting to return it. When the Shona Joy dress arrived, it fit perfectly, and I loved it. My pearl necklace was my great-grandmother’s, which felt like a really special touch. Mum made my second dress, which gave me my mini-dress fix. I loved the pink, and it was the perfect party dress.
Will’s bow tie was super unique and was his grandfather’s. It felt special for both of us to be wearing something of our grandparents.
CEREMONY + LOCATION Family Friend’s Property / PHOTOGRAPHY Two Set Visuals, @twosetvisuals / VIDEOGRAPHER Thomas Smith Film, @_thomas__smith / CELEBRANT William’s Sister / ENTERTAINMENT The Raw Honeys, @therawhoneysband / RINGS Jakob Kelly Jewellery, @jakobkellyjewellery_ / BRIDE’S SHOES Mi Piaci, @mi_piaci / GROOM’S SHOES Dr. Martens New Zealand, @drmartensofficial / EARRINGS Mars Official, @_marsofficial / NECKLACE Great-Grandmother of the Bride / HAT BROOKE BARRETT, @brookebarrettforyou / BOW TIE Grandfather of the Groom / MAKEUP Amber Smithers Makeup, @amber_makeup / HAIR The Station Hair Co, @thestationhairco / FRAGRANCE Jo Malone, @jomalonelondon / BRIDESMAIDS’ DRESS BROOKE BARRETT, @brookebarrettforyou / BRIDESMAIDS’ SHOES La Tribe, @la.tribe / GROOMSMEN SUIT Barkers, @barkersclothing
