Tell us a little about yourselves, what you do, what you love, what is unique about you and your relationship…
We met on Tinder late 2015 and were texting back and forth for a while. Then Vanderson drove nine hours for our first date and charmed my heart immediately. We joke that he is ‘over-charming’. He even text me after our first date saying he had told his friends in Brazil that he was going to marry me. I am susceptible to flattery but I wanted to know what his visa status was before agreeing to go on another date!
We were doing long distance for about six months. We chatted on the phone every night and really got to know each other before I transferred my legal studies to Wellington so we could live together. After he proposed Christmas 2016, I grilled him for about 40 minutes about what marriage meant to him, what his expectations were of married life and what kind of husband he would be!
We believe we are stronger as a team and getting married was our commitment to each other’s goals and dreams. We couldn’t be happier!
Tell us about your special day, was there a specific theme or style? Tell us a little about the setting, the styling and some of your favourite details…
I (Emily Iris) had been working in an Art gallery and was inspired by the renaissance art we had on display. I loved how the paintings and sculptures captured the feeling of movement and the colours of that period are very romantic. I wanted to incorporate classically beautiful elements into a day that felt fresh and sparkly.
We had guests coming in from out of town and overseas so we wanted to give them a taste of our city. We had our ceremony inside the original University building after which our guests took the iconic cable car down to the waterfront reception. We had a playful combination of historic and modern.
Tell us about your main outfits:
I was very inspired by the brides of the 1920s and the Art deco period. I wanted to wear something that felt graceful and gave me freedom to move. My veil added a sense of drama and the sparkly shoes were a bit of fun. Vanderson wanted something classic. He made the suit his own by adding a double-breasted waistcoat.
What were some of the most memorable/unique moments from the day?
My bridesmaids (sister, Megan and cousin, Erin) and I travelled to the ceremony in a pink 1959 Ford. It was huge! We took over the whole road and broke many road rules. People were waving and taking pictures of us, it was a great confidence boost!
Vanderson: When I saw Emily come through the door, something deep inside me changed forever. Every detail of her was perfect. I will never forget it.
Emily: It was also very special for my family to have my father there as he had had massive brain surgery 8 weeks before the day. His father-of-the bride speech will go down in family history!
Any advice for other couples planning to spend the rest of their lives together?
Love is precious and must be cherished, shared and celebrated!
Vanderson said if he had known how much fun he was going to have on the big day he would have never complained during the planning process!
Photographer: Anahita Paul |Reception & Catering, Foxglove | Flora: Yvette Edwards| Vanderson wore: Armani suit from Vance Vivian Wellington. Emily wore: Zimmerman Winesome drape dress, Ring/s: Zora Bell Boydjewellery, Veil: Couture Wedding Veils – Etsy | Ceremony location: Hunter Building, Victoria University, Wellington | Celebrant: Rhianon Lewis | Entertainment: Daniel White music and BPM events | Cake: arobake, Hiare and makeup by Emily The Bride | Bridesmaids Zimmerman
