weddings

Nearly 5 years later, back at the same restaurant by the water, I asked Jordan if she would do me the honor of being my wife – and she accepted!

I thought, oh no he isn’t proposing because why wouldn’t my best friend be there….. well, I walk into the restaurant, and they take me upstairs and our song was playing and all my friends and family were there with the final clue and a sign that said “just say Yes!”

I really wanted a champagne tower for after the ceremony – it was all stacked up ready to go, and a big gust of wind took it out just before I walked down the aisle! And, the ibis’ kept stealing the food – my poor father-in-law had to be on ibis patrol.

I looked ahead and Tamehana popped out from the bush and surprised me. I had no idea he was in Queenstown. He proposed to me on the waterfront, and it was such a beautiful evening.

One of our long tables had table names in the wrong order which I noticed halfway through the reception but all of my family said they loved being mingled in rather than sitting across from their partners so it worked out in the end anyway!

When Gerrick gave his speech at Pilkingtons both boys came up and sat with me, he addressed us together and there wasn’t a dry eye in the entire venue. Having them with us made the day just that much more special and unique.

We knew when we started planning big things together like the house and plans of moving overseas. Getting excited about these things and only seeing each other in our future plans and goals made it more certain that we wanted to be together forever.

Over time, it became clear that she was someone I could trust and let my walls down with. To quote my wedding vows, which I stole from a James Arthur song, she met me in the dark, she lit me up.