Deahla & Jarrod

In 2012, Jarrod and I were both part of the team that opened The Commons in Takapuna. It was a slow burner as we both took our roles pretty seriously – him as a chef, and me as a waitress. It was all work and no play. It wasn’t until a year later when we noticed a shift in our professional relationship. Jarrod soon accepted a role elsewhere and we began meeting up for coffee before work – there’s no such thing as a dinner date with a chef, you have to have a morning date – and the rest is history.

Fast forward a few years to 2017 and we were attending Splore. We’ve been going to the festival together ever since we started dating, so it has always been a very special place for us. Jarrod insisted on taking a particular route to the main stage at a very specific time. As we approached, he pointed something out and I could feel his hand trembling. I stopped shocked. He had arranged a message to go over the main stage screen that read, “Deahla, let’s grow old and weird together. Will you marry me?” I snapped back around to find Jarrod on one knee and of course said YES.

I initially had my heart set on a long-sleeved gown but felt a bit boring in them. I wasn’t expecting to get ‘that feeling’ when I tried on a stunning beaded number by Zavana Bridal at Jessica Bridal in Newmarket, but it came instantly. I fell in love! It was super comfortable and made me feel like a feminine goddess! The tulle and lace dress had a deep scoop V-neck and mermaid silhouette and was fully hand-beaded with pearls, crystals and glass beads. The stunning scalloped train made it extra unique – perfect for a modern bride!

We didn’t want to have a super formal plated dinner, going instead for a feasting style menu. The day was about celebrating love and two families becoming one and people connect on a deeper level when they share experiences, including food! Naturally, my Maori family loves seafood, so oysters HAD to be on the menu. To keep the tummies of my NZ European in-laws happy, we had slow roast Hawke’s Bay lamb shoulder and tamarind chutney. All of our friends are old school ‘hospo’, so we knew they would be a thirsty bunch. To keep things ‘kosher’, we arranged a late-night snack to fill their boozy bellies including Angus beef sliders with caramelised onion and blue cheese and the ultimate toasties with three cheeses, champagne ham and semi-dried tomato aioli. I still think about those toasties to this day!

After we took photos with our bridal party, I scheduled half an hour into our timeline for Jarrod and I to spend some time alone together. We enjoyed a bottle of bubbles and soaked it all in. Weddings are such a whirlwind and I’m so glad that we took a moment for ourselves. You always hear newlyweds say, “BEST DAY EVER”, and it really was. We have no regrets and my heart is so happy and full whenever I think back on our wedding. I think I’ve looked at our photo album and watched the video literally a million times, just so I can relive the day.