Jacqui & Glen

I owned a nightclub in Auckland and Glen came there with some of his friends. His charm and charisma caught my attention immediately. After a few hours of banter, we exchanged numbers. Glen said he wanted to host his birthday at the club, but I’m pretty sure it was just a great way of getting my number.

We texted a lot after that, and the conversation was easy. I found him super interesting. We are two peas in a pod and quickly became each other’s best friends.

Glen proposed in 2019, while on a trip to Taupo for my 36th birthday. We visited Huka Falls where Glen turned me around, he was saying some lovely things, none of which I can remember! He dropped to his knee and proposed. I forgot to say yes! Our friends got it all on camera.

We both love autumn; it’s Bluff oyster season and a good reason to enjoy a glass of mulled wine. I love the colours and the autumn leaves. Kauri Bay ticked all our boxes as a venue.

Our theme was modern and romantic with white and blush nude-coloured florals, we had Kauri Bay lit with fairy lights and candles burning in our favourite vanilla musk scent. I walked down the aisle to my father’s favourite love song, Wild Horses by The Rolling Stones. We gave everyone Instax cameras to take snaps for our keepsake book. We had 88 guests.

We had a sit-down candlelit dinner. We started with champagne and canapes served on the lawn, of buttermilk fried chicken, confit pork belly and arancini balls. Once seated, the entrees were cured snapper followed by the main affair of grass-fed eye fillet and chicken breast with serrano ham. Dessert was a three-tiered wedding cake: lemon, passionfruit, chocolate and salted caramel with doughnuts and a cheeseboard.

Walking along the ridgeline over sunset was our favourite memory; it was just the two of us. We were looking across Kauri Bay and could hear our family and friends laughing and cheering. Everything seemed so perfect, and my heart was full.

I had my gown designed. It was a Mikado Silk gown that featured a full skirt, killer split with a dramatic train, and an elegant plunging neckline, complimented with a romantic pearl veil. I accessorised with Gucci mules, pearl and crystal earrings and tennis bracelets. My four bridesmaids wore full-length strapless white gowns. Glen wore a tailor-made three-piece suit that featured a charcoal grey dinner jacket and his grandfather’s cufflinks and tie pin. I changed into a party dress that evening.

I chose to get ready at home with my bridal party and family and my French bulldogs. We flew to the venue by helicopter from the North Shore; other guests arrived by coach from Auckland. The groomsmen stayed at the venue the night before, in the restored shearing shed, where they cooked a feast while all the boys had their heads and faces shaved by a barber. In the morning, they all went shooting.

We went on a mini moon to Queenstown for four days and plan to travel once borders open.

My advice would be to make the day about yourselves! And love like there is no tomorrow.

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