Shannon & Brett

We met as teenagers in our hometown of Waiuku and at that stage, we weren’t very fond of each other! We hung with different crowds and went our separate ways. A mutual friend reconnected us via Facebook. She got in touch as Brett had seen me and asked if I was single. We chatted online, a relationship grew, and Brett introduced me to his son. We are two semi-awkward, nerdy people who decided to spend the rest of our lives annoying each other!

We travelled to Rarotonga for a family holiday and Brett asked me to go for a walk along the beach. He started his awkward chatter and then turned and asked me to marry him. I answered: “Nah…yeah!”. We were engaged for 15 months.

We found our venue online and fell in love with the old manor vibe as soon as we stepped in. Our theme was vintage with a modern twist. We love Star Wars, so we added collectibles and props throughout the day, from the cake and table names to the bridal bouquet with a lightsaber handle to tiny lightsabres on the men’s boutonnieres and our own lightsaber replicas for some fun bridal photos! We had 70 guests and opted for a summer wedding.

To tie in with our colour palette, we chose faux white roses, blue thistles and lots of greenery.

Our buffet included roast meats, seafood and a selection of salads with pavlova, profiteroles and trifle for dessert, followed by a three-tiered Star Wars-themed mud cake.

My standout memory from the photoshoot was my husband spinning me around on the dock; it was magical. We took more photos with sparklers and lightsabers in the dark.

We travelled to the ceremony in an ermine white vintage 1966 Impala, borrowed from a friend.

My bridal look was modern and sophisticated. My gown had a curved V-neckline and thin straps to complement the wide waistband of the matte Mikado bodice, with a large full ballgown skirt of tiered tulle. I accessorised with an ivory glitter veil, sapphire shimmer heels, a pearl and crystal hair vine and a necklace I borrowed from my mother-in-law. I also wore my late grandmother’s charm bracelet. My three bridesmaids wore satin wrap gowns with silver wedges. We dressed my niece, our flower girl, in a white lace topped dress with a tulle skirt and sparkling blue shoes to match my own. Brett wore a white shirt with navy trim, a light grey and navy waistcoat and black pants. He paired this with Italian leather Moccasins.

We all stayed in Waimauku the night before the wedding and went to The Barn for dinner with our bridal party where we gave them their gifts.

My standout memory is saying our vows to each other because at that moment it felt like it was just the two of us. We wrote our own vows to give the ceremony a personal twist.

We missed out on a honeymoon as we couldn’t travel overseas. When we decided to fly to the South Island, another lockdown was announced! We spent the time relaxing at home instead.

My advice is: Your wedding is your own so if there’s something you want, go for it. Be crazy, be spontaneous, do something wild. Your partner is marrying you because they love who you are.

For more Real Weddings click here