Tammy & Sam

Sam and I met in 2014 at my workplace as he was booked in with me for a haircut. He liked to get his hair cut every four to five weeks, so he continued to book his appointments with me, and we got to know each other well. I always thought he was very attractive, but also really funny and a genuine good sort. After just over a year of appointments, Sam told me he was moving overseas with no return ticket. I remember feeling so gutted, but I wished him the very best. Months later Sam was a suggested friend on Facebook and accepted my request. Sometime later I plucked up the courage and slid into his DMs! Thankfully, Sam, who was in Ireland at the time, replied. We could not stop messaging each other and, funnily enough, he had actually booked a return ticket home. Before I knew it he was back in New Zealand. We met up and it all went from there!

In mid-2019 on a beautiful winter’s day, we went glamping at Waitomo Hilltop. It was the most amazing experience! We spent some really nice time together with platters, wine and woodfire pizzas completely isolated from the world and without the distractions of technology. After dinner and drinks, I was ready to pop into bed when Sam got on one knee and proposed. The proposal was so us and, of course, I said yes! I was so happy and could not wait to start planning our wedding.

The Masterton area has wonderful summer weather, perfect for a beautiful outdoor wedding so when we came across the Landing at Homebush online and loved what we saw, so we just had to view it. The permanent marquee for the reception was so beautiful with fairy lights throughout and a roof covered in vines. It was just magical. We also liked that we could have our entire wedding at one venue. When we visited we knew immediately that it was the perfect venue for us. A big plus was that we immediately connected with the incredible owners who were so passionate about weddings and take a lot of pride in the presentation of the venue. The Landing will forever be a very special place to us both.

I would describe our wedding as elegant, romantic, and glamorous with a pristine look and pops of colour. We wanted our wedding florals, arranged by Jillybud Florist, to speak for themselves and add to the joyful and celebratory atmosphere with that wow factor. The aisle pieces were big, voluminous showstopper pieces. We also had garlands along the tables featuring lots of flower clusters and hydrangeas. I loved the ethereal and soft yet dramatic look of my cascading bouquet. The colour palette was beautiful cool tones of purple, pink and blue, with hints of magenta, gold, and greenery. 

My bridal look was chic, classy and elegant, yet extravagant. I knew what I wanted – a high shine gown with a big train and wow factor. I wanted to blow people away with outstanding simplicity, back detailing, and an extravagant train. When I found Modes Bridal online I fell in love with Pronovias gowns. A dress with a big bow at the back really caught my eye. I was obsessed. I booked an appointment, tried it on, and bought it. I never strayed from my dream dress. I knew it was the one and nothing was going to change my mind. The beautiful ivory Mikado silk gown had thick straps and a cross design on the back. I wore an incredible humungous asymmetric silk bow on the back for the ceremony and photos. I felt like the perfect combination of chic and sexy in my dress – I just loved it! I wore a beautiful ivory birdcage veil asymmetrically across my face, covering one eye, to mirror the bow. I detached the bow before the reception to show off the cross detailing of the dress. The train could be tied up, which I did, so that it was a lot easier to dance in. 

Walking down the aisle to look into Sam’s eyes was the most special moment for both of us. I will never forget the way Sam looked at me that day. I could feel so deeply how much he loves and adores me – it was like I was the only person there. I felt more in love with him than ever. We chose to walk back down the aisle as a family after the ceremony, so my daughter Skylar, who Sam loves as his own, joined us. It was important to us to end the ceremony as a unit. Every part of the day was absolutely outstanding. There was so much love and happiness throughout our sunny celebration. Our day was perfection and we spent it smiling from ear to ear.

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