Engaged Wedding Magazine - April 2009

DIAMONDSCHOOSING THE BEST DIAMOND FOR YOUR BUDGET

engagedApril 2009

WEDDINGDRESS BLISS

Showcasing four real weddings

PIECE OF MINDWedding Insurance

Light Up Your Love Fairy lights and lanterns

Readers’ Corner Readers tell us how they met

Seven Steps to a Flat Stomach

ALL THAT GLITTERSThe fabulous Gold Coast

PLUS: OVER $3000 WORTH OF PRIZES!!!

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Cover Credits:Photo by Rob Driessen

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Notes from

the Editors...

Wedding season is well and truly upon us, with many of you getting married in the last month or two. We hope you are all getting ready for our Bride of the Year competition (run by www.weddings.co.nz and covered by that site and Engaged). We can’t wait to see some gorgeous photos and hear your romantic wedding day stories. We still have a tear in our eyes when we read the entry from last year’s winner!

For those of you still in the planning stages, our advice this month covers everything from specialised wedding venues to wedding shoes, from holidaying on the Gold Coast to what you can do to get a fl at stomach for your wedding day, from lighting and lantern magic to the slightly less sparkly, but just as important, wedding insurance.

We hear from our real brides with the countdown truly being on for our bride diaries and we fi nd out how some of our readers met.

In addition to the fantastic “win a wedding dress” competition City Bridal and Simply Exquisite are running, there is also the opportunity to win an amazing photography package! Check out our competitions page for details!

Tim & Deborah

Advertising Enquiries:

Email: [email protected]

Phone: 09 8455925

Post:PO Box 137101, ParnellAuckland 1151

Hamilton Media Limited accepts no responsibility for material provided by readers or advertisers. All material supplied is assumed to have been provided with the consent of the appropriate copyright holders

Engaged is subject to copyright in its entirety. All rights reserved in material accepted for publication unless initally specifi ed otherwise.

: engaged : April 2009

58

FAVOURITE FAVOURSIdeas for wedding favours 64

PLUS:WIN A WEDDING DRESS VALUED

AT $2000

AND

WIN A WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHY PACKAGE

THROUGH THE LENS

70BRIDE DIARYWe follow two brides as they prepare for their wedding day

8 62FLAT OUT

Seven tips for a flat tummy

30

PERSONALISEDWEDDING WEBSITES


84

TOE-TAPPINGLY BEAUTIFULGorgeous shoes for your wedding

68

table of contents

10

LIGHT UP YOUR LOVEAmazing lighting ideas

40

THREE OF A KINDCelebrating beautiful wedding dresses

ALL THAT GLITTERSHoneymoon on the Gold Coast

: engaged : August 2008

April

Dunedin Wedding Show5 April 2009 Edgar Centre, Dunedinwww.weddingshow.co.nz

The Wedding Show19 April 2009 Aotea Centre, Aucklandwww.weddingshow.co.nz

Auckland’s Premier Wedding Expo19 April 2009 ASB Showgrounds, Aucklandwww.bridalshows.co.nz

Bride & Groom Magazine Show 26 April 2009Ellerslie Event Centre, Auckland

May

Christchurch’s Premier Wedding Expo3 May 2009 Christchurch Convention Centre, Christchurchwww.bridalshows.co.nz

Nelson’s Premier Wedding Expo17 May 2009 Trafalgar Centre, Nelsonwww.bridalshows.co.nz

Bay of Plenty Wedding Expo 200924 May 2009Tauranga Racecourse, Taurangawww.tauranga.co.nz/yourlife/events/Bay+of+Plenty+Wedding+Expo+2009

Wedding Shows


The Wedding Show adAotea CentreSunday 19th April 20099am - 4pm Over 2 floors of exhibitors

Fashion Shows at 11am & 2pm

Gift Bags for the first 100 brides through the doors

including a FREE copy of NZ Weddings magazine.

Seminars run every 30 minutes. Hear from some of Auckland’s

TOP Wedding Professional’s as they share with you all the tips, tricks

and inside advice on planning your wedding. No seminars will be

repeated, so bring a pen and paper, all of your questions, and get

ready for a flood of information.

A $5,000 Diamond RingOne lucky bride will take home a $5000 diamond ring courtesy of

Stonz Jewellers. Live draw at 1:30pm. You must be there to WIN it.

PLUS Live demonstrations, Free bubbly, ‘IMPROVE A GROOM’

workshops for the guys and entertainment by ‘THE MERMAIDS’

Be in to Win the Ultimate HoneymoonYour chance to win the ultimate honeymoon in the stunning

“Aitutaki Lagoon Resort and Spa”

Discount ticket voucher and full seminar timetable available at

www.weddingshow.co.nz


Kylie & Hooksy

Bride Diary

Kylie and Hooksy met 18,000kms from home on a hot summers day in London at the NZ Food & Wine Festival (complete with their favourite NZ culinary delights and the sounds of Dave Dobbyn in the background). Six years

later, after much travelling, moving back home, buying a dog

and a house together, Hooksy popped the big question on

their favourite west coast beach, Muriwai. Kylie is a marketing

manager with Goodman Fielder and Hoosky has his own business

as a builder.

As Kylie and Hoosky were getting married on the 12th of March,

Kylie’s bridesmaid and sister, Davina, provided this entry. It’s a

bridesmaid’s perspective of the hens’ night!

“When Kylie put me in charge of organising her hens’ night, I wasn’t

entirely sure where to start. What do you do with 25 women? Would it

be a day of beauty treatments, pampering and a night on the town,

or did she want something more a little more racy – pole-dancing

lessons, and a male stripper..?

I decided to test the waters with Kylie and found out that she liked

the idea of some sort of dress-up party and karaoke (defi nitely no

strippers allowed - whew)!!


For karaoke, someone suggested going to the Nippon Sake Bar, a

Japanese restaurant on Manukau Rd in Auckland. They have an

upstairs function room, do delicious set meals for $35 per person

and provide someone to run the karaoke. But best of all they don’t

mind rowdy hens. Perfect! Now we just needed a theme for the

dress-up…

Growing up, Kylie had always been the competitive, sporty type, so

Belinda (one of the lovely bridesmaids), suggested a ‘sports geek’

theme for the night. This turned out to be a great idea. Everyone

really got into the theme on the night – our mum went as an old-style

netballer, and we had golfers, a scrabble geek, a ping-pong player,

tennis champs and even a couple of 80s jazz-ercissers! You have to

love a girl who’s brave enough to wear a lycra g-string..

The night was so much fun. We didn’t tell Kylie what we were doing

or where she was going so it was a complete surprise. When she

arrived, we made Kylie dress up in her old competitive swimming

outfi t – complete with speedos (thanks Claire), swimming cap,

medals, a pair of sheer stockings and, of course, a veil. She was

such a great sport (I couldn’t imagine anything worse than have my

thighs publicly exposed in pair of togs!) but she managed to pull it

off – and look absolutely amazing in the process! (All that hard work

at the gym defi nitely had it’s rewards.)

We ate, danced, drank and sang at the top of our lungs for hours

(bless Joy at Nippon Sake Bar for putting up with us all!). Even some

of the people from other tables joined in with us.

After the restaurant fi nally closed, we headed off into town (yes,

Kylie was still in togs..) for more drinking and general hen antics. We

fi nally called it a night at about 3.30am. Now, that’s what I call a

hens’ night.”


I admit it. I have an obsession with lanterns and fairy lights. Chinese lanterns, silk printed lanterns, tea lights in paper bags, candles in simple glass jars. Strung

in trees, on wires, in bunches from the ceiling, individually at uneven intervals. Tiki torches count too. And don’t get me started on candles (that’s for another issue!).

It may be a slight fascination with fire, but mostly I think that the light reflected from lanterns and fairy lights is magical and warm. It glows, just like your love should. OK, now that was a bit soppy (but only a bit, right?).

If you are like me, then you will most definitely be considering fairy lights or lanterns for your wedding. And if you are not, there are still a couple of things you should consider.

Twinkle, twinkle....

Is it nerves making him pale?Think about last time you tried on a bikini in a tiny cubicle. Harsh fluorescent lighting

probably had you running from the changing room, muttering about not being seen dead in any swimwear until you lose some weight and get a tan. The same principles work for wedding lighting: whilst your guests are not likely to run out of the reception, there are some lights will flatter you and your guests, making everyone look (and feel) good.

Whether you choose to use candles or specialised lighting, think about the difference between hard and soft lighting and how lighting directs the attention around the room. Most people relax a bit more in dimmer light: it reminds them of the end of the day, giving that ‘after-work’ feeling as they escape from strong office lighting.


Photos courtesy of La Lumiere www.fairylights.co.nz


In the spotlightIt is helpful to visit your reception venue at least once while it is dark outside. You

can check out what lights the venue has: whether any natural light will stream in during the dusk hours, where the existing lights are focused, whether those lights can be dimmed, whether light from areas leading into the reception room will permeate the main area.

Lights can be used to draw attention to an area or, conversely, away from it. Lights at the edge of the ceiling illuminating the walls draw the eye away from the centre of the room. Spotlights will direct your eye to a particular spot. Read about what type of lighting can be used where and think what you want the effect to be before deciding on options.

Through rose-coloured lensesJust as some lights work for different purposes, there are some colours that just don’t

do a venue or the guests justice. For example, olive greens can make a room look murky, which is probably not the look you are going for at a wedding reception.

For lighting that goes through the whole room try tones that go with all skin colours. Soft golden or pinky hues help to set a soft, romantic mood. These can be deepened to oranges or darker pinks when the dancing starts.

Or for a winter wedding, you may like to try a wall of icy blue lights, with flickering white lanterns on the tables.

Ask your lighting co-ordinator what they would recommend for the venue and how colour changes can be achieved. Many lights can be pre-programmed.

Lighting al frescoWhilst daylight savings can limit the amount of time your lights will be used for,

outdoor lighting and lanterns can be truly special. Think of a big, sprawling tree with fairy lights strung through it or strings of brightly coloured lanterns. The lights will look like they are floating above your guests’ heads.

Outdoor lights can be used for mood lighting or for a specific purpose such as illuminating


or highlighting a path. Paper bags with sand and a tea-light candle make cheap, effective lanterns for this purpose.

Power upCheck with your reception venue if they have any limitations with respect to

available power points or electricity loading. You will also need to do this at home – remember all the extra electricity you will be using for spare refrigerators, the band’s instruments and so on – the last thing you want is to literally blow all the fuses!

Expert AssistanceIf you decide that you need extra lighting after checking out the available lighting at your venue, you may need to contact a lighting specialist. Ask at the venue to see if they have any recommendations. Anyone who has worked at the venue will know what works and that will make it easier for them to make suggestions.


The terms you need to know…It can be slightly easier to make decisions about lighting if you know what you like and need. These are some common types of lights:

A pin spot is a focused beam of light designed to shines directly onto something, for example, the cake.

A colour wash creates the effect of covering a specific area with coloured light. Think of a wall of icy blue light behind the head table.

Gobos are stencils that are put over a light, projecting a design or pattern, pretty much like the ‘bat’ light used in Gotham City. Whilst the bat light probably isn’t appropriate for your wedding, we are sure you can use your imagination to come up with some wedding-appropriate gobos!

For the greenies amongst us LED lights are proving popular. They use less electricity and don’t get as hot. Used for colour changes, in strands or for accent lights, some are even wireless – think of the possibilities!

www.cbdcatering.co.nz


flower girl shoes page boy shoes

order online www.irisgift.com

Iris Gift Bridal Shoes ph: 09 826 3228

evening shoes bridal shoes

Leonie SmythMobile Make-up Artist

[email protected] 389423

BEADS JEWELLERY CLASSES

Create your own unique jewellery.Custom designs with delight.

Beads for embellishment.

www.beadsgloriousbeads.com

6 Kingsland Tce, Kingsland, Auckland - Phone: 09 815 1177

Beautiful parasols for your weddingWith options for both sun and rain, you’ll look

fantastic and be completely covered.

www.parasoul.co.nz

[email protected]: 021 458 687

: engaged : February 2009

WIN YOUR WEDDING DRESS!City Bridal is giving you the chance to win a wedding dress to the value of $2000 from its City Bride range!

To enter, just print out the entry form, fill it in and drop it off at one of City Bridal’s stands at any of the following

Auckland wedding shows:

Bride & Groom ShowSunday 26 April 2009, Ellerslie Event Centre, Ellerslie Racecourse

The Wedding Show (the Simply Exquisite stand)Sunday 19 April 2009, Aotea Centre, Auckland Central

Auckland’s Premier Wedding ExpoSunday 19 April 2009, ASB Showgrounds, Auckland

Click here for the entry form

PLUS: Visit www.weddings.co.nz for a chance to enter a second draw for another $2000 wedding dress!

http://www.weddings.co.nz/engaged/citybride.html

www.citybridal.co.nzwww.simplyexquisiteonline.com


This month Engaged talks to Lisa Charteris from The Wedding Show about her show at the Aotea Centre in Auckland on the 19th of April and the Dunedin Wedding Show on the 5th of April.

Engaged: Why did you start The Wedding Show? Aren’t all shows created equal? I wanted to provide a show from a female’s point of view. I realised how important it was for brides to have a show that was just a little different: one that wasn’t designed for the masses. I

wanted to be proud of every supplier that was featured and to make sure it would be a show where brides could find worthwhile, interesting information about those high quality suppliers.

Engaged: How long have you been involved in wedding shows? I have been managing wedding shows for five years.

Engaged: What makes your show stand out from the others and what can brides expect from The Wedding

OnShow

Show on the 19th of April? We have some fantastic things on offer at the show this year...where to start?

Firstly, there are the prizes: Stonz Jewellers have provided a $5,000 diamond ring, which the brides can see and try on before the prize is drawn. The prize will be drawn at 1.30pm on stage (you need to be there to win it)! We also have a $2,500 entertainment package and an amazing honeymoon package to Rarotonga including accommodation, spa treatments - pure bliss!

Secondly, we are offering some truly informative 30-minute seminars, which we believe is a first for bridal shows! Brides (and grooms) can hear advice from Auckland’s top professional wedding planners, videographers, caterers, photographers, and theming specialists and will get the chance to ask questions after the seminar. It’s a great opportunity for brides to ask those questions they always wanted to know in a ‘sales-pitch-free’ environment. And there’s also a big possibility that brides find out something they didn’t know they needed to know! No seminars will be

repeated, so brides should make sure they are there early, bring a pen and paper, all their questions and get ready for some of the best advice you will hear all year! For a full seminar timetable, go to www.weddingshow.co.nz.

Thirdly, and also a first, are our ‘Improve-a-Groom’ workshops. Sometimes the groom gets a little ‘lost’ in the wedding preparations and on the day, so these workshops are designed to give the guys advice on how they can stand out, what they can do to surprise their partner to make her feel like a goddess, tips on speeches and so on. Nick Logan, who is running the seminars, has asked brides-to-be what they want and, boys, here’s your answer!

And there’s more: two stunning fashion shows, live demonstrations, free magazines including M2 for the guys, entertainment from ‘The Mermaids’...

Engaged: So, are there show bags? What kind of goodies can the brides nab at your show? We have had some fantastic products provided. The first 100 brides in the door receive a gift bag containing products from the Simuolive ‘Olive’ range, Vera Wang fragrance and moisturiser, spa vouchers, make-up, a free NZ Weddings magazine.... And all brides get free Alan Scott bubbles!

Engaged: You are also doing The Wedding Show in Dunedin on the 5th of April. Tell us a little more about that. The Dunedin show is being held at the Edgar Centre and will feature over 60 exhibitors. We will be having fashion shows and the ‘Improve-a-Groom’ seminars, but this show will also have something truly different: MoreFM has been running a radio promotion where couples have sent in their ideas for a unusual proposal. The top five ideas were chosen and these proposals carried out (and videoed) in real life. The videos were placed on MoreFM’s website and the public got to vote for their favourite proposal. The winning couple were advised on Monday the 30th of March that they had won a $40,000 wedding package provided by the exhibitors at The Wedding Show and that they would be getting married at the show on the 5th of April!

The Auckland Show is on at the Aotea Centre, Auckland on Sunday 19 April 2009 from 9am until 4pm. Free parking is available.

The Dunedin Show is on at the Edgar Centre, Dunedin on Sunday 5 April from 10am until 4pm.

Tickets are available at the door. For discount vouchers and more information see www.weddingshow.co.nz.

This ring is up for grabs!


9.00am: Doors Open The first 100 brides receive a gift bag PLUS a free copy of NZ

Weddings Magazine.

10.00am - 3.00pm: SeminarsSeminars running every half an hour until 3.00pm. Hear some of Auckland’s top wedding professionals share tips, tricks and

inside secrets to give you the advantage in planning your wedding. Seminars will NOT be repeated, so get there early

with a notepad and pen and plenty of questions!

11.00am: Fashion Show

1.30pm: Diamond Ring DrawThe stunning $5,000 Stonz Jewelers Diamond Ring will be

drawn live. If you’re not there, you can’t win it! Be there to claim the prize, or it will be redrawn.

2.00pm: 2nd Fashion Show

PLUS:

“Improve-a-groom” SeminarsMorning and afternoon sessions, and limited capacity. This is a chance for your wonderful man to get even better! These are brief workshops designed to encourage grooms to ‘be the man’ when it comes to their wedding day. Ideas and inspiration to get him excited about planning your big day,

plus tips on how to write the best speech of his life!

live demonstrationsfree bubbly; and

entertainment from ‘The Mermaids’

The Wedding Show Timetable


In this month’s venue focus, we take a look at New Zealand’s specialised wedding venues.

These venues focus mainly on weddings or conferences. Set up to cater for these types of functions, they provide a very specialised type of service.

Know Thy PlaceBeing specifically designed to cater for large groups, the specialised venue staff know what works and what can (and can’t!) be done to make your day special. Can you have horses on the property? Would they be able to scatter rose petals in the entrance to the venue? Is there a place to string fairy lights? Ask and you shall find out the answer immediately!

The Specialists

Sole FocusWithout accommodation to reserve or wine to make, the specialised venue has one focus: your wedding. The wedding co-ordinator at the property will be dedicated to making your wedding special. Their reputation is on the line: a good reputation for organising and hosting a wedding is everything as they generally do not have other business income to fall back on. This ‘care factor’ extends to everyone at the business, which translates into excellent service for you!

Party OnAs the venue should only be having one wedding per day, there are no other guests (other than the ones from your wedding!) to consider.

Timing is EverythingSpecialised venues understand timing: they realise that the ceremony may go longer than expected or that photo time may run slightly over schedule. The staff at the venue can ensure that things run smoothly.

Also, many specialised venues are set up for you to have the ceremony, photos and reception in the one place. This means that you will get to spend more time with your guests!


wedding & events centre

www.footbridge.co.nz

Situated 35 minutes from Auckland, like a green jewel set amongst 20 landscaped

hectares at Bombay, this secluded venue provides a one-stop facility.

A Unique All-Weather Wedding and Function Venue.

Features include:- Chapel- Reception rooms for dining and dance - Numerous photograph settings - a photographers delight!- Professional caterers who can design specific menus to suit your requirements be it Buffet, BBQ, Cocktail Style or Table d’Hote.

Phone: 09 2360510 Email: [email protected]

LimitationsLike hotels, specialised venues may have limitations on you using the services of outside providers, such as caterers or florists. Make sure that you check this before you book.

They also may have restrictions on alcohol provided for the wedding. If you would like to bring your own wine or champagne, make sure you clarify the BYO policy and pricing.

TransportTransport to and from the venue will only be a problem if the venue is located in an area outside the city limits. As a responsible host you should consider transport options and ask the venue what they would recommend. Hiring a bus is always preferable to having your guests drive after they have consumed a few!

Mantells, Auckland

Footbridge Lodge, Bombay Hills

Trusts Stadium, Auckland

The Commerce Club of Auckland, Auckland

Auckland Conference Centre @ The Edge, Auckland

Butterfly Creek, Auckland

Montressor’s Function Centre, Auckland

Cassels, Waitakere Ranges

Alexandra Park Function Centre, Auckland

Cotter House, Auckland

Tipapa Special Events Centre, Whitford, Auckland

Browns Bay Marine Centre, Auckland

Sky City Auckland Convention Centre, Auckland

St Matthews-in-the-City, Auckland

Riverside Matakana, Auckland

Komodo Parnell Function Centre, Auckland

Nathan Homestead, Manurewa, Auckland

Maraetai Beach Boating Club, Auckland

Carringtons, Auckland

Auckland’s Floating Pavilion, Auckland

Beaufords in Totara Park, Auckland

Bucklands Beach Yacht Club, Auckland

Auckland Club, Auckland

Harbour Function Centre, Auckland

Auckland’s Waitakere Estate, Auckland

The Wharf, Auckland

Bruce Mason Centre, Auckland

Castaways Functions and Events Centre, Waiuku, Auckland

Ellerslie Event Centre, Auckland

Romfords, Auckland

The Kelliher Estate, Puketutu Island

Some Venues to Consider....


Rotorua Convention Centre, Rotorua

Energy Events Centre, Rotorua

Waikato Stadium, Hamilton

Gails of Tamahere, Hamilton

The Station, Hamilton

Woodlands Function Centre, Gordonton, Hamilton

Wellington Airport Conference Centre, Wellington

Wellington Conference Centre, Wellington

Erskine Weddings and Events, Wellington

Antrim House Dockside, Wellington

Te Papa Icon Function Centre, Wellington

Stella Maris Chapel and Conference Centre, WellingtonDransfield House, Wellington

Wilton house, Wellington

Caravella Lounge, Wellington

Azzurra Room, Wellington

The Boatshed, Wellington

Turnball House Large Gallery, Wellington

The Woolshed, Wellington

Firth Hall, Wellington

Wellington Rowing Club Function Centre, Wellington

Botanic Gardens Begonia House Foyer, Wellington

Miramar Links Conference and Function Centre, Wellington

Christchurch Westpac Arena, Christchurch

Christchurch Town Hall for Performing Arts, Christchurch

AMI Stadium, Christchurch

Christchurch Convention Centre, Christchurch

Shantytown, Greymouth


“Thank you so much for offering us more than our dream wedding”

(Castaways Bride, 2008)

~ events & functions ~ ~ restaurant ~~ lodge ~

Castaways - for the ultimate wedding experience.

Coastal cliff top ceremonies, stunning sunset wedding receptions, fine food, award winning service and luxury onsite accommodation.

More than 100 couples have booked with Castaways to celebrate their marriage in the past year.

See why - register now for our Weddings Open Day, Sunday 17 May, 2009. Click here: >view WOD request form<

685 Karioitahi Road, Karioitahi Beach, Waiuku

Ph 09 236 5161 Email [email protected] Web www.castaways.co.nz

Weddings at Castaways

http://www.castaways.co.nz/weddings/openday.html


Flat Out

Who doesn’t want a leaner stomach on their big day? We all look on in envy as some people maintain a slimmer belly throughout life and look stunning especially on their wedding day.

Well, we all know how important it is to eat right and exercise. That part is no secret. We know this is needed if we truly want to create a lean stomach as well as a healthy body. This article is not on how to exercise or eat right to reduce fat around your stomach, but rather share with you some tips to feel less bloated and start you on your way to a leaner belly so your wedding dress hugs all the right places (so yes, you must start eating right and working out too!).

Seven Secrets to a Flatter Tum!

1. Cut back on salt and increase your water intake

Avoid salt and highly processed foods as the more sodium you eat the more you will retain water which makes you feel bloated and look puffy in the face (remember how you look after a dinner of instant noodles or pizza!). It can also contribute to a higher number on the scales as you retain this extra water weight.

To compensate for this, consume more water on a regular basis throughout the day and especially leading up to your wedding day.

2. Gulping air

Eating too quickly, gulping down drinks and chewing gum are some of the things that can contribute to a bloated stomach. Make sure you eat in a relaxed environment, eat mindfully and chew your food thoroughly before swallowing. Avoid sipping drinks through straws, instead sipping from a glass or a small-mouthed sipper bottle.

3. Stress

As your stress levels grow in the weeks leading up to your big day, be mindful of how this affects your tum. Have you had an important event in the past where you were really nervous? Did your stomach literally ache and you may have had to rush to the loo from all your nerves? When you are stressed, cortisol is released (a stress hormone) and this can cause your bowels and stomach to start contracting which leads to bloating. Then the vicious cycle begins; you feel stressed, you crave comfort foods (high fatty and processed foods), get more bloated, create more stress and so on!

Look at various ways you can manage your stress levels, such as exercising, regular massages, talking to your girlfriends about any anxiety you may be feeling and reduce stress-related eating.

4. Cut back on fruit (yes, you read correctly!)

You have probably heard of people being lactose intolerant, but some


people are also fructose (a sugar enzyme that is present in all fruits) intolerant. If you regularly consume a lot of fruit (several portions per day) then you may experience more gas and bloating after eating. Monitor your intake and see if it affects your stomach (and bowels!).

Adjust this accordingly for the days leading up to your big day.

5. Lactose-Intolerant

Some people notice that they have more abdominal discomfort after consuming dairy foods. They have trouble digesting the milk sugar “lactose” as they do not make enough of an enzyme (lactase) that is needed to break down lactose. Lactose not broken down gets passed to the colon where it turns to uncomfortable gas.

If you find that eating or consuming dairy makes you uncomfortable, try switching to an alternative or keep a diary to monitor your reaction. As before, adjust your intake leading up to your big day if this is an issue.

6. Move your body

To have a healthy body, you need to move it. This is no surprise, but you might not know that you should move your body regularly to combat constipation which is a big contributor to belly bloat.

Start exercising (walking is fine) for a minimum of 30-35 minutes at least 3-4 times per week. This will help your digestion (move your food through your digestive tract) function better and not to mention make you look and feel better on your big day.

7. Gas causing foods

Most of us know that baked beans cause us to be a bit gassy, but some other everyday foods can also contribute. Certain foods produce more gas than others and people vary to the degree they can tolerate the foods. Some common everyday foods that can


cause gas are legumes, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, onions, citrus foods, eggs and fatty foods.

Also, when you start to increase your intake of fiber you may find you are more bloated and a bit more gassy than usual. Persevere and it will soon subside. Look at your eating and how it affects you and then be mindful of these things closer to your wedding.

This article was written by Nalisha Patel of Health Mastery. For your FREE report: “14 secrets to being a Radiant, Slim Bride on your Big Day!” go to www.healthmastery.co.nz/Brides.

www.evolu.co.nz


Celebrate

DJ by Nick Logan

DJ.co.nz

www.dj.co.nz


As much as we hate to get super-serious, there are times when a frank, realistic talk about what can go wrong at a wedding is needed. But, as per our usual approach to life, instead of focusing on the problems, we focus on a very good solution: wedding insurance.

Step one: What does wedding insurance cover?Cover varies from policy to policy and insurer to insurer, so it is important that you read the fine print. We try to explain the basics here…

There are a couple of insurance providers who have specific wedding policies: Insuranz Direct and Wedsure. These wedding-focused policies tend to cover not only cover for the major aspects of the wedding, but also the planning of the wedding. They provide cover for:

Expenses incurred in cancelling the wedding;◊

Expenses incurred in rearranging the wedding;◊

Expenses incurred when a supplier fails to provide services or product;◊

Insure YourLove


Legal expenses;◊

Personal liability;◊

Loss or damage.◊

Step two: What’s included in each item of cover and when does it kick in?As advised above, each policy does differ. To give you an idea as to what is covered, we have set out some examples below based on the policy offered by Insuranz Direct. These, however, are only examples and may have changed since this article was published. Accordingly, you need to make sure you discuss your own policy with the provider.

Expenses incurred in cancelling the wedding:

Insuranz Direct’s policy will cover cancellation or postponement of a wedding due to events like an illness, adverse weather or the officiating registrar or minister not showing up. These reasons will trigger cover for any cancellation fees for a booked venue.

Expenses incurred in rearranging the wedding:

There may be extra fees payable for rearranging a cancelled wedding and your policy should cover this.

Expenses incurred when a supplier fails to provide services or a product:

In the current economic client, a lot of brides and grooms are concerned about booking a business to supply goods or services so far in advance. With many businesses struggling, the worry is that the business will still be operating at the time of the wedding. This category covers failure of pre-booked suppliers following bankruptcy or liquidation and will include reimbursement of any non-recoverable deposits and additional costs in arranging alternative (and equivalent) services.

Legal expenses:

Legal expenses usually means the costs of taking legal action against someone responsible for personal injury or death at or in conjunction with your wedding.

Personal liability expenses:

Insuranz Direct’s policy includes reimbursement for legal liability for accidental personal injury and accidental damage to property arising out of or in consequence to your wedding. Insuranz Direct will also pay any legal costs and


expenses that are incurred (with their prior written consent) in the investigation, settlement or defence of any claim made against you.

Loss or damage:

This will vary from policy to policy, but for Insuranz Direct, loss or damage includes cover for loss or damage to ceremonial/bridal attire, wedding gifts (including cash and vouchers), rings, flowers, the cake, wedding cars and transport, photography and videography and marquee cover. Note, however, that some companies do not include the dress and rings under their cover as they assume that it is already covered by your home and contents insurance. Make sure that you clarify this prior to taking out cover.

Step three: How much is covered?Policy limits will vary, depending on the insurer and the level of cover taken out. Your needs will vary, depending on the cost of your venue hire, your dress etc.

For example, Insuranz Direct’s policy covers venue cancellation fees up to $30,000 and damage to your dress/bridal attire up to $15,000.

Work out how much you are paying for each item and see whether the policy you are considering will cover these costs in the event of something going wrong.

Step four: How much does it cost?We all bemoan having to pay insurance costs: that is until something goes wrong. Wedding insurance premiums can be a lot cheaper than you think, especially given that the average price of a wedding in New Zealand is estimated to be in the order of $30,000. Mid range premiums of $300+GST represent only 1% of the total cost.

So, like all forms of insurance, it is a case of weighing up the cost of something going wrong with your wedding (either in the planning stage or on the day itself) versus the cost of the insurance. The piece of mind afforded by having insurance is also something that you should consider, especially since planning a wedding is stressful enough in itself!


Its your time to

So let us take the worries out of your wedding day

with our speciallydesigned wedding

insurance packages

www.insuranzdirect.co.nz

www.bridalshows.co.nz


Three of a

Photography by Rob Driessen

Kind


After the amazing response that we received from last month’s “Love Your Dress” spread, we have decided to continue showcasing real brides with real dresses.

Over the next few months, we will be inviting selected photographers to submit a spread of their photos which they consider showcase their beautiful brides. This month, we are fortunate to have a selection from Rob Driessen, a renowned photographer based in Wellington.

He has chosen to showcase four weddings, with three images from each wedding. This provides a real insight into each wedding and illustrates the different character of each of the weddings.

Enjoy!

Previous page and next two photos: Kelly Deighton and Justin Matijasevich, married in Wellington on 29 November 2008. Kelly’s dress is from Brides on Thorndon in Wellington.


These two pages and next page: Hayley Weldon and Ben Coulter, married at Pauatahanui on 1 March 2008. Hayley’s dress is from Jan Yeh Couture.


Previous three photos: Catherine Bryant and Frank Stacey, married in Carterton, Wairarapa on 28 February 2009. Catherine’s dress is by Pat Williams.

Next three photos: Fleur Park and Hayden Hopgood, married at Terrace Downs, Methven on 8 November 2008. Fleur’s dress is from Louise Anderson Bridal Designs.

CERISE MAKEUP & LASH BAREyelash Extension Specialist

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In the age of information the website is king. When you are getting married, the webiste is also king. Personalised wedding websites, that is!

Personalised wedding websites are a great way to get all of the details of your wedding to your friends and family. What is a personalised wedding website? Well, they are just that - mini websites (based around a template) which you can personalise with all of your wedding details.

You can use them to post photos, videoes, blogs; publish stories on how you met or how your planning is going; let guests know which date to save; provide details and directions to the wedding ceremony and venue; create a wedding gift registry; invite people to the wedding and to keep a record of RSVPs; advise about accommodation options; decide on seating charts; let guests comment in your guest book... the list is endless!

There are lots out there to choose from. Some of them are free, while others charge for the service. It is worthwhile having a good look around before you commit to one - once you send the details to your friends and family, it will be inconvenient to change to another one. So make sure at the outset that the one you choose has all of the features that you think you might want.

We have been scouting around and have done a quick comparison of the five most popular personalised wedding sites to get you started:

Create Your Very Own Personalised

Wedding Website

QUICK COMPARISONWedding Announcer Wedorama Wedding Window WeddingCo ewedding

Web Address www.weddingannouncer.com www.wedorama.com www.weddingwindow.com www.weddingco.com.au www.ewedding.comPrice Free USD$70.00/12 months USD$10.99/month

USD$59.00/6 monthsUSD$79.00/12 months

AUD$15.00/6 monthsAUD$90.00/12 months

Free

Pages:Welcome • • • •About Us • • • • •

Wedding Events • • •Bridal Party • • • • •

For Bridesmaids • •For Groomsmen • •

Family and Friends • • •Then and Now • •

Gift Registry • • • • •Calendar • •

The Newlyweds •RSVP • • • • •

Accommodation • • •Restaurants •

Local Activities • • • •Transport/travel • • • • •

Photo Album • • • • •Video/Audio • • • •

Downloads • • •Poll/Quiz • • • •

Our Vendors • • •Diary/Blog • • •

Honeymoon • • • •Thank You • • •

Guestbook • • • • •Contacts • •

Mailing List • • •Tell a Friend •

FAQ • •Forum •Other Countdown; weather,

map and email linksProposal; seating chart;

news and updatesDates; stories; wish list;

out-of-towners


Rebecca and Phil are one of the couples

Engaged is following in the lead up to

their wedding. Both Australian, Phil and

Bec have decided to have their wedding

in Australia, where the majority of their

families and friends are located. Bec, 30,

is an Environmental Manager and Phil,

29, is a Project Engineer (Construction). They met through a mutual work

colleague and have been together almost 4 years (although both admit

to admiring each other from a far before they met!!). Phil proposed to Bec

during a weekend away in Wellington in September last year: Phil popped

the question by organising a surprise 5-star hotel room (Bec had booked

them into a backpackers), a bunch of fl owers, champagne, a card with “will

you marry me” and, of course, the ring. Rebecca and Phil have decided

that they want to try to plan a sustainable wedding. As you will see, this has

presented a number of challenges...

“Two months out seems such a critical time. When having handmade stuff,

ordering and altering takes at least four weeks, so there are a lot of decisions

to make two months out. Also having Easter just before the wedding means

we need to be super-organised, as we can leave less to the last minute.

The invites eventually hit the post without any major dramas. I took up all

of my friends’ offers to help create them, so many hands made light work.

I was quite excited to fi nd a helpful postal worker who dug up some old

Valentine’s Day special stamps. They had love hearts and so were quite

perfect for wedding invitations.

I have had hair and makeup trials, which was fun and involved playing

around with ideas. I took my mum and sister to help them feel involved with

the wedding planning.

We spent some time choosing rings. I have quite a unique engagement ring,

so I have decided to go with a plain wedding band to not detract from it.

Phil has never worn rings so had an interesting time trying to work out what

he wanted. Through a friend from work I found out about another friend

who was a jewellery designer. He was able to design Phil a personal ring for

Rebecca & Phil

Bride Diary


less than buying one off the shelf. We are pleased that we supported a

local, up-and-coming designer and it still didn’t cost the earth.

On the other hand, my wedding shoes were much more expensive

buying locally made. All shoes these days seem to be made in China

and are relatively inexpensive as a result. I wanted fl at wedding shoes so

that I could go from walking down the garden path (during the outdoor

ceremony) to dancing the night away without a care. A search in some

big name shops and on the internet left me a bit disheartened. I found

one pair on the internet that looked gorgeous. I was sold and just wanted

to make sure the size was right before buying.

I headed out one lunch break and got lost searching for the shop and

stumbled across another shoe store. Much to my amazement they had

a similar style shoe to the one I was after, but I resisted trying them on as

I had already fallen in love with the other pair. After some searching I

found the shop I was after and tried on the shoe my size. Unfortunately,

such a beautiful looking shoe was not comfortable. It had a hard toe,

which my big toe pushed up to, and they had no more sizes slightly

larger. I walked around the shop for ages, trying to make myself believe

that they could be comfortable. After reading some shoe reviews that

said to try on shoes at the end of the day, and if they are comfortable

when your feet are swollen, then they will be comfortable right through

my wedding day. These shoes were not. I was devastated.

After a hopeless bridezilla moment, I headed back to the fi rst store I

found and tried on the similar shoes. They were amazingly comfortable,

and I came to learn that the sales assistant was the shoe maker and he

made the shoes behind the shop front. I was excited that this was in

line with my sustainability idea of supporting local business. The shoes

cost the same as the others I found imported from China, but they were

custom-made to my feet by the shoe maker, and I arranged for him to

move the strap slightly to lift my confi dence that there was no way they

would accidently slip off during the wedding dance.

Apart from fi nally getting the wedding invitations out and searching for

shoes and rings, one of my bridesmaids has started organising the hens’

night. She has done a great job making up some invitations to email and

post out. I’m looking forward to a fun girls’ night out!”


Wedding favours are a fun way to say thank you to your guests for coming to your wedding. It also allows your guests to take away a little something to remember

the great day that they have had.

Not always required or thought about, wedding favours give your tables a fi nishing touch and show your guests that you are thinking of them.

Favours can range from monogrammed candles, champagne bubble bottles to something a little different like personalized napkins or even place mats with photos

of the bride and groom along with the date. It is also fun to have edible favours.

Traditionally, wedding favours were fi ve white sugared almonds representing health, wealth, happiness, fertility and long life, and the sugared almonds themselves

represented the sweet coating the bitter, symbolic of married life. If you care about your guests’ dental health then you might want to look at a more memorable expression of appreciation to your guests!

Favourite Favours


Your wedding breakfast is one of the major aspects of your

wedding day. Its time for your guests to relax together, families to meet, and your wedding to be

celebrated.

Ph: 03 443 4129 or 021 304 293

www.wanakacatering.co.nz

Why not scatter Hershey kisses all over the table and let your guests nibble away at them? Or another option is pick a favourite sweet like M&Ms and take out the

colour you want to use and package them in a clear bag with ribbon in your color theme.

If money is tight, why not consider baking small shortbread biscuits dipped in dark chocolate and putting them on the tables in small colored boxes? The shortbread can

be made a few days in advance and stored in air-tight containers. This is a particularly nice idea if you have a family member you want to honour through food; like if your family always has your grandmother’s cookies for special occasions but she is no longer alive to make them herself. Make sure you share your stories with the guests who might not understand.

If your wedding has a theme you might be able to think of a food-related favour that goes with that theme. If your theme is ‘hot and spicy’ with Cajun food as your meal

perhaps a tiny bottle of Tabasco would be a good idea – it’s something the guests

SHORTBREAD

Ingredients

125g/4oz butter55g/2oz caster sugar180g/6oz plain flour

Method

1. Heat the oven to 190C/375F/Gas 5.

2. Beat the butter and the sugar together until pale.

3. Stir in the flour to get a smooth paste. Turn on to a work surface and gently roll out until the paste is 1cm/½in thick.

4. Cut into rounds, fingers or hearts and sprinkle with a little extra caster sugar. Put on a baking sheet and chill for 20 minutes. Bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes until pale golden. Cool on a wire rack.

could use then or keep and use later.

A winter theme could lead to using snow globes as favours. For a garden

party theme you could give a nice selection of bagged teas. The choices are endless.

My personal favourite is the chocolate truffle but you may wish to entice

your guests with a beautifully presented gianduja gold dust heart, a whisky truffle fig or, for something a little different, hand-made mice in dark, milk and white chocolate. For more information on these items please contact Chocolate Brown, Queenstown.

No matter what kind of food favour you’re considering, think about

things that are meaningful to you and your spouse or your families, things that will make people laugh, or cry, things that will make your guests smile and perhaps make them wonder what you were thinking. Favours are a fun addition to the party and with a little creativity you can offer your guests a parting treat that will cause them to remember your wedding for a long time to come.

: engaged : January 2009

1

2

8

9

10

1. Belle Pearl, Susie D | 2. Belle Sapphire, Susie D | 3, 4 , 5 & 6 Cinderella Range, City Bridal and Simply Exquisite

7. Benjamin Adams Zeta, Susie D | 8. Colorifi cs Range, Iris Gift | 9. Belle Gold, Susie D | 10. Benjamin Adams Seymour, Susie D

: engaged : January 2009

Toe-tappinglyBeautiful

3

4

5

6

7

1. Belle Pearl, Susie D | 2. Belle Sapphire, Susie D | 3, 4 , 5 & 6 Cinderella Range, City Bridal and Simply Exquisite

7. Benjamin Adams Zeta, Susie D | 8. Colorifi cs Range, Iris Gift | 9. Belle Gold, Susie D | 10. Benjamin Adams Seymour, Susie D


Win Your Wedding Photography!

Unique Wedding Photography is giving you the chance to win

their Half Day Wedding Photography Package.

To enter, just print out the entry form from below and take it to

Unique Wedding Photography's studio at 204 Broadway, Newmarket, Auckland.

Click here for the entry form

PLUS: Visit www.weddings.co.nz for another chance to win!

*Conditions: You must be over 18 to enter the draw. Competitions are open to New Zealand residents only. The prize is a Half Day Wedding Photography Package from Unique Wedding Photography Ltd to the value of $1280. The prize is not transferrable and must be redeemed by 31 Aug 2009. Only one main entry per person allowed, and up to 10 referrals. The prize cannot be exchanged for cash. The competition finishes at midnight on 26 May 2009 and the winner will be

notified by email within 1 week of the closing date. The judge’s decision is final and no correspondence will be entered into. The winner's details will be provided to Unique Wedding Photography Ltd for them to get in touch with the winner.

http://www.weddings.co.nz/engaged/unique_weddings.html


Through the Lens

Showcasing Photographic Excellence

Photograph by VisionWorks Photography

: engaged : April 2009engaged

Website: www.amyschulz.co.nz Email: [email protected]: 0211556071Wellington and Nationwide

Amy Schulz Photography

: engaged : April 2009engaged

Susanna Burton

Rob Driessen PhotographyWebsite: www.rdphotography.co.nz Email: [email protected]

Phone: 04 479 7769 Wellington

Website: www.susanna.co.nz Phone: 09 528 5717

Auckland

Master NZ Institute of Professional Photography

Master NZ Institute of Professional PhotographyMulti NZIPP & Kodak Gold Award Winner


Website: www.uniquevisions.co.nz Email: [email protected]: 09 817 7014 Mobile: 0274 913 061 Auckland

Brett Lees, Unique Visions Photography

Qualifi ed Member NZ Institute of Professional Photography

engaged

Website: www.amandahaynes.com Email: [email protected]: 03 313 0005 Mobile: 0275 514 518Christchurch, National & International

Amanda & Erick Haynes - Elegance with an Edge!


David Kerr Photography Website: www.thewedding.co.nz Email: [email protected]

Phone: 0800 21 SNAP (7627) Mobile: 021 398748Nationwide

engaged

Website: www.thephotographer.co.nz Email: [email protected]: 09 634 4097 Mobile: 0274 897 587

Auckland

Bruce Millar - The Photographer


Website: www.photos.co.nz Email: [email protected]: 03 355 4448 Mobile: 027 229 2329Christchurch

New Regent Studios

engaged

Website: www.garyhewlett.com Email: [email protected]: 09 521 7269 Mobile: 021 439 538Auckland

Photography by Gary Hewlett

Master NZ Institute of Professional Photography


Website: www.WeddingPhotography.co.nz Email: [email protected]: 021 623 207

Nelson, Top of South Island

John-Paul Pochin

engaged

Website: www.veronicagunn.co.nz Email: [email protected] Phone: 04 976 4493 Mobile: 021 239 2991

Wellington

Veronica Gunn Photography

BDes Photography, Hon.

VisionWorks PhotographyWebsite: www.studioname.co.nz Email: [email protected]: 09 123 4567 Mobile: 021 123 4567Auckland




Website: www.visionworks.co.nz Email: [email protected]: 09 845 5925 Mobile: 021 44 88 17Auckland

VisionWorks Photography

engaged


Website: www.christinesyme.com Email: [email protected]: 09 529 7499 Mobile: 027 285 4412Auckland

Christine Syme Photography


Russ FlattWebsite: www.russfl att.com Email: russ@russfl att.comMobile: 021 997886Auckland


Need Advice?

My FW has a two-year-old son from her previous relationship. We are not sure how he will be at the wedding... Should we have him there? You need to talk to your FW to see if she wants him there and also consider the child’s feelings: what if he sees the wedding photos in a few years and feels ‘left out’? If he is attending, perhaps one of his grandparents or aunties or uncles could look after him?

I would like to keep my maiden name as I have an established business and a lot of my reputation is based on my name. I am not sure my husband-to-be or my future in-laws are going to like that though. It is a good idea to discuss your thoughts with your partner and his parents and emphasize that you mean no disrespect. Explain your reasons. Also consider whether you could use your maiden name for business and your married name at social functions. At the same time think about whether any children will take your name or your husband’s or a hyphenated version. All of these things need to be talked through with your husband so that you are on the same page.

Things are a little bit tight for us at the moment and we don’t think we will be able to afford a honeymoon straight after the wedding. Can we wait until later?

More and more couples are postponing their honeymoon to a time that suits them (and their finances!) better. Instead, you could have a night at a hotel the night of the wedding as a compromise and to do something special to mark the occasion. You might also want to check out the last issue of Engaged, where we talk about honeymoon gift registries - the ultimate gift!

Should I send a thank you note to the celebrant? She did an excellent job. Of course! Everyone loves to receive a note of thanks! Some people would argue that payment for services is thank you enough, but if the celebrant made your wedding day extra special, then it would be a lovely touch to send a card.

What is the correct etiquette for wedding gifts? Should we take them to the reception? Traditionally gifts should be sent or delivered to the bride’s (or her parent’s) house. However, this option is not always convenient and many guests simply bring their gift to the reception. The reception should have a gift table available. Guests can leave the gift on the table for the bride and groom to open the next day (or later if they are going on honeymoon). The bride and groom should ensure that someone keeps an eye on the gifts. This may be a trusted relative or friend or one of the venue staff members. Gifts can be transferred to a safe, locked room at the venue if appropriate. Some etiquette books recommend that the best man check the table periodically for envelopes (containing money) and put those in a very safe place right away.

If you have any questions you would like answered, please email us at [email protected].

Cornelius Jewellers

158 Jervois Road, Herne Bay, AucklandPhone: 09 376 9169 Mobile: 0272 484 409

www.corneliusjewellers.com

Handmade Engagement& Wedding Rings

Ali’s Celebration CakesAli's Celebration cakes for delicious, stylish and

individual engagement and wedding cakes.

There will be no left overs with and Ali's Celebration Cake. We will style your cake to suit your wedding

and your budget.

Call Ali for an appointment to discuss the options.

www.aliscelebrationcakes.co.nz

Ali Chamberlain - Ali's Celebration Cakes3 Lake Road, Devonport

Phone: 09 445 3426 Fax: 09 445 3247

Readers’

CornerReaders’

About seven years ago Grant moved in with my boyfriend

of the time and I, Grant and I were similar in age (my

boyfriend was 15 years older than I), both smokers and

worked similar hours, so we ended up spending a bit of

time together and got to know each other quite well

and we became friends. There was a bit of confl ict as

my boyfriend thought we were too friendly, even though

nothing untoward happened. Grant moved out after a few months as a place had

become available in a fl at with his cousin and the tension in our house was getting quite

high. We kept in touch for a while, however this made my boyfriend uncomfortable, so I

stopped contact. A few months later my phone was stolen and I lost his details anyway.

My ex and I broke up after about nine months, and I thought I would like to get back

in touch with Grant, however I didn’t have his contact details. I contacted Vodafone

who I had a contract with and paid to get a bill from around the time we lived together

as I knew I would recognise his mobile number when I saw it. I received the bill and sent

him a text, we met up about a week later and the rest is history! We have now been

together for over fi ve years and are engaged. We always get a few laughs when we

tell people we fi rst met when he moved in with my ex-boyfriend and I!

About seven years ago Grant moved in with my boyfriend

of the time and I, Grant and I were similar in age (my

Having just started high school, I became friends

with this girl. On her 14th birthday the following

year she had a sleep-over. It was the fi rst time I

spotted her brother (Deon). That night we started

“going out”. But like most young love we broke

up after only three days. Two years later I went to

my friend’s 16th birthday party and happened to

come across him again. After spending the next six

weeks communicating with him, Deon brought his

friend and sister to my house for a visit. I was only

16 and mum would not allow me to go in his car

so we all went for a long walk. Half-way around his

sister asked me if I wanted to go out with him as

he was too shy to ask. So on the 4th of April 1999 I

started going out with Deon and right from the start

I knew that he was the one. So the 4th of April 2009

just seemed to be the perfect day to get married.I have always loved the saying “If you love something set it free and it will come right back to

you.” We are the couple that proved it right.

We asked readers to send in stories of how they met....

: engaged : August 2008 Page 83 : engaged : August 2008engaged : August 2008engaged

It’s kind of a long story. We met ten years ago when we were both at High School - me at a girls’ school and him at a boys’ school. He was dating one of my best friends and I just thought he was a nice guy and was happy for her (they had been friends for a long time). They were going out for about a year before deciding that they were better off as friends.

Since then he’d always been around our group of friends. At the same parties... 18th birthdays, 21sts etc... I’d always had a little crush on him (and as it turned out this was a reciprocal crush).

He remembers engineering to sit next to me at the 18th and 21st birthday parties for my best friend (his ex and still one of his best friends). He apparently tried to woo me with his knowledge of Opera (since I’m a singer) and the Russian language (because he thought that’s impress me). I remember trying not to look at him or pay much attention because I thought he didn’t like me.So we saw each other at these parties and functions of mutual friends on and off over the years. I kept noticing him around my department at university and wondered why he was there and whether he remembered me, and if he did, why was he not saying anything.As it turns out, he knew I was studying voice and signed up to the concert mailing list. He came to every one of my lunchtime recitals and then, at the end of 2006, came to both of my masters recitals. I noticed him at the fi rst recital and wondered why he was there and if he remembered who I was. After the 2nd recital he came up to talk to me. We talked while all of the other guests were leaving. Eventually he asked

for my email address....

Two days later I was leaving for London for two weeks, so we’d planned to meet up again when I got back - unfortunately, this was the day he was due to fl y to Christchurch to visit family.So, fi nally four weeks after re-introducing ourselves, after eight years of both “kinda liking” each other and neither one saying anything, we went out.

It started with a cup of coffee and now, just over two years later, we’re on the four month countdown to our wedding.

Having just started high school, I became friends

with this girl. On her 14th birthday the following

year she had a sleep-over. It was the fi rst time I

spotted her brother (Deon). That night we started

“going out”. But like most young love we broke

up after only three days. Two years later I went to

my friend’s 16th birthday party and happened to

come across him again. After spending the next six

weeks communicating with him, Deon brought his

friend and sister to my house for a visit. I was only

16 and mum would not allow me to go in his car

so we all went for a long walk. Half-way around his

sister asked me if I wanted to go out with him as

he was too shy to ask. So on the 4th of April 1999 I

started going out with Deon and right from the start

I knew that he was the one. So the 4th of April 2009

just seemed to be the perfect day to get married.I have always loved the saying “If you love something set it free and it will come right back to

you.” We are the couple that proved it right.

Long stretches of golden sand, fun parks galore, fantastic shopping,

perfect weather...no wonder New Zealanders love the Gold Coast!

Located on the east coast of Australia, the Gold Coast covers

an area from Coolangatta on the Queensland/New South Wales border to half-way to Queensland’s capital city, Brisbane. It has long been a tourist mecca for Kiwis, being only at short 3-4 hour flight away.

We spent a week on the Gold Coast recently, checking

out what’s new and some old, but improved, favourites.

Some things change, some thing remain the

same...

One thing most people notice about the Gold Coast is the

ever-present building work. It seems like a new hotel, resort or apartment building is popping up every five minutes. A recent addition to the skyline is the giant Q1 Resort and Spa. Billed as the world’s tallest residental tower, Q1 stands at 322.5 metres high (or 80 storeys). It’s well worth a visit to the building’s observation deck, which has 360 degree views of the coast.

From Q1 you get an amazing view of the sandy beaches

The golden gold

coast


the Gold Coast is famous for. The beaches are one thing that never changes: golden sands plus great surf plus sunshine equals a beach-lover’s dream holiday.

It's not all about the beaches

One thing many visitors overlook is the Coast’s amazing Hinterland

area. Mount Tamborine is just 25 kilometres from the heart of the Gold Coast. Visit for the arts and crafts, markets, bush walks, horse rides, antiques and collectables or for hang gliding - the views are absolutely stunning!

Slightly further from the coast is Binna Burra, in the Lamington National

Park. Bush walkers will love the native flora and fauna with 16 recommended walks. Adrenalin junkies will love the abseiling, flying fox and confidence course.

House of fun

Dreamworld. Movieworld. Seaworld. Wet ‘n’ Wild. Australian

Outback Spectacular. Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary. WhiteWater World. Dracula’s Haunted House.

Roller coasters. Stunt shows. Giant drops. Towers of Terror. Dolphins.

Crocodiles. Shark encounters. Performing horses. Waterslides.

Waterides. Simulated surf beaches. V8 supercars. Vampires (apparently really hot right now!).

What more can we say?

Water sports

And don’t forget the water sports. Aside from surfing, boaties can

take advantage of the Gold Coast Seaway‘s 270km of navigatable waterways. Hire a tinnie, a jet ski, a BBQ boat, or for the ultimate fun weekend, a houseboat. You can even get married on the water in the Gold Coast’s floating chapel!

Shop 'til you drop

For those of you wanting some serious retail therapy, you can’t

go past the Gold Coast. Shopping at Pacific Fair is rivalled by discount shopping at Harbour Town and the markets at Carrara, and then there are all the malls in between: Robina Town Centre, Australia Fair, Westfield Helensvale to name a few.

The Gold Coast truly does have it all!


Within 18 months of your proposed marriage, and no later than one month and one day prior to it, you must give a completed Notice of Intended Marriage form to the authorised marriage celebrant who is to conduct your marriage ceremony. All marriage celebrants should have the necessary paper work to perform your marriage. You will need your birth certificates (originals) and evidence that

any prior marriage has been dissolved by either death or divorce.

It is possible to shorten the minimum notice time for a marriage to less than a month if certain circumstances are met.

The marriage celebrant will issue you with a prescribed Form 15 marriage certificate after your wedding as evidence of your marriage.

GETTING MARRIED IN Australia


You should ensure your proposed celebrant is authorised as a marriage celebrant by checking the Register of Marriage Celebrants or the List of Authorised Marriage Celebrants.

Please ensure this information is correct at the time of your application by making enquiries with Australian authorities. You should also check www.nzembassy.com, www.dia.govt.nz and www.ag.gov.au.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade provides advice on the security risks of travelling to certain countries. Before

making travel arrangements, we suggest you check with www.safetravel.govt.nz.

Travel insurance is always recommended and you should check the details of your policy to ensure it covers your destination.

You have the choice of flying into Gold Coast Airport (OOL ) at Coolangatta or

into Brisbane (BNE).

Air New Zealand flies from Auckland to Gold Coast and from Auckland,

Wellington and Christchurch to Brisbane.

Qantas flies from Auckland and , Wellington to Brisbane.

Virgin Blue fly from Auckland to Gold Coast and Brisbane, and from Wellington

and Christchurch to Brisbane.

Jetstar will start services between Auckland and Gold Coast from 28 April

2009 and also fly Christchurch to Brisbane and Gold Coast.

CURRENCY:1 New Zealand Dollar = approximately 82

Australian cents

LANGUAGE:English

TIME ZONE: The Gold Coast in Australia 2 hours

beind New Zealand (3 during New Zealand’s daylight savings period)

FLIGHT TIME:Approximately 3-4 hours flight time

: engaged : March 2009

Competitions & Giveaways

City Bridal is running an amazing competition - they are giving you the chance to win a wedding dress of your choice to the value of $2000 from their City Bride range!

To enter, you just need to print out the entry form from this issue of Engaged and take that along to either City Bridal's stand or Simply Exquisite's stand at any one of the Auckland wedding shows listed on the entry form. Too easy!

(Also note that there is a chance to go into a second draw for another wedding dress on www.weddings.co.nz!)

www.citybridal.co.nzwww.simplyexquisiteonline.com


Win four great DVDs!

We have a DVD pack containing ‘27 Dresses’, ‘Father of the Bride’, ‘Corpse Bride’ and ‘Monster-in-Law’ to give away.

Get wedding fever right on your own couch!

Unique Wedding Photography Ltd is running an amazing competition - they are giving you the chance to win their Half Day Wedding Photography Package.

To enter, you just need print out the entry form from the this issue of Engaged and take that along to Unique Wedding Photography’s studio at 204 Broadway Newmarket, Auckland.

And for your second chance go to www.weddings.co.nz and answer the questions to win!

www.uniqueweddingltd.com


WINNERS!Well, you’re all winners really, but here’s who won the competitions from the

March issue of Engaged!

evolu Rose Hip Oil

Rebecca Goldsmith, Kirby Meyrick, Jane Pilkington, Hayley Thorpe, Tania Mamea, Arlene Young,

Angela Beaumont, Tania Wafer, Anisha Macleod, Heather Catterall, Kaylie Bradley, Amy Clements

Ken Ring’s Predict Weather 2009

Kirsten Bamfield

To be in the draw for these great prizes is easy! We will be drawing the prizes on 28 April 2009 and everyone who is subscribed to receive our email newsletter at the time is automatically in the draw for all of the prizes on these pages (except for the City Bridal and Unique Wedding Photography Ltd competitions which you need to enter separately)...

If you are already signed up, you don’t need to do anything - you are in the draw! If you haven’t signed up yet, go to www.engaged.co.nz and enter your name and email address to receive our email newsletter - it’s as simple as that!

How to Enter


WWW.WEDDINGS.CO.NZNew Zealand’s Premier Online Wedding Resource

Discussion ForumsHundreds of Articles

Nationwide Product & Services DirectoryCompetitions

Real Weddings

Everything you need to plan your perfect wedding


* Only includes competitions feature on our Competitions pages and excludes the City Bridal competition and the Unique Weddings Competition. You must be subscribed on 28 April 2009 to be automatically entered into the draw. You can

unsubscribe at any time.

Next Issue out 1 May

Subscribe to receive the next issue and be in the

draw for each of the giveaways in

this issue!*

Best of all, it's FREE!

To subscribe, just go to www.engaged.co.nz

http://www.engaged.co.nz

Engaged Wedding Magazine - April 2009

Documents

Transcript of Engaged Wedding Magazine - April 2009