Covid wedding spans the globe
Neither a pandemic nor border closures – and not even an ocean – could stop John Mauricemarrying the woman he loves.
Surrounded by wha¯nau, he kneeled in front of a camera in his Thorndon flat and exchanged vows on Thursdaywith Daisy Cainglet, who was more than
8000 kilometres away in the Philippines with about 50 family and friends. The ceremony, officiated in the American state of Utah, marked one year to the day since the couplemet online.
Its method was necessitated by Covid-19 and made possible using an online video link between the three countries. Guests in Britain, Dubai and Australia logged on to watch the nuptials. But the wedding, legally, counts for little in New Zealand.
The anxiety was palpable in Maurice’s living-room as he battled technical glitches when setting up the video connection. But when the 63-year-old saw his bride the mood shifted to excitement.
Maurice’s daughter, Renee, whowon New Zealand’s Got Talent in 2013, was supposed to sing for the couple via video link from Auckland, where she lives, but flew to Wellington to surprise her dad on his big day and instead serenaded them from Maurice’s home. Relatives wiped tears from their eyes as the happy couple pledged to love each other as long as they lived. After the ceremony, Cainglet, who is 40, and Maurice each hosted reception celebrations for their guests.
The pair were introduced by a friend of Maurice’s late brother through Facebook video chat on January 7, 2020. Maurice was on a plane to the Philippines amonth later.
‘‘I knew Iwas not going to get back there any time soon as Covidwas already on the move, so I took a ring and proposed to her, which she accepted,’’ he said.
But since returning home two weeks later, he had not seen his fiancee – now wife – in person.
Maurice, a train controller for KiwiRail, will qualify for superannuation next year and will likely then move to the Philippines if his wife is still not able to get into New Zealand.
Once they are reunited, they intend to reaffirm their vows in a church ceremony.
The Utah company that married the couple said on its website that it performed legal marriages and licences were issued by the courts. But it recommended that non-Americans using the service, and wanting to use the marriage licence outside the United States, also made sure to have it authenticated by the US Government.Maurice plans to do that.
New Zealand Registrar-General Jeff Montgomery said onlymarriages conducted in person, in New Zealand, were formally recorded.
Immigration NZ confirmed it had declined three expressions of interest from Cainglet because it was not satisfied she met the criteria for an exemption.
She had never applied for a visa based on their relationship, a spokesman said.
Marriage alone was insufficient grounds for entry and Immigration NZ needed to be satisfied the relationship was ‘‘credible, genuine and stable, and likely to endure’’. They also had to provide evidence and supply reasons for any significant periods living apart, the spokesman said.