Armistice Day wedding date to remember
Armistice Day in the Waikato was full of the sound of gunfire, clashing swords and raised voices but music and love was also in the air.
People came from all over New Zealand to Lake Karapiro near Cambridge for the event.
On Saturday, many took the chance to be part of re-enactments, depicting battles across many conflicts in the past 100 years.
Others came just to view the mock battle, to learn about a bit about history and why it’s important to remember November 11 as the end of World War I.
But for one Hamilton couple, it was to exchange vows.
Mark Vuletich and Sandra Jensen were married in a setting reminiscent of a love scene from a Hollywood war movie.
Jensen arrived by Jeep to the Long-Range Desert Group mock headquarters at the lake, greeted by her groom and a few hundred spectators. The ceremony took place against the backdrop of a desert camp, complete with a soldier cleaning his rifle.
Gunfire also filled the air as celebrant Jeremy Mayall introduced the married couple. Mayall remarked afterwards it was one of the most unusual settings he’d brought two people together and was ‘‘my first shotgun wedding’’.
To everyone’s delight, Sandra Vuletich turned her back and, as was the custom of the time, threw her bridal bouquet into the crowd.
Elsewhere, youngsters were able to ‘‘enlist’’ in the army and take their place in mock battles complete with flour bombs and paper swords.
Inside the Don Rowlands Centre, it was army surplus heaven with uniforms, shell casings and weaponry of all descriptions. Upstairs, mini battle scenes were staged and model war toys and kitsets were available for DIY enthusiasts.
Outside in the car park, singers performed popular wartime tunes.
Later in the day, the Cambridge Brass Band played a tribute to the fallen in the Battle for Cambrai.
A formal Civic Commemorative Service was held yesterday morning outside the Cambridge Town Hall.