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Meet our 2018 Win Your Dream Wedding Couple, Christine and Duncan.
CHRISTINE BRONKHORST and DUNCAN KEARNEY’S oceanside celebration was full of happy emotions and timeless elegance.
Ifirst laid eyes on Christine when we were both on the school bus. She was nine and I was 12, and she had just moved to New Zealand from South Africa with her mum and siblings. She was, and still is, an amazing person – beautiful inside and out. hit it off with Christine’s brother, Mike, who became my best mate. I became an extension of the family, winning Christine’s mum’s approval before making my move on her daughter one summer a few years later. It’s not always been easy. Like every relationship, we have had to work at it, but no matter the challenge, we have always found our way back to one another.
Christine and I love Bali and have travelled there a number of times. One particular trip, I had the ring shoved down my pants for most of the day, waiting for the right moment to ask Christine to be my wife. On the evening of the proposal, we had a beautiful dinner, overlooking a breathtaking view. There was a local string duo serenading couples, and as they approached us and began to sing ‘our song’, I knew it was the right moment. She said yes and the crowd of onlookers erupted. It was the best moment of my life – until the day I married her, which has now taken the top spot.
We didn’t have an engagement party because we couldn’t justify spending the money. We had been saving for a wedding or a home
deposit for what felt like forever. Christine deserved a dream wedding, which is why, in June, 2018, I secretly nominated her (well, us) for the amazing Win Your Dream Wedding competition, featured in New
Zealand Weddings magazine. It was so exciting to find out we were finalists, and then, when the
New Zealand Weddings team called to say we were getting the wedding of our dreams, we were both speechless and a bit teary.
CHRISTINE: It was a tight timeline to plan our special day, with Emily from New Zealand Weddings putting us in touch with all the fantastic vendors, setting up meetings and guiding us where necessary.
Like most couples planning their wedding, the first big decision we had to make was where the wedding ceremony and reception were going to be. With only eight weeks to plan our day ( yes, really!), we jumped right in and viewed two potential Auckland venues – Orakei Bay and The Wharf at Northcote Point.
Soon after walking through the doors, we fell in love with The Wharf; its breathtaking 180- degree views of the sea, Harbour Bridge and the city lights were magical.
Collective Hospitality was aware a cruelty-free, vegan wedding was a non-negotiable for us, and was quick to address this by providing us with a full vegan beverage package and menu options. We selected our favourites and headed to their tasting room. The ability to taste the food pre-wedding, and speaking with the chefs personally, left us at ease, knowing that it would be amazing on the day.
Sandy, from Twig and Twine, not only designed the florals, but also supported us through the entire wedding process. I had always imagined my flowers to be subtle and elegant, mostly white and green and arranged in a style that would be timeless. Sandy created exactly this for our beautiful day.
Choosing my wedding dress was, of course, a highlight. With
my amazing bridesmaids, we headed to Jessica Bridal, where we were met by Jessica and her expert team. Jessica’s team asked me some questions regarding my preferred style before I tried on some gowns. The team are experts at fitting to your shape, and so it was less than an hour before I found ‘the one’. As the dress went on, the room went quiet, followed by tears. I knew that it was the dress I would marry Dunc in. The team were exceptional and tailored the dress to fit like a glove.
I couldn’t have asked for a better bridesmaid dress designer than Amber Whitecliffe. Amber is the most gentle and beautiful soul and you always feel so calm in her presence. We decided on a beautiful champagne blush colour in a fabric which draped, creating a stunning shape, and the girls were just as in love with their dresses as I was.
DUNCAN: One of my wedding planning tasks was to head to Munns in Botany. With an eager fiancée and one of my groomsmen, we
were greeted by Andy, who showed us a number of suit styles and colours, to get a feel for what Christine and I had in mind. We had always imagined myself and the boys in classic navy suits, with brown shoes and belts and a touch of blush to complement the bridesmaids.
Within seconds, Andy had Richard, one of our groomsmen, suited and booted in an amazing outfit, that just differed slightly from mine, so I would stand out from the groomsmen. I always thought I would wear a standard tie on my wedding day, however there’s a reason people like Andy do what they do – because they are amazing at it! Needless to say, I walked out with a bow tie.
On the day of the wedding, with the most supportive bridal party around us, the dream wedding team covering all bases, and with our friends and family watching on, it was truly the best day of our lives. We will relive what was a magical day through the images Jody at I Do Photography captured, enabling us to cherish every memory for years to come.