Love at first sight as strangers say I do
It was a day of firsts for Aaron and Sade Schuurman: the first time they kissed, the first time they said ‘‘I love you’’ and the first time they met.
Aaron Schuurman and Sade Peel tied the knot in Auckland on Thursday in front of their friends, family and a whole lot of strangers.
The couple were brought together by The Edge radio station’s Strangers and a Wedding competition.
Schuurman waited nervously at the altar on the Rydges Hotel rooftop terrace at 7.30am but his face lit up when he saw Peel walk down the aisle in her strapless wedding gown and veil.
In true MediaWorks style, television presenter Dominic Bowden officiated at the unconventional wedding and it was broadcast live on radio.
Speaking after the ceremony, Peel – who has taken Schuurman’s last name despite not knowing what it was until the big day – said she felt relieved.
The wait was the most nerveracking part, she said. The pair agreed there was an instant physical attraction.
‘‘The attraction levels are through the roof,’’ Peel said.
Schuurman, a 32-year-old sales rep, said going into the competition he knew it was not about looks.
Peel’s good looks were a bonus, he said.
Schuurman said initially he felt the pressure to make the whole thing work but it was no longer about the radio show or the media; it was about doing what was best for them.
They leave for their honeymoon in Hawaii on Sunday, where they will take time to get to know each other away from the media fanfare.
‘‘Today is the media’s day and every day from now on is our day,’’ Peel said.
Schuurman and Peel wrote their own vows and recited them with smiles on their faces.
After a drawn-out kiss, to much cheering and applause, Schuurman swept Peel off her feet and carried her up the aisle.
The couple’s loved ones were supportive despite the unusual circumstances.
Schuurman’s mother Kres said she was nervous about the wedding.
‘‘He’s marrying a stranger, at the end of the day.
‘‘But we’ve come to accept his choice – we’re all a bit nervous.’’
The groom’s family had encouraged him to take it slowly, she said.
His grandfather, who had been married for 50 years, said a big family was the key to a successful marriage.
And Peel’s mother had been with her through the ups and downs, offering advice and support.
Fiona Peel said she trusted her daughter’s judgment but the couple would have to work at their relationship, she said.
‘‘Marriage is not easy, it’s not a bed of roses.
‘‘It’s not about cameras, it’s not about the radio station anymore. ‘‘This is the real thing.’’ This is the fourth time The Edge has married two strangers, with a 100 per cent success rate so far.
Zane and Paula Nicholl were the first to go through the process in 1999.
They were at yesterday’s wedding and their advice to the couple was ‘‘just enjoy the day’’.