Phoebe & Opeti
Phoebe and Opeti really wanted their special day to be about celebrating their families, and to them that meant great food, live music and lots of dancing. Their attention to detail and the special touches they added helped achieve their dream wedding. Phoebe tells us more…
‘The morning of our big day was buzzing with six very excited flowergirls, two junior bridesmaids and four bridesmaids all getting ready together. The colour theme was inspired by our first wedding purchase – our gorgeous paprika bridesmaid dresses, which were worn with black ankle boots. The attire mandate was that everyone would be able to boogie into the night!
The girls and I arrived at the church in a huge white bus as my father waited for me at the entrance. Our ceremony was filled with prayer and song, which have both seen us through many chapters together. Our parents then joined us on stage to pray over our marriage – Opeti’s uncle stepping in for his late father. All of this took place on a Persian rug I had picked up on a whim the weekend before, and that now has pride of place in our home.
We really wanted our wedding to work with the season, and with it being in the middle of winter, warmth and comfort inspired a lot about our day. Naturally, this included delicious Toto’s pizza and mulled wine to welcome our 200 special guests into our reception hall.
It was very important for us to pay homage to our loved ones who had passed, so each table beared a name instead of a number. This included Opeti’s late father and stepfather, and both our grandparents who played big roles in our upbringing.
Our seven long banquet tables were dressed beautifully in white with greenery lining the centre. Fairy lights hung low across the ceiling to create a more intimate space.
After our photo shoot we danced into the reception and shared our first meal as husband and wife, which included special cultural dishes provided by our family such as raw fish, chop suey and Niuean Takihi. Family and loved ones performed cultural items throughout the evening before the band got everyone dancing to the classics. We danced with our family and friends until the very last song and will always hold those memories so very close to our hearts.’
Their full wedding features in Bride & Groom magazine issue 97, available to buy printed edition or digital
Photos by Stories by Bianca
Bridal Brilliance / Barkers / Zara / H&M / Farmers / Jardin Bell / Tyler Drader / Beauty and the Bod / Spacific Events / Elim Christian Centre / Bucklands Beach War Memorial Hall / Niu Cakery / Toto’s Pizza / Southern Spit Roast Catering / Little Celebrations NZ / Festive Creations