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Wedding Budgets

Budget well and you are half way there. Find out how to budget for your wedding. ...Read more

Aromatherapy

Learn how to ease away the wedding stress! ...Read more

Wedding Co-ordinators

We all know that organising a wedding can be quite a stressful time. Having to find time to view venues, talk to photographers, look at flowers, try on dresses.all while juggling your normal day to day commitments - it can all become a bit much. This is where wedding co-ordinators can come into play. ...Read more

Bridesmaid Dresses

What should my bridesmaids wear? ...Read more

Must-have Wedding Photos

Here is a list of what we consider to be must-have photos on your wedding day. ...Read more

Table Centrepieces

It's not hard to make one table look special - but when you've got lots of tables and time or financial limitations it can be a real challenge. With this in mind we went looking for easy table centrepieces for $10 to $20 per table. ...Read more

Alcohol-free Alternatives

Stylish drinks that won’t lose you your driving licence or give you a headache ...Read more

Exciting Melbourne

Melbourne, an exciting lifestyle city where everything happens from international sporting events to all the good things in life including food, shopping and wonderful entertainment, is a great place for a honeymoon ...Read more

Why do we overeat?

Here are some tips on keeping trim before the wedding. ...Read more

Writing the Wedding Ceremony

Writing the words for your wedding ceremony can put a special touch on your day. ...Read more

Chris & Bernice

Bernice tells their story ...

Photos by Natascha Allan of Lake Rotoma

Chris and I had been together for 11 months but most of this time we were apart - I was in the Royal NZ Navy based in Auckland and Chris was working and living in Rotorua.

Navy training finished, Chris and I decided on a trip to Brisbane. The night before we flew out Chris arranged a surprise dinner complete with a gorgeous bunch of red roses for me. We had a lovely meal and, just before dessert, Chris got down on one knee and asked me to marry him.

How could I say no!

We decided to wait a while before getting married so that we'd have plenty of time to plan and save. We didn't want to start our marriage paying off wedding bills.

To keep within budget we did a lot of things ourselves.

With our families' help we made our own invitations, table decorations, and decorated the reception hall.

Chris' grandmother did a fantastic job making my dress - it was everything I wanted. It was very exciting - my mum and sister helped me choose the pattern and find all the bits and pieces for it. The hardest thing was keeping it all from Chris so it would be a surprise on the day.

My mum also did a fantastic job on my sisters' bridesmaids' dresses - royal blue satin with sparkly bodices.

We'd planned an outside wedding in the Rotorua Government Gardens, but the night before the wedding we went to our rehearsal umbrellas in hand - it was absolutely pouring with rain. Our celebrant asked if we had an alternative because she didn't think the rain would be gone in time. It rained all night and was still raining early next morning. I was heart broken; I thought all the garden wedding plans were history. But by 8.30am the rain was easing and the sun was breaking through the grey clouds and by 10am it was a beautiful sunny day and we were all go.

Once again the family helped out - this time by lending their cars. The bridesmaids arrived in Chris' uncle's commodore, the guys in the best man's cousin's 1969 SS Chevy Camaro, and I was driven in a friend's Model A.

The ceremony was fabulous. It was fantastic to arrive and see my soon-to-be-husband and 70 family and friends gathered by the pond.

At the reception we had a finger-food dinner followed by the speeches. Then, with the formalities over, everyone just relaxed and enjoyed the evening.

During the reception we passed a book around for everyone to sign. The comments and well wishes are lovely and we'll keep this forever as a very special memory of our day. I'd recommend this as a 'must have' to anyone planning a wedding.

Our wedding day even had a perfect ending. When we went downstairs to pay our bar tab the band struck up 'you wear my ring' and everyone around the dance floor (we only knew two of them!) joined hands and made a big circle around the dance floor as we danced. As the song came to an end we kissed and everyone clapped and cheered and wished us all the best and hugged us. It was just amazing - we couldn't have asked for a better way to end our night.

Chris' parents shouted us a honeymoon in Christchurch and Queenstown for our wedding present. It was great - just the two of us.

And as for married life, it couldn't be better.