Alesha and Martin celebrated their love surrounded by friends and family at the breathtaking Brackenridge Country Retreat & Spa. Their day was filled with joy and love, with photos capturing the couple savoring every moment together.
Alesha shined in Franklynn by Sottero & Midgley — a showstopping beaded lace fit-and-flare dress featuring a plunging V-neckline and a dramatic low back. The extended scalloped illusion lace train was the stunning focal point, adding a touch of drama and sophistication to her look.
We hope you enjoy scrolling through the highlights of their special day and gain insight into Alesha’s experience with Astra Bridal as she discovered the perfect wedding dress.
What was it that made this particular wedding dress catch your eye and fall in love?
I feel like the gown chose me! It wasn’t one of the dresses I had picked out online, and it was brand new to the collection at Astra Bridal. Everything about this dress stood out and ticked all the boxes. Firstly, the lace and subtle sparkle of glitter caught my eye, but as soon as I tried it on, it fit perfectly, hugged all the right places, and I felt so comfortable. It made me feel elegant, with a mix of happiness, anticipation, and nostalgia as I thought about the love and commitment the dress represents. It felt absolutely magical.
Tell us about your search for the dress and the experience at Astra Bridal.
From the first booking phone call with Astra Bridal, I knew working with them was going to be amazing. I was anxious about trying on wedding gowns because I was recently postpartum and wasn’t sure how comfortable I would feel in a wedding dress. Ilyese made me feel comfortable and excited from the first phone call. I took her advice and picked a few dresses online before my appointment. I really had no idea what style I was looking for, and I also didn’t want to spend multiple appointments trying on a huge variety of dresses. Ilyese was so friendly and energetic when I arrived with my sister to try on some gowns. I loved how she pulled a few styles to establish which style would suit me before we looked at the ones I had chosen online. We established pretty quickly that I preferred a more fitted dress and went from there. I loved the relaxed atmosphere at Astra Bridal, along with the incredible expertise and knowledge they provided. They truly listen to your needs and insecurities and made it a fun, memorable experience!
Tell us your story, how you both met, and the proposal.
We met on the dating app Bumble in 2021 during the COVID lockdown. We both lived alone and eventually joined ‘bubbles.’ It was an awesome way to really get to know someone without all the outside world interference, and it was nice to have a change of scenery at each other’s houses when we were isolated from everything else. Our dates consisted of lots of walks, home-cooked dinner dates, and movies! In August 2022, we went on a two-week holiday around the South Island in a Juicy campervan rental. On our third day, we stayed at a campground in Lake Tekapo. After spending the day walking around, we got rugged up in the van and settled in for a night of card games and wine tasting. It was during this time that Martin popped the question with the most spectacular engagement ring! We planned an engagement party for February, but in September, we found out we were expecting our beautiful daughter, Evie, in May! We still had the engagement party, but we delayed the wedding by a year.
What was your favourite part of the day?
I had two favourite parts to my day! The first was waking up with my daughter, just the two of us, before the bride tribe arrived. It was so special sharing a bed with her the night before and having some precious mummy daughter time before the festivities kicked off. At 15 months old, she was super excited to share a bed with me. Because we had onsite accommodation for most of our guests, my bridesmaids and family were just a hop across the driveway, so there was no rush in the morning!
The second part was our first look. I absolutely loved our first look, where we got to see each other in private with our bridal party before the ceremony. It was so special having that moment together and having fun with the bridal party while doing our photos.
Tell us about your wedding day as a whole.
Our wedding day, from start to finish, was perfect and far exceeded my expectations. Getting married in winter (31st August 2024) had its challenges with the weather and ground conditions. There was constant talk about whether it would rain, and whether the ceremony would be indoors or outdoors. We had practiced both options, and given the average weather leading up to the day, I had prepared myself for an indoor ceremony. But on the day, the weather was amazing – warm and sunny. We left the decision about the ceremony location to our wedding planner, Courtnay, which took the pressure off us.
In the morning, my bridesmaids, sister, and mum joined me at the cottage where the hair and makeup artists set up. It was relaxed and stress-free – we enjoyed breakfast, music, and bubbles. My bridesmaids gave me a beautiful pearl bracelet to match my earrings. Martin and his groomsmen were in their own cottage, and our photographer, Greg, sorted them out first. Our first look was at 1 pm, and the ceremony started at 3 pm. Greg found the perfect spot for the first look offsite, and my soon-to-be mother and sister-in-law joined us while we got into our gowns. Martin’s sister, who had travelled from Tonga, spent time with our daughter, who she would walk down the aisle with. I kept the dress a secret from my mum, and after lots of tears and giggles, we headed to the first look – slightly delayed, but full of excitement!
The first look was fun and emotional, set in a beautiful spot among the olive trees. It was perfect not to have seen it beforehand, leaving an element of surprise. We loved having our bridal photos first, as it meant we didn’t need to leave our guests for photos after the ceremony. Our best man set up a mobile mini-bar, so we had a celebratory drink before heading to the ceremony.
Just before the ceremony, we had a brief 5-minute sprinkle of rain, which we took as a good luck charm. The rest of the ceremony was seamless, and our daughter even walked part of the way down the aisle with her aunty, grinning all the way! We were married by our good friend and celebrant, Lynda McGill, which added a personal touch. Afterward, we had group photos, lawn games, and delicious canapés.
Our reception for 92 guests was amazing, and it was wonderful to see everything come together beautifully. We cut the cake first, which was our dessert, and had a 3-tier cake with lemon meringue, chocolate, and white chocolate raspberry flavours. The menu included a plated entrée, shared-table buffet main, and cake for dessert. We split the speeches between courses, and they were emotional, heartfelt, and fun. After dinner, we joined the band on the dance floor for our first dance to ‘Just the Way You Are’ by Bruno Mars (the song our daughter was born to). I highly recommend a band – it made the night so fun and personal. We couldn’t have asked for a more perfect day!
Finally, what is your biggest piece of advice for brides to be?
My biggest piece of advice is to enjoy the day, take it all in, and don’t sweat the little things. You can’t control everything, and I think it’s easy to let small things sweep you away from what’s actually important. You don’t want little things to cloud over the magic and emotions you’ll remember forever!
