On a dreamy December day, Bianca and Grayson vowed to spend the rest of their lives together in front of their loved ones at The Church of the Good Shepherd. Photos of the day show the joyful couple having the time of their lives and celebrating their big day. The stunning views of Lake Tekapo perfectly complimented Bianca's gown.
Bianca mesmerised in Coventry Eve by Forget Me Knot, a dreamy floral organza gown with a ruched sweetheart bodice and whimsical off the shoulder puff sleeves. She paired her gown with our brady veil, a stunning accessory that works perfectly with her gown.
We hope you enjoy scrolling through their day and get some insight from Bianca about her experience with us at Astra Bridal and the process of finding her wedding dress.
What was it that made this particular wedding dress catch your eye and fall in love?
I actually saw my wedding dress during their Sip and See event, and I immediately fell in love with it. It was so me—I loved the floral design and how modern it looked. Funny story: my wedding dress was the first one I saw, and I instantly thought I wanted to try it on. The sleeves had a whimsical feel, and the train made it seem like it came straight out of a fairytale book. The moment I came home from the event, I was googling and searching on Instagram for the dress. I knew then that it was the one I wanted. When I tried it on, I felt confident in it, which isn’t always easy when you’re a curvier girl. But that dress gave me a feeling I had never experienced with the other dresses I tried on. So, I took the leap and asked the team to make it custom for my measurements. It was just magical wearing that dress.
Tell us about your search for the dress and the experience at Astra Bridal.
I remember it was one of my best friends who referred me to Astra Bridal. She mentioned that they host an event called 'Sip and See,' where you can look at the dresses and enjoy free bubbles while you window shop. Honestly, before I went to that event, I was a bit skeptical and was already considering buying a dress online. It was great that the stylists were there to answer any questions I had about the buying process. After looking at all the pretty dresses, I was so sure I wanted to find my dream dress at Astra Bridal.
Tell us your story, how you both met, and the proposal.
My husband and I met at our mutual friend Colleen's birthday party. Colleen was a childhood friend of mine, and around that time, we had just reconnected after moving from Dunedin. I remember the moment I saw Grayson. He arrived with a couple of boxes of pizza, and at the same time, I was thinking, 'Ooh, pizza!' and 'Who is that???' Next thing I knew, we were playing Jenga, and he came to our circle looking all shy. At first, he was just sitting in the corner of the couch, not playing with us. I wanted to include him, so I asked, 'Why aren’t you playing?' He said, 'Oh, I’m not good at Jenga.' So I replied, 'Come on, nobody is good at Jenga. What’s your name?' After that, we started talking and vibed all night. The rest was history.
Getting to know him over the years, I really felt like Grayson was someone I had prayed for. We’re the same person, just in different bodies. We would often think the same thoughts and end up saying the same phrases at the same time. To this day, it always surprises us how in sync we are. 'Soulmates' isn’t enough to describe who we are—we're each other's twin flame.
He proposed on the night before Matariki 2022. We had just got home from visiting my mother in law in the hospital. During that time, I was there to help him around and keep him company, so he wouldn't worry. When we got to his house, he was acting weird. He couldn't stop pacing around. He seemed really angry and I didn't know why. He kept coming in and out of his room, and I was wondering why he couldn't just stay put and talk to me. Then, all of the sudden, he just got so angry and said "Don't talk to me!" before storming out of the room.
To be honest, I was wondering why he got so angry all of a sudden. I thought maybe he was worried about his mum, or that the pressure and stress was getting to him. When I went out to console him, all I saw was darkness. "Why is it so dark?" I thought to myself. Then I saw candles everywhere, and he was standing at the end of the dining room. I fell down and immediately cried, my dramatic self taking over. I cried those ugly cries you hear when people can't control their emotions. He then approached me and asked if I would do him the honor of marrying him. Of course, I said yes.It's only been four months, but it was the best decision I've ever made. And I can confidently say that when the day comes that we are in our 80s, I will still feel the same way about marrying my husband.
What was your favourite part of the day?
My favourite part of our big day was honestly at the church, marrying him. Being there, surrounded by our family and friends, and all of us just crying tears of happiness and gratitude, was the best feeling ever. That church was so special to me because ever since I was 13 or 14 years old, I have dreamt about getting married in that beautiful church. It was a dream come true, and seeing the gorgeous view just made our day so special.
Tell us about your wedding day as a whole.
The morning of our wedding day, I woke up feeling both excited and nervous at the same time. The weather ended up being cloudy, and I was praying that it would become sunny later in the day. Spoiler alert: it didn't, and it remained cloudy. Looking back, I think it was still a good day because it wasn't hot or cold, making it perfect for us.
As soon as that morning came, my sister, who was my maid of honour, was in full maid of honour mode. Getting ready was so fun with my bridesmaids, and it was so nice being with everyone I don't get to see much since some of my friends are in different cities. We all vibed together, laughing and doing our makeup together. Although it felt a bit hectic and there wasn't enough time, it didn't make me panic or worried about the rest of the day since all I could think about was marrying my best friend!
The ceremony was just magnificent. It felt so surreal, and the whole time I had butterflies in my stomach. The feeling was really unexplainable. It was full of love and emotion between my husband and me, as well as with our friends and family. The reception was also so emotional, especially with the speeches, but then it turned to laughter and dancing when the dance floor was opened up to everyone, and we got to play some games. I still remember seeing everyone having so much fun dancing.
For me, it was a day to remember for life because of how much gratitude and love we felt from everyone. While the occasion might be about my husband and me becoming one, seeing our family and friends come together and bond was also a highlight of the day.
Finally, what is your biggest piece of advice for brides to be?
My biggest piece of advice would be to first do what you think you would want to see in your wedding. You can always follow the traditions we know about weddings, but adding your own personal touches makes it so much more special. For me, I had my adopted parents and my biological parents in my wedding since I grew up with both sets of parents. I asked all four of them if they could dance with me since I felt that they all of them raised me together, and I am close to all of them. I did this instead of the traditional father-daughter dance, and it was something to remember. Personalising your wedding is honestly the best thing you can do!
