On a sunny summer day, Breila and Sam said "I do" surrounded by friends and family at the beautiful Brackenridge Country Retreat and Spa. Photos from the day capture the happy couple, full of smiles and celebrating their big day.
Breila looked stunning in Selena by Maggie Sottero, a classic satin A-line gown with a scoop neckline and covered buttons trailing down to the train. This gown gives such a timeless look and flattering silhouette. She completed her bridal look with our Hendrix veil, a glitter tulle veil that adds just the right touch of shimmer.
We hope you enjoy scrolling through their special day and gain some insight from Breila about her experience with us at Astra Bridal and the process of finding her perfect wedding dress.
What was it that made this particular wedding dress catch your eye and fall in love?
I knew I wanted something with straps—something that I could throw on and not have to worry about. A dress that I would feel good in from every angle, and we found it.
The dress I actually ended up choosing was put on just as a test to see if the neckline worked for me. It ended up fitting like an absolute glove; it hit me in all the right places and just looked amazing straight off the rack.
I didn't have the "OMG, this is the dress" moment. It was more of a "There isn't going to be another one as good as this" moment. We just kept going back to that same dress. At the end of the day, after another appointment we had that day, I called and placed the order.
Tell us about your search for the dress and the experience at Astra Bridal.
The team was so inviting and just as excited as we were about dress shopping. They provided us with everything we could have needed, and the Wellington studio is so calm and comforting that it made the experience truly pleasant.
The dress search was so easy with Astra. I know my body shape quite well and knew exactly what I wanted. The amazing Lisa in Wellington picked a couple of dresses that I had put on my wish list, along with some she thought would work. Every dress fit, which was actually amazing—I thought I would have to do some imagining, but that wasn’t needed at all. It was never a battle of what looked good; it was just a matter of which one I liked best in the end.
Tell us your story, how you both met, and the proposal.
We actually met online and were just friends for a while. Sam worked on a site across the road from my office, so we would grab coffee when he was on smoko almost every day. We both moved from our current work sites around the same time, so we started catching up after work instead. We kept it casual for the first few months, then it just developed into what it is now, and we "caught feelings" (for lack of a better phrase).
Our proposal was completely us but fancy. We had planned a staycation for my birthday at the QT Hotel in Wellington, so we headed in and were getting ready to go to Logan Brown for dinner. He asked me if I wanted my present now or later, and of course, I wanted it now and not later. We kind of have a thing with surprises where we sometimes ask for a clue. So when I was told to close my eyes, I asked for a clue, and Sam replied with, "What do you always ask for?" I said, "A puppy!" (I usually say a puppy or a ring, but I didn’t want to put the pressure on.) Alas, when I opened my eyes, Sam was on one knee with the most stunning ring I could have dreamed of.
After a few phone calls and squeals with my aunties, we went to dinner. I had actually asked one of my girlfriends to drop us off at the hotel earlier so I could see her, but she had said she was going out with flatmates. We walked around the corner at Logan Brown, and both my best friends were tucked into a booth as the best birthday/engagement surprise!
What was your favourite part of the day?
I think there were two parts that were my personal favourites.
1. Hearing all our guests giggle at our beer boys. Instead of flower girls, two of our mates wore beer belts and walked down the aisle handing out beers to SexyBack by Justin Timberlake. The only downside was that I was so excited for it, completely not realising during the planning that I would be behind the fence and unable to see it.
2. During the downtime at dinner, before the kai and between speeches, our DJ put on some classics, and everyone just started to sing along and dance. It was such a wholesome, fun time that everyone got to be a part of.
Tell us about your wedding day as a whole.
The day couldn’t have gone better if we’d dreamed of it.
It was a beautiful day, with a slight wind, which was a blessing so no one melted in the Martinborough heat. I had planned and worked with Courtney, so everything just flowed. The reception was set up the day prior, and Sam was setting up our altar space in the morning.
The night before, we had a girls' night with my aunties and cousins, so our hearts were so full. Having ended the night on such a wholesome note, the next morning just flowed with the same vibes. Us girls all jumped into one bed to start the day and just eased into it all—showers, kai, and coffee delivery with giggles and cuddles.
Hair and makeup were sorted, mimosas were flowing, flowers were arriving, and everything was just working. The boys were cruising through their morning with ironing shirts and figuring out the best way to pin on the boutonnieres since their shirts were so light.
When it was time, we drove over to the ceremony, and to be honest, it couldn’t have gone better. It was a blast of colours, dancing, and laughs. So many family members from across the world and friends from different walks of life all coming together. We felt so lucky and had the best time.
The reception went until 12, and after that, we gathered the cake and late-night snacks and went to the cottages to keep the party going.
Finally, what is your biggest piece of advice for brides to be?
As stressful as planning a wedding can be, my biggest piece of advice would be to plan everything you feel you need to. If you know how everything is going to happen and your vendors are on the same page, you can fully relax and enjoy the day. Sam and I got to be fully involved in every moment.
