Glaiza and Matt said "I Do" in front of their nearest and dearest at the lovely Settlers Country Manor. Photos of the day show the beautiful couple celebrating their love and their day was one filled with lots of joy and fun. The classic venue was a perfect match with Glaiza's timeless gown.
She looked breath-taking in Lynda by Theia, a stunningly simple fit and flare crepe gown with a V-neckline and low back. The covered buttons at the back are a classic touch that completes the look of this minimalistic gown. She paired her gown with a traditional lace edged veil.
We hope you enjoy scrolling through their day, and get some insight from Glaiza 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 chose the Lynda dress by Theia because it was a flowy dress, which I love. I also love how the material feels on my skin and it was not too heavy to wear. I love how the neckline and the back looks. It is not too low, but just right for my body type. It is a very simple dress, but looks so classic, timeless and elegant. When I saw this dress for the first time, I knew it would match the classic vibe of the venue and that it was my dress!
Tell us about your search for the dress and the experience at Astra Bridal.
I started searching online and I thought I wanted an A-line or princess ball gown type of gown with fluffy sleeves. That description was really in my head and I started to imagine myself wearing that type of wedding dress. I started my dress search around August 2022 and tried A-line gowns, but realised they didn't suit my figure. Then I got to try this low plunging neckline and low back mermaid cut dress. I was in love with how flattering the shape was on my body!
In 2023, I went to Astra Bridal. Before going to the North Shore branch, I checked their website and got the chance to save the dresses/types that I could try on for my fitting appointment. I managed to get an appointment and one of my best friends and MoH accompanied me to the appointment. After trying a number of dresses, I finally saw the dress! The Lynda dress by Theia. It was flowy, my size, and I loved the fit on me. The price of the dress also suited my budget as I got my dress straight from the rack. The experience at Astra was really nice. All the ladies at the North Shore branch were lovely and really helpful. Lara, the bridal stylist that assisted me during my dress fitting, was very lovely and helpful. I admire her knowledge and also her attention to detail.
Tell us your story, how you both met, and the proposal.
Matt and I first met at my previous workplace pre-covid. I was a nurse in a rest home and he was a staff member from the company who looks after their fish tanks. Matt and I matched mid 2021 on a dating app without knowing that we had actually met in person until we started chatting and asking about each other’s details.
We started dating and got to know each other after a few dates. We also started to introduce each other to our families within 4 weeks of us dating. We were officially in a relationship by the time we met each others' families. In August of 2021, when Auckland was going to be in lockdown, Matt asked me if I would like to stay with him during this time, so we could live together and see how things would be. I agreed and the rest was history.
Matt proposed to me on my 35th birthday in 2022. On that day, he told me to get myself pampered and make sure I was home in the afternoon. When I came home after the day of pampering myself, Matt told me to get ready for our dinner and told me to dress comfortably. Before we left, he gave me my “present” which was a bookshelf. It had a note on it saying “do you think you’re ready for the real jelly?” and I wasn't sure what he meant by that.
We made our way to the place, but we had to stop at Burger Fuel to get our dinner. From there, I realised that we were headed to Muriwai to watch the sunset as my birthday present. I thought how cool was that! When we reached Muriwai Beach, we had a lovely picnic overlooking the beach. After our meal, Matt asked me if we could go up to the gannet colony to see a much better view of the sunset. I was not prepared for a hike up there because I was wearing my slippers! As the sun started to set, we had made it halfway up and saw the most beautiful sunset. Matt asked me to take a photo of the sunset, which I did, and when I turned back to him, he handed me a Pandora paper bag. I thought he'd given me a new charm bracelet, but there was a note saying “Are you ready for this jelly?” and a box.
As I opened the box, he knelt in front of me and inside was a gorgeous ring with aquamarine stone (which is my birthstone) and he asked me to marry him! I was crying from the moment I was opening the box and told him yes.
What was your favourite part of the day?
My favourite part of the day was EVERYTHING! I got to spend time with all my favourite people getting ready, and see our families and close friends celebrate this very special day with us. I also had some private time with Matt during our wedding reception's cocktail hour. It was lovely!
Tell us about your wedding day as a whole.
The wedding day came so fast and I felt like the entire day passed by so quickly. In the morning, the bridesmaids and flower girls got ready at my place. We had the make-up artist and hairstylist come to my place.
Settlers Country Manor has a beautiful outdoor garden perfect for outdoor wedding ceremony, but it started to drizzle after lunch so we made the decision to move the ceremony indoors. But I was told that rain on the wedding day is a blessing to the couple for longevity of marriage.
After all the hair and make-up, we all got dressed and ready for the big event. Matt’s brother, Toby, chauffeured my parents and I to the venue. The rain did stopped when we arrived at the venue and as I got out of the car. Matt’s mum handed me my lovely bouquet of flowers from Country Blooms. I was crying as I walked down to the aisle and saw Matt smiling at me as he waited so patiently at the end of the aisle. Next to him was Blake, our minister and Matt’s friend who started the ceremony by greeting everyone with a lovely warm welcome speech in Tagalog/Filipino language.
During our vows, I was surprised that Matt started his vows with a Tagalog phrase about me being his song muse. I cried with glee because it was sweet of him to write that vow and speak Tagalog. It was a lovely ceremony and we were happy to see all our closest friends and our families together witnessing us be wed.
After the ceremony, we had cocktail hour and had a chance to take photos with our friends and loved ones. We also had time together to take photos. The reception was really nice. We started with the entrance to the reception area followed by speeches from our fathers, Best Man and Maid of Honour. We enjoyed the lovely food and drinks provided by the venue. One of the highlights of the venue is the food!
After the food, we danced the night away from our first dance, to the father-daughter dance and partying with friends. The day was full of love and we were very happy that we were able to share this with those closest to us.
Finally, what is your biggest piece of advice for brides to be?
I think my biggest advice for all the brides to be out there is to follow your heart. There’s a lot of wedding inspiration out there, but they are just there to inspire us. Know what your heart really desires and if a detail doesn’t suit, think of alternatives. So many options out there to choose from to suit your own style, preferences and budget.
