Ed Sheeran ♥ Surprise Wedding Singer
Is there a nicer guy than Ed Sheeran? When Ed heard that we were helping to organise a special wedding for two of our deserving listeners, Matt and Kya, and that they had chosen one of his songs for their wedding dance he offered to come and surprise them and give them a wedding gift they will never forget.
Incredible Marriage Proposals ♥ Cockney Geezer style
In true cockney geezer style…and he doesn’t sing too badly!!
How to get married in NZ
A step-by-step guide to getting married or having a civil union in New Zealand.
The Department of Internal Affairs have revamped their website so it’s alot easier to follow the info. Check it out here: https://www.govt.nz/browse/family-and-whanau/getting-married/how-to-get-married-in-nz/
1) Decide how
There are 2 ways to get married or have a civil union in NZ:
-
By a registered marriage celebrant
You can choose:
- when and where you’ll get married
- to write your own vows
- a religious or independent celebrant.
In a registry office
Registry office ceremonies:
- are held during normal office hours
- use standard vows, and you can’t customise the ceremony.
2) Arrange a marriage licence
You have to arrange a marriage licence at least 3 working days before you want to get married. If you’re being married by a celebrant, you’ll need their name and the location and approximate date of the wedding when you apply.
3) Get married
Your celebrant or the registry office will register your marriage and give you a “Copy of particulars of marriage”.
4) Get a marriage certificate
If you need to show anyone legal proof of your marriage, you can order a marriage certificate.
5) Changing your name
If you want to change your last name after you’re married, you don’t have to do anything special — but some places like banks or government agencies might ask to see a copy of particulars or marriage certificate.
Greatest Love Stories ♥ Shah Jahan & Mumtaz Mahal
I think everyone recently saw the pics of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, Wills and Kate, visiting the awe-inspiring Taj Mahal in India. For those of us of a certain age you will also remember Williams Mum, Princess Di, posing for the very same photo.
I think this monument is the greatest in the name of love and thinking about it, it’s a bit sad that Princess Di made the visit there alone. Having made the pilgrimage to the Taj Mahal myself and having sat on that very same marble bench I can tell you it is breathtaking.
This is the story behind the Taj Mahal… In 1612, a teenage girl, Arjumand Banu, married 15-year-old Shah Jahan, ruler of the Mughal Empire. Renamed Mumtaz Mahal, she bore Shah Jahan 14 children and became his favorite wife. After Mumtaz died in 1629, the grieving emperor resolved to create a fitting monument. It took 20,000 workers and 1,000 elephants nearly 20 years to complete this monument – the Taj Mahal. Shah Jahan was never able to complete a black marble mausoleum he planned for himself. Deposed by his son, Shah Jahan was imprisoned in the Red Fort of Agra, and spent lonely hours staring across the Jamuna River at the monument to his beloved queen. He was eventually buried beside her in the Taj Mahal.
Kimberly Sanders ♥ Lucky in Love Marriage Celebrant ♥ Auckland
Cultural Weddings ♥ Tahiti
It was hard to find info on what happens in a traditional Tahitian wedding – the internet brought up weddings at resorts for westerners, but what I really was interested in was the traditional ritual for a Tahitian couple. This is still pretty cool even if it is the slightly hokey palangi version…
This wedding took place where legend holds god descended atop a rainbow on the land of the gods – Bora Bora.
To one side musicians played traditional drums, ukuleles & guitars singing traditional songs celebrating the story of eternal love.
The tahua leads the couple to where the ceremony will take place. There’s a sacred protocol followed in the blowing of the pu; here blown in the 4 directions of the earth and as a call to the elements of earth, sea, air and fire:
The tahua, clad in red & yellow – the sacred colours of royalty – uses the pu (conch shell) in a tradition that dates back several thousands of years to call upon the divine, to call down the ancestors and to welcome the bride and groom.
Musicians play traditional drums, ukuleles & guitars singing traditional songs celebrating the story of eternal love.
The tahua leads the couple to where the ceremony will take place. There’s a sacred protocol followed in the blowing of the pu; here blown in the 4 directions of the earth and as a call to the elements of earth, sea, air and fire
There are 3 essential elements in a Tahitian Traditional Wedding: The auti, the plant sacred to Tahitians. Water – taken from the ocean (moana), the greatest temple on earth. Tiare Tahiti – the wonderfully perfumed flower which symbolises harmony & the sharing of all things.
In recognition of the marriage being sacred, the wedding is first blessed using auti.
The sacred bond, the union of the two, is recognised by the tying of a strip taken from the back of the auti leaf which will call in good and protect the couple against evil. In ancient times Tahitians would tie the strips to the entrance to their fares (homes) to protect their privacy.
The exchange of Tiare Tahiti – the leis have been given to the groom by the parents of the bride as a sign of his having been welcomed into the family as one with other family members. The Tiare Tahiti is the symbol of the love for one another.
The exchange of vows.
The couple are then wrapped in a tifaifai; red signifying royalty and love, being wrapped together to signify their union; the union given the benediction of the tahua:
Members of the family would then wrap the couple in a second tifaifai, blue to signify moana – the ocean, the sea. Another moment of great emotion:
It is a tradition in such marriages to be given wedding names. Finding the names is a complex issue involving copious research into the fundamental genealogies of those to be married from which the origins of maraes (temples) and the rights to carry certain titles flow. In tracing to Taaroa Tahi Tumu de Vaearai, Ofai Honu & Marotetini – the 3 founding lineages – the couple were given the names Tane & Vahine Te Moana Rau Tehea Nohomarae O Marotetini.
The names are recorded on tapa & the document given to the couple during the ceremony.
Maa Tahiti – the Traditional Tahitian Feast – would follow together with much tamure – traditional Tahitian dancing to celebrate a major, notable event.
Bride & Son wear matching dresses!
When Bride Lulu was trying on her wedding dress, her son Max really dug it. “He fluffed up all the layers and danced around with me then said ‘I want a big pink dress at the wedding too!'”
They decided to check out dresses together and Max chose his favorite — a hot pink creation. However, when they got closer to the wedding date, one of Lulu bridesmaids’ daughters brought Max a different dress option that the girl described as looking like “a sippy cup of champagne.” (Which is the best descriptor for a pink dress I’ve ever read or will ever read.)
Max went wild for it and ended up wearing it to the wedding, and the results are priceless.
About Max’s choice of wedding outfit Lulu says:
He mostly wears his regular ‘boy’ clothes, but when I paint my nails, which is infrequent, he wants to as well. And several times a year he wears a tutu to school. I don’t think he will be transgender, as he doesn’t want to be a girl as far as he’s told me. Most of it is just play. It wouldn’t matter to me either way, though.
He mostly just loves to dress up and do what he likes to do. I just asked him how he felt in his dress on the wedding day and Max says he felt ‘good, happy, and my dress was awesome.’
Whatever path Max chooses as an adult – I think his parents have set him up amazingly well by encouraging him to follow his heart and make decisions that make him happy!!
Thanks Rock n Roll Bride and Cosmo for sharing.
Incredible Marriage Proposals
No pressure! How crazy is this proposal that they filmed absolutely everything!?? Go figure.
But what does stand out is the guys determination to make it special for his girl. I especially like all the photos around the walls – and this is something you can do yourself – without the camera crew!! My Darling made a slideshow of all our happy memories for our first wedding anniversary – it was really touching.
Wedding Crashers
Serena Williams managed to pull off one of the greatest celebrity wedding crashes ever.
A few years ago while on a photoshoot (why else would you wear a crazy leopard print leotard in this day and age??) she stumbled upon a beachside wedding!
Guests were taking photos of the 32-year-old, and the happy couple seemed to be thrilled to have her there.
“Wedding crasher!! Congrats!” she wrote alongside an Instagram photo with the smiling bride and groom.
There were also some great butt shots too!!
