Amaina and Francis vowed to spend the rest of their lives together in front of family, friends and God at St Mary of the Angels Church in Wellington. Their day was focused on faith, love and fun.
Amaina wowed in -Rosemary- by Rebecca Ingram, a sweet and modern faiytale ball gown with a full ruffled tiered tulle skirt that floats out elegantly. The lace trim is a lovely subtle detail on an already stunning gown. She also paired her gown with a pearl veil, adding an extra touch of shimmer.
We hope you enjoy scrolling through their special day as much as we did!
What was it that made this particular wedding dress catch your eye and fall in love?
When I wore my gown for the first time, I felt like it suited my personality perfectly. It is simple yet playful. I could move around in it so easily and I even tried dancing while I was in the fitting and it was perfect! Also, did you see the dress???? It is beautiful!!!
Tell us about your search for the dress and the experience at Astra Bridal.
The search for the perfect dress at Astra Bridal was so easy! I came in for a fitting and all the dresses that I picked from their website were already prepared. Everyone was very helpful and the I felt really comfortable trying everything. I chose my wedding dress that same day and got the perfect size after only a month! I thought choosing a dress will be overwhelming but with the help of Astra Bridal team, they made it feel like it was such a breeze!
Tell us your story, how you both met, and the proposal.
Francis and I met 2020 through a common friend. I just moved to Wellington and I only had 1 friend at that time. I found out that one of my high school classmates way back from the Philippines was in Wellington as well. He invited me for drinks with his friends so I could meet some people in the city and Francis was there.
Francis and I hit it off that night because he was really funny and I was laughing the whole time and we were talking a lot about random stuff. I thought "Oh, he could be one of my good friends here". Hahaha well it turned out that we'll be more than that.
We made if official after just 1 month from the time we met and he proposed to me after only 11 months of being together. Everything happened so quick lol. I think we knew that we could be best friends for the rest of our lives and it will be a fun ride.
It took us until 2023 to officially tie the knot due to Covid restrictions, but it was worth the wait because my mum was able to fly here from Philippines to celebrate our special day with us.
What was your favourite part of the day?
Everything! It is so hard to choose! Everything was perfect and I owe it all to my wedding coordinator - The Wedding Coach! She made our day so smooth and also my Maid of Honours and Bridesmaids that were so hands on! But if I had the choose — probably the best was when I was walking down the aisle and I was looking at our loved ones. I remember feeling how blessed I am to have these people in my life. Then I saw Francis crying like a baby!! He was so cute!! So full of raw emotions .
Tell us about your wedding day as a whole.
It was the perfect day. We stayed at Boulcott Suites the night before, as it is very close to the church. I stayed in an apartment with my mom and Bridesmaids. Francis stayed at a different apartment with his brothers and Groomsmen.
The wedding day was really sunny, such a good Wellington day! Woke up early and met Francis to have coffee at Starbucks. We were able to get some time alone and talk about how we were feeling before everything starts. I loved this moment as I know the whole day will be busy with lots of people, but we started it by having a moment with just us two.
The ceremony at St. Mary of the Angels was a spiritual one. It was very elegant and peaceful. We are from a religious family, so this time was so special as we were able to really connect with God as a couple.
The reception at Ohariu Farm was so much fun!! Good food and lots of drinks! Of course it was an open bar! There was cold sparks and everyone was dancing the night away! The speeches were all so good and so funny. I got drunk by the end of the night! Haha!
It was really the best day! I'd love to do it all over again!
Finally, what is your biggest piece of advice for brides to be?
Enjoy every moment! Have so much fun! If some things go
wrong, don't stress! It is YOUR day, OWN IT! :)
