On a gorgeous summer day, Anarosa and Mate tied the knot in front of friends and family at Lower Hutt Event Centre. Photos of the day showcase the happy couple in utter bliss and celebrating their special day, including some lovely performances during their reception. Their day was filled with much fun, joy and happiness.
Anarosa stunned in 29286 by Christina Wu, a breathtaking botanical lace covered fit and flare with whimsical long off the shoulder sleeves, featuring the same botanical lace patterns. The sheer lace back with exposed boning and covered buttons alongside the lengthy statement train furthers the romantic look of the gown.
Enjoy scrolling through and reading Anarosa's dress shopping experience, as well as some insight into their special day x
What was it that made this particular wedding dress catch your eye and fall in love?
My dress hugged my body perfectly and the sleeves covered all the parts of my body I didn’t want showing perfectly.
Tell us about your search for the dress and the experience at Astra Bridal.
I knew I wanted a dress with sleeves & a bit of lace as I hated showing my arms. I was unsuccessful in finding a dress at the Wellington Astra Bridal branch so planned to make a trip to Auckland to look at places there. As we were waiting for my next appointment with a dress maker, my cousin suggested we go to the Auckland Astra Bridal shop just to look around and the first dress I tried on was the one for me. My lovely stylist was the best in helping & recommending dresses for me to try on.
Tell us your story, how you both met, and the proposal.
My husband & I were high school sweethearts. We were also neighbours for majority of our college years so I couldn’t really get away from him if I tried lol. We went our separate ways after we finished college and reunited back in 2018.
The Proposal : We celebrated my 26th birthday at home in my front yard with close friends & family. My friends suggested we drink & paint for this occasion. We all picked a random letter out of a hat & then we were tasked to paint our mood around the letter we chose. In the end every single person was meant to present their painting and describe why they painted their work of art the way did. My friend split us up into two teams with our backs facing each other and on the count of 3 both teams were meant to face each other. Little did I know they had everything planned and the only person who wasn’t in on the plan was me. I turned around and was confused as I didn’t know what the point of the game was until I heard someone mumble “She cant read.” Team 1 all stood in a line facing me with their paintings and I finally clicked all the letters they held spelt out “Will you Marry Me?” My husband was to my left on his knee looking a nervous wreck & the rest is history! So much appreciation for my family, friends & now in-laws who had a hand in planning my surprise proposal.
What was your favourite part of the day?
My favourite part of my wedding day was seeing all my family and friends enjoying themselves, and partying hard on our big day.
Tell us about your wedding day as a whole.
Our wedding day as a whole can only be described as an epic party to celebrate our marriage. The weather was nothing but perfect, no rain whatsoever! Everything went so smoothly from the beginning to the end. I was lucky enough to have bridesmaids I could rely on & also utilise. Everyone had a part to play when getting ready and they all pulled through in making my morning getting ready run smoothly. The ceremony went so quick and was such a special moment for my husband & I becoming one. To top it off the reception was just a 8 hour party with good music, yum food, lovely performances & items from our loved ones. Overall, we were both so happy with how our day turned out & even better knowing everyone who could make it had a blast too.
Finally, what is your biggest piece of advice for brides to be?
This is a big milestone for you & your husband to be. Make sure you surround yourself with those you know who will listen to you & want the best for you. Try your hardest not to stress over planning as its just not worth it (trust me, it isn’t worth it). Try your best to enjoy yourself on your big day and be in the moment.
