Brenna and Keegan celebrated their love surrounded by family and friends at the picturesque Roseburn Park. Their wedding day was filled with love, smiles, and celebration as they embraced every moment and created unforgettable memories while beginning the next chapter of their lives.
Brenna looked stunning in her custom Durham gown by Forget Me Knot. To create her dream dress, she combined design elements from multiple gowns, changing the bodice fabric to the luxurious brocade from our Patras gown while keeping the signature corsetry detail through the centre. She also added elegant pearl buttons down the back of the Italian satin skirt and removed the seam lines, leaving only the centre seam for a beautifully clean finish.
This detailed custom design came together perfectly, bringing together her favourite features from different gowns to create something that was uniquely hers. She completed her look with our Katalina veil, a mantilla veil featuring a traditional lace edge that added the perfect finishing touch.
We hope you enjoy scrolling through the highlights of their special day, learning more about Brenna’s experience with Astra Bridal, and following her journey to finding the perfect wedding dress.
What was it that made this particular wedding dress catch your eye and fall in love?
After going back and forth a few times, we came to the exciting decision to create a fully custom gown. We combined all the elements I loved from different dresses and added personal touches to make it completely my own. Working alongside Ilyese on this was such a special experience. She is unbelievably talented, and she made the entire process feel so seamless and enjoyable.
We shared ideas, refined every detail, and then finally… there she was: the “Brenna” dress. And she was everything I had dreamed of and more.
Tell us about your search for the dress and the experience at Astra Bridal.
Going into wedding dress shopping, I had very mixed emotions. I didn’t have a clear vision of what I wanted, and I also felt a little unsure because I wouldn’t describe myself as having a “typical” bridal body. I'm more curvy, and I wasn’t sure how that would translate into finding the dress.
Before finding Astra Bridal, I had visited three other boutiques, but I never experienced that moment everyone talks about, where you just know. I liked elements of certain dresses, but nothing truly felt like me.
Then I walked into Astra Bridal, and everything changed.
From the moment I arrived, I was welcomed by the most bubbly, vibrant team, and I had the absolute pleasure of working with Ilyese. She instantly made me feel comfortable, confident, and completely at ease. We tried on so many different styles, shapes, and sizes. I found myself loving parts of certain dresses while also imagining little changes or additions I wished I could make.
At times, I was incredibly indecisive, but not once did I feel pressured. Ilyese was so patient and understanding, always encouraging me to take my time, step away, think about it, and come back when I felt ready. That level of care meant everything.
My experience at Astra Bridal was truly unforgettable. I felt completely supported every step of the way, and I knew I was in the best hands. The entire team made me feel so special, and I had full confidence that, no matter what, my dress would be perfect. I couldn’t recommend them enough.
Tell us your story, how you both met, and the proposal.
Keegan and I had always been somewhat familiar with each other; we shared mutual friends and had seen each other around, but had never actually spoken. It wasn’t until we both found ourselves at CityFitness in Palmerston North that we properly crossed paths. For a while, it was just exchanged glances in the mirrors, quietly admiring each other from afar.
One day, I noticed he was training with the partner of one of our mutual friends. Curious, I asked her who he was… but instead of answering me, she walked straight over to them and told Keegan that I thought he was attractive and wanted to know who he was. Slightly mortifying at the time, but it turned out to be the best thing she could have done, because from that moment on, everything fell into place. We started talking, spent more time together, and the connection was instant. The rest, as they say, is history.
For our five-year anniversary, we planned a special staycation. One of the highlights was an incredible dinner at the Orbit 360° restaurant. In my mind, it was the perfect setting for a proposal (and I had definitely dropped enough hints by then!). But as the evening came to an end and we returned to our room, there was no question, and knowing Keegan, I started to realise a big, public proposal was never really his style.
The weekend came and went, and I convinced myself it just wasn’t happening, at least not yet.
On the drive home, though, something shifted. Keegan grew quiet and a little fidgety, which I couldn’t quite figure out. When we pulled into the driveway, he told me not to grab the bags and to just come inside while he ran in quickly. Of course, I didn’t listen and grabbed the bags anyway. He met me at the door and gently insisted I leave them and come upstairs with him. After a bit of back and forth, I finally gave in.
As I looked up, I saw the staircase lit with candles and scattered with rose petals. My heart instantly started racing. He led me upstairs and into the room, and that’s when it all became real. The space was filled with love-heart balloons, photos of us capturing years of memories, two dozen roses on the bed, soft candlelight, fairy lights, and a sign that read, “Will you marry me?”
He got down on one knee and, with a mix of nerves and excitement, asked, “Will you marry me, please?”
I was completely stunned in the best possible way. It was such a beautiful, emotional moment, and so perfectly us: private, intimate, and filled with love.
What was your favourite part of the day?
It’s so hard to choose just one favourite moment from our day because there were so many that meant the world to me. But if I had to narrow it down, there are three moments that will stay with me forever.
The first was my “first look” with my dad. That was the moment everything truly felt real. My dad is a traditional, old-school farmer, a man of few words, but when he walked in and saw me, the look in his eyes said everything. They filled with tears as he took my hands and simply said, “Wow, princess.” In that moment, I wasn’t a 28-year-old woman about to marry the love of my life, I was his little girl again. It’s a feeling I find so hard to put into words, but it’s something I will carry with me forever.
My mum was there too, and after our moment, he turned to her and said, “Wow, Mama, you look beautiful.” It was such a simple exchange, but it reflected the kind of love I’ve grown up watching, the kind of love I’ve always admired, and to see it right there on my wedding day made it even more special.
The second moment was Keegan’s vows. He’s also a man of few words, so I knew whatever he said would be meaningful, but he completely exceeded anything I could have imagined. His words were so heartfelt, emotional, and full of love that there wasn’t a dry eye in the room. I felt so incredibly lucky standing there, listening to the man I get to spend my life with. He finished his vows with a line I will never forget: “The only thing I ask is that you outlive me, so I don’t have to live a day without you.” It was the most beautiful and emotional way to capture his love.
The third moment was when Keegan and I were introduced into our reception as husband and wife. The energy in the room was unforgettable. It was more than just a celebration; it was a full-blown party. Guests were standing on chairs, napkins were flying through the air, confetti cannons were going off, and we even had a live saxophone player following us around the room. It felt completely surreal. I remember looking around and thinking, “All of these people are here for us.” The love and support in that room was overwhelming in the best way. Every single person there has played a part in our lives, and to have them all together in one place, celebrating with us, is something I’ll never be able to fully put into words. We feel so incredibly lucky.
Tell us about your wedding day as a whole.
Our wedding day was everything we had hoped for and more, one of those days you wish you could bottle up and relive over and over again.
We were incredibly lucky with the weather. It was one of those perfect days: calm, warm, and clear, which set the tone for everything that followed. There was such a sense of excitement in the air from the very beginning.
The morning of getting ready was so special. I was surrounded by my favourite people, and the room was filled with so much love, laughter, and a few happy tears. It felt calm but exciting all at once, like this beautiful build-up to the moment I had been dreaming of. It’s such a surreal feeling knowing that by the end of the day, you’ll be married to the love of your life.
The ceremony itself was incredibly emotional. Walking down the aisle, seeing Keegan waiting for me, and being surrounded by all of our family and friends is something I will never forget. There was so much love in that moment. It felt so intimate, yet so powerful, having everyone we love there witnessing it. Saying our vows to each other was, without a doubt, one of the most meaningful parts of the day.
As we moved into the reception, the atmosphere completely shifted into celebration mode. It was everything we could have dreamed of: full of energy, laughter, and so much joy. From heartfelt speeches to the dance floor being packed all night, it truly felt like the best kind of party, one where every single person was there because they love and support us.
One of the most surreal feelings throughout the day was taking moments to pause and look around the room. Seeing all of our favourite people in one place, celebrating our love, is something that’s really hard to put into words. It made us feel incredibly grateful and so lucky to have the people we do in our lives.
The entire day just flowed so seamlessly, from beginning to end. It was emotional, joyful, and full of so much love, a perfect reflection of us and everything we wanted our wedding to be.
Finally, what is your biggest piece of advice for brides to be?
My biggest piece of advice for brides-to-be is to always remember what the day is truly about: you and your soon-to-be husband, and the love you share. It’s so easy to get caught up in the details or expectations, but at the heart of it all, it’s about celebrating your relationship and the life you’re building together. So make decisions that feel right for you as a couple, and do what makes you genuinely happy.
Trust that your guests will have an incredible time simply because they’re there to celebrate you. The love and joy of the day naturally carry through, and that’s what people remember most.
I would also say, make a conscious effort to slow down and really take it all in. The day goes by so quickly, so carve out a few quiet moments just for the two of you. Stand together, look around, and soak it all up: the people, the atmosphere, the feeling of it all. Those little pauses become some of the most special memories.
It truly is such a magical experience from start to finish, and it’s over in the blink of an eye. I already wish we could relive our day all over again, and I have no doubt you’ll feel the same.
