When the bride and groom are both accomplished ballroom dancers you know the wedding dance is going to be good.
Dancing with the Stars dancer Matt Tatton Brown married his “best friend and absolute favourite” Kelsey Parkes in a fairytale wedding in Kumeu, Auckland on February 3.
Matt partnered Suzy Cato in this season’s DWTS and last season steered Pam Corkery around the D floor. Kelsey is also a competitive ballroom dancer.
Watch the videos below to see Suzy’s shock elimination as well as Suzy and Matt’s final dance.
Matt and Kelsey. Photography by Anna Hart Photography
The couple, who met through their mutual love of dancing in 2011, tied the knot at a family friends’ property in front of 120 guests.
Matt proposed to Kelsey on his birthday.
Speaking of their romance, Matt and Kelsey say initially there was “zero attraction” between them when they met. It wasn’t until four years later, when Matt trained Kelsey and partnered her in a national ballroom dancing competition, that sparks began to fly.
He proposed one year later on his birthday in May 2016 just as the couple were going to bed.
If that doesn’t sound very romantic, there had been a more elaborate plan.
“I had the ring in my pocket all day – the ring was my grandmother’s… and I had planned to take Kelsey down to the clifftop between the two bays where we had grown up, but the weather was packing in and as it was 10pm on a Sunday night, Kelsey was getting quite tired and grumpy.”
Suffice to say, Kelsey was thrilled to say yes and Matt says he couldn’t have asked for a better birthday.
The weather threatened to ruin the romance for a second time on their wedding day, dawning black and thunderous.
The couple’s goodnatured guests happily accessorised with plastic ponchos and umbrellas.
But, miraculously, an hour before the ceremony the skies cleared and the sun even stayed out long enough for the bridal party to get their spectacular wedding photos taken.
Kelsey with her bridesmaids. The couple’s celebrant also happened to be Kelsey’s maid of honour.
Matt, third from the right. Spot DWTS dancer Jonny Williams (far right), who came second in last season’s show with partner Chrystal Chenery.
The newly-weds partied with their friends and family well into the night with acoustic duo Pat For President “providing epic tunes”.
And the wedding dance? Was it a flirty foxtrot, a passionate pasodoble or a cheeky cha-cha?
Actually, it was a completely non-choreographed glide around the floor.
“We just wanted to do something spontaneous and natural,” Matt says. A simple dance to Alvin Robinson’s Something You Got.”
Congratulations to the happy couple!
Flowers: Haylee from The Foraging Floriste
Dress: Daisy by Katie Yeung
Bridesmaids dresses: Evolution Clothing
Hair: DRY & TEA
Makeup: Britney Fletcher – Makeup Artist
Celebrant: Emma Trendall
Groomsmen’s bowties: Two Guys’ Bow Ties
Photography: Anna Hart Photography
Many family and friends donated their possessions and time on the day:
Among the examples of kindness, the venue was a gift. The wedding cars (1920s Chevrolets) belonged to the couple’s MC’s parents, a family friend made their wedding cake and their celebrant doubled as Kelseys maid of honour.
