Lensure Cinematic & Photography.
Watching his gorgeous bride Amelia walk down the aisle towards him, Auckland FC vice-captain Jake Brimmer couldn’t help but let a few tears out as she made her way towards the altar on the arm of both her dad Peter and Jake’s father Steve.
“She looked out of this world – just unreal,” he tells Woman’s Day.
“We’ve been through quite a lot as a couple, but to see her in that dress… I was in tears.”
A wedding full of laughter
Well, that was until Amelia’s beautiful wedding gown got tangled in Steve’s wheelchair, with the bride and both dads dissolving into laughter as strategic reversing and tugging eventually freed Amelia to resume her walk.
“I was about to cry before that happened, I swear!” she laughs, admitting she never imagined that would be how their big day would unfold.
Taking a chance on love
But then Amelia and Jake’s entire relationship has been unpredictable ever since 2022, when the physiotherapist met the football star, who was then playing for Melbourne Victory. Despite seeing other people, they knew their chemistry was strong enough to take a chance when those relationships ended. Amelia even left her job with the team to keep things professional.
“We knew this was going somewhere,” shares Amelia.
“We ended up having a ‘board meeting’ to talk about it! I didn’t want to jeopardise my career, but we both had a feeling that this was it.”
Prioritising family
Jake, 27, who features in the new Sky docuseries Forever Auckland FC, adds, “Before we knew it, we were full on! Our values align so well and we have this very special connection. But it was important to me we were also prioritising my two children.”
Jake’s daughters Hayzel, five, and Evalyn, three, are the lights of his life and new stepmum Amelia, 29, says she loved the girls as soon as she met them.
“They’re both such funny, quirky, unique and awesome kids,” she enthuses.
“They’re a testament to Jake and his ex.” Jake adds, “They live in Melbourne, so it’s been a real sacrifice being in Auckland, but my career is short and it’s all for them. It’s so hard to not see them, but we really do love Auckland. The club and the fans have been so amazing this year.”
A surprise proposal
It was on a trip back to Melbourne where Jake popped the question in February. With the help of Amelia’s sister, he planned a romantic proposal in a fancy hotel – to the complete surprise of Amelia, who burst into tears as soon as she walked into the rose-filled room, where she saw Jake on one knee!
“I couldn’t stop crying,” she laughs.
“I look so puffy in the photos!”
A wedding in three months
Just three months later, the pair tied the knot.
Explaining their haste, Jake says, “My dad was diagnosed with motor neurone disease four years ago. Everything’s going as good as it can be right now, but we wanted to make sure he was there and could enjoy it – and with football, it was either this June or next!”
Making it happen
It meant an incredible organisational feat needed to be pulled off, but a mere wedding was no match for Amelia!
“We just dug in and got it done,” she recalls.
“I found my dream dress second-hand for $4000, which was incredible. I’m too practical to spend more money than that for one day! But really, all that mattered was marrying Jake.”
For the big day, Hayzel adorably insisted on matching Jake in a mini version of his wedding tuxedo.
Amelia grins, “She’s obsessed with everything that her dad does.”
Vows full of love
In their vows, Jake promised to love and care for his bride, who “moved countries for us, so I’ll move Heaven and Earth for you”, while Amelia promised to support her groom through the ups and downs of their life, and to be the best stepmum to the girls. “It was amazing – one of the best moments of my life – but nothing much has changed about our relationship since,” says Jake, prompting Amelia
to add, “Well, except our hands are a little heavier!”
A blessed surprise
However, there’s one big and joyous change that’s coming up for the newlyweds – Amelia is pregnant!
“Yeah, we didn’t wait very long,” laughs Amelia, who’s just over 12 weeks along.
“Even we’re a bit surprised! I thought at my age it’d take longer. We’re so blessed. I was actually concerned I wouldn’t be able to get pregnant.”
Smiling, Jake concludes, “I can’t explain how excited I am about it! It’s been a big year – we’ve packed so much into it. We’re the luckiest people in the world!”
Forever Auckland FC screens 7.30pm Wednesdays on Sky Open, streaming on Neon and Sky Go.
