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Amelia Reid and Shadon Meredith’s dream day

Shortland Street star Amelia Reid made the perfect wedding Bella when she married Shadon Meredith

On screen, her Shortland Street character Bella is in the early flush of love, but actress Amelia Reid has no doubt about where her heart truly lies.

In a field of wild flowers, wearing a simple white gown and a wreath of blooms in her hair, the radiant redhead married her partner of five years, fellow actor Shadon Meredith, at her parents’ picturesque Nelson estate, surrounded by 250 friends and family.

“The whole day has been amazing,” says Amelia (25), who looked stunning despite a nasty cold taking hold just 24 hours

before her big day. “I’m marrying the man I love, in the place I grew up, surrounded by the most amazing blend of people who mean the world to us. It’s perfect.”

Despite threatening clouds on the horizon, the rain held off for the wedding party. Guests included Amelia’s fellow Shorty stars Matt Chamberlain, Sally Martin, Natalie Medlock, Lee Donoghue and Shavaughn Ruakere, with her partner, More FM DJ Clarke Gayford.

As Shadon (26) waited nervously for his bride, the party assembled in the field of flowers planted by Amelia’s mum Robyn Reid on October 15 – specially timed so all the flowers would be in bloom on her daughter’s big day.

Appropriately, the sun made a rare appearance just as Amelia and her bridesmaids arrived in vintage cars – the girls in a green Pontiac convertible while Amelia followed with her mum Robyn and dad Bill Reid in a pastel yellow Ford Mustang.

With children playing happily in the field, Amelia walked with her four bridesmaids – all dressed in different pastel shades – her mum and her brother Toby, towards her future husband to the tune of a guitar solo played by the pair’s closest friend and best man, Matariki Whatarau.

“I couldn’t contain myself – as soon as I saw Amelia, the tears started rolling. She looked so bloody stunning,” says Shadon, with his trademark huge smile. “We spent last night apart – I stayed with my family, many of whom came from Wellington and Auckland to be here, in one of the nearby valleys. It felt like a long time apart, but having that time was wonderful, because it gave me the chance to think about what we’re doing and what today really means.”

“The dress is exactly what I dreamed of,” says Amelia, whose full-length gown was designed by her close friend Emma Ransley. “I knew it was perfect when my brother Toby first saw me and he told me I looked like Jenny from Forrest Gump. It’s the best compliment he could have paid me!”

The couple’s obvious emotion as they said their vows during the short but heartfelt outdoor ceremony was enough to elicit tears from several guests. Amelia and Shadon vowed to love each other unconditionally and support each other constantly.

“Because Shadon’s family have come over from Samoa and so many friends and family have been arriving since New Year’s, Shadon and I didn’t get the chance to write our vows until two days before the wedding!” laughs Amelia. “It was lovely putting them together, though.

We both wrote what we wanted, then met up and mixed the two sets of vows into one.”

One point the pair wanted to make during their pledge was that while they are joined, they are still very much separate people. “It’s a big thing for us, keeping our identities – that together we stand as a couple, but we still stand alone as two people,” explains Amelia, who now goes by the name Amelia Reid Meredith. “I’m still meand Shadon is still Shadon.

Getting married is about making something even better together. It’s explained really well in our reading – the strongest parts of a temple are the pillars and they have to stand apart for the rest of the temple to stand firm.”

While there were tears aplenty during the ceremony, laughter rang out often, especially as the pair struggled briefly with their rings before sharing their first kiss as husband and wife, leading to rapturous applause.

The pair then signed the register while a string quartet played the music from Lakmé by French composer Léo Delibes, before popping the cork off a double magnum of Champagne which the couple had won the week before from a supermarket.

“The whole thing felt surreal,” says Amelia. “Yesterday it felt a bit overwhelming and I did feel nervous, walking down the aisle in front of all those people. Dad says I should be used to it, as an actor, but this is the biggest audience I’ve ever had!”

Despite the couple’s nerves, the ceremony went off without a hitch, and after a glass of Champagne or punch the party walked up the hill to the family’s hangar, which houses Amelia’s dad’s project, the rebuilding of a World War II plane.

Here the guests were treated to wine and a buffet of Samoan and New Zealand food, much of which had been provided by the family’s friends and neighbours. “My auntie, Julia DeWeck, has organised all the food in conjunction with Shadon’s dad, Alapati,” says Amelia.

Guests tucked into barbecued venison, pork, lamb and whitebait all locally sourced, accompanied by Samoan chop suey, oka (raw fish) palusami (taro leaves and coconut cream) and salads.

MC Christian Penny, the director of Wellington drama school Toi Whakaari, where the pair met, helped get the party started by introducing the happy couple.

“We wanted our wedding to have a really informal feel. There were a lot of people who didn’t know each other, so we introduced them!” says Shadon, who initiated the lively proceedings by introducing his enormous Samoan family to the guests, including “heaps of cuzzies. This is Teela. She represents about 200 of us!”

Speeches from several family members, including Amelia’s father Bill, Shadon’s father Alapati Aiono and Amelia’s best friend and maid of honour Arunee Wilson, brought both tears and laughter to the ceremony.

As the sun set over the marquee, the party continued into the evening, kicked off with a song from Amelia’s Shorty co-star Robbie Magasiva, who was happy to reveal his musical talent in honour of his friends.

The couple were gifted a Siva Samoa (traditional dance) from Shadon’s family, where they were both lifted in a representation of the family’s love for the couple and the acceptance of Amelia into Shadon’s family. Shadon’s father gifted Amelia her new Samoan name “Ama Lia”. “It was beautiful to see two cultures show their love,” says Amelia.

A band soon took over and as the guests began to dance, the newlyweds were finally able to spend a few moments alone. “It’s been a busy few weeks!” laughs Shadon, who planned to spend the next few days with his new wife in Nelson.

The pair won’t take a honeymoon until later in the year, when they intend to return to Cambodia – a country which holds a lot of meaning for both of them.

“Now we plan to relax with our families and enjoy the moment,” smiles Amelia. “I couldn’t be happier. Today was beautiful. I want it to go on forever.”

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Amelia’s parents gave her her mum’s wedding ring. ‘They’ve been married for so long. Their first wedding band, which signified the beginning for them, was perfect for us,’ she says. Shadon’s ring is from Walker & Hall.

Amelia’s parents gave her her mum’s wedding ring. ‘They’ve been married for so long. Their first wedding band, which signified the beginning for them, was perfect for us,’ she says. Shadon’s ring is from Walker & Hall.

Amelia’s bridesmaids (from left): Maid of honour Arunee Wilson, childhood friend Anna Roberts, Amelia, her sister-in-law Rachel Reid and school pal Camille Spratt.

Amelia’s bridesmaids (from left): Maid of honour Arunee Wilson, childhood friend Anna Roberts, Amelia, her sister-in-law Rachel Reid and school pal Camille Spratt.

A big group of Amelia’s Shortland Street co-stars came out for the couple’s big day. From left: Amelia’s on-screen dad Matt, Robbie, Natalie Medlock, Amelia and Shadon, Shavaughn, Frankie Adams, Sally and Lee.

A big group of Amelia’s Shortland Street co-stars came out for the couple’s big day. From left: Amelia’s on-screen dad Matt, Robbie, Natalie Medlock, Amelia and Shadon, Shavaughn, Frankie Adams, Sally and Lee.

The groomsmen (left to right): Donald Brighouse, Suli Moa, Matariki and George Harach

Amelia’s dress and shoes were made by friend Emma Ransley. Shadon wore a Crane Brothers jacket and traditional lava-lava. Amelia’s aunt Bella made the cake.

Amelia’s dress and shoes were made by friend Emma Ransley. Shadon wore a Crane Brothers jacket and traditional lava-lava. Amelia’s aunt Bella made the cake.

The reception was held at Amelia’s parents’ estate in Nelson

The reception was held at Amelia’s parents’ estate in Nelson

The Reid family’s friends and neighbours provided much of the food

The Reid family’s friends and neighbours provided much of the food

The day was a convergence of colour, right down to the cutlery

‘As soon as I saw Amelia, the tears started rolling’

‘As soon as I saw Amelia, the tears started rolling’

Amelia’s dad Bill walked her down the aisle, among wildflowers her mum had planted

Amelia’s dad Bill walked her down the aisle, among wildflowers her mum had planted

There were tears and laughter aplenty during the ceremony

From left: Amelia’s proud parents Robyn and Bill, the newlyweds, and Amelia’s brother Toby with his wife Rachel, who was also a bridesmaid.

From left: Amelia’s proud parents Robyn and Bill, the newlyweds, and Amelia’s brother Toby with his wife Rachel, who was also a bridesmaid.

‘I couldn’t be happier,’ says Amelia of her and Shadon’s fun-filled outdoor wedding

‘I couldn’t be happier,’ says Amelia of her and Shadon’s fun-filled outdoor wedding

‘Shadon’s thing is owls, mine is butterflies. So we had them both on our cake,’ says Amelia

Amelia’s parents gave her her mum’s wedding ring. ‘They’ve been married for so long. Their first wedding band, which signified the beginning for them, was perfect for us,’ she says. Shadon’s ring is from Walker & Hall.

Amelia’s parents gave her her mum’s wedding ring. ‘They’ve been married for so long. Their first wedding band, which signified the beginning for them, was perfect for us,’ she says. Shadon’s ring is from Walker & Hall.

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