Feeling lost and lonely in 2018, Shortland Street actress Charisse Uy began penning letters to her future husband in an effort to find comfort and clarity. Seven years later, the bride stood before schoolteacher Chris Groen reading the words she’d written for him – a year before they met.
“Dear future husband, I’d like to grow with you every single day,” one excerpt began.
“I want to make it through struggles with you and love you even when we disagree. I want to always make myself open to talk things out with you – not to prove that I’m right, but to work it out together.”
Charisse’s heartfelt vows
In another letter, Charisse, who played nurse Lovely Rivera on Shorty, expressed hopes for “constant growth, openness and learning”, while the final extract wished her future spouse patience for “all the crazy and fieriness in me”.
Chris was floored by the special spin on Charisse’s vows.
“It beautifully showed how much Charisse has grown, but also that her core values have remained the same,” he tells Woman’s Day.
Looking dapper in a Barkers suit, the groom, 35, was “overcome” with 28-year-old Charisse’s beauty as she walked down the aisle at Auckland’s Settlers Country Manor, which the couple transformed into a rustic Lord Of The Rings meets Bridgerton setting.
A musical walk down the aisle
The song Concerning Hobbits played as guests arrived and in a sweet twist to having flower girls, the pair had “flower families”, with their whānau scattering petals. After Charisse’s parents
Tina and Michael walked down the aisle, the bride was escorted to the altar by her grandparents Ruth and Ben, who adopted and raised her in the Philippines before the family relocated to New Zealand.
The song playing was Turning Page by Sleeping At Last, from The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part One film soundtrack, which Charisse listened to constantly during her youth.
She recalls, “I always thought, ‘This would be an amazing song to walk down the aisle to.’ I got to live out my childhood dream!”
The perfect dress
The actress wore a sleek Forget Me Knot Havana gown, designed by Ilyese Court from Astra Bridal. She tried on the frock first.
“I looked at other stores, but then I returned, put the dress back on and it felt like coming home,” she shares.
In tribute to her Filipino heritage, she carried lilies and tropical greens, from her florist friend and bridesmaid Rebekah Talsma. Having her besties and younger sister Ina by her side as bridesmaids meant everything to Charisse as she recited her vows.
Manifesting a future together
Tells Charisse, “In 2018, my family moved to Flat Bush just after my first break-up, then my best friend moved to Tauranga. I was sad and lonely. I wrote letters to God, myself and my future husband. I realised my dream was to be a career- and family woman. I was in the trenches, manifesting things I wanted that I didn’t have but one day would.”
After reading the letters to Chris on the day, Charisse noted the significance of writing them seven years prior.
Seven years in the making
“Seven represents completion,” she said.
“The year after I wrote those letters, I made strides and took risks towards my dreams, even if those actions scared me. At the end of that year, I met you.”
After exchanging their Walker & Hall rings, presented by her brother Roger, the formalities concluded with the couple signing their legal documents to Radiohead’s High & Dry.
“We play it on road trips and it’s such a sweet, quaint song,” laughs Charisse.
A magical Middle-earth reception
Pronounced husband and wife by celebrant and friend Kim Beale, the two then shared their first kiss. At the reception, the seating chart was The Lord Of The Rings-themed, while wooden signs, made by friends and whānau, referenced The Hobbit and Harry Potter. The outdoor setting enhanced Middle-Earth vibes, while the extravagant ballroom put guests into a Bridgerton mood.
MCs heralded the arrival of the bridal party, with everyone given the title of Lord or Lady, before the newlyweds entered as “King Chris and Queen Charisse”, their path lit by indoor-friendly sparklers.
The gorgeous “royals” cut an Earl Grey tea and lavender-flavoured cake made by Filipina baker Ella Concepcion. But it was another dish that stole the show, with Charisse’s family organising a celebratory Filipino lechon, a whole roasted pig.
“It was really cool seeing my uncles carving it up,” says Charisse.
“It felt like they were doing it with a lot of heart and about to serve the whole village!”
Laughter, music and surprises
Mother of the bride Tina had everyone chuckling as she read a poem she’d written, while Chris’ groomsman Karl sang James Blunt’s You’re Beautiful. However, the biggest surprise came with the newlyweds’ first dance, a three-step waltz to the song Buwan by Filipino music superstar Juan Karlos, choreographed by Chris’ ballerina sister Natalie.
“I’m very nervous,” Chris confessed beforehand.
What he didn’t anticipate was that Charisse, who grew up doing music and dance, would sing the romantic track.
“I was completely stunned,” he admits.
“The singing went better than the dancing!”
Singing from the heart
Charisse adds, “It felt really good to finally sing the song in my mother tongue, which I’d been practising for Chris. I translated the second verse and chorus from Tagalog to English so he could understand the sentiment better. I couldn’t keep my eyes off him.”
The musical fun didn’t end there. Charisse later jumped on stage with her brother Jaime’s covers band Nasha to sing Paramore’s (One Of Those) Crazy Girls. Then it was time to let loose and enjoy the event that Charisse had meticulously organised without a wedding planner.
Afterwards, the newlyweds kept the Middle-Earth fun going with a “mini-moon” in Matamata, where they, of course, visited Hobbiton!
Looking ahead to the family
Chris reckons the most exciting part of being married is looking forward to starting a family, although Charisse is in the middle of another big year with work. She’s currently starring in the Three series Tangata Pai and producing a short film named Close.
She believes juggling work with wedding planning has enriched her organisational skills, which will help with motherhood, as well as her acting and producing work. In the meantime, she’s elated
to simply be a wife, having always valued marriage, thanks to her faith and Filipino culture.
As she said in her vows, “As a little girl, I’ve dreamt of this moment. The inner child that once was so scared to try at love now gets to continue to live her dreams out with the man she learnt to love. Let’s do this!”
