All Black halfback Beauden Barrett went all out when he proposed to his long-time love Hannah Laity while on holiday in Fiji in January. And if their engagement party is anything to go by, their wedding is going to be one hell of an event.
The loved-up pair threw a belated party over the weekend for their closest family and friends – and they pulled out all the stops.
The celebration was held at Royal Port Nicholson Yacht Club in Wellington’s Oriental Bay.
Auckland based party stylist Vanessa Goodson, founder of OMG-Ness Styling, was flown down to the capital to style the event.
Goodson specialises in balloon installations, and her work took pride of place inside the venue. It’s not the first time she has worked for All Black alum; she styled the baby shower of Fatima Savea, wife of Beauden’s All Blacks teammate Julian Savea. The new parents, who welcomed baby Jude in December, managed a night out sans baby to join their friends for the celebration.
Julian and Fatima weren’t the only new parents in attendance – radio stars Sharyn and Bryce Casey also left their adorable wee bub Tyson at home so the could celebrate in style on the waterfront.
Barrett’s All Blacks teammate TJ Perenara was also there his girlfriend Greer Samuel.
Laity described the party as “the best night ever with all the best people.”
The newly-engaged couple celebrated with not one but four individually designed cakes and limited edition Moet & Chandon champagne.
The venue was decked out in flowers including a bespoke flower wall by Sienna Reid and floral love letters by Blush & Co.
Guests entertained themselves at a custom ‘selfie station’ where images could be taken and loaded straight to social media using the hashtag #beaudannah. The device was flown down from Auckland and was even given its own seat on the Air New Zealand flight!
Barrett isn’t the only newly engaged All Black. Ardie Savea popped the question to his childhood sweetheart Saskia in December following the birth of their first child Kobe.
All that remains to be seen is which one of them will win the race to the altar.
Our money’s on Beaudannah.
January 21st 2018 update:
Beauden and Hannah married in a romantic Rakino Island wedding on Saturday 19th January. Woman’s Day has exclusive coverage of their special day. See the stunning first photo of the new Mr and Mrs Barrett here.
