As Claudia Conaglen walks down the aisle in a breathtaking white gown, it’s a startlingly similar scene to when we first saw the New Plymouth native arrive at the Bachelor New Zealand mansion to meet Jordan Mauger two years ago.
But when she locks eyes with her groom Paul “Bluey” Ejamme, who’s standing under a beautiful driftwood arch in her brother’s backyard in Taranaki, her reality TV days couldn’t be further from her mind.
“I wasn’t nervous at all – I was just so excited to get married to the man of my dreams,” the 31-year-old, in a gown from Boho Bridal, tells Woman’s Day after the ceremony. Grinning blissfully, financial broker Bluey, 28, adds, “That moment when we said our vows was the best thing ever.”
The couple seal their love with a kiss alongside (from left) Jaffer Al-Jumaily, Cathy Kollen, Hussian Almashat, Reihana Conaglen, Fatima Conaglen Wheeler, Joanne Mckay, Layla Conaglen, Gareth Dobson and Hussien Ejamme.
With a gorgeous blue sky overhead, it’s a near-perfect day for the newlyweds, who met just weeks after Claudia was eliminated from The Bachelor, but the bride is sad there’s one important person missing – her father.
Michael passed away from throat cancer when Claudia was just 12 and she confesses, “It was hard getting married without him there, but my brother Shaun was like a second dad to me and he walked me down the aisle. It was beautiful.”
Claudia also honoured her dad by weaving toetoe plumes into her bouquet. “Just before he died, he organised a helicopter ride for my sisters and me,” she tells.
“He wanted us to see what the view from heaven would look like and he stood on the beach underneath us, waving big toetoe as we flew over him.”
When talk turns to the future, Claudia smiles at her husband and admits, “We definitely want to have kids as soon as possible.”
Laughing, Bluey adds, “Our only problem is that I want four and she only wants two!”
