Rachel Hadfield, Swift and Click Photography
When Leighton Clarke sees his soulmate Olivia Campbell in a heartfelt “first look” on their wedding day, the Hamilton funnyman is instantly overcome by emotion.
Smiling and welling up, the TikTok superstar best known as “Uncle Tics” raises his arms in triumph.
Dabbing away her own happy tears, Olivia, who looks radiant in a figure-hugging Trish Peng gown, is careful not to ruin her immaculate bridal makeup before they head to the altar.
“I always knew I’d be emotional for the first time seeing her,” says Leighton, 31, who’s become world-famous partly due to his Tourette’s syndrome, a condition that causes involuntary physical and verbal tics. “She looked so nice.”
Their beautiful big day
It’s a sunny day in the Waikato community of Ōhaupō as 50 of the couple’s closest loved ones gather at TreeChurch and Gardens, a living chapel made of trees.
Among the guests, who’ve been asked to wear black so the couple stands out, are framed photographs of special family members who can’t be here, including Leighton’s father Spencer, who passed away from cancer six years ago, and his late grandfather Tame. There’s also Olivia’s late grandfathers Don and Ollie, plus her grandmother Judy, who’s too unwell with advanced Alzheimer’s to attend.
“It was really cool having the photos since they couldn’t be there, but as soon as it was spoken about, it made me really sad,” Leighton tells Woman’s Day. “I only cried twice the whole day – when I saw Olivia for the first time and when they brought up my dad.”
A photographer, content creator and videographer are quietly capturing imagery of the bride and groom for Leighton to post on social media. His four million followers will witness snippets from the intimate nuptials, where Leighton is feeling “flash” in a stylish velvet ensemble by Dorset Suits.
Where it all started
Self-described introvert Olivia, 27, who prefers to stay in the background, is used to publicly sharing life with her partner of eight years, whose tics include swearing and saying sexually explicit words in inappropriate settings.
The pair were friends, working together at their local supermarket, before they started dating in 2016, and Leighton helped the “loyal, determined and adorable” nurse come out of her shell.
Despite anticipating nerves on their big day, Leighton’s feeling surprisingly calm, which helps to keep his tics at bay as Olivia walks down the aisle to an Abba mash-up.
Suddenly, due to a bad Bluetooth connection, the music stops and Leighton yells, “Don’t stop. You look good. Keep going!”
Olivia later recalls, “It was like a little hiccup, but it was absolutely fine. Looking down the aisle, I didn’t notice anyone else but him.”
She also mentions a couple of mimosas that helped to ease her own wedding-day jitters.
“A couple? Wasn’t it seven?” jokes Leighton. “Really, we’re pretty chill about everything.”
The vows
During Leighton’s heartfelt vows, he credits Olivia for always supporting his “loud personality”, and ensuring he feels comfortable at home and in public. He reveals it was she who encouraged him to share his first video about living with Tourette’s in 2020, in the hope of normalising his disability.
“Your unwavering support and presence emphasises to me exactly who I want by my side forever,” Leighton tells his bride. “Your care for others, especially in your work as a nurse, is truly inspiring… You’ve shown me what true love means and made me a better man for it.”
Of course, it wouldn’t be an Uncle Tics’ wedding without his cut-throat humour. He continues, “I’ll always tell you if you have s**t breath. Don’t worry – I’ve got you there. And I promise to tackle the vacuuming and do housework because that’s all my arse can really do. You know what it’s like to cook with me!”
Leighton’s reference to his “Cooking with Tourette’s” videos – which show the couple making meals together, often resulting in eggs and flour being thrown across the kitchen thanks to the star’s unpredictable body movements – causes guests to laugh.
“I also promise to never unload the dishwasher as that’s where I draw the line,” quips the groom. “That thing pisses me off big time.”
In her vows, Olivia recalls Leighton showing up to her 19th birthday uninvited and jokingly recalls him making it out of the “friend zone”. She credits their initial friendship for building the strength of their relationship now.
“Some of my most treasured memories are the simple moments we’ve spent together,” says Olivia, reminiscing about nights hanging out in their bedrooms, watching movies and eating chicken noodles. She also recalls spontaneous road trips and nights camping in the back of a van.
“As I look back over all these years, I can’t help but smile,” she shares. “I see how much we’ve both grown, not just as individuals, but as a couple. I can never stay mad at you. You only need to glance at me and I’ll be in fits of laughter – and usually tears too.”
Olivia reminds the influencer that she accepts him for everything he is.
“I promise to always be your best friend, your confidante and your soulmate. I can’t wait for our future, whether it’s exploring new countries, discovering more hidden beaches or growing old and wrinkly together.”
After exchanging rings from Culét Jewellery and officially declared husband and wife, a fun evening of partying and laughter follows, with a DJ and a Mizzoni Pizza food truck.
Future plans
When asked about the future, the couple agree they’d like a child, which Olivia jokes will probably walk around cussing.
Leighton jokes, “I’m excited to have a mini us I can teach to swear, so we can send them to school to annoy the teachers. It’s gonna be mean as!”
The pair would also like to live in a coastal town and travel the world together, but Leighton’s biggest dream, as he admitted in his vows, is to simply see his new wife happy.
“Here’s to forever with you, my absolute favourite girl.”
