TV reporter Annabelle Jackman was bracing herself to be a bride dressed in denim on her wedding day, after her designer gown became trapped in the stricken Christchurch CBD.
But the army and police saved the day when they escorted wedding dress designer Robyn Cliffe through the devastation to get gowns for four brides getting married in the weekend following the disaster – including Annabelle.
Dunedin-based TV3 reporter Annabelle (25) had been planning her wedding to soldier Keve Tukia (25) for more than a year when the quake hit, and instantly thought they would have to cancel tying the knot in front of their 130 guests.
But once they decided that their wedding in Ashburton would probably help – not harm – their 130 guests, Annabelle worried she might have to find a new wedding dress.
“I was joking to people I was going to be wearing denim, but I think I would have found a pretty dress if it had come to that,” says Annabelle, who was on her way to collect her strapless $2000 gown when the earthquake happened.
After seeing the devastation, Annabelle thought it was gone for good. But the police and army came to the rescue by escorting dress designer Robyn into the cordon.
“Her building is still standing but it’s in the CBD, so she was well within her means not to go back. But she rang and said, ‘I’m going to get your dress out!'” Annabelle smiles.
“She had four weddings on last weekend, and all of the dresses were still in the shop. She was amazing. She was determined that all of us were going to have our dresses.
“In light of everything that happened, having a dress isn’t that big a deal and there were a few tears when it did turn up.”
Annabelle and Keve decided to go ahead with their ceremony in Ashburton, 86km south of Christchurch, on Saturday when they realised a lot of their guests from the city had accommodation booked in Ashburton and would likely be very grateful for a few nights of power and water.
“They would be able to have a reprieve and maybe think about something different and something happy, even if was still at the backs of their minds.”
Keve’s family had arrived from Rarotonga on the last flight into the airport and had just left the aircraft when the quake struck.
“They were terrified, it was awful for them,” says Annabelle. Sadly, Annabelle was friends with many of the people who perished in the CTV building, having got to know them during her 18 months at the station prior to becoming a TV3 reporter last year.
“oy heart breaks thinking about what their friends and family are going through.”
Annabelle, who grew up in Christchurch, is grateful her own family is safe and that her wedding could still go ahead.
She hadn’t wanted to call any of her wedding suppliers in Christchurch because she didn’t know how they or their family had fared in the disaster, but the caterers, designer, photographer and hair and makeup artist all said they would still come.
The only arrangements they had to do without were a traditional cake and seat covers for the chairs. Plus, 15 of Keve’s army mates couldn’t make it because they were helping with relief efforts. But his best man managed to get leave to attend the ceremony at Annabelle’s family farm.
“A local Ashburton baker made us a cake,” Annabelle says. “It’s not important that we didn’t get the one that we ordered – they’re just trimmings.
“If somebody asked me before the earthquake I’d have said they’re important, but after that day it became clear the trimmings aren’t important – it’s being surrounded by family and friends and knowing that they’re safe.”
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