NZ Wedding: Paula & Antony van de Hondel

Antony van de Hondel and Paula Claridge met eight years ago on Waitangi Day and were instantly inseparable. The couple moved in together after six months and were engaged shortly after, as they both knew this was the real thing and couldn’t imagine being apart.

However, they did take some time to actually get married. It was the Christchurch earthquakes which finally gave them a “kick in the pants”, according to Paula – “We were living in the city centre in February when the big quake hit and our house was quite badly damaged. We were very lucky to find a new home quite quickly and the whole experience made us realise how strong our bond really was so we finally started planning the wedding.”

Paula and Antony were married on February 9, 2013 at Waipara Springs Winery, almost eight years to the day after they met. It was a perfect beautiful day and everything they had hoped for.

Paula says, “We had a very rustic and DIY wedding. I sourced all the decorations from second-hand stores and Trade Me – vintage glass and crystal vases filled with wildflowers for the tables, hanging tealight candle holders made from recycled baby food jars, a thumbprint tree made from an old frame.

“We also had a hilarious homemade photo booth, complete with props, which generated a lot of laughs. All in all it was a perfect day, and I feel very blessed to have found my absolute soul mate – and even more blessed that I get to spend the rest of my life with him!”