00:00It was really important for us to go back to the museum to have our wedding.
00:05Māori culture is something we're brought up with and it's how all our family were raised before us.
00:10Everything about the Māori culture I'm proud of.
00:13In the wedding people just do what they feel is right and go with the flow.
00:21My dad's from Whakatāni and his tribe is Tūhoe.
00:26My dad was born in Rotorua and his iwi, his tribe is Te Aroa.
00:43In the wedding the elements will take from Christianity as well as from
00:48like a Kiwi style wedding with some Māori aspects.
00:52This is a bone carving it's um it's called a manaya.
01:00The fish hook at the bottom represents like safe travels.
01:04It's special to me particularly because it was my dad's and sort of represents a garden angel.
01:11I want to have it in the wedding so it'll probably be around my bouquet.
01:17I want to have it in the wedding so it's a garden angel.
01:18Mine's a paunamu which is a green stone.
01:23Green stone holds a spirit so you can't just take it.
01:28Green stone's aim from the west coast of the South Island of New Zealand.
01:32This is special to me because it came from my parents so it's quite unifying for us.
01:40We're just really looking forward to spending the day with our closest friends
01:45and family and just creating an atmosphere of love and for knowing your time around.
01:51We're just really looking forward to it.
01:56Jesse proposed to me in Lake Tekapo. I was looking out on the lake when I turned around
02:02and he was down on one knee and now we're getting my Lake Tekapo as well.
02:09We went up on a hill with Aoraki in the background and Aoraki is New Zealand's highest mountain.
02:15It's one of New Zealand's great tūpuna or ancestors and it holds a huge amount of respect and significance to
02:24New Zealanders.
02:45Jesse and Olivia, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride.
03:04We're going to go back to our old wool shed and have our reception there.
03:19We've organised a menu with a local caterer. It's local produce all from New Zealand.
03:28Before we eat we'll be saying a karakia which is a prayer very similar to grace and Christianity.
03:35I've grown up as a Christian and felt that it was really important to include that in the wedding
03:39but won't take away from the Māori culture. We'll make sure that both are included and represent us.
03:54In terms of Māori culture there may be a haka. It's a strong song with physical actions.
03:59People will honour the people getting married. It's a huge sign of respect.
04:27One part of Māori culture that will most definitely be in the wedding is korohongi.
04:33It's pretty much a Māori way of a handshake.
04:35But it's got a lot more meaning to it. You put your noses together and you share a breath.
04:40You're sharing your life force. It's a way of cementing the unity between two people.
04:50Bringing all my tupuna, bringing everyone before me to where I am to get married next to live.
04:56That's what I'm proudest of. And that's not only just being Māori too, that's being a New Zealander.
05:11That's what I'm proudest of.
Comments