BAE OF HONOUR BIO:
I am Sam Ma Chong. I am 26, born and raised in South Auckland and I’m of Samoan descent.
1. How do you know the future bride and groom?
I met the stunning bride in my first year of university in our university hall – JSH. It was love at first sight – and we’ve been A1’s since Day 1. I then met Az 2 years later at a flat party I hosted where we connected over being plastic Sa-mo-wans and had a conflict over whether South or West Auckland was better – obviously South.
2. One piece of advice for the bride and groom on their wedding day?
Make sure you both enjoy your wedding day. Don’t stress, and let it all just happen naturally – regardless of whatever goes down. Your bridal and groom squads have got both your backs. <3
3. What is your favourite memory with the bride?
I have sooooooooooooooo many, but one I will always cherish was a catch-up we [the bride & I] had one Saturday night at the Great Thai Palace in Wellington, that went from 1 bottle of wine and deciding to venture out from ordering Pad Thai to caving and ordering Pad Thai, another 2 bottles of wine and then many bad but great decisions.
BRIDESMAID BIO:
My name is Alice I’m one Te Aue’s best friends with our friendship beginning more than over 10 years ago now. I’m also 25 and I am from Taupo.
1. How do you know the future bride and groom?
I first met Te Aue when we were in our early teenage years. We went through high school together and have remained close ever since. Spending a lot of our developmental years together Te Aue and I have watched each other evolve and grow through life’s many experiences - the good, great, bad, amazing, ugly and everything in between. I met Azriel at Teaue’s 21st birthday party, the new boyfriend we had all heard about. Now 5 or 6 years down the track here they are!
2. What is one piece of advice to the future bride and groom on their wedding day?
They are a lovely couple who have both shown me a lot of friendship and kindness over the years and I couldn’t be happier for them. If I were to give the bride and groom a piece of advice it would be to remain best friends always.
3.. If you were to give yourself and the bride a piece of advice in your younger years what would it be?
• Work hard to reach your goals
• Money isn’t everything
• Value yourself
• Be kind, loving and strong
BRIDESMAID BIO:
My names Aorangi, I’m 26 years old and come from Te Whakatōhea (Opotiki) and Ngāti Kauwhata (Fielding).
1. How did you meet the bride?
I met Te Aue as a first year student at Vic Uni in 2011. We didn’t take any of the same classes or go to the same hostel, but fate brought us together at Mixjah - one of the hottest brown people first year night clubs of our time.
2. What is your favourite memory with the bride and groom?
My fav memory with Te Aue would be whenever Azriel and my partner Paki we’re away for work, we were each other’s “fill in boyfriends”. I’d go and sleepover at her house, we’d drink wine, feel sorry for ourselves and bicker like old ladies.
3. What is one piece of advice for the future bride and groom on their wedding day?
I don’t really have any advice other than keep doing what you are doing because you guys are smashing life together! And Te Aue - stop cheating at board games!
BRIDESMAID BIO:
Trae Te Wiki, hails from Hawera, Taranaki, Aotearoa.
1. How do you know the bride?
We met and became friends studying at Victoria University in 2014 we then went on to flat with each other in our last year of study as well.
2. What is your favourite memory together?
I have many fond memories of us together, from our wild nights out in Wellington in our earlier years, and now to our tame nights playing board games Auckland. I look forward to creating more special memories together over the years to come!
3. What is a key quality you and the bride both share and why is this important to you?
Our love for good wine and soul-stirring yarns! There is never a Te Aue and Trae catch up that does not involve going in deep on important shared kaupapa, having a laugh and clinking glasses to future goals.
BRIDESMAID BIO:
My name is Te Aomihia Walker, I'm 25 and hail from Tairawhiti- Ngati Porou East Coast, Gizzy.
1. How do you know the bride?
Met Te Aue through a mutual friend and then we were attached at the hip through sharing mutual hobbies, interests, backgrounds, goals etc. from there we lived together for 2 years with our partners.
2. What is your favourite memory with the bride?
As I have too many memories to choose from with the bride, my favourite memory as a couple would have to be the times our flat geeked out with Pokémon Go and went Pokémon hunting at crazy hours of the evening/early morning all over Wellington.
3. What is one piece of advice for the future bride and groom on their wedding day?
Love is a benevolent process whereby two people try to teach each other how to become the best versions of themselves. You both do this well already so my advice is just to keep up the momentum after you’ve put the rings on it
4. If you could go back in time, what is one piece of advice you would give to your self and the bride in your younger years?
The world can be a cruel place, and you may find that there’s many problems in the world. Approach life by being optimistic and wrong rather than pessimistic and right, or else you will just be miserable. Keep doing your small part to help, and do it with Class and Attitude!
BRIDESMAID BIO
My name’s Ripeka Hoerara, I am a born and bred wellingtonian. My tribal affiliations include; Ngāti Porou, Ngāti Kahunungu ki Wairarapa and Ngā puhi.
1. How do you know the bride?
I had the privilege of meeting Te Aue in our first year of University. We bonded over multiple outfit changes, discussions about ghost, some sweet dance moves and political liberation.
2. What is your favourite memory with the bride?
I feel blessed to have shared many magical moments with Te Aue. Most of these moments have included deep dialogue and analysis of the world around us. A few faves have featured; Harry Potter trivia, wine, dancing and holidaying.
3. One piece of advice for the bride and groom on their wedding day?
You make a great team. There’s no advice I can give that you don’t already know/have. You’ve got this100%. I promise to bring mints, water and rescue remedy just in case.
4. If you and the bride started your own business together, what would it be and why?
Easy! A cattery that doubles as a vineyard.
5. What is a key quality you and the bride both share and why is this important to you?
The ability to laugh at ourselves. Humor has cured us both so many times. We are hilarious and our lives can sometimes be comical!
BESTMAN BIO:
Benartra Robert Valaau. Born and live in Auckland NZ all my life.
1. How do you know the groom?
Azriels my smallest polo. I mean brother.
2. What is your favourite memory with the couple?
Watching them spend quality time with my boys. Even though it is few and far between. Family time is worth more than gold.
3. One piece of advice for the couple on their wedding day?
Communication is key to success.
4. What is your earliest memory with the groom, and what makes that particular memory stand out?
Azriel has always been the quiet one. The thinker I guess. The one who learnt very quickly to have a come back at the ready. Problem was he had both Neron and I as older brothers. So wed have a quick backhand to respond lol.
5. What are key values you and the groom both share and why is this important to you?
Passion and drive. I think all our family share these values. We just have passion and drive for different things. This is important because it shows our bond as a family. We fight hard. But we love harder
6. What is the craziest thing you’ve ever done with the groom?
Helped him achieve his goal of getting into the Army. Who ever thought a Samoan boy from the wild west could go as far as he has. So proud of the man he is becoming.
7. If you and the groom could enter a time machine, what period in time would you go back to and why?
Probably go back to a time where I could have saved him from harm. By either being that voice of reason. Or to smack over the person that meant to do him harm.
Neez, 29, Massey Hood
1. How do you know the groom?
Well it all start one night when we were snorting coke..nah we fams
2. What is your favourite memory of the couple?
A memory I have is when we were playing board games with the fams at my parents place. Because Te Aue is competitive you could tell she was getting pissed at Azriel for getting some questions wrong, crack up.
3. Do you have any advice that you would like to share with the bride and groom?
A piece of advice to the couple is that love isnt always sunshines and rainbows, you will wana kill eachother sometimes or even hit rock bottom. But i think thats the beauty of being married, to hit that low and then fall in love all over again with that same person. The rollercoaster will never end, so enjoy the journey, love hard, dream big and always have eachothers back, day 1s until the end. What is one habit that would usually annoy the fuck outta you if someone else did it, but you love and find cute when the other half does it.
Kamal, 24, Half Samoan / Indian(like Aaradhna). Born in Auckland, NZ. Proud Westie
1. How do you know the groom?
Knew of Azriel's feeble existence during Lincoln Heights primary school, became bradas during Massey high school year 9 when I stepped him out after class(and won).
2. What is your favourite memory with the groom?
This is a hard one because there are many fond memories. From having "roleplay" fights whilst disrupting the class, to walking for miles just to buy a feed for the hell of it, or passing out on the side of a hill from drinking a bit too much and then waking up laying in dog crap, seeing him also passed out beside me. Good times.
4. One piece of advice for the couple on their wedding day?
Laugh often, even when you want to strangle your spouse.
5. What is the craziest thing you've ever done with the groom?
Te Aue said I have to keep this "PG" lol. I will say though Azriel is a professional dancer, I never realized this until now.
Sam, 25, West Auckland
1. How do you know the groom?
Azriel - Same class in Highschool
2. What is your favourite memory with the couple?
Having a yarn at Azriels 21st
3. One piece of advice for the couple on their wedding day?
Remember to get your clothes fitted.
4. What is a key quality you and the groom both share and why is this important to you?
Infinity IQ. We doff our sandals and shod the earth in unison
Kurt Campbell, Will be 25, currently 24 and hail from Wellington, Porirua
1. How do you know the groom?
Met the groom through army, worked together for first 4 years but have both gone our seperate ways.
2. What is your favourite memory with the groom?
Having a food fight outside a bar with a box of fish and chips is up there. Unsure where they came from or who instigated it.
3. Do you have any advice for the couple?
I am probably not the greatest advice giver but carry on carrying on as you seem happy.
4. If you and the groom started a business together what would it be?
If myself and Az were to start a business it would probably be furniture moving as we seem to be tasked with that quite a lot even though I'd say we aren't the greatest at it. We could also start a marathon training program as we are both exceptional runners and discuss our love for it often (piss take)
