AN INCREDIBLE STORY OF SMALL TOWN, NEW ZEALAND

Posted on 26 Mar

Scott and Rebecca from Portland, Oregon, chose me as their celebrant in an elopement-style ceremony at Karekare Falls out on the West Coast of Auckland. 

They were travelling alone, with no witnesses.  I told them to leave it with me, we'd find some, one way or another.  

They were travelling the North Island for one week only.  They arrived in Auckland on a Friday and headed straight down to Napier, making their way back to Auckland, passing by Hobbiton in Matamata and Waitomo Caves, before the Tuesday ceremony out near Piha in Auckland.

I asked my mate, Kelly, to be their photographer for the day, so we travelled out to the West Coast together.

Upon arriving early, Kelly scouted the falls to work out her angles and lighting, while I visually and mentally assessed every visitor/tourist, eying up someone suitable to understand and be a witness for a ten-minute wedding.  I hadn't found the perfect person or couple before they arrived (Kelly was a backup witness).

As Kelly stood talking to Scott and Rebecca about photography requirements, a couple had just arrived by car.  It was now or never.

I wandered over and introduced myself and asked if they had ten minutes to witness a marriage.  They were excited and happy to take part.  They were Lestat and Karina from Utah, U.S, but stationed in the military in Okinawa, Japan.  I found it funny and ironic, I'd found Americans to witness the Americans getting married in the very small town of Karekare, New Zealand - population 300 people.  

Lestat and Karina were also only in New Zealand for a week, and it was their last day. They made the last-minute decision that morning to visit Karekare Beach before returning their rental car to the airport, and boarding their flight.

I introduced the couples to each other and quick as a flash, Scott says, "Hey, you were on our trip at Waitomo Caves"! 

Oh my gosh, we were all a bit gob-smacked ... what are the chances!?  I mean ... Karekare is small, we were only there for an hour and a half, neither of them knew anyone in New Zealand, and they ran into each other a second time in a week, on a small beach on the West Coast of Auckland!  KISMET we thought!  It was meant to be.

Lestat had been gifted a tiny bottle (mini-bar size) of Mississippy Moonshine, as a wedding gift seven years earlier, which he bought on this trip to NZ to share with Karina at a special moment.  However, they got busy, and it was still in their car unopened, so they decided to gift it to Scott and Rebecca as their wedding present, and they did shots on the beach.

Love a good, feel-good story!  And this is right up there!