Stuff's wedding of the week

They met in high school but, despite their friends' protestations, didn't ever think they'd end up together. Fast-forward a few years and these old schoolfriends tied the knot in a spectacular farmyard setting.

But we'll let Teri fill you in on all the romantic details...

How did you meet? Sam and I met in our first year of high school at Alfriston College, Auckland. He didn't have a pen on the first day of classes so I gave him one – that was our first interaction. There were many jokes made throughout high school that we would end up married with many curly haired children. We steadfastly denied this but it turns out everyone else was right. Soon after leaving high school a close friendship turned into something more and five years of dating later Sam proposed!

Tell us about the proposal: Despite all the odds (I am very nosy and my family can't keep quiet), Sam managed to make the proposal a surprise. He had been making secret trips to the Ellerslie Jewellers to design a one-of-a-kind ring and had asked my dad's permission at Christmas time.

A few days later, on a summer trip to Waiheke Island at the end of 2014, Sam made me walk up a hill overlooking the ocean. He had the ring hidden in a champagne box that he had brought over and left with a friend the week before. During a beautiful sunset, Sam got down on one knee and popped the question. It was an amazing, unexpected and perfect moment.

Location of wedding: We got married at my parents' farm in Clevedon. I had wanted to get married there ever since we moved in, and luckily my parents were just as excited about it as I was. It took a lot of effort to get the place wedding-ready, and we were blessed to have so many family members and friends helping us.

We used every aspect of the property – even decorating the 1km-long driveway in white ribbons. The ceremony was in my mum's beautiful garden, drinks were by the pool, and the reception was in my dad's trucking shed. The shed was the biggest transformation - we decorated the ceiling with festoon lighting and ivy with fresh flowers and flickering candles on all surfaces. It was stunning!

Describe your wedding day: It was amazing. Having a December wedding was slightly risky weather-wise, but it turned into a perfect warm and sunny day. We spent the night apart which meant we got to wake up with our respective families and bridal party – this was very special and added to the excitement of the day.

It all went by in such a blur, but all the stress of the preparations dissolved and we just got to immerse ourselves in the day. To be surrounded by family and friends who had each played a part in our upbringing and relationship was very special.

The day flowed really well and everything looked excellent – it was a fun day that was enjoyed by everyone. The dancing went on well into the early hours of the next day.

The dress: My dress was the 'Gardenia' design by Claire Pettibone, and sourced at the gorgeous Primrose and Finch store in Parnell. It was a full lace dress with the most amazing back detailing. The dresses for my bridesmaids were made by Tegan Joy, a friend and up-and-coming fashion designer based in Auckland. She also was a life saver by making the boys' bow ties with very late notice!

The flowers: My grandmother made the bouquets with the help of a friend, as well as all the flower arrangements on the tables and at the end of the aisle. I tasked her with the challenge of finding wild flowers in the off season, but with a lot of time and effort she managed to source all of the flowers from friends' gardens across the Waikato. They looked beautiful and it was very special that she had put them together for us.

Highlight of the wedding: Seeing it all come together and everyone having the best time. So much planning and thought went into the day, so being able to just stop, enjoy it, and share it with all of our favourite people was absolutely a dream come true.

Was there any drama? A fair bit of drama actually - dress issues, car trouble and broken-down trucks stuck in the reception venue. The best bit of drama though occurred when Sam was out picking the ivy two days before the wedding. He stood on the end of a rake which (as seen in the movies) flew up and whacked him in the face, leaving a big, bleeding egg-shaped bump right on his forehead. There was no concussion but a lot of makeup was needed to cover it up and many jokes made at his expense. The rake actually ended up making an appearance in our wedding photos.

The honeymoon: We were very lucky to be sent on an amazing trip to Bali and Singapore. Sam has family in both places and we were extremely well looked after. We spent three weeks exploring, eating and relaxing – it was really nice to spend time together after a busy few weeks pre-wedding. I highly recommend to all couples taking time out for a honeymoon, even just a short one!

Your photographer and favourite photo? Jay and Lena from Pure Love Photography New Zealand photographed our wedding and they were absolutely amazing. They captured every moment and had us all feeling very comfortable. Choosing a favourite photo is hard but I think the one straight after 'the big kiss', where we are both smiling at each other, would be it. The photos of all of the bridal party and ones in the forest are also a highlight.