Danielle + Nicholas Proof 2

Danielle + Nicholas

Danielle + Nicholas 1 9 O C TO B E R , 2 0 2 4 O M A H A N U I , TA U R A N G A

Jordy’s poem Today’s the day you take his name, Our last one sharing just the same.

A bittersweet moment, a change we embrace, But such a joy to see the smile on your face

We weren’t always close, you and I, Life kept us busy, as the years passed by However, this past year brought us closer than ever, Sisters by chance, but now friends forever Then there’s Nik, with his calm steady grace,

He saw your soul, and knew he’d found his place He figured out from the ver y star t, How special you are, and knew from the hear t You’d need someone who’d brave gluten free meals, And laugh at your jokes, no matter how unreal

Nik, take care of her, she’s one of a kind, With a hear t that is generous, a spirit that shines

Though today we par t with names once the same, In my hear t, dear sister, you’ll always remain With Nik by your side, a true par tner in life Im grateful to call him my brother, as you become his wife

So here’s to your journey, just beginning today, To all of the laughter and love on your way May your hear ts stay true, your skies remain blue, And I pray for a love just like the two of you

Danielle’s vows Eleven years ago today, you asked me to be your girlfriend. I remember the butterflies in my belly, the excitement that came with the realisation that I had found the most amazing guy. Even back then, at the age of 20, I knew I had found magic. And now, as we stand here, I feel that same magic magnified, except that today we aren’t becoming a couple. We are commiting to a forever I have dreamed of since I was a little girl. For over a decade, we’ve loved, grown and walked this life together, strengthening our bond. Nik, you are not just the love of my life, you are the hear t of who I am. You fill the spaces in me that I didn’t know were empty. When things feel heavy, your joking nature lifts my spirits, and in my darkest moments, your unwavering suppor t brings me back to myself. You have a way of seeing me, even when I struggle to see myself, and I am endlessly grateful for that.

You are my safe haven, my sunshine in storms and my love for you is eternal.

Nik, I promise to choose you, over and over again, ever y single day. I promise to be patient, to trust, respect and cherish you unconditionally. I promise to honour you as my best friend and keeper of my hear t, to be the safe place where you can rest after ever y long day.

I promise to give more than I take, to never measure love in numbers, but in kindness and care. I promise to listen, not just to your words but to the spaces between them, to sit with you in joy and in sorrow, to walk beside you in darkness and in light. I promise to always give you a kiss and cuddle before Rufus gets his. I promise to walk this life with you, as your biggest fan and your ally. The love we share is rare, a spark that some spend a lifetime searching for, and I will never take that for granted.

Today, as I stand here by you, I feel like the luckiest woman alive. This moment, this beginning, is something I’ve dreamed of, and now that it’s real, I know that ever y single tomorrow with you will be full of love, laughter and the best times. I am so excited for this next chapter in our stor y, and I vow to love you always, with ever y piece of my hear t.

I love you more, Nik.

Nik’s vows Eleven years ago today, you asked me to be your girlfriend. I remember the butterflies in my belly, the excitement that came with the realisation that I had found the most amazing guy. Even back then, at the age of 20, I knew I had found magic. And now, as we stand here, I feel that same magic magnified, except that today we aren’t becoming a couple. We are commiting to a forever I have dreamed of since I was a little girl. For over a decade, we’ve loved, grown and walked this life together, strengthening our bond. Nik, you are not just the love of my life, you are the hear t of who I am. You fill the spaces in me that I didn’t know were empty. When things feel heavy, your joking nature lifts my spirits, and in my darkest moments, your unwavering suppor t brings me back to myself. You have a way of seeing me, even when I struggle to see myself, and I am endlessly grateful for that.

You are my safe haven, my sunshine in storms and my love for you is eternal.

Nik, I promise to choose you, over and over again, ever y single day. I promise to be patient, to trust, respect and cherish you unconditionally. I promise to honour you as my best friend and keeper of my hear t, to be the safe place where you can rest after ever y long day.

I promise to give more than I take, to never measure love in numbers, but in kindness and care. I promise to listen, not just to your words but to the spaces between them, to sit with you in joy and in sorrow, to walk beside you in darkness and in light. I promise to always give you a kiss and cuddle before Rufus gets his. I promise to walk this life with you, as your biggest fan and your ally. The love we share is rare, a spark that some spend a lifetime searching for, and I will never take that for granted.

Today, as I stand here by you, I feel like the luckiest woman alive. This moment, this beginning, is something I’ve dreamed of, and now that it’s real, I know that ever y single tomorrow with you will be full of love, laughter and the best times. I am so excited for this next chapter in our stor y, and I vow to love you always, with ever y piece of my hear t.

I love you more, Nik.

Behind the Karakia

BY MAEVE REID 2024

Danielle & Nik, Ka kapakapa te manawa i te piri tata ki tenei tuturu na korua.

It’s with an immense joy & with a fluttering hear t to be such a close par t of your dedication of love to one another. I see the way you look at each other like “this is the best person in the world” and I can see the depth of love, trust and aroha between you. It’s been an honour to prepare these Karakia for both of you two as Bride and Groom, as well as for your Whanau.

Arohanui aroharoa, arohamutungakore. Maeve

The karakia whakatau speaks to the settling and binding of mauri, the joining together if your mauri and your wairua to rumble, to tremble, to thrive as a sign of oranga.

This could also be used in reference to the joining of wairua and joining of whakapapa in conception.

The karakia whakakapi draws on the mana of those you’ve chosen to share your wedding day with, and to pull on their suppor t for your marriage. It references the journey from Te Oneroa o Kahu, Long Bay, to Omokoroa where Addy will taki it.

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