Nicole and Amr’s Wedding in Otematata
“Incredible!! Thanks so much, we love it 😻 ”
We also made this short version to share on instagram
Nicole and Amr were married on a stunningly hot day in late January, with their ceremony held out at the Otematata Wetlands before everyone made their way back to the Otematata Community Centre for the reception. It was the kind of day that felt full from the very beginning, with family and friends travelling from across New Zealand and overseas to celebrate them.
Their ceremony was led by Debbie the Celebrant, with Jessica Leigh Imagery alongside me capturing the day. Nicole’s look came together with hairstyling by Gabrielle Roney Hair and makeup by Tessa Simpson, before the celebration continued into the evening with catering from Loan & Merc.
All the photos here are taken from the Next Day Film above
that morning
with Gabrielle Roney Hair and makeup by Tessa Simpson,
that afternoon
with Debbie the Celebrant,
“Nicole and Amr, the story of your life is still yours to write. Everyone present here today has come to witness and celebrate your love and commitment. Eager to be part of the story not yet told. We all share your joy and I know that everyone joins me in wishing you a lot of fun, love and laughter as you travel through the years together.”
“We look forward to watching you share your lives together and watching your relationship grow as you honor the vows you make today. We know you will support each other through whatever the future brings you. Most of all, we wish you never ending love and happiness.”
“I’m so ready to live out life seasons with you. I promise to be the most dependable person in your life. I promise to champion you. I promise to prioritise you and our marriage for the rest of my life. I promise to continue to annoy you just enough that you remember life with me will never be boring.”
“I really do feel so lucky to have someone that makes coffee in the morning feel like being in Vegas, or eating burgers at home like dining in a five-star restaurant, whose simple wink can make me feel so warm. That’s how I know I’ve won it big time. So Nicole, I promise to continue loving you unconditionally, to continue to make you morning coffees, to continue to split the chores somewhere around the middle, and to continue to make you smile every single day forever. I’m looking forward to doing forever with you. I love you.”
“But the thing I love about you the most is that I can be anywhere in the world and I’ll always feel at home when I’m with you.”
that evening
at the Otematata Community Centre with catering from Loan & Merc.
“It was a long, long time ago in a small town where only one supermarket was. A handsome young boy came to work at the checkout counter. He had all the lady workers in a spin. They thought he was their prince.
It happened to be one day when the shop, and I went through a lot, oh, the shop was so lovely. It was to see all the red roses as I was in it. Valentine’s Day. And I thought, oh, I would love a red rose.
As I walked out to my car, two pretty young girls. I was going to say giggly young girls. I think there were two. Called me over. I heard, hey, Nana. And asked if I would do a favor for them.
Nicole came out behind her back. Came a little white teddy bear with a red love heart on it. She asked me to give it to the new boy at the checkout. Please do not tell him where it came from.
Little did I realize that here today we have the pretty little girl and the handsome checkout boy. I wish them all the best for the future and love from Nana.”
Nicole and Amr’s Otematata wedding was one of those days that had everything that makes a wedding film feel alive: a beautiful outdoor ceremony, a packed reception, family and friends who had travelled huge distances to be there, and speeches that captured just how long their story has been building.
Their ceremony at the Otematata Wetlands was full of meaning, led by Debbie the Celebrant, who spoke about love, commitment, family, and the story still waiting to be written. From there, everyone made their way to the Otematata Community Centre for a reception filled with laughter, brilliant stories, and the kind of speeches that only happen when a couple is surrounded by people who truly know them.
Nicole and Amr’s wedding was especially beautiful because their relationship has grown from years of friendship. Their vows, ceremony, and speeches all came back to the same thing: they were best friends first, and now they get to keep building a life together as husband and wife. From stories of high school, supermarket Valentine’s Day surprises, trips to Wellington, adventures around New Zealand, travelling the world, family in Egypt, and late night Macca’s runs, every part of the day reflected a couple who have already shared so much life together.
The reception speeches were a huge part of their wedding story. Nana Joan’s story about Nicole, Amr, Valentine’s Day, and the “handsome checkout boy” was one of those perfect wedding moments that tied the past and present together. Joni and Koda’s Twizel River adventure brought out the chaotic, loyal, hilarious side of Nicole’s friendships, while the speeches from family and friends showed just how loved Nicole and Amr are by the people around them.
The whole day was beautifully captured by Jessica Leigh Imagery, with Nicole’s hairstyling by Gabrielle Roney Hair, makeup by Tessa Simpson, and catering by Loan & Merc. It was a stunningly hot late January wedding in Otematata, full of sunshine, emotion, laughter, and all the little in-between moments that make a wedding film worth watching again and again.
I was there to create Nicole and Amr’s Next Day Film, capturing the ceremony, vows, speeches, reception, and celebrations, then turning it around so it could be shared while everyone was still together. A Next Day Film is a beautiful way to bring the wedding weekend full circle, especially for couples who have guests travelling from overseas, family gathering from different parts of New Zealand, or a reception where everyone is ready to relive the best moments from the day before.
If you are planning a wedding in Otematata, the Mackenzie Basin, Central Otago, Canterbury, Christchurch, Queenstown, Wanaka, or anywhere across New Zealand, and you want a wedding film that captures the feeling of the day, the people, the speeches, the vows, and the story behind it all, I would love to hear from you.
Whether you are planning an outdoor wedding ceremony, a relaxed community hall reception, a destination wedding weekend, or a celebration surrounded by family and friends who have travelled from all over the world, a wedding film gives you a way to hold on to the atmosphere of the day. A Next Day Film takes that one step further, giving you the chance to share those moments almost immediately, while the celebration is still fresh and everyone is still feeling it.
For couples looking for an Otematata wedding videographer, a Canterbury wedding videographer, a Christchurch wedding videographer, a Queenstown wedding videographer, or a New Zealand wedding filmmaker who can capture both the big emotional moments and the small funny ones, Nicole and Amr’s wedding is such a perfect example of what a wedding film can preserve.
If this feels like the kind of wedding film you would love for your own day, get in touch and tell me what you are planning. I would love to create a film that feels true to your wedding, your people, and your story.
thank you for reading my blog!
Rowan
Frameboy
