Clutching shots of tequila as they stand in front of their closest friends and family at Auckland's Parihoa Farm on New Year's Eve, Matty McLean and his very-soon-to-be husband Ryan Teece grin at each other, then down their drinks in unison.
Now the gorgeous grooms - emotional, extroverted Breakfast host Matty, 36, and his practical beau Ryan, 31, who needs the shot to settle his nerves are finally ready to tie the knot after six years of dating.
Their celebrant Jo Johnston tells their 160 guests, "There are going to be a few things that aren't traditional today. If the shots didn't set the tone, they've planned a few surprises... because, despite what Matt might say, they know it's not all about them today. This is your New Year's party as well." This is no ordinary wedding - this is a fun celebration of love and the bucking of pretty much every tradition in the book. And that's exactly how these two grooms have imagined their big day since getting engaged last year.
"The hilarious thing is that we've never actually been to a gay wedding," the TVNZ presenter tells Woman's Day, laughing. "So we didn't really know what we were supposed to do and then it occurred to us that we shouldn't have to do anything. We're not traditional, so why should our wedding be?"
Matty and Ryan's love story is a modern one - they met on Tinder, had their first date at a suburban pub, adopted their dog Otis on their third date and have enjoyed six years of bliss since. In that time, they've both carved out successful careers and built a life together that, before today, culminated in real estate agent Ryan's proposal to Matty last February.
The pair quickly settled on 31 December 2022 as the date. Matty explains, "I've been to a few New Year's Eve weddings in the past and all of them have been such a vibe.
Esta historia es de la edición January 9 2023 de Woman’s Day Magazine NZ.
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Esta historia es de la edición January 9 2023 de Woman’s Day Magazine NZ.
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