KIM'S WEDDING COUNTDOWN 'WE CAN'T WAIT TO BE MARRIED'

After an idyllic proposal in Italy and our fun photoshoot in LA, the couple reveals their plans for a laidback local ceremony

- Nicky Pellegrino

Planning a wedding can be stressful and even more so when the bride and groom often find themselves on different continents, but with only weeks to go until they exchange their vows, beloved Kiwi TV star Kimberley Crossman and her cameraman fiancé Tom Walsh seem anything but stressed.

They've loved working together to create a day that is deeply meaningful for both of them. From the location on the shores of Lake Wakatipu, to the rings they will wear, every detail of their wedding has a story behind it.

"We took a road trip round the South Island when we were deciding on a venue," explains Kim, 33. "The place we've chosen is a lovely low-key spot, where we'll be surrounded by nature. It's actually where we had our first-ever getaway as a couple and it's also somewhere that was really important to Tom in his childhood."

Tom grew up in the Queenstown area and spent a lot of time there enjoying the outdoors with his late father.

Another link to his dad will be in the wedding rings the couple are designing and crafting themselves.

"Dad and I used to go fossicking for gold together," explains Tom, 44. "I've always kept this small vial of gold that we found and the idea is to include a little of it in each of our rings."

The pair may have been on Italy's romantic Amalfi Coast when they got engaged and taken part in a glamorous Woman's Day photoshoot in Los Angeles, but their wedding is set to have a more laid-back local vibe.

Even the reception feast features Kiwiana, with iconic treats like asparagus rolls and cheese rolls, along with Kim's favourite peanut brownies and the exact kind of chocolate biscuits that Tom's mum used to bake for him to take on school camp.