Dame Lisa's wedded bliss ‘I'M THE LUCKIEST GIRL'

Our Olympic kayaking queen has another golden moment to treasure

- Sophie Neville

When Olympic legend Dame Lisa Carrington married the love of her life in a romantic beachside ceremony in O- hope last week, it signalled the joyous final chapter of a fairytale year.

Just seven months after becoming New Zealand’s greatest-ever Olympian, the kayaking star’s stunning wedding to her longtime partner Michael “Bucky”

Buck was, in many ways, a celebration not only of their 12-year love story, but also of the family and friends who’ve been so pivotal in the 32-year-old's incredible success.

Tears were shed and laughter shared as the pair exchanged their uniquely personal vows in an outdoor ceremony, before partying into the night at the local campground hall.

“I’ve always wanted to get married – that’s something that’s always been important to both of us,” says Lisa, speaking exclusively to Woman’s Day at her final dress fitting just a week before the big day.

“For me, marriage is about giving our relationship what it deserves and acknowledging it in a really special way. It’s about solidifying what we already have.”

The laid-back yet elegant wedding was held on Saturday, 19 March, in the Bay of Plenty town where Lisa’s schoolteacher parents Glynis and Pat still live, and where she dreams of one day raising her own children.

“It’s the place where I feel the happiest and the most relaxed,” says Lisa, who is of Te-Aitanga-a-Ma-haki and Nga-ti Porou descent. “It’s home and I love it.”