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I’ve been madly entering competitions in the last week and a half. So far I’ve won a box of random stuff for mothers day, a selection of NZ made face masks, and a subscription to pet magazine. And so I’ve decided to be more selective of what competitions I enter, though I’m looking forward to trying the face masks. The lady who makes them seemed nice and the products sound indulgent.

I entered a photo competition on mumsontop.co.nz. Out of 2500 photos, I’ve been selected as one of the 5 finalists. I’m crossing my fingers. It’d be nice to win. Even if I don’t win, I’ve come pretty close and that’s quite flattering.

I like winning stuff. It’s exciting.

I thought people might be interested in the ceremony/vows of a registry office marriage. I couldn’t find the vows used by marriage registrars in New Zealand so I asked for a copy at the local office. This copy is from the registrar at the High Court in Hamilton, but I imagine they’re all the same.

Anyway, if you are interested, I’ve included them below. The unusual punctuation and styling are exactly as per the original document.

Welcome & Introduction

Good morning/afternoon my name is (Registrar’s name) and it is my pleasure to welcome you all here today.

I am sure most of you know that a registry office marriage is a short and simple ceremony, but nevertheless a very important occasion.

Marriage is a promise of love and trust, a desire by two people to share themselves and their experiences with each other.

Vows:

Groom: …..do you love, trust and want to live with….. supporting her in every way. Will you stand by her no matter what happens, repsecting her as a person understanding her needs and enjoying her love.

Reply: Yes, I do

Bride: ….. do you love, trust and want to live with…..supporting him in every way. Will you stand by him no matter what happens, respecting him as a person understanding his needs and enjoying his love.

Reply: Yes, I do

Declaration (full name to be read here)

The law requires that you make certain declaration. To guide you through the declarations, I will read them out phrase by phrase and then have you repeat them to me.

Groom/Bride: I solemnly declare, that I do not know, of any, lawful impediment,to this marriage, between me……and……

Rings:

…..I give you this ring, as a symbol, to remind you each day, that I love you, and care for your happiness and well being.

(First Names Only To Be Read Here)

Witness Statement

I would ask you hold/remain holding hands and beginning with the groom repeat after me.

I call upon these persons here present, to witness that I …..take you…..To be my legal wife/husband. To love and respecting, to be my equal, to grow and share, in a life long partnership.

Pronouncement

…..and…..you have given yourself to each other by solemn vows, and you have declared your marriage by joining of hands (and the giving and receiving of ring/rings). You have made your promise to each other before us all today and may you treasure this moment always.

I HAVE MUCH PLEASURE IN PRONOUNCING YOU HUSBAND AND WIFE

CONGRATULATIONS AND YOU MAY NOW KISS THE BRIDE. (if appropriate)

So we’re now married.

Lots didn’t quite go to plan (hairdressing failure, late, forgot ring, and more) but it was still a magical day.

We went to the registry office and repeated vows we will never remember. Might have to get a copy of them to see what we signed ourselves up for. Our beautiful witnesses, Angela and Liz, did a fine job of witnessing and acting as my unofficial bridesmaids. I don’t know how I’d have got dressed or carried everything without them ;)

Geoff took photos of us in the Hamilton Gardens looking awkward and blinking. Still, he managed to get some keepers! Well done, Geoff!

Lunch was a bit of a disaster (orders slow and stuffed up, no highchairs, a bit cold etc) but it was good to see our parents and grandparents and so they could see us. My brother told me off for not inviting anyone (Mum and Dad, specifically) to the actual service but at least we didn’t totally shut everyone out of our big day ;)

Some people kindly gave us wedding gifts. For example, Mum and Dad paid for lunch and our dinner (and helped with Lily). It was rather unexpected but very sweet. I don’t really feel like we deserved anything. Hopefully they didn’t come from a sense of obligation. At any rate, we appreciated it.

We stayed in an executive suite in Le Grand Boutique Hotel, which I thoroughly enjoyed. The place is run down (thread bare carpets, loose tap fittings, big dents in plaster) but impressive (massive room, high ceilings, stunning drapery). It reminded me of a derelict mansion, but I find abandoned buildings intriguing so it was pretty cool in my mind.

We’ll be uploading photos to Flickr as it suits us. There are some up already and more to come.

Oh and we heard the consent [for the renovations - Fred] came through on the day so that was an unintentional gift from the council. Cross fingers it’s only going to be another 2 or 3 months and then we can host that celebratory dinner.

We’re getting married tomorrow.

It’s only taken us three years to get around to it. You’d think in that time we’d manage to plan some extravagant wedding but we’ve been busy with other things (like having babies and winning legal battles). We’re also too shy so we’re going the registry office with just our witnesses. It’s all been planned over two short weeks.

Some of you have received pseudo invitations (aka “unvites”). We sent out 40 of those, mostly to family. If you received one, please feel very honoured because they really were meant to show how much you meant to us and that if we were more normal we’d have had you there to share the day.

It’ll be a bit of a budget wedding (we have better things to spend $20k on) but we’ve got a professional photographer, my friend Geoff. So there will be some photos eventually. Check back in the next week or two.

I appreciate Neighbours at War (7:30 Thursdays, TV2). On the surface it’s another base reality tv show. But I think it differs through it’s sense of comedy:

The inappropriate music, bad puns, melodrama, pisstaking. The unflattering shots, the unfortunately edited interviews, the winding up they do. They use any opportunity to take a subtle jab in the name of entertainment. It’s very cringe-worthy. I hate to think how they’d portray me and my nervous habits. I guess I’ll just have to try not to steal apparently stray cats from my neighbours. Rus was ok, she was from Waiouru ;)

Clearly they have fun making it. There’s something contagiously entertaining about seeing how much fun people have making something like this; I can hear them laugh as they put it all together. That’s what I really like about it.

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…that I wouldn’t buy again: Continue reading →

Nothing much happening at the moment. Still waiting for council approval for the house but we’ve started buying things. I tried to buy a vanity on trademe the other day for $745 but it went for over $1600! Hadn’t anticipated that. Going to try to get a rangehood today. Probably sounds horribly boring to most but I’m enjoying buying these sorts of things. A shame other people seem to want the same things I do and outbid me. Fred is looking into buying the monster fridge. That’ll be new. I’m looking for second hand or new-but-unwanted things wherever possible. Continue reading →

WordPress, you bastard, you ate my essay on transfer of oral bacteria from mothers to babies. Sure, it was probably boring to 99% of the population but I put an hour of my life into writing that and you ate it. Who do you think you are?

A list of companies and organisations we’ve had trouble with in the last 12 months:
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