Pictures: Mr Munro, mrmunro.com, @hellomrmunro.
With hair flying, cowboy boots kicking and a drink in hand on the heaving dancefloor, former Silver Fern and Sky Sport presenter Storm Purvis isn’t your usual bride on her wedding day.
Frankly, there’s nothing much traditional about the raging reception as she and new husband, lawyer Dan Hilton-Jones, party under a marquee set up in her parents’ Taupō backyard – from the “gin trap” hidden in the forest, and a food truck serving hawker rolls and dumplings, to the groom trading the usual black suit for an eye-catching terracotta blazer.
But for Storm and Dan, their gorgeously sunny big day was the stuff of dreams.
“Today has been amazing – I’m lost for words,” a radiantly happy, if slightly overwhelmed Storm, 31, tells Woman’s Day as Dan, 30, nods in agreement.
“We wanted exactly this – more of a festival vibe and just an epic party. We had 170 people and a lot going on. It’s been the best day of my life. Honestly, after having our daughter Daisy, I had a really tough first four months or so and I wondered if I’d be able to plan a wedding. But now I’m wondering if we should have made it three days!”
There wasn’t a cloud in the sky as The Crowd Goes Wild host prepared for the ceremony with her family and best friend Charlotte Dunn. But there was no time for relaxing with a glass of bubbles as Storm hurriedly set up the gin bar and made sure the Aperol station was fully stocked at her parents’ place in Kinloch.
“I can’t thank my mum and dad enough – the effort they put into the wedding was mind-blowing,” enthuses the bride. “People said they should use the house as a wedding venue, but I think doing this one has put them off for life!”
Yes, it was chaos, but just before she was due to walk down the aisle on the arm of her father William, there was a quiet moment and the usually stoic Storm allowed herself a few happy tears.
Looking gorgeous in a custom two-piece bridal outfit made by her Sydney-based pal Brit Day, Storm explains, “I told her what I wanted and she drew up a few designs. This wasn’t what I was initially thinking, but she told me to trust her and thank God I did!
“When I looked at it, I fell in love. It’s an Italian silk skirt and a printed halter. If you look closely, you can see the daisy print on it, which was so special. Then I whipped the skirt off and put on some pants for the reception.”
Her look complete with her beloved cowboy boots and a neck tie in place of a veil, Storm was ready to make the walk towards Dan, who stood at the altar with his brother Josh.
Following her sister Claudia and mum Fiona, who walked down with the aisle with adorable one-year-old Daisy, Storm made her entrance to an acoustic version of Pearl Jam’s classic Yellow Ledbetter, hers and Dan’s favourite song.
“Honestly, I felt so emotional when I saw both Storm and Daisy,” tells Dan. “It was so over-whelming. I broke down way earlier than I thought I would! They both looked so beautiful.”
Storm adds, “Even before I took one step, the emotion just came back. Dad and I couldn’t even look at each other. The overwhelming feeling of love and appreciation, and the fact that I was about to marry my favourite person in the world… It all just hit at once.”
Yielding to tradition for the ceremony, Storm and Dan were welcomed by celebrant Donna Inch, who told the story of how Storm and Dan, a former North Harbour rugby player, first met – fittingly for athletes, at the gym, almost seven years ago.
The pair then exchanged vows, which they wrote themselves, with the highly emotional pair “blubbering” throughout, Storm confesses.
In her vows, the bride declared, “Dan, from the moment I met you, I knew you were my person. Not just because of your genuine care for the people you love or your unmatched commitment to everything you set out to achieve, but because you make life better just by being in it.
“I love your sense of humour… most of the time! The birth of our daughter and how we’ve navigated the rollercoaster of parenthood together has brought us closer than I ever thought possible. You’re the only person who can make Daisy laugh so hard, she sounds like a tiny chainsaw and seeing that reminds me every day why I fell in love with you.
“Through the ups, the downs and everything in between, I promise to love you fiercely, laugh with you endlessly and stand by your side forever. You’re my best friend, my teammate and my favourite person in the world.”
Dan responded, “Storm, I promise to love you for who you are and always support you in whatever it is that you choose to do. I promise to be your partner in this crazy, wonderful adventure of raising our Daisy, and to build a home filled with love, laughter and lots of hugs for her to grow up in.
“I promise to keep learning and growing with you, to listen, to compromise – maybe – and to never stop appreciating the little things that make us us. I’ll try to reduce my fantasy basketball usage, but make no mistake, that is definitely not a promise!
“I promise to share my tanning tips with you to achieve this year-round glow and I promise to try to show more PDA. To prove my commitment to this, I will give you a peck soon in front of 160 people… You’re my favourite person, my best friend and my home.”
And with that, the celebrant pronounced the smitten pair husband and wife to the thunderous applause of their gathered guests. Yes,the crowd went wild!
“What a feeling!” recalls Storm. “I mean, the being-married part is nice, but we’ve already been together for so long. We have a child, we just bought our second house and it did feel like nothing was really changing. But to celebrate our relationship with all of our favourite people there, that was the true happiness.”
Dan adds, “Yeah, all that will change is now I have to get used to wearing jewellery!”
After a few photos with a worn-out Daisy, who was whisked away from the party for a well-deserved sleep, it was time to party. The newlyweds kicked things off with their first dance to Benson Boone’s Beautiful Things. Then, the band Pow Wow got the crowd going with a bevy of pub bangers.
“Having all of our friends and family on the dancefloor all night, that was the highlight for me,” smiles Dan.
When not dancing, guests milled around the stunning property, went on a small bushwalk to the bordering forest to get to the 5 Mile Gin bar or relaxed in a chillout zone full of beanbags.
Friends and family, including Dan’s former rugby teammates, performed a haka, which was a surprise for the happy couple.
“It was so, so special – a true highlight of the day,” recalls Storm. “Again, it was so much love and emotion. It really was the best day of my life – and to do it with our daughter present made it all the more special. And look, the party was pretty great too!”
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