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advertorial<br />
Relax and indulge to your<br />
heart’s content<br />
Hanmer Springs and its wonderful thermal pools and spa are hugely popular<br />
with any loved-up Canterbury couple, and for good reason.<br />
The Hanmer Springs Thermal Pools<br />
and Spa has won many awards and<br />
frequently tops the bucket lists of<br />
those visiting the area. It really is a one-ofa-kind<br />
destination that proves a worthy<br />
wedding venue – the reviews speak for<br />
themselves.<br />
“I couldn’t fathom a guess at how many<br />
proposals have been made in Hanmer<br />
Springs,” says Debbs Moody, a wedding<br />
celebrant and Amazing Days event<br />
coordinator based in the village. “It’s also<br />
a great place for pre-wedding parties and<br />
honeymoons. You’ll often see groups away<br />
on hens’ and stags’ weekends unwinding in<br />
the pools.”<br />
And, of course, with everything from<br />
massage to manicures on the menu, The<br />
Spa can have brides and grooms alike<br />
feeling and looking their very best before<br />
the big day.<br />
HAPPILY EVER AFTER IN HANMER<br />
Paul Flanagan’s a romantic at heart and he<br />
chose the perfect spot to ask his now-wife,<br />
Anna, to marry him – on a boardwalk over<br />
a lake in the picturesque alpine village<br />
of Hanmer Springs. “It was perfect,” says<br />
Anna. So, when it came time to tie the knot,<br />
the Christchurch couple headed back to<br />
Hanmer Springs to look for venues, and we<br />
can’t blame them.<br />
“We’d looked at a lot – and I mean a lot –<br />
of venues around Christchurch but nothing<br />
seemed right. As soon as we arrived in<br />
Hanmer Springs to look around, we relaxed<br />
and immediately knew it had to be there.”<br />
Just over a year later, Anna and Paul said<br />
“I do” under the gazebo at the Heritage<br />
Hanmer Springs. “It was an absolutely<br />
stunning day with a glorious blue sky,”<br />
recounts Anna.<br />
“Being close to Christchurch meant<br />
that most of our friends and family were<br />
able to come. And, because so many of us<br />
were away for the weekend, everyone was<br />
relaxed and in no rush at all.”<br />
On the morning of the wedding, Anna<br />
and Paul managed to sneak an hour<br />
to themselves so they headed back to<br />
the boardwalk and gave each other a<br />
sentimental gift. “That was such a lovely<br />
way to start the day,” says Anna.<br />
“From there, the boys headed off to<br />
one holiday home and the girls stayed at<br />
another to get ready.”<br />
130<br />
Together Anna and Paul have six children<br />
from previous marriages so they wanted to<br />
allow plenty of time for photos.<br />
“We decided to take some before the<br />
ceremony. We did capture the ‘first look’<br />
when Paul saw me. It was a really lovely<br />
moment and of course, it took place on our<br />
boardwalk,” says Anna.<br />
<strong>With</strong> forests, mountains and incredible<br />
views over the Waiau River, Hanmer<br />
Springs has a plethora of incredible photo<br />
locations that are all conveniently close to<br />
one another. “Our photos are incredible,”<br />
exclaims Anna.<br />
“It’s close enough to take things with you<br />
and there are plenty of suppliers in and<br />
around the village. In fact, I think it worked<br />
out cheaper overall.”<br />
Anna’s favourite part of the day? “There<br />
was this moment, just after the ceremony,<br />
when Paul and I were walking back down<br />
the aisle holding hands. We just looked at<br />
each other and both had the biggest, most<br />
stupid grins on our faces… after months of<br />
planning we were married and it was time<br />
to relax and have fun.”<br />
Getting married here sounds like an<br />
absolute dream, doesn’t it?
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