How did you and Gareth first meet? We'd love to hear about the start of your love story together.

I was working at Sky Sport at the time, I was in an edit suite, a quiet area similar to a library…all of a sudden the door swung open wildly and in strides Stanway...right at that moment I knew I was in trouble…10 minutes later we were wandering up to the bakery to get a pie. The trip took an hour but it turns out it was the best pie I’ve ever had. And that sums up the wrecking ball that is Kirstie Ngarangi Stanway. I knew from that moment she was the one.  

I remember creeping up to the edit suite and as quietly as a church mouse gently opened the door and asked if anyone would like to quickly go get a nice healthy salad. GT said you should have a pie…and he’s been leading me astray ever since.

How have you grown as a couple since you first got together?

Kirstie is the most positive person I have ever met. She gets it from her Dad. I overthink things whereas Kirstie dives in headfirst. We balance each other out like that. 

Sometimes I need someone to say “maybe look before you jump off that waterfall”  But mostly we jump off the waterfall together, we experience new things together and we are each other's number one fans. It makes you so confident to have the person you love in your corner. 

Can you share one of your favourite moments together?

We are a very competitive couple…everything becomes a competition (which I always win). We were at Mt Maunganui in the water having a throwing competition trying to bounce the tennis ball off a surfboard. I won (again) and GT got pissed off (again) and wound up and threw the ball at me as hard as he could. I threw my hand out and caught it one handed and calmly threw the ball back to him. GT then proceeded to wind up again and brand the ball at me…and this time I threw my left hand out and caught it. GT yells “I’m going to marry that girl”...and he did.  

It was so lovely to meet you in our showroom and can you tell us about your process for picking your ring and why you were drawn to the Fides?

We’d looked online, at friend's rings, in magazines and I wasn’t feeling any of them. I walked into your showroom... felt Zoe’s incredible energy as soon as we arrived and I knew my ring was here. Out of the corner of my eye I spotted it, the green sapphire fides ring. I just knew…I was drawn to the colour that was like looking into the ocean, a mix of greens and blues. It was the most beautiful thing I’d ever laid eyes on (oh and GT of course). Then I tried it on and the one of a kind ring fitted me perfectly. It was meant to be. I haven’t taken it off ever since.

Your wedding day was such a beautiful adventure to follow. Can you share any special details from your special day?

It really was an adventure for everyone. It was at GT’s Mum’s house in Gibbston Valley and we were going for a festival vibe with tipis, food trucks, live music and even a silent disco…the problem is we like to play what’s in front of us so we’re not overly organized. It was a team effort…basically like leaving Glastonbury to the last minute and getting the crowd to help set it all up! The next door neighbour gave us the flowers from her beautiful garden, and my bridesmaids handcrafted the hanging floral wreath. My aunty and cousin somehow managed to travel from north to south with a chilly bin full of kaimoana from the waters of the East Coast. They prepared the most amazing grazing table with creamed paua, crayfish and oysters. It was such a treat and brought a piece of home to our special day. Everyone chipped in where they could and it made for the greatest three days of our lives.