William and Kathleen:
A near-death experience reveals true love

My partner Willy and I used to be just friends who liked to hang out. I was visiting my best friend in Fairlie, over an hour’s drive from home, and on my way home I crashed into a bank on Mt Michael, flipped my car, and narrowly missed going off the cliff by two metres!

I was unable to move or barely talk, but Willy was the first person I could think of and I wanted to see him. I asked my friend to ring Willy, and when he heard how close I was to dying he realised he was in love with me and instantly rushed to be by my side.

He stayed with me in the hospital, and when I left he insisted I stay with him, as I was not allowed to be left alone. While I was off work recovering, he spent all his time looking after me - even though he was working 6pm to 6am shifts. He would come straight home from work, have two hours sleep, and then spend the whole day looking after me - keeping me distracted from the nightmare of the crash.

Towards the end of the first week of my recovery Willy admitted his feelings to me, and how he had felt when he heard about my crash. I tried to deny my feelings for him as I planned to move to Australia in a few months, and had already paid for my tickets etc. However, I could not deny that I had fallen in love with Willy, so I cancelled my move to Australia so I could be with him. We have been happily in love ever since, recently engaged and currently planning our wedding

Mike and Justine:
Love at first sight

It was January 11th, 2010. I was sitting in the sun at Jazz in the Park, and it was absolutely love at first sight. That night I said to my Mum - "this is the man I will marry" - and the last year and a half has been so amazing.

On October 1st 2011 Mike gave me a ‘packing list’ and I thought he was taking me to Taupo or Rotorua. When we got to the airport Mike handed me my boarding pass – to Queenstown!

After checking into our amazing hotel room, and enjoying a beautiful day in Queenstown, he asked me to change into a nice dress for dinner, and to pack a bikini. Given that it was fairly cold and going to be dark by the time we finished dinner, you can imagine there were a few questions asked, but no hints given!!

I was told at dinner that we would be picked up at 8.30pm to go to a mystery destination, which turned out to be the Onsen Hot Pools, where we were taken to our own private room. The sight was amazing; Mike had organised the ‘3 C's’ - candles (50!), champagne and chocolates. The room had a massive door that lifted up to show a BEAUTIFUL view down to the Shotover River and across to the snowy mountains, all lit up by the moon. Last, but not least, all the stars were out – it was amazing.

Once I had got over the shock of the room, I turned around to see Mike down on one knee, holding out a little box. Tears flowed and after some really special words were said, Mike asked me to be his wife, to which my reply was - "Oh my god, yes! Oh my god, oh my god, yes, yes, yes!!!”

The next five days were absolute bliss. Mike had also organised an overnight cruise on the Milford Sound, which was a perfect way for us to enjoy the engagement together.

I am definitely one happy and VERY lucky girl :)

Tim and Nicky:
Perfect timing

For some reason one day I bought a bridal magazine, just like that, out of the blue. I was standing in the supermarket and it just seemed to be calling my name…so I bought it.

Tim and I hadn’t been together that long and even though we’d talked about getting engaged and married I didn’t think it was going to be happening any time soon.

We were lying in bed that night and I just had to say – “babe, I bought something today”, and I pulled out the magazine to show him. Awkward!

Then he replied – “well, I bought something too’, and he reached into his bedside drawer and pulled out a small box…with a ring in it! WHAT?!?! He had been waiting for the right time to propose, and the weekend to Wellington hadn’t worked out quite the way he had planned - in fact everything went awry! The weekend to Golden Bay didn’t work out either - saying I was a little tired and grumpy is an understatement; little had I known he had been carrying the ring around for a few weeks waiting for the right moment. And that moment was then. It was perfect. It would also explain why my Dad kept asking if I had any news! We are now happily married and looking forward to going to Antarctica for our much anticipated, but slightly belated, honeymoon this year.

Jim and Raewyn:
40 years of constant love

Is there really love at first sight? I say there is.

Forty three years ago as a young 16 year old I spent the Christmas holidays with my brother in Westport, visiting his girlfriend’s parents. I was asked to go to the local superette to get some bread. There was a gorgeous guy behind the checkout and I couldn’t take my eyes off him. I kept asking my hosts if they needed anything at the shop, so I could go back to see him.

Two days after the initial meeting I saw him at an event in town, and told my brother and his girlfriend that ‘the guy from the shop’ was standing nearby. My brother’s girlfriend knew him, so she went and spoke to him and invited him to join us. The following night the four of us went to the pictures to see Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, but we were heading back to Christchurch the next day.

Unbeknown to me my brother had given him our phone number in Christchurch because he was going to be attending Teacher’s College there. One month later I received a phone call from ‘you know who’. I was really happy because I hadn’t stopped thinking about him since I had arrived home.

Eighteen months later my sister rang me and wanted me to go shopping with her to buy vegetables. After she dropped me home my boyfriend, Jim, picked me up as planned, and we went for a drive to New Brighton beach. We were sitting in a Morris Minor in the carpark and he asked me if I would like to get engaged. I then discovered that while my sister had me out of the way, he had gone to see my father to ask if he could marry me. I was only 17 at the time. We married 20 months later.

And now after three children, two grandchildren and our 40th anniversary next year, Jim and I are still happily married and tell each other every day that we love each other.

Shannon and Lisa:
A treasure hunt to never forget

It was just another Friday, except that I was off to the beach with a friend after work. Normally I would go straight home, go upstairs and get changed as my poor boyfriend would have been expecting. At the last minute before going to the beach, I decided to pop up to my bedroom to pick up my ipod... thank goodness or I would have missed the whole thing!

In my room, there were flowers and chocolates on the bed, and an envelope with "Lisa" on the front. I was about to be led on a ‘treasure hunt’ I would never forget.

In the envelope I found money and a note, instructing me to go to the place where we decided to be more than ‘just friends’. I knew that would be our old flat, so I went there, and found another clue hidden in the mailbox, telling me to hop on a bus from the other side of town.

I made it to the bus and then set about my next clue, which led me to the wind turbine, which Shan loves as it is has an amazing view. Attached to the next clue was a plane ticket with the destination blacked out!

I waited until the plane began to descend before I gave in to the temptation to open the next clue! It led me to a hotel, where I found an array of the most beautiful dresses on the bed and the final clue, telling me to walk down to the beach.

Then it hit me - the bridesmaid dresses, the roses, the chocolates, the treasure hunt, and our favourite places...So I walked down the deserted beach under a full moon and found him. There he was, on one knee with the prettiest ring in the whole world and a picnic set out with wine, mussels, cheese, crackers, the lot…and he asked me to marry him in our favourite place.

We then got to spend the entire weekend together as Shan had secretly organised to get it off work for me! And as we relaxed on the beach the next day two stunt planes did a love heart in the sky!

Ingrid & Peter:
The most romantic surprise

Peter and I have been together over 10 years and getting married was not on our agenda. So his proposal was a huge surprise and the most romantic I can think of.

In late November 2010 Peter suggested that we go away for a few days, and that he would pack my bags - I love surprise trips! The next morning we went for ‘a drive’, first towards town, then to the airport!

Two hours later, Peter checked us in at the international terminal. At the X-Ray, the security officer asked for our destination, but I still had no idea. By the time we entered the plane I had a fair idea where we were heading. Most passengers were Pacific Islanders and it was announced that the flight to Samoa was slightly delayed! I was over the moon!

We are not into luxury resorts, but there is one spot on the island that we discovered a few years ago called Virgin Cove, and it turned out that was where we would be staying.

A resort worker took us to our Fale on the beach. It was dark, and had been raining, however, Peter suggested going for a walk along the beach. Now that was unusual – it was nearly midnight! I couldn't wait to get to our favourite spot, a little grove just a few minutes away, and we were relieved that the coconut palms were still alive (after the devastating Tsunami) and the grove was still as magical as it was before!

There and then it happened! Peter apologized that it was not a really starry night, turned around, took me in his arms and asked if I would marry him. Well, I'm sure I could see the stars all night and the next day – it was one of the happiest moments in my life! Five months later we had a dream wedding on Totaranui Beach. Oh, and although I've never worn a ring, THE ring (from Jens Hansen :-) makes up for all those years!!

Chris & Barbelle:
A second chance at love

After fifteen years of marriage and numerous unsuccessful IVF treatments I was divorced and childless. Even though I felt confident being on my own, and I had a good social circle of friends, I was harbouring deep inside the wish to be given a second chance at love.

Friends urged me to accept online dating as a kosher and legitimate way of our modern cyber times to look for a partner. It did not take long and I came across a profile without a photo which read like it had been written by an authentic, real and very decent man. He said he was a single dad of an eight year old daughter and what he wrote about her made his profile even more realistic and non-pretentious. I knew I had stumbled across the profile of a man who stood out from the masses.

After six weeks of corresponding we had our first blind date. I entered the café feeling curious and very nervous and I had believable excuses at hand for a hasty retreat if needed. When I saw Chris for the first time I felt shocked- he was so much taller, darker and more handsome than I could have imagined. He had the warmest and most sparkly brown eyes and I secretly wondered had he devised a way of putting glitter into his eyes. After half an hour in his presence I suddenly felt a deep knowing in my heart that he was the man I would spend the rest of my life with. I went home that day knowing my life had completely changed.

The next weekend the three of us- Chris, Katie and I met for the first time. I felt so blessed not just to find my life partner, but also a stepdaughter and being given the chance to be a parent.

For the last four years we have lived happily together, married and as a family. Every day I look into the eyes of my two most loved ones and am filled with gratefulness for the wonderful double blessing which was put in my way.

Evan & Ana-Marie:
A special time to share love with others

Torrent Bay in the Abel Tasman has always been significant to my fiancée and his family.

One warm and sunny day at Frenchman's Bay ,I was walking along the water’s edge, with our puppy Rascal at my heels, admiring our beautiful picnic spot, when Evan walked towards me. I smiled, thinking how sweet it was he had come to walk me to our picnic, when he took my hands and said "Ana". Evan then got down on one knee and said "will you make me the happiest man in the world and say yes to marrying me?” He then pulled a small black box from his pocket and revealed the exact ring of my dreams! I was so shocked - I couldn’t say anything but "you’re crazy!" I got down on my knees and hugged and kissed him and he put the ring on my finger. He then said "you haven’t actually said yes yet", to which I replied "of course it’s yes! Nothing would make me happier!” It was an amazing, magical moment in time that I will never forget. It made us very happy that Evan’s Dad was the first person we told and that he could go home and tell Carole, Evan’s Mum. In the couple of months before, Carole had been diagnosed with terminal cancer and we knew she would be so happy for us. We have just recently lost Carole to her illness and the family misses her dearly, especially Evan’s father Jeff. They were married for 44 years and had been in love since they were teenagers. To share this special news with Carole before she passed, Jeff, and our other loved ones, makes our engagement story so meaningful and beautiful. Evan and I can’t wait to create more memories together as husband and wife.

Robert & Julie:
Many miles travelled for love.

This is a story of fate, dedication and commitment to make love at first sight work in the real world. In a Christchurch night club eight girls were dancing in a circle, when three lads walked in and headed for the centre. The eye contact was instant, but the courage was lacking and soon the night was to end. I took this instant attraction by the hand and asked her name. "Julie" was the reply. Nothing else was said, the eye contact was all that was needed. The last song played and it was time to ask for her phone number. She said no, but I wasn’t going to leave without hope of seeing her again, so I gave her mine.

Julie was home alone one Saturday night. To ease the boredom she started vacuuming and found a piece of paper behind her rubbish bin. It was my phone number. She had gone home that fateful night and thought ‘nice girls don’t meet men in clubs’ so threw the number in the bin, but missed!

We met in August and when the year ended Julie decided to spend the Summer at home in Nelson then move to Dunedin to study the following year. For three years we commuted between Dunedin and Christchurch every second weekend. The four hour drive each way was nothing compared to the 14 days we had to wait to see each other. Three phone calls daily made it bearable.

When Julie graduated her first job was in Gisborne. I was planning to follow her up a few weeks later, but unfortunately fifty weeks passed before I moved. We were once again commuting to see each other. Twelve months together in one city was incredible and while out exploring the North Island I popped the question on top of Mount Maunganui. Julie said yes, finally. After six years of fantastic eye contact we were to be one.