Samantha + Joshua
MARCH 16, 2024
LANDING AT HOMEBUSH, MASTERTON
Our story
Sam and Josh first met whist studying at Massey University, and knew each other for three years before their relationship sparked into life. It all began in one of Palmy’s finest establishments, ‘the Daily’ (Night Club). According to Josh he mesmerized Sam with his amazing dance moves and unexpected coordination. Sam was initially alarmed by Josh’s signature pull start chainsaw dance move, and decided to act impressed before he hurt himself.
Due to Josh’s stingey spending habits post town takeaways were out of the question, so instead Sam served Josh partially frozen hash browns for their first meal together. Josh was so impressed with Sams cooking that a second date was quickly scheduled.
The duo have now been together for 7 years and what a blast it has been. The pressure had been mounting on Josh to bend his knee for a number of those years, especially with Sally (dog daughter) and Felix ( cat son) rounding out the family. On New Years Eve 2022 he took Sam into an old favorite camping spot in the Tararuas and proposed. She said yes, and a little over a year later it is my pleasure to formalize things this afternoon and marry these two.
Sam's vows
I promise to love you, my best friend, through the good, bad and everything inbetween. I promise that we will celebrate our wins and reflect on our losses together. We will travel our way through this life hand in hand. My home is wherever you, and our array of animals are.
There’s not a single word for you
You’re my best friend, my shoulder to cry on , and my most annoying-person.
The obsessive hunter/ fisher, the stubborn one, and a rugged charmer.
I will stay the city driver, the food shopper, the poor directions giver, the grumbling gate opener. I will continue to dance instead of cleaning the house. I will be the spender to your saver, the social butterfly to your solitude. I will continue to try push you outside of your comfort zones, never say no to you going on hunting trips, and always try to help and support you in any way that I can.
I would do everything exactly the same to get to this very moment. No matter where life leads me, I know that as long as you are there, it is where I am meant to be. I love you.
Joshua's vows
I promise to love you, my best friend, through the good, bad and everything inbetween.
I promise that we will celebrate our wins and reflect on our losses together. We will travel our way through this life hand in hand. My home is wherever you are.
There is not a single word for you
You are my best friend, my trusted council, and my most annoying person. The crazy horse girl, rally driver and a social butterfly.
I will stay the below average cook, the house cleaner, and the DIY builder and repairer for all of your projects. Above all else I promise to do my best to always make you laugh and smile. You are an extremely generous and caring person, and I will care for and cherish you.
I would do everything exactly the same to get to this moment. No matter where life leads me, I know that as long as you are there, it is where I am meant to be. I love you.
Our bridal party
LIAM ‘THE BRAWLER’ HUNT
Liam is Josh’s younger brother. They shared a lot of ‘brotherly competitiveness’ growing up with several, walls, windows and bones falling victim to their so called ‘wrestling’ matches. Liam’s fight career briefly continued with some unsanctioned backyard boxing with flat mates down in Christchurch, followed by a compulsory group branding. Liam has since settled down and now lives in Auckland studying towards his PhD in Chemistry, so if anyone needs a ‘cook’ he’s your man.
ADAM ‘QUADZILLA’ SCHMIDT
Don’t let Adams friendly face fool you, beneath that table are a set of quads that would put a steroid ridden Bulgarian weightlifter to shame. Adam lives the outdoorsman dream working as a professional hunter. His friendship with Josh is founded on a mutual love for hunting. Anyone whose been out with Adam knows it’s a near impossible task to keep up with him, he virtually runs up hills!
TOBY ‘ POACHER’ LOE
Toby is Josh’s best man. Toby is best known for his casual interpretation of map boundaries when it comes to hunting. Longtime great mate of Josh, they’ve shared many adventures together in the bush, the Palmy bars and the blizzards of Mount Ruapehu. Forestry is in the Loe family blood, and Toby has recently given into this gene following in his old man’s footsteps.
JORJA ‘WILD CHILD’ PERKO
The youngest of the Perko girls who paved the way for any of the rest of us getting tattoos and piercings. Works very hard but knows how to enjoy a fun adventure. A lover of animals and nature, adventure seeker, tattoo addict, car enthusiast, mean cocktail maker, ‘cool’ country girl, fashionista, creative minded and a courageous and loyal person to have in your corner if you can prove to her you deserve it. She’s got a mean ‘mom’ stare already probably perfected from the wild child cat she has that she tries to keep in line.
TIFFANY ‘PERFECTIONIST’ PERKO
Tiffanys meticulous attention to details, strong rule following personality and unyielding beliefs meant she ahs found the perfect career with work safe. You have been warned, so please follow all the appropriate health and safety protocols this evening! However her weakness is eating any foods outside of her comfort zone, famous for going on holiday with a personal chef and not eating any proper meals for 10 days. It was even considered ordering her a Hawaiian pizza for dinner tonight! She also got her pre-proposal wedding planning from me unfortunately- Goodluck to Josh S, Josh H will give you some tips.
CHANTELLE ‘FOOTBALL STAR’ LEBAN
Chonie is a true gem of a person and a friend anyone would love to have. Who would’ve thought Sam’s year 10 football friend who needed constant updates to be in the right place at the right time at school would become such an organized and meticulous mum ( of Mia AND Kieran). Sam has always loved the everyday sweet, kind, generous Chonie turned fiery, confident, authoritative cho-nee-qua-qua on the football field. Her witty one liners on the football field never fail to bring a smile.
Bridesmaid 's speech
TIFFANY Ladies and gentlemen, family and friends, it is an absolute honor to stand before you as a bridesmaid for my sister on this beautiful day. For those of you who haven’t met me, my name is Tiffany and I have known the bride for 24 years, 5 months and 26 days in counting - a journey filled with laughter, tears, shared secrets, and countless memories.
CHANTELLE Hello everyone, I am Chonie, a longtime friend of Sam! We are all SO privileged to be standing beside you both, Sam and Josh, on your very special wedding day! Sam, you have always been such a caring, selfless and giving person. And most certainly, a wonderful and true friend. It warms my heart to know you have found your soul-mate, someone to go through this crazy thing, we all call “LIFE” with!
TIFFANY Today, as Sam embarks on this new chapter with Josh, I am reminded of the bond we share. Sam, you are not just my sister; you are my lifelong friend and a source of inspiration. Your love story is a testament to the magic that exists when two hearts find their perfect match.
Rain: They say rain on your wedding day is good luck because it signifies that your marriage will last. As you know, a knot that becomes wet is extremely hard to untie – therefore, when you “tie the knot” on a rainy day, your marriage is just as hard to unravel!
Sun: There is a saying that says Happy Is The Bride That The Sun Shines On”: suggesting that having a sunny day during your wedding is considered good luck. It’s as if the sun’s rays are blessing the union, bringing warmth and joy to the couple’s special day.
CHANTELLE Sam, thinking back, too well over a DECADE ago now, when we were two very young year 9 girls… we naturally connected. Our bond grew into an extraordinary friendship, through our passion for sport, which I am forever grateful. One thing is for sure, you have always had my back, both on and off the field. Now fast forwarding to the present, to our adult years, it is fair to say that you have been there for me through some difficult moments in my life and also been there to celebrate the special moments. TODAY is a special day for BOTH of you… Sam and Josh. This is soon going to be a memory, one that we can all reminisce on while walking on our zimmer frames, in years to come. Josh, you have an amazing wife with the most wonderful spirit, and we all know how lucky you are. We know that you will continue to care and love her as much as she does for everyone else around her, everyday. Sam and Josh, we all admire how you support each other in a way that allows you both to be true to who you are! You have shared wonderful adventures together through your common interests and compliment each other marvelously to make the best team. Today is ONE prime example of something amazing you can accomplish together. What a beautiful wedding, guys! Sam you look absolutely stunning and Josh, very dapper! They say that “A hunter’s greatest weapon is their patience; the ability to wait for the perfect moment, the perfect shot”. Josh, you certainly have succeeded in the greatest hunt in life and found your forever MRS HUNT…
TIFFANY With that, let us raise our glasses to Sam and Josh. May your love continue to grow, your laughter never fade, and your days be filled with joy and adventure. Cheers to a lifetime of love, happiness, and beautiful memories.
Parents of the groom
DAVID Well Joshua, are you feeling nervous? Are you wondering what embarrassing tales I’m going to repeat? I mean what could be scarier than having your father standing up to speak at your wedding? Maybe BOTH parents standing up to speak at your wedding.
JENNY Don’t worry, don’t worry Josh – I’ve only got a short speech prepared (pulls out huge document)
DAVID Most of you know Josh, but there are few out of towners that don’t – so let us describe him to you. By the way Sam, you may not know some of this stuff – but it is too late to change your mind. First, Josh is obsessed with hunting and fishing. If Josh invites you on a “nice easy hunt”, expect to get up at 3.30am, drive for 2 hrs, walk all day in the rain, and come back carrying 40kg of venison. Second – Josh loves (and I mean loves) animals. For example, wherever Josh lives, he has a paddock of “trainer sheep” next to the house. And he is often out with his trainers, especially when Sam is away. We would have thought by now that the sheep are well trained – but he is always ready to give them an extra lesson. Third, - and some of you won’t know this - he is a great father. Josh and Sam had their first fur baby five years ago back in Palmie – in the form of Sally – the pig dog – also known as Piggie Wiggie, and you [beep beep]. She is still Queen of the house. But was later joined by Tuck, Troy, Rye, Monty, Chillie, Ghost, Buster, Gin, Rogue, Albie, Jack and Felix. On a more serious note – I am incredibly proud of you Josh – and thrilled that Sam and you are tying the knot. And now Jenny will say a few words:
JENNY Well, I thought I’d share a few top tips for Sam - based on my 30 odd years experience managing a Hunt male. He’s a tricky creature Homos Huntus. But I’ve always found that if you’re weighing up between using the carrot or the stick - for this particular beast - always go for the stick. Now fortunately being a country girl, Sam, you already have available some of my favourite tools of the trade. For everyday encouragement, a quick whack with a crop will do the trick. Or if he tries to run away, the longer lunging whip can come in handy. And of course, for those occasions when significant punishment is required - you know, repeated refusal to clean the toilets, unauthorised boys weekends, that sort of thing - I think you’ll find this little beauty (Elastrator) will bring him into line quite nicely… It’s been a pleasure getting to know you Sam over the years. I knew you were a keeper from the day you brought us homemade russian fudge - ahhh, the perfect gift. I was also very impressed on a family holiday, at the huge number of marshmallows you were able to shove in your gob during a game of chubby bunnies. Sadly I seem to have misplaced photographic evidence. Sam also introduced our family to a whole raft of new board games - Monopoly Deal being the favourite - the levels of competitiveness certainly went up a few notches with Sam, but so far, no broken bones… So welcome to the family Sam, we can’t wait to see your married life together unfold. And as a horse rider, I am particularly looking forward to receiving my family discount card from South Wai Vets. Yes (fist pump)!
Parents of the bride
Good afternoon everyone. First of all, on behalf of my wife and I, I would like to welcome David and Jenny into the family. I’d also like to welcome relatives and friends of both families and thank you all for being here, especially those of you who have traveled a long way to make this special occasion so memorable. Samantha and Joshua have obviously worked really hard on this beautiful wedding, and I’m sure everyone here agrees that the ceremony was wonderful.
I’d also like to take this opportunity to thank everyone else involved in making the day so special. At this point, I would like to formally welcome Joshua into the family, even though you have been part of it for a good while now. Without sounding too corny, Joshua you are a great person who clearly loves our daughter and obviously makes her very happy. I think you have been with Samantha long enough now to know what you are getting yourself into by joining our family, so, to be honest, I don’t have any sympathy for you. Seriously though Joshua, we are glad that you are part of our family, and I am proud to have you as a son-in-law.
Impromptu… Josh’s commitment to running over his future mother-in-law (hahaha)
Sticking with tradition, I’d like to leave the new couple with some words of advice as they enter into this next stage of their lives together. As a great philosopher once said, a man who gives in when he is wrong is a wise man. Whilst a man who gives in when he is right is married. All that remains is for me to ask that you all join me in a toast to the happy couple. May you both live as long as you like and have all that you need for as long as you live. Ladies and Gentlemen, I give you Samantha and Joshua Hunt.
Bestman's speech
Hey everyone I’m Toby. I’d like to share a few stories about Josh and Sam in their earlier days. I met these two at uni where we were in the halls of residence together. Josh and I met on our first day moving into the halls. Where for some reason they decided to position our rooms directly opposite each other which was a bad decision on someone’s behalf as this meant pretty much all we did was talk hunting and drink piss. One of my first memories of Josh was him studying a topo map on his laptop of the Ruahines, and within the first couple hours of meeting we were already thinking of hunting spots we could head into. Josh used to have this little Toyota Vitz which was the definition of a hair dressers car. However it was our only way to get around so we would pack it full of hunting gear and head off most weekends trying to find a deer. I seem to remember David’s Subaru was loaned to Josh for some reason during first year and we thought it was a good opportunity to take it on a 4wd adventure exploring new areas up in the ruahines. I remember clearly Josh trying so hard not to damage the car and was driving cautious as keeping left wherever he could. However there is only so far left you can go on a gravel road until you drive it into a ditch. So this is what ended up happening. I remember the initial shock. We sat there and looked at each other thinking fuck how are we going to explain this to your parents. We got out and had a look expecting the worst but luckily it was still half balanced with the back wheel on the road. We quickly hatched a genius plan of me to push the front while Josh was in the car, foot flat on the accelerator. I remember the car reving at its limit and the wheels spinning uncontrollably. Finally the car gripped back onto the road. We managed to escape without too much damage to your car David.
The following few adventures consisted of carrying large packs and heavy rifles up shitty rivers, climbing over boulders the size of cars, Josh nearly breaking his leg, sleeping on rocks, bashing through thick scrub, running out of food, and our specialty MISSING DEER. Josh and I were so conditioned to driving home empty we had a regular stop at the Ashurst 4 square to buy a box of beer and pies to eat on the way home to make ourselves feel better. Now Sam had an important part to play in our hunting journeys. She entered the picture shortly after when she became very interested in the failed hunting adventures which Josh and I participated in. This became a running joke where Josh and I would go out for a hunt and through no lack of trying seemed to always come home empty handed. I swear Sam must have been waiting for us to pull into the carpark as not long after arriving back she would make a point of tracking us and take the piss, asking what we got this time, with a smirk on her face knowing we must have failed yet again. However, we slowly became better throughout the years of hunting at uni learning from mistakes and harsh criticism from Sam and her mates. Over time improvement in Josh’s hunting skills must have caught Sam’s attention which saw their relationship blossom when she started to realise Josh and I weren’t just good mates who took his Vitz into the bush to cuddle up next to each other in our sleeping bags under the stars. Oh and by this time he had traded in the Vitz for a Ford Courier which greatly improved his chances in landing a girlfriend. The following years I’ve seen Josh and Sam develop a strong bond and create an awesome life for themselves on the farm. They have a connection which personally makes me happy to see as a mate. I wish you guys all the best for what’s to come in your future.
Groom's speech
Thanks Nicki and Dad, I would like to say a few things on behalf of Sam and I. Firstly a massive thank you to everyone for coming to celebrate with us tonight. People have come from all over the country and we really appreciate it. Your presence here will be a big part of the memories for us going forward! We both also have friends and family who are either no longer with us, or couldn’t make it to the Wairarapa today and we would also like to acknowledge them. Many of you will be shocked to hear that wedding planning isn’t my strongest suit. My personal key objectives were to ensure I still fit into my suit come the big day, and to complain profusely about how much everything cost. On both counts I’m proud to report great success. Despite these tireless efforts Sam did the lions share of the actual planning, and for that I am hugely grateful. Fortunately, she had plenty of help from friends and family. There are too many people to list, but you know who you are and we both really appreciate your efforts!
To the lovely bridesmaids, you all look stunning. Groomsmen you have polished up pretty well. Liam your almost unrecognizable without your trademark Kina haircut. To my wonderful wife the long wait has been so worthwhile, you look gorgeous as I always knew you would. On behalf of us both a massive thanks to the entire bridal party not only for your roles tonight, but also for your help and support in the lead up to our wedding. You’ve all played an important role in our lives, and we really appreciate you being beside us on our big day! Nicki and Dad you guys arguably have the hardest job of all, and you’ve nailed it. We really appreciate you MC’ing for us. Sam and I were careful to select two MC’s who were already married in the hope that we won’t have the favor returned to us later on down the track. We want to wrap up by thanking one another’s families.
From Sam
I’m sure David and Jenny didn’t quite know what to expect with Josh bringing home a girlfriend. A quiet, vet student who was always keen to play a board game. I have always wondered how Josh had missed this family gene! Over the next years I’m sure you have gotten to see a lot more of my personality (and stubbornness). A month of lock down, family holidays, horse riding excursions with Loz and Jenny, seeing Robbie at the races and giving him a form book, dinners with Rose, family christmasses and even a ‘cosy’ overnighter in the boat. Its safe to say I definitely feel, and have always felt, part of the Pyatt-Hunt family. I would love to say a big thank you to all of Josh’s family for always being so accepting and welcoming. To Wendy and Fab and the wider Perko clan I remember vividly the first time we met almost 7 years ago. As many of us know meeting the in laws for the first time can be a scary experience, and the 5 hour drive from Palmy to the Waikato with Sam taking great pleasure in needling me didn’t do much to settle my nerves! However, within 5 minutes of meeting the Perkos I knew I was in great company and was very fortunate with my future in-laws. Despite my at times questionable sense of humor, dubious cooking and preference for Fords over Holdens (which I was worried might have been a deal breaker for Fab), you guys have always been friendly, kind and welcoming of me into your home and family. For that I am hugely grateful and want to thank all of you.
So to finish up can everyone please raise a glass and lets say cheers to friends, family and good memories.
Our wedding on film
madewithloveby
keepsake.
