'I had the white dress. We wrote our own vows'

Holly Bryant says she and Stuart kept their marriage ceremony along traditional lines. Photo / Supplied, Lauren and Delwyn Project 26/4/2013

Holly and Stuart Bryant had always planned to get married one day.

The Auckland couple - aged 28 and 30 respectively - have been together for four and a half years and have lived together for three. They recently bought a house, and last month were married in a traditional ceremony at the Devonport Naval Base.

"We're very family-oriented," Mrs Bryant said. "Buying a house together was quite a massive step and a big commitment. Getting married was just another big way to show our commitment to each other."

Mrs Bryant had her father give her away at the ceremony - something she had always planned to have for her wedding.

"It was definitely something I'd wanted. I walked down with Dad and we had a little reading about the importance of the father-daughter relationship, and then he gave me away. It was really lovely.

"We have fairly traditional values and so, yes, I had the white dress. We wrote our own vows and we had the wedding at the naval base because Stuart's father is in the navy and so that had meaning to it."

Getting married later was a normal thing for their group of friends. Many were only now starting to settle down and think about starting families after being together for a long time.

"My best friend, she's been with her partner for 10 years and they're still not married. A couple of my friends are getting married next year and I'm hearing about other friends getting married soon too."