Despite attending St Mary's Primary School and backyard swimming lessons together, we have no recollection of one another or our shared childhood history. Our love story did not begin until the end-of-year, summer school holidays in 2014...

On 9 October 2014, at the end of Year 12, Connor left Rosmini College and started working for my family's company, G. D. Rutter Ltd. My Dad told me about recently hiring "a guy called Connor who used to go to St Mary's." Thinking Dad meant a different Connor, I was shocked and confused when I began working over the summer holidays and found out it was Connor DOBBIE who'd been hired.

Determined to focus on my studies and whānau, Connor was incredibly patient and persistent, agreeing to "just be friends" despite his romantic interests. After learning I was struggling with my Nan's terminal cancer diagnosis, Connor secretly started helping Nan by clearing her gutters, spraying her driveway, and weeding her gardens. He won me over when I discovered his secret volunteer work a few months later and I agreed to go on a date with him...FINALLY! Connor asked me to officially be his girlfriend at 11:58 PM on 30 January 2016. Our wedding date will therefore also be the date of our ninth anniversary.

Over those nine years, we have shared and experienced a lot together. We have celebrated qualifications, certifications, and graduations, grieved the loss of many loved ones, started and changed careers, travelled most of the North Island and a little of the South, attended a few weddings, adopted and raised two fur babies, moved in together, bought our first home, and become an Auntie and Uncle.

We are so excited to start our next adventure and cannot wait to share our wedding day with you. We hope you can join us!