Sat 20 Jul 2013 In: True Stories View at Wayback View at NDHA
Keith and McColm want to win a wedding! Keith tells us all about how they met, a proposal that was 'not the most romantic ever,' but memorable, and why they think you should vote for them. Tell us your love story: McColm and I met roughly seven years ago on NZDating. We started out chatting online and just getting to know each other. Before we met each other face to face, McColm moved over to Sydney for three years, during which we lost all contact. When McColm eventually returned to New Zealand, we got back in contact within a few weeks and finally met up for a drink. Unfortunately when we finally met for the first time I had only recently starting seeing someone, but after that first moment we met the sparks were flying and so I broke up with my boyfriend of two weeks. From there McColm and I started seeing each other and everything happened from there. It was about two years into our relationship that McColm proposed. It wasn't the most romantic proposal ever, but it was definitely memorable. We were drinking on the balcony of our apartment we were living in at the time, and we were talking about marriage and where we wanted to be in the future. It was then as we were leaving the apartment and waiting for the elevator that McColm got down on one knee and proposed. Although it wasn't the most romantic, and he didn't have a ring at the time, I said yes, and six months later McColm sealed it with a ring on my 21st birthday. Why did you enter? We entered this competition because its chance to win the extravagant wedding that we could never afford. When the marriage equality bill went through, we were ecstatic, and I think it would be so special to celebrate our love with our friends and family on much a huge moment in history for New Zealand as a whole. What do you say to those who think The Edge, mostly Dom Harvey, aren't really that gay friendly? We would disagree with that statement; I think that the whole Edge team, including Dom Harvey, have their hearts in the right place. They have been nothing but friendly to us throughout the competition and although Dom Harvey can come across as being brash, I don't think there is any hate behind his words. The whole team at The Edge, and the huge support which has been shown by sponsors is absolutely amazing, and I think that this competition is really about celebrating the milestone which New Zealand has made, and the overall is a celebration of love. What would it mean to you to win this competition? Winning this competition would mean the world to us, this wedding is something which we could never afford, and being able be one of the first in New Zealand to marry under the new law would be such an amazing feeling. Why should people vote for you? Winning would be a dream come true. We are both devoted to each other and can't wait to start the rest of our lives together. I hope everyone will vote for us to give us the chance to have our dream wedding which we couldn't afford on our own. Unlike the some of the other couples in the completion who have had civil unions previously this is our first ceremony to celebrate our love for each other and we would love for the country to join in our joy on the 19th of August. You can vote for Keith and McColm and check out The Edge's Same Sex Wedding competition page here GayNZ.com - 20th July 2013