Mr & Mrs Expedition: Bridget Thackwray and Topher Richwhite on their wedding day. Photos / Danelle Bohane & Sean Beale
Mr & Mrs Expedition: Bridget Thackwray and Topher Richwhite on their wedding day. Photos / Danelle Bohane & Sean Beale
Six months after becoming engaged, Bridget Thackwray and Topher Richwhite returned to New Zealand from Europe for a mid-winter wedding.
The Kiwi couple, known for traversing the globe in a Jeep as part of their Expedition Earth brand, became engaged at their newly-built home, Faraway Cove - a private hideaway on pristine coastal land in the Far North - in the new year.
Two weeks ago they tied the knot in front of family on Richwhite's rich-list father David's Great Mercury Island, which sits out from the Coromandel Peninsula.
The island holds many great memories for Richwhite and is where the couple planned much of their expedition, so it was the perfect place for their nuptials.
Mr & Mrs Expedition: Bridget Thackwray and Topher Richwhite on their wedding day. Photos / Danelle Bohane & Sean Beale
After a celebration wedding breakfast on the beach under a marquee, helicopters were at the ready to fly the wedding party back to Auckland for the reception at 46 & York in Parnell. Spy hears the stormy weather on the day almost had them stuck on the island.
They arrived in Parnell late afternoon in a Hummerzine with a gospel choir to welcome them and dozens of black-tie friends and family waiting outside.
Helium-filled gold balloons filled the restaurant and bar, with champagne and hors d'oeuvres aplenty, before some beautiful speeches, after which the guests partied until late.
Between their engagement and wedding, the couple flew to Russia to rescue their Jeep, Gunther, and repatriated his four wheels to London. They enjoyed some time in Europe before giving guests a month's notice they would tie the knot back home in New Zealand.
Mr & Mrs Expedition: Bridget Thackwray and Topher Richwhite on their wedding day. Photos / Danelle Bohane & Sean Beale
They still have 33 countries left on the list to finish their expedition, so it is no surprise that within a day of their wedding they were heading back to London to collect Gunther, where he has been getting mechanical work done to prepare him for travelling through Europe and on to the Arabian deserts for their third and final leg.
The couple, who have been in all sorts of precarious situations in hot spots around the globe, were advised to get married before entering the Middle East. An escort is due to meet them at the border and will accompany them throughout their Iranian leg.
They tell Spy that the Iranian newspapers are all saying the country will see world record temperatures this month when they enter, so it will be one very hot honeymoon.
"These temperatures can reach 75C on the surface which makes camping very challenging," they say.
"We have to avoid driving during the middle of the day to avoid overheating and damaging the vehicles.
"Iran has some of the most picturesque landscapes on the planet and we have been looking forward to exploring this area since we drew our first route map back in 2017."
After Iran, which will take the number of expedition countries covered to 80, Mr and Mrs EE will ship Gunther over the Persian Gulf to explore the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Oman, then down though Asia, Australia and home.
