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Campbell Johnstone, the first All Black to publicly come out as gay, has tied the knot with his partner Ben Thomson at an Oxford venue in the South Island.

Johnstone, 44, came out in 2023 during an interview on TVNZ’s Seven Sharp, stating he wanted to “take away the pressure” of coming out and describing the challenges of “living a double life.”

Johnstone and Thomson, 37, secretly exchanged vows for their wedding before hosting a celebration with family and friends at The Flaxmill in Oxford, South Island. The couple explained that even their closest loved ones were unaware of the private ceremony they held beforehand.

“Nobody knew what was going on. Even the groomspeople and our families didn’t know,” Johnstone said to Woman’s Day.

Thomson shared details of the intimate ceremony, saying, “We had a day with just the two of us when photographers videoed and photographed us getting ready together in a hotel. Then we went out to Castle Hill Station and held our ceremony on top of a mountain.”

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The mountain-top nuptials were attended only by the couple, two photographers, and a videographer. They didn’t even include a celebrant. “We thought it should be a moment just for us. That was really special because we just got to enjoy the day together,” Johnstone said.

At the wedding celebration, the couple played a video of their private ceremony on a big screen, surprising guests, some of whom thought the footage was live. “We meant it to look like we came straight from the video,” Johnstone explained.

The day was filled with emotional and joyful moments. Johnstone said his sister’s heartfelt speech was the celebration’s highlight for him. Thomson’s favourite part, however, was when the pair snuck away from the party for a quiet moment together.

“While the guests mingled and enjoyed dessert, we managed to sneak up a hill outside to enjoy a plate of food and just be alone for 10 minutes. We watched over the whole scene and stole a moment for ourselves. That has to have been one of my favourite parts of the day,” Thomson explained to Woman’s Day.

The reception featured cocktails, canapés, a pasta station, and steak. At 10:30 pm, a nightclub opened in a darkened room, where guests enjoyed a rave-style party with black lights and music. Saxophonist Michael Gordon performed alongside the DJ to create an electric atmosphere. “With all the black light, it was just like this big, glowing jungle,” Thomson said.

As for their honeymoon plans, the newlyweds are considering a luxury safari in South Africa. “We’ll just be travelling, eating, drinking, and enjoying each other’s company,” Johnstone said.

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