It’s been six months since Celebrity Treasure Island and BossBabes star Edna Swart married her hunky former landlord Reid Stephen in a glamorous Auckland ceremony, and the couple are just as smitten as ever. “We both married our best friend,” she smiles.
The lovebirds, who tied the knot on their one-year anniversary in May, started married life in style, with the reality star and skincare entrepreneur planning a luxurious international honeymoon.
“We stayed for three nights in Rome, which was absolutely magical,” shares Edna, 32.
Rome was “magical”.
“Then we hired a little Mini and drove to the Amalfi Coast. It’s famous as an Instagram-able location, so it was definitely on my bucket list.”
Positano, Praiano and Capri proved the perfect setting for the newlyweds’ romantic getaway. “It was great jumping from beach to beach and cruising around on a scooter,” recalls Reid, 27.
“It was the picture-perfect honeymoon,” agrees his South African-born wife. “We didn’t have any plans. We’d just go to an island, get on a boat, lay on a beach… It was phenomenal. Then after Italy, we decided to travel to Johannesburg since Reid hadn’t met my birth mum yet.”
Stopping traffic for a kiss!
Edna – who was adopted as a baby and later moved to New Zealand with her adoptive family – hadn’t seen her biological mother Carien Lewis since 2019. Introducing her to her new husband during
their reunion was a priceless moment for the influencer.
“My mum just loved Reid,” grins Edna. “She kept saying to me, ‘You gotta look after this one – he’s definitely special.’
She immediately understood our connection.” The Boss Babe adds that it meant the world to show her hubby a new side of her.
“I grew up with people not quite understanding who I am. My adopted family are just like not me and, at times in my life, I’ve felt very misunderstood. By meeting my blood relatives, Reid got to really see who I am and where I’m from. My family was so welcoming – he slotted right in.”
Catching up with mum Carien on honeymoon.
Reid says, “I can definitely see where Edna gets her personality from having met her mum! And I liked seeing Edna let herself be looked after – being able to just relax and hang out with Mum.”
Of course, a trip to Africa wouldn’t be complete without wildlife, so Edna pulled out all the stops. She tells us, “I wanted a really bougie, beautiful safari experience for Reid since it was his first time. We stayed at a five-star lodge, where we’d drive out to see the animals early in the morning and at sunset, which is when they’re active. In between, we’d hang out by our private pool, get massages, eat and just chill out. It was gorgeous.”
“I loved it,” smiles Reid. “At one point, we were swamped with a whole lot of elephants just beside the vehicle – and a leopard, which is very lucky.”
Back on Edna’s home turf on safari in South Africa.
For the Hirepool manager, life with his new wife means expecting the unexpected.
“There’s always something new to do with Edna!” chuckles Reid, who makes his telly debut in BossBabes this season.
“Not for a split second did I ever think I’d be on TV! It’ll be very interesting to see how I come across. I don’t even like looking at photos of myself.”
But Edna insists, “Reid was amazing. When I asked him if he’d consider being on the show, he immediately said, ‘If that’s what you need, I’m here to support you.’ It wasn’t about him – he knew how important the show was to me.”
Reid also proved supportive when Edna took on her first acting job as a guest star on Shortland Street earlier this year.
After a stint on Shorty, Edna’s open to more TV roles.
“Learning lines was hell – I’m definitely a reality girl!” laughs Edna. “Reid had to help me so much. We’d go over and over the lines, with him reading the other parts.”
Although her only previous acting experience was a school musical, the star says, “I don’t shy away from opportunities – it’s all about personal growth. I was actually in New York when they messaged me to audition. I frantically rang Kim Crossman and was like, ‘I’ve never done this in my life. You have to help me!’ She was amazing. She ran the lines with me, recorded me over Zoom and even submitted my video. What a sweetheart!”
While Edna enjoyed her time in Ferndale, she hasn’t been bitten by the acting bug. Edna says, “All the preparation took up so much of my time. It was super-hard to balance giving the role my all and also running my business. I’ll always be open to doing more work with Shortland Street, but acting’s definitely not my passion!”
These days, Edna has her sights set on a far different goal.
Babies are on the horizon for the loved-up newlyweds.
“At the moment, we’re on the hunt for our forever home for, God willing, our first child. It’s really exciting to start planning what the next five years looks like with a baby. It feels like we’re getting to play out all our romantic life daydreams.”
The third season of BossBabes is now streaming on TVNZ+.
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