Oh, and by the way, your Dad informed me yesterday that your genealogy-obsessed Uncle Kim has discovered he and your Dad are Prince William’s 13th cousins (on the Spencer side, thank goodness). We’re now wondering where our wedding invite is!
I awoke to a letter on my pillow and my soon-to-be husband (your Dad) gone. We couldn’t spend the night apart, so we made a vow – our first for the weekend – that your Dad would get up early so I didn’t see him before the big event. Me, being the suspicious one, and your Dad not caring either way.
We’d whisked the family and closest friends away to Tassie’s West Coast to a fishing village called Strahan. It was partly to make it a relaxing holiday with those who meant the most to us and partly to stop sticky beaks.
I spent the morning having my hair done in a simple up-do by my wonderful hairdresser. My natural-looking makeup was done by yours truly (until last year, I was a Mary Kay consultant for 14-odd years). I wanted your Dad to see ME, not some overly made up person, as I walked down that aisle.
Being the list-keeping, ultra-organised person that I am, this wedding was planned with military precision. All, that was, but the weather. It had been perfect in the days leading up to the event, but decided to become rather grey and gloomy as the time approached.
The ceremony was to take place on the balcony of the Macquarie Restaurant, overlooking the bay, the famous Abt Railway and the township itself. A spectacular view. Then, just as I was about to walk down the “aisle’’ and out onto the balcony, the music started playing and the clouds parted. It was magic.
The ceremony went better than I could have hoped for. Your Pop and I couldn’t hold back the tears as we approached your Dad, who had waited so patiently for his late bride. It was rare for me not to be on time but, according to photographer Grant, was expected. During the ceremony, this time it was your Dad who would shed the happy tears as he barely finished his vows.
We then had stunning photos taken at the Abt railway station, on the beach, the pier and the balcony itself with your cousins Ned (as page boy) and Sam (as flower girl). Our guests didn’t have to travel anywhere – they were already at the restaurant. They just needed to drink and be merry.
And merry they were. After the speeches (including a speech from your Mum), the gorgeous seafood buffet (if only I’d felt like eating) and cutting of the cake (which your Mum designed), the frivolity began.
As you can probably tell, we found some pretty ingenious ways of cutting costs. Another of those was to do away with flowers on the tables and replace them with goldfish. The fish cost something like $20 to hire and you paid $2 for each fish killed. So there was great amusement when one guest pretended to eat a goldfish, much to the horror of another guest.
As the night wore on, so did the stories. Unfortunately, I can’t share them all in such a public forum for fear of retribution! Maybe they’ll make some good bedtime stories one day.
This photo was one of the last for the night and was taken overlooking Strahan’s annual Christmas carols, which were being held on the pier. A year later I went on to host and sing an original song at that Carols event. It was the perfect way to spend our first wedding anniversary. I might even share the video of that song one day. Maybe.
Ella and Holly, we thought everything was “so complete’’ that day. Having you two in our lives makes us realise it was far from it. Our lives are so much richer for the two of you.
Love you both. xx
If you’d like to be part of the Royal Wedding meme, simply:
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