IT’S 8pm and I’m indulging in a little glass of sav blanc to celebrate nine years of wedded bliss. Nine years? Far out. No. Don’t worry, I’m not going to lower myself to jokes about jail time. I’m a Mum, not a Dad.
Last month we took the girls to Strahan, on Tassie’s West Coast, to show them the place where we exchanged vows. Long before the wedding day, I cottoned on to the fact this was going to be a longer commitment than the one we made the day we bought the box set of Entourage. And likely not always as glamorous or fun. If I had a double chocolate brownie for every challenge we’ve had to face together, he’d be married to a very different person right now. But I wouldn’t change any of it.
Taking the princesses to Strahan was by far the highlight of my year. Standing on the balcony, overlooking the harbour with the girls, brought tears to my eyes. Princess Ella has watched our wedding video more than 50 times. She knew all the spots. Every line spoken at each spot. She also wanted to know when the wedding was going to start and if she could play the role of the flower girl this time.
My Christmases now have greater meaning because of that one perfect day. Add to that the fact The Bloke in The Shed proposed Christmas Eve and you’ll understand why I love Christmas. Even the memory of him proposing inside the Commodore, because I’d refused to get out and get sand in my shoes (talk about spoiling the moment), doesn’t spoil it. By the way, I made up for the sand in the shoes incident on our wedding day. See.
To now have two little people to help share in the joy we have for this time of year is pure bliss. I fully realise how incredibly blessed I am. I’m truly thankful.
So, happy anniversary to my Bloke in The Shed. Here’s to hitting double figures next year. x
Linking up with the lovely Kate Says Stuff’s Thankful Thursday. Click on the link to find out what others are thankful for this week.
I’m a mum, and an artist. I’ve been shooting weddings and portraits (and corporate and editorial photographs) professionally since July 2009. But my love of photography began when I was a nine-year-old girl helping my Dad out in our darkroom. I’ve rarely been without a camera around my neck since.
If you would like to contribute a photo to the Alphabet Photography Challenge, a series of posts aimed at being a “look and find” activity for children learning the alphabet, please email.
Linking up with My Little Drummer Boys’ Wordless Wednesday. Click on the link to check out more photo posts.
Today is an historic day. It’s the day Kate and Wills tie the knot. I was only a year older than you Ella, when Will’s mum and dad created headlines doing the same thing. So today, to mark the occasion, I’m sharing the story of the day your Dad and I said “I do’’.
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!
Me, looking for your Dad!
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.
Cousin Ned asked four times during the ceremony if we were ready for the rings yet.
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.
Cousins Ned and Sam getting bored in the background.
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.
Apologies for the quality – it's a photo of a photo.
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
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IT’S 8pm and I’m indulging in a little glass of sav blanc to celebrate nine years of wedded bliss. Nine years? Far out. No. Don’t worry, I’m not going to lower myself to jokes about jail time. I’m a Mum, not a Dad.
