2020-2021 — another year of weddings in Margaret River, as told first-hand by a Celebrant.
2020-21: This is the year I stepped back from full-time Celebrant duties. I moved to Perth to support my daughter through secondary school, and also took on full-time study myself.
The biggest thing to note about this season, is that all the postponed weddings from early 2020 were re-scheduled to late 2020 and early 2021. Fitting these in, alongside new bookings, made for one very busy season.
With travel restrictions rife, Plan A weddings became Plan B (and sometime C!), and elopements became the norm. Bespoke pop-up weddings and styled elopements in particular became popular.
It was quite the juggling act, but a joyful one, as always.
Here’s a recap of my weddings of the 2020-21 season…
William & Janice: a quickie wedding in the private forest at Margaret River Heartland. Out of interest, Janice asked me if she knew of a certain lady from the area, who she’d gone to teacher’s college with, many years before. Turns out that certain lady was my sister-in-law. I’m not a fan of cliches, but this really is a small world!
Greg & Lauren: A small wedding on the Gnarabup beach, after which the couple enjoyed a brunch celebration at the White Elephant Beach Cafe. Super chill, which of course made it extra beautiful.
Mitchell & Bryanna: A backyard wedding for this beard model and “majestic” bride, with their nearest and dearest to cry them down the aisle 😉
Chelsea & Vincent: I studied art with Chelsea, and although she doesn’t remember it, she did say to me at the time, “if I ever get married I want you to be my Celebrant.” She had no boyfriend then, so it was a few years until I heard from her again. Of course I was thrilled, not only to hear from her, but to marry them under some gum trees, while Vincent’s family zoomed in from France.
Jacinta & Ben: A Plan B wedding for this couple, which turned out even better than the Plan A. They married in the vines at Hay Shed Hill Weddings, a flower-man vogued down the aisle, and Ben’s vows included references to Game Of Thrones — it was certainly a unique ceremony!
Ben & Lauren: A scaled-back ceremony by the lake at Burswood Park. Dad couldn’t get across the WA border, so joined the family photo via iPad. I posted it to Instagram at the time, thinking it a novelty, not realising how “normal” this would become!
Breanne & Jack: A chilly day by the lake at Cheeky Monkey, and so wintery a “Plan B” was enacted. Instead of marrying across the lake at the purpose-built ceremony space, the guests gathered under the porch to witness the couple exchange their vows.
Phil & Tammera: A micro wedding at Margaret River Heartland, in front of the portal sculpture, followed by a beautiful stroll through the forest — I love the symbolism of grounding oneself during a stage of transition!
Rebecca & Mitchell: This couple cruised the region in a vintage Mustang and made their entire wedding day about themselves — it was the ultimate full day elopement experience. Married in Boranup, then a leisurely road trip and long lunch in the Margaret River region.
Sean & Linda: Another micro at Margaret River Heartland, in which the couples’ three adult children attended. They played “paper scissors rock” to decide who was going to be the official witnesses, which was so funny we all nearly wet ourselves.
Courtney & Renee: Again, a micro at Margaret River Heartland, for a couple who are not “crowd” people — the vows they exchanged were for them, and them alone.
Anthea & Gary: The smallest of smallest elopements on the lawn at Burswood Park, in which I called on friends to act as witnesses. I shouted them lunch afterwards to thank them for their time, which was super special in these times of isolation and quarantine.
Kishan & Aarti: Families couldn’t come from India, so this couple gathered with their “Aussie” family (other expat Indians), and married by the portal sculpture at Margaret River Heartland. It may have been low-key by Indian standards, but the couple shone nonetheless.
Rachel & Steven: This portal at Margaret River Heartland is getting a workout this season. Couples that simply don’t want the hassle of a big wedding, or whose families can’t get to Australia, are taking advantage of this beautiful, low-key setting in natural forest.
Celeste & Nathan: Another Covid-impacted wedding. This couple’s Plan B wedding saw them marry on the porch of their AirBnB in Yallingup, which of course, turned out to be perfect for them.
Elissa & Tahlia: This time I was the Plan B component of this wedding, filling in for Donna of Confetti Days. The couple were so open to me stepping in at the last minute, that it was as if I were the Plan A Celebrant. Their nuptials included their dogs at the Secret Garden — a very elegant affair indeed.
Shanine & Jay: At the risk of sounding like a broken record, another micro wedding at the portal sculpture at Margaret River Heartland. And like all couples before them, Shanine and Jay just wanted something low-key, low-stress.
Tiah & Jaki: Another time I was a Plan B Celebrant, again filling in for Donna McClelland. And again, a couple that were super open to me, sharing their stories with me to ensure they got a killer ceremony in the chapel at Old Broadwater Farm in Busso. Super chuffed they made time for a photo with me after the ceremony — this doesn’t happen often!
Cliff & Melanie: Woo hoo I got to deliver a ceremony at Pinky’s on Rottnest, only, the couple arranged friends to deliver most of it so my job was to do the legals then sit back and witness a massive celebration of a beautiful couple by outrageously fun friends. Got a quokka selfy too — fancy dress and all, I got right down in the dirt for it. (I’m not precious ha ha).
Luke & Catherine: Nawwwww this is one of the worst case of bad-luck-lock-down timings ever. Luke and Cat were one of the hundreds of couples due to get married on Saturday 13 Feb, but a surprise lockdown meant they were prohibited from traveling to the south west that day. Every single service provider actioned Plan B immediately, and moved the ceremony to the Sunday instead. This meant couples had to hit the road at 5am to make it to their wedding on time.
On the upside, they got to marry on Valentines Day, and it was amazing!
I filmed a small piece of their pre-ceremony set-up here, at Swings and Roundabouts, and took to the air afterwards to see how many Plan B weddings had shifted to the Sunday –>
David & Erin: Again, a small wedding because family couldn’t join them from England, but definitely an occasion to celebrate regardless. They got me to set up a bespoke pop-up ceremony at Eagle Bay beach, followed by a glamorous picnic on the beach featuring fresh local produce and real crystal glasses.
Rebecca & Tim: Another small wedding, because, you know… Covid. This time with their feet in the sand at Smiths Beach, (and sand in the mouths of their kids). Very low-key, with photographer Caroline Moylan as one witness, and a friend as the other.
Mark & Kerryn: What happens when two engineers get married? They rehearse to get every detail right, down to the last half-second. What happens on the actual day? They smile their heads off and roll with however the day pans out LOL. So good to see them relax and totally enjoy themselves.
Adam & Kate: Did someone say “vintage cars in a rainbow colour scheme”? You betcha!
Greg & Julie: A teensy-weensy in the grounds of Voyager Estate, after which the couple enjoyed a degustation experience. Truly touching.
Liz & Mathew: Far out, these guys were so FUN! They opted for a full-day elopement experience in a Kombi, marrying at Canal Rocks, and touring the region with their kids. Of course their day was built around family-friendly activities, including ice-cream tasting~!
Chris & Jai: Just when you think you’ve seen the most romantic set-ups ever, along comes Gem from Gem Events and sets this up. Crazy beautiful <3 I was so obsessed it moved me to dance…
Jayden & Heather: Oh sweet sweet romance is alive and well, just beyond the kissing gate atop the Balingup Heights.
Georgia & Sam: I hereby decree that this is the ONLY WAY bouquet tosses should happen in the future.
Georgia & Dean: Wanna know what it’s like to stand next to a couple with love-hearts shooting out of their eyes? Get trained up as a Celebrant and you might be lucky enough to experience this first-hand. This was my first ceremony standing alongside an Auslan interpreter — I was stoked to learn how to say “I love you” in Auslan, and even more stoked when I recognised her signing it during the ceremony!
Paul & Vicky: Some couples really do just want their ceremony to be super sweet, super low-key. Paul and Vicky were absolute troopers marrying in the pouring rain by the Portal sculpture, and accepted elbow taps from witnesses as congratulations afterwards.
John & Tania: Little did I realise how strenuous it is to climb out of Lake Cave with a mask on! And little did I know that in just a matter of months to come, this forest would be burned and who knows how long it will be until we get to return here? So grateful to have had this experience — marrying the couple by the lake, inside the cave.
Les & Deborah: Another micro, again lakeside on the lawn at Burswood Park. I can’t say much due to privacy, but it was an amazing experience to marry a colleague on the religious side of the fence. I guess they chose to marry in a civil ceremony so they didn’t feel like they were going to “work”.
Nicole & Mitchell: Sweet little micro wedding by the Portal at Margaret River Heartland, followed by photos on the new swing by Settlers Rest off-grid cottage.
Laura & Daniel: 2nd of three Quickie Weddings at the Portal, and absolutely beautiful.
Sue & Mike: The 3rd and final Quickie Wedding at the Portal for the day, and as it turns out, my final ceremony for the season.
I’m off now to hunker down, get through the next six weeks of resting and re-charging, ready to launch wedding season 2021-22.
Most impressive about this season?
Couples who rolled with Plan B with poise, grace, courage, and aplomb.
Our compassion, patience and flexibility muscles became fully activated.
And for that, I am grateful. Shine on you beautiful people,
Anita Revel