Natalie + Alex

Married in Brisbane City, QLD

Kind Words

“‘Thank you’ is simply not enough to sum up our gratitude for the love, detail, effort, research, and incredibly personal touches that Ann infused into our wedding. Throughout the whole experience, even filling and submitting paperwork in the lead up to and after the ceremony, Ann was nothing but helpful, understanding, and accommodating. Over a cup of tea and wonderful conversation, Ann absorbed our ideas, details, concerns, hopes, feelings, meaningful traditions, and progressive attitudes, and somehow magicked it all together into the perfect ceremony to represent our entry into marriage. Our friends and family felt the gravity Ann crafted with her bespoke wording coupled with her deliberate and heartfelt delivery; simultaneously honouring the enormity of the commitment we were making and the First Nations land on which we had gathered to make it. Everyone was drawn into the moment to actively witness our promise, which was exactly the intended atmosphere we had discussed at our first consultation. I loved that we could just breathe and be in the moment too, with Ann gently and purposefully guiding us through the experience we had collaborated upon.

Ann created a sacred space where we could connect to something greater than ourselves – our marriage – and welcomed our friends and family into it to bear witness. Those who follow religion appreciated the ancient traditions we chose to incorporate, including a hand-fasting ritual to honour our Celtic roots and a beautiful homily created from the impressions and reflections of us that Ann collected from our nearest and dearest. The homily was a very special segment of the ceremony, as Ann had kept the wording secret for us to hear for the first time on our wedding day. Even those who don’t believe in marriage told us over and again how moved they were and we were overwhelmed by how many of our guests said it was the best wedding they had ever attended! This is all thanks to Ann, who managed to accurately reflect who we are and what we value, both individually and as a couple, capturing what entering into a marriage means to us. We knew we wanted our wedding to be truly ours, unmistakably “us”, full of deliberate details brimming with meaning and memory; an acknowledgement of the journey we have already shared while looking to the future together. No-one but Ann could have created that for us!”

Art Deco Elegance

Natalie and Alex’s wedding ceremony was absolutely overflowing with meaning and symbolism. They married at the historical Tattersall’s Club in Brisbane City, which both of their families had connections to. It was the place where they had dinner the night before they got engaged and it sits in the centre of the city where their love for each other has developed and grown over the years. They recently celebrated their first anniversary at the club and love that it is a place they can return to again and again. It now holds so many beautiful memories for the family unit that they have created together.

I love how Natalie and Alex chose to honour not only their personal connection to the place where their ceremony was held, but also the Turrbal people, who are the Traditional Custodians of Mianjin, the land on which their ceremony and so many other ceremonies since time immemorial have taken place. Natalie and Alex’s world views have such a beautiful balance between tradition and progress. They are at the same time old fashioned romantics and pioneers on the frontier of progressive values. I strongly feel that including an appropriate acknowledgement of country at the start of the ceremony sets the tone for the rest of the wedding – it shows deep respect for the people who always have and always will care for this beautiful country.

My favourite moment of Natalie and Alex’s ceremony was the hand-fasting ritual in honour of their Celtic heritage. I asked each set of parents to come forward to place a length of their respective clan tartans over their children’s clasped hands and in doing so, giving their blessings for the Natalie and Alex’s union. I then tied the two lengths of tartan together and wrapped it around their hands which were joined to form the infinity symbol. I explained to their guests that hand-fasting traditionally symbolised the binding of two lives and the union of all the hopes that the couple share for their future together. While their hands were still bound by the tartan, each member of the wedding party read a line from Blessing of the Hands by Rev. Daniel L Harris. This moment was so powerful and emotional, I don’t think I’ll ever forget it!