Emergency Surprisingly Negated

I entered the room.  One hundred people were before me – in the midst of celebrating the 60^th birthdays of twins Heather and Malcolm. The place was buzzing. No one noticed me enter from a side door by the bar. Trish had entered a minute before, also unnoticed and made her way to the back of the beautiful Pacific Harbour Golf Course room, where she turned on the speak of our public address. Standing at the front I looked into the crowd. There was conversation , laughter. I began speaking. “Excuse me ladies and gentleman – a bit of an emergency.” The crowd suddenly hushed and faces turned towards me, expectant. I looked at the white piece of paper in my palm. “Does anyone own car registration number 712 LIE?” I waited and asked again. People looked confused. “Oh sorry that’s my car!” Laughter filled the room – they must be thinking “who’s this idiot!”

“What are you here for?” I asked.

“A birthday!” someone shouted.

“There must be a double booking!” I said. “My name is Peter Waterman, I’m a celebrant and I’m here for a wedding. Please stand for the entrance of the bride”.

There was great excitement as everyone stood (they must have believed me). Greg, the musician hit the music button and Heather (the birthday girl who ten minutes beforehand slipped out to change) entered and joined partner John at the front of the room for the commencement of the wedding.

I ask the assembled crowd. “All those in favour of Heather and John being married today say “It’s about time.”

The room echoed loudly with “It’s about time!” After 27 years together two beautiful people were about to become husband and wife.

Candle Ceremonies at Weddings; Shining Brighter Together

Candles are symbols of light; of hope; of positive energy. At weddings couples will have their own individual candles; often their parents will light them and hand them to their son and daughter. The bride and groom will then light their family candle as a symbol of them coming together; they each have their own individual gifts and talents but shine even brighter with the presence of the other. Usually couples will have the candles engraved and is something they can keep to remind them of their wedding.

Diary of a Wedding

Diary of a Wedding (Thursday 10^th October 2013)

5am  - alarm sounds loudly (too loudly). Stay in bed for awhile

6am – final check through if have all wedding paperwork (NOIM, Certificate of marriage details x 2, Wedding Certificate, Application for Registered Certificate, Addressed Envelope for Victorian BD& M). All good

6-15 Head to Alpha car park with Trish  (near airport)

7am Arrive at airport – check in. Find flight is delayed. Realise daylight saving in Melbourne – original time of arrival 11.30am. Hopefully not too late as need to get to Kew for 4pm wedding.

8.30am Plane takes off (only 30 mins late). Arrive Melbourne at 12. Pouring with rain – and cold! (what a surprise)

12.30pm ring car hire to collect us – wait 20 minutes no bus arrived. Rang again – they forgot to send bus!

1.30pm leave Melbourne Airport in Nissan Micra hire car. Use Samsung phone to get directions to Beaumont Quest in Kew. It surely is a smart phone as guided us there seamlessly; arriving 2.15pm. Head up Kew High St (very cosmopolitan)find place for quick lunch, back to change.

 

3pm – head to Butleigh Wotton for wedding. Big old mansion used as wedding centre. Catherine warmly welcomed us offered us tea, showed us wedding spot – permanent marquee, paved, with fountains, beautifully decorated white chairs. Had a look around building – blazing fire in one of rooms that warmed myself by.

 

3.30pm found out from Catherine that wedding was actually 5pm – Cindy and Brian must have thought that in all my correspondence and paperwork was putting 4pm as Brisbane time (which it was). Spoke to Cindy the day before and said I will be there at 3pm – see probably thought I was keen! Better to be early than late though.

4.30pm Greeted Brian (groom) – had a chat with him – looking very suave and relaxed by the fire. Spoke to Andrew (best man). Andrew also Cindy’s cousin as well as being Brian’s best friend and responsible for introducing them.

4.50pm Went upstairs to see Cindy (she had just arrived). Looking really beautiful. Told her that Brian was here – she was happy about that.

5pm Introduced myself to guests; asked them to gather, told them we were not going to start at present but wait for the bride which is traditional.

 

 

5.05 Wedding Ceremony commences. Beautiful ceremony; wonderful crowd (about 90) who were in good humour. Welcome included mentioning their values as a couple; Cindy also wanted me to outline how I had come to first met her (travelling back from Melbourne wedding on plane 4 years ago); gave few quotes about love and marriage (Thomas Aquinas, Grover etc). Recited their personal poem “Cindy and Brian – A Journey Together”. Monitum; their personal vows were very touching; they had a candle ceremony involving Cindy’s boys – Mitchell and Kyle; Pronounced them as husband and wife; signing; beautiful reading from Adrian; finishing off with introduction and recession. Trish took some good photos of wedding ceremony.

 

5.40 to 6.15 mingled chatting, took few photos. Found out from driver of Jaguar (wedding car) that September is NOT a busy month for weddings in Victoria – he reckons if you had a wedding all the guys would be down the back listening to the footy. Said farewell to Cindy and Brian – headed back to accommodation. Gathered all paperwork into envelope ready to post in morning

7pm Went up High St – Chinese takeaway – beautiful food devoured eagerly back at Quest.  Relaxed, felt tired but happy and reflected on what an engaging couple Cindy and Brian were; the wonderful, friendly people I had met that day, the sights I’d seen, how Melbourne is so different from Brisbane (not only in climate – it just has a different feel)  and how I truly have the best job in the world! And Trish and I are looking forward to next couple of days – an extended break in Melbourne and catching up with son Tom as Point Crib, where he is training in the RAAF.

 

A Savage and Deelighful Wedding

The wedding of Dee Keane and Nick Savage was special. Dee is a niece of my cousin Antoinette’s husband TJ - who are very good friends of ours from Claremorris in Ireland. Dee and Nick happened to move from London (where they lived as partners) to Brisbane and decided to marry.  Antoinette then kindly told her of her cousin (ie me)  -  a celebrant  located in Brisbane.  They contacted me and asked me to be their celebrant. Of course I was totally honoured. Their wedding was in the spectacular Intercontinental Sanctuary Cove Chapel  on December 22^nd 2011 (where I have a wedding again next week).Trish filmed  the wedding (which is now on my website). It was great for overseas relations who were unable to attend the wedding to view it via Vimeo. Dee and Nick have since become good friends and it is great catching up with them occasionally for breakfast. They are brilliant people who have happily made Brisbane their home. Amazingly also Dee is a cousin of Patrick Walton (Chelsea’s Number 1 supporter).  

Oz Wedding Stats

Average weddings per day 332
June least popular month (followed by July)
October most popular month (followed by March)
60% of weddings happen on a Saturday (usually between 3-4pm)
13% wedding happen on a Sunday
Most popular days of year to marry
- Valentines Day (by far)
- New Years Eve
- Easter Sunday
in recent memory biggest day for weddings was 2,454 weddings on 10/10/10
(I had 3 booked that day 9am, 11-30am, 4pm)

Thane - My First Ever Ceremony

It was December 15th 2007 and my first ever ceremony was for Thane, son of Anita and Neil, who had just turned 1(Thane that is). It was held at their property and about 15 of their family and friends attended. Below is the poem I wrote that day (if this was my first ceremony - perhaps my last will be Thane's wedding!

Thane

At this very hour a year ago

Watching the Ashes on hospital TV – you know

“well bowled Shane” the cry from McGrath

As Neil’s focus changed from cricket to cigar

Soon the soft sound of a new babe came

Parents bowled over by special bundle Thane

And through these months all have come to see

What a wonderful delight he has turned out to be

A happy observer, filled with the busyness of play

A social interactive whose smile just says “good day”

Older brother Riley – an artistic and literary delight

And middle son Blake whose sporting skills excite

Magic mother Nita – a vibrant raconteur, intelligent spirit grand

And proud father Neil’s wisdom and warmth continually expand

Stewart and Kim as Godparents privileged to be

With them happily in the wings he is in loved company

Now at this special place with folk who are so dear

We celebrate your coming – it’s been a brilliant year

As seasons pass and all come to know your name

May happiness forever have its origin in Thane

(by Peter Waterman)

Ring Warming

A ring warming ceremony is a nice way to involve everyone at the wedding and the idea behind it is quite inspiring. At the start of the ceremony I’d usually say “our bride and groom are going to exchange rings today as a sign of their love and commitment. We would like to pass the rings around; just hold them in your hand for a few seconds and wish them something that is good and beautiful for their marriage before passing them on to the next person. They ask that you don’t lose them.” This usually takes between 5-10 minutes and the rings always seem to be back at the front before the ring exchange happens.