Bazikki - A Unique Beach Wedding

Baz proposed to Nikki at the summit of Tabletop Mountain in Cape Town, South Africa. Baz had just finished a trans Atlantic Ocean race and Nikki had flown from Australia to be with him. It was at this special place, where they saw the waters of the Atlantic Ocean meld into those of the Indian Ocean, that Nikki happily agreed to be his wife.

Their wedding ceremony spoke of their love of the outdoors, and especially the sea. South Gorge Beach at Stradbroke Island is a beautiful little cove and the venue for the ceremony. The weather the preceding week had been horrific  - rain, rain and more rain. As Trish and I travelled over on the barge it was still raining and I was thinking that plan B was to be put into action. However when I arrived the rain ceased and Baz was determined for the wedding to happen on the beach. And what a brilliant decision it turned out to be.  There were about 120 guests, mostly barefooted and a two hour dry “window” without any wind or rain made conditions perfect. The sands of time were perfectly aligned.

One of the lovely things they did was to go around to each guest during the ceremony with a vase. People were asked to give them a special wish for their marriage and place some sand into the vase. I began proceedings by wishing them “sore mouths from smiling.” It took 6-7 minutes for them to go around the group. We played some music while this was happening and the crowd was entertained by a swarm of bees that were attacking the groomsmen. They told me later that the few seconds spent with each of their guests and receiving those personal wishes was very special for them and something they will always treasure.

I remember saying that they will use that vase as a doorstop – one to keep their front door always open as a sign of welcome to their family and friends.

After the ceremony the eskies containing beers and champagne were opened and people happily mixed for about an hour on the beach toasting the wonderful “Bazikki.”

That was on the 6^th March 2010 – a magical afternoon indeed.

Kelly and Tony - Accidental Facebook Poke Changes Lives

Kelly lived in Melbourne. Tony lived in Sydney. They didn’t know each other. One day Kelly was searching for a bike and visited her friend Geoff’s facebook site in the hope that her friend, who was a cyclist, had some ideas. She noticed a picture of a handsome man with an amazing smile on Geoff’s site. She clicked on the picture to make it larger but in doing so accidentally poked Tony, the bearer of the smile. Tony thought “who is this strange person poking me?” So he replied asking if they knew each other. Kelly was very apologetic explaining that she thought he had a great smile and just wanted to enlarge the photo.

They chatted about their mutual friend Geoff, discovered they had probably met briefly through work about four years earlier and ended up exchanging phone numbers. That night Tony rang Kelly and they spoke for an hour. Numerous (and longer) conversations followed during the week. They also checked with Geoff to see if the person they were talking to was indeed normal. Geoff gave the good oil to them both that they were talking to a person who was indeed over endowed with normal genes and felt they would like each other.

As fate had it Tony was coming to Melbourne for work that Friday and Tony asked if they could meet. Kelly had arranged to catch up with a couple of friends at the Albert Park Hotel and Kelly suggested he join them. Tony happily did and after he and Kelly dined at St Kilda and they talked till closing at 3am. They had truly found their soul mates.

After five months of an interstate romance and commuting Kelly said it was becoming difficult for her; she wanted someone full time. Tony asked if that was her only problem and she replied that it was. He booked her a plane flight to Sydney, he had his bags packed and they drove back together in his car to Melbourne, from where Tony then based himself to work. That was in 2008. They were married on 3^rd October 2009 in Melbourne’s Botanic Gardens, a lovely ceremony with family and friends attending. The vows they shared that day were beautiful, part of them are here below;

I want you to know that you are a precious gift and that you bring so much to my life.

I will always be there as your partner, lover and friend as we embrace the experiences of life together. I promise always to respect your needs and individuality. I will endeavour through kindness, patience, unselfishness and trust to achieve a warm rich life shared together. This commitment is made in love, kept in faith, lived in hope and made eternally new.

I just recently heard from Kelly and Tony (who are a brilliant couple) – their lives have changed significantly. They are living in Sydney, Kelly has her own Promotional Products company “Blah Creative” and Tony is the national buyer for Harvey Norman accessories. And best of all, they are expecting their first child – 26^th January next year, Australia Day – how good is that.

Alan Waterman - A Humorous Man

As a young boy in Australia I remember hearing stories of my Uncle Alan’s feats as a dart player – how he used to go to the showgrounds and win all the prizes with dart throwing; how he used to live next door to the pub and when in there playing darts and having a pint, his wife Margaret would bang on the wall letting him know when dinner was ready.

I had the privilege of spending time with my uncle Alan five years ago when Trish and I travelled to Dorset, the county where my father and his four brothers and three sisters were born. I caught up with not only Alan but other uncles John and Alby. Since my last visit John and Alby have both passed away.

In June this year we returned to Dorset and caught up with Alan in his home in Wareham. Alan is a funny man and we enjoyed his company. He lives with his faithful dog Nico, that he walks up to three times a day. He reckons Nico eats a lot more than him. We interviewed him on film to bring back to my parents here in Australia who are unable to travel at this stage of their life (Dad is 95 and Mum 88). I asked Alan if my Mum was a film star who would she remind him of. Without hesitation he said “Maureen O’Hara.” Must be Mum’s wild Irish looks! I knew he had a picture of Maureen O’Hara there so I said “have you got Maureen O’Hara here?”

“Yes, matter of fact she’s in the next room!” he responded.  We spent most of our time laughing with Alan. He thought my Dad looked like Charles Bronson. At various stages in the interview I would attempt to close it off by saying something like “thanks Alan for talking to us today.” Alan would then continue on with another story which was all very interesting and entertaining.

We returned to Australia in July and sadly we received news that Alan had passed away suddenly on August 14^th peacefully at home. These are a few words that Steve, his eldest son, said at the funeral;

“Alan prided himself on his personal sartorial style; never knowingly being seen without a jaunty hat. With this perceived gift he felt he was suitably qualified to shop for stylish anoraks for his only daughter. These cutting edge fashion items came in glorious shocking pink, bright red and most recently, in the sort of green only safely worn in sporting sunglasses. Shelley has just broken cover and admitted to all, that when she wore one of the said items, it was only from the bottom of her dad’s steps to his front door and then only after checking that nobody was in sight. This of course shows Alan’s kind hearted and generous spirit.”

We do feel fortunate that we were able to spend that time with my fabulous uncle and we have ten minutes video footage of him, that to all of us and especially my Dad, Alan’s brother Cliff, is priceless.

Nikki and Tony - The Moonlight Did It

Tony had never met Nikki, but Nikki had seen him on TV. For eight years Tony was a presenter on Good Morning Australia – the national TV show on Channel Nine. And Nikki thought Tony was truly handsome (as did probably the rest of the female population in Australia).

It was many years later when their paths eventually crossed. Tony was doing a breakfast radio program on what is now Radio 94 Jazz FM at Sanctuary Cove. Nikki ran a Saturday evening music program and was at the station one morning organising her music when Tony spotted Nikki through the glass window of the studio. Tony said to his co-host at the time “that’s the girl for me.” Another Thursday morning came and there was a power blackout and Nikki and Tony talked; Tony asked her if she’d like to go out for a drink one night. Nikki hesitated for a couple of nano seconds before enthusiastically agreeing.  On their first date they crossed a small bridge leading from Fisherman’s Wharf to a restaurant and, under the light of a full moon, they kissed. Needless to say it must have been a great kiss.

While travelling to Vietnam one time Tony asked Nikki’s father for permission to ask her to marry him. However it was a whole year later before any asking occurred. They were on a cruise of the Baltic and Tony was running a quiz show and during the show asked Nikki to be his wife. She was happily stunned.

Their marriage was memorable. It occurred around the pool in their home at Sorrento, on the Gold Coast. When Trish and I arrived forty five minutes before the ceremony Tony and a couple of his mates were casually swimming in the pool.  And so it was that the handsome Tony and beautiful Nikki were married under the light of a full moon. And as they expressed their heartfelt vows to each other in the background the stereo reverberated with the tuneful words “that moon glow gave me you.”