Weekend wedding celebrations in Mandurah

We just celebrated a special weekend.

Our close friends Youngy and Ally tied the knot after five years together. They had decided several months ago that they wanted a small, simple, no-fuss kind of do in Mandurah by the marina. So small and low-key, that aside from their two daughters, Micky and I were honoured to be their only guests. And we didn’t serve just as guests; we were their witnesses, music composers, and I was also hairstylist to the bridesmaids and had the slightly bigger responsibility of wedding photographer. There’s a first time for everything I suppose and what fun we had....

We were all ready at 2pm. We’d spent the late morning slowly getting ready to an 80's mix playlist. Then we walked the five minute trail along the boardwalk to the hut on the jetty overlooking the ocean which was the location for the ceremony (just in front of our hotel). I stumbled upon the location back in May when the four of us were there for the weekend. Micky and I did a tour of the Mandurah foreshore on some rented bikes and and approached this gorgeous lonely-looking, rustic hut on the end of a jetty which was partly secluded with beautiful ocean views, and I thought it would be perfect alternative for them.

It was the perfect day for them with perfect weather.

At 33 degrees, the sun was glaring but there was also a slight breeze coming from the water.

Ally wore a long strapless, silk gown with a cobalt blue sash and blue suede wedges to match and add a comfortable edge. The bridesmaids wore cute ivory dresses with matching blue sashes and ribbons and they all carried yellow tulip bouquets. The groom and best man wore dark suits with matching cobalt blue ties.

The service which was carried out by a celebrant-friend was lovely and sincere. 
There were a few tears floating amongst us. In fact, I don’t think there was a dry tear in the hut.

After the ceremony and signing, we celebrated their brand new nuptials with champagne!



Even little Lacey, (their 20 month old daughter), enjoyed a little skull!

I snapped another 100 or so photos.....

Keeping in line with the colour theme, I wore a cobalt blue dress to match the party which I'd coincidentally bought before the wedding was planned. Funny also as I'd bought the dress from an Australian womens' clothes shop appropriately called ‘Ally’.

Then we walked back to our hotel with passersby admiring the bride and groom and bridesmaids. In true laid-back Aussie style, the bride and groom and Micky got out of their wedding attire and changed into casual clothes and then the cakes were cut and we scoffed our faces on white iced chocolate wedding cake.

Later we went out for a wedding dinner to celebrate more.

First family wedding in Perth

Went to my first West Aussie wedding last weekend. A cousin of Mickys got married in a big church ceremony in Fremantle in front of a hundred or so guests. The ceremony was probably the most religious I’ve witnessed but very lovely from the bride and groom saying their vows from memory, to the readings (including one from on Micky’s mum), to the funny Irish priests’ humour throughout the ceremony and the cute little flower girls in tutus who walked down the aisle by the grooms' six year old son. I had a tear in my eye during the vows which is funny as I hardly know the couple - I have only met the groom a few times. The bride Anna wore a gorgeous vintage-looking tiered lace dress, a style I haven't seen before and she looked elegant and relaxed. The bridesmaids wore a light pink satin strapless floor length dresses.

The weather was quite typical for the time of year, around 20 degrees but a little cloudy and some rain later in the afternoon, it is officially winter in Australia now. After the service, strawberry cream and sponge cake was served outside the church on the lawn which was a lovely and different idea to serve cake at this time I thought.

The wedding reception was held at the Cottesloe Beach Hotel facing the Indian Ocean right on the seafront, a prime location for a wedding. After drinks on arrival in the cocktail lounge, dinner was served in the next door dining room with three long rows of tables seating and feeding around 120 guests with a seafood starter, salmon or pork main and a sticky toffee pudding dessert - all very good. There were lots of speeches, five or six if I remember correctly presented in between courses. I have attended two Australian weddings now and at both the brides have made speeches. Apparently it's common for Aussie brides to do a speech. The brides’ speech was incredibly heartfelt and not scripted even if it was long. The Aussies know how to party just like us and there was lots of dancing and drinking with some break-dancing later on from younger cousins which commanded the attention from everyone, even grandparents were throwing shapes! I seem to notice a pattern in the number of Micky’s relatives asking “you two must be next...?” which is met with an awkward ummm silence or I did actually enquire to one cousin that there are 100 cousins in the family, surely there must be another cousin in the family due to get married next? Moving on swiftly, the day was a lot of fun and the bride and groom looked chuffed to bits.