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Hitched!
Just a quick update in order to post a few photos from the Big Day! We had a perfect weekend, which began on Thursday night when our respective families met for the first time over Chinese food. Everyone seemed to get along extremely well, and the conversation flowed easily across the table and followed us to a relaxed little bar.
Friday was Rhona’s hens/bachelorette party, and they went to something called Puppetry of the Penis. For a description you’ll have to check them out online, but it seems everyone had a good time.
Saturday was the main event. We awoke to rain, but the sun eventually poked through and it was a perfect day. The wedding was in the Botanic Gardens with views across the harbor to the Opera House and Sydney Harbor Bridge. After the ceremony we popped the corks on several bottles of champagne and proceeded to walk to Café Sydney – near the Opera House. It was a slow amble as we stopped often for photos.
The reception was another low-key event where everyone simply stood around talking for 5 hours – aided by plenty of alcohol. We closed the place down, and finally left around midnight.
Sunday was a casual barbecue at Rhona’s parents’ house, which entailed sausages on the grill and plenty of champagne and beer. However, we didn’t come close to eating all the snacks or drinking all the alcohol, so it’s a shame we were leaving the country so soon afterwards.
Monday we picked up our marriage certificate and Rhona changed her name on a few documents. We also received our photos from the photographer, and finished packing.
Tuesday morning we were up at 4:15 in order to get to the airport for a 7:10 flight to Cairns and then on to Tokyo. The check-in counter in Cairns wouldn’t let us board the flight to Tokyo with one-way tickets, so we were forced to purchase flights back to Cairns which we have no intention of using. In fact, we just canceled those flights today.
We’ve had one full day in Japan where we tried to deal with issues at the Australian, German, and Chinese embassies – with varying degrees of success. The rest of the day was spent indoors out of the rain and looking through wedding photos.
I hope to post more in the near future, but these should give you a bit of a feel for the day. Rhona looked gorgeous, everything went as we had hoped, and it was beautiful weather – a perfect day.
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Hey Brett and Rhona,
Congratulations… the pictures are beautiful!! What a gorgeous setting. I only have one complaint (seems like I am frequently commenting on technical issues!) The first 3 pictures on the right hand side after your written portion are halfway covered by your “categories/recent posts” section so I can’t actually see the “painting of the eye” or who Rhona is kissing… aside from that everything looks great & I appreciate you not making us wait four months to get a sneak peek at the festivities.
Congratulations to both of you! You look so happy! The pictures are amazing, and I wish you both a lifetime of joy and happiness! Since I didn’t get to mail you a card, I will give you just one piece of advice from someone who has been married 17 years…Always keep the laughter present in your lives and you can’t help but grow old together with a smile!
Congratulations again, and best wishes!
Congrats! The photos are great.
WOW!! CONGRATULATIONS to both of you! NIce to see those loving pictures! Wonderful moment with gorgeous people. All the best!
Congratulations Rhona and Brett! It is so nice to see you both so happy in the photos and beginning another phase of your life together. You look SO HAPPY.
Sheri
Rhona, you look beautiful. Brett…. uhhh, you provide wonderful contrast to compliment your beautiful wife.
It looks like we missed a great time, I wish Jean and I could have been there. Congratulations.
Brett,
Congrats to you both. Looks like the weather cooperated. Best Wishes.
Matt & Jane
We are so happy for you. The photos were wonderful, a beautiful day for a beautiful couple
Congratulations Brett!
Doing some clean up at my new place and came across this site to see your pics of your wedding. Couldn’t be happier for the great leader of the Mountains and Monasteries trip I so enjoyed in 2005.
I wish you and your spouse great happiness in a world that is not all wild.
I have retired to the Kitsap Peninsula west of Seattle for the time being, though the cold and wet seasons I have travelled in S. E. Asia and India plus Sri Lanka the last two years.
Laurence