Robyn Pattison

Claire & Pedro - fabulous, fun, feast for the senses

2012-04-05T09:36:00.000+10:00

Oh Claire & Pedro, I love you! I love you for the gorgeous portugese tarts Pedro presented me with on the day of the wedding - in case there were none left for me, after the ceremony. For the huge mound of chocolate wedding cake you brought me the next day. (Yes, there's a pattern, people - bring me food). I love you for your wonderful sense of humour, for one of the best proposal stories I have ever heard.

I love you for your united-nations wedding - where virtually everyone had flown in from some far-flung overseas country ( and I was desperate to make it worth their while) . For the gorgeous super bright orange bridesmaids and the matching orange converse on the boys. I love you for the wonderful seamless way that we blended cultures, personalities, family history - portugese tarts and eastern tea ceremony

I love you for the way you completely and utterly gave me licence to celebrate with you, to laugh with you and because, even though I practised rolling the r's in Pedro, a zillion times, you wouldn't have been mad at me if I got it wrong.

I love you for the sheer joy I felt in being a part of something that was so colourful, so bright in it's tone, and so absolutely, positively you. I love you for the giggle we had at the end, when everyone thought it was all over - and then you turned your backs on everyone, Pedro lifted his pants and revealed a texta message on his shoes. JUST MARRIED.

Actually, there's just about nothing that i don't love about you two. Happy dance!

And while, I'm spreading the love, Matthew Mead, all round nice guy and master of the camera, I love you too - for capturing the sunshiny glory of this beautiful day in all the colour and joy I remember!

Nguyen & Teak, under the fig tree.....

2012-03-21T14:30:00.000+11:00

I always have fun at my weddings. I always find joy in celebrating different people, and helping in my own little way to share it with every guest. I want each and every person at one of my ceremonies to walk away feeling like they know each couple just a little better than they did before. Maybe that helps them to be just a little more excited.

Nguyen and Teak made that so easy for me. Even though they are based in London, and we did virtually everything via Skype and email, I got a really good feel for what delightful people they are - and found myself every bit as delighted on the day as I would have been had I met with them in person, over and over again. Funnily enough, even as far away as London, they were referred to me by another couple, dear to my heart, that I had married a couple years prior, Helen and Kai. They moved to London, met Teak and Nguyen, and sent them to me. Very, Very Small World!

I spend a lot of time, these days under the beautiful big fig tree across the road from Dunbar House at Watsons Bay. It's a beautiful venue, despite the beach going rubber-neckers usually right behind us.

Nguyen and her lovely bridesmaids were settling in to the bridal room with drinks, and the great fellows from GM Photographics , who took these beautiful photos ( thanks, guys!) before the ceremony and I was able to go in , have chat, make sure everyone's nerves were good - they were - and hug everyone before the ceremony. The boys had already been whipped into shape and reassured that I would take care of everything!

Nguyen was utterly elegant, completely natural, without any signs of nervousness - and looking beautiful. Her super-simple cream lace dress was divine. That girl has style.

There were laughs, they were tears and an overwhelming sense of everything being exactly as it should be, as we celebrated Teak and Nguyen, on an early January evening.

And as they walked back up the aisle as husband and wife, after many, many years together, it was written all over their lovely faces!

See! Look how happy they are!

Nguyen & Teak I'm sending you oooooooooo's and xxxxxxxxxx's across the ocean, and smiling as I do!

Zoe & David- super-duper-gorgeous-sweet

2012-03-06T15:59:00.000+11:00

Some people are soooo huggable! Zoe and David are those people. Sweet and friendly, and funny and easy to get along with. Every moment spent with these two absolutely delightful people was a treat.

We really had fun.

Their October wedding at Mandalay Lane Cove was tears one minute, laughs the next. We had worried about rain, but the morning sky held out and we were able to have our ceremony outside - which was good, because we had balloons to release in honour of the sheer good luck of them finding each other!

I remember telling everyone that Zoe was the emotional one, David was the calm one. A moment later, a teary David interrupted me to say that clearly that did not apply today! He was the emotional one - which of course, set everyone else off.....( and then we al laughed about it!) He was just so happy... the way he should be! There was a lot of love floating around! Zoe, who looked just like a princess, just beamed the whole time.

They were so beautiful, so sweet, so utterly delightful, that I hated dragging myself away - but I got a big hug in there, first! ( and from the car, on their way t there hotel, post reception, they called and made my day by saying that I had made theirs!)

Zoe & David, Thankyou! You make my heart sing!

Lillian, Hinson & the Brangelina moment!

2012-02-24T22:55:00.000+11:00

Meet Lillian and Hinson. I had a lovely, lovely time with these two - and their friendly, fun bridal party - and even their guests!

This was one of those ceremonies where everything is easy. Hinson was beaming, happy and relaxed from the moment I laid eyes on him. Lillian and her girls looked beautiful, excited and happy.

The bridesmaids wore coral - which seemed to be the colour of the year - and the most difficult colour to co-ordinate with, until I bought this dress, that seems to go with everything! Hurrah for this dress!

I had written them a ceremony that was light and funny and friendly , and I could tell the guests were enjoying themselves... and then it happened. I accidentally called Lillian, Hillian! Hinson plus Lillian equals Hillian. Oops! So what did I do? I said it again. Hillian. I turned to them both and told them it was their very own Brangelina moment! Everybody laughed - it was pretty funny. (I bet it makes the video!)

We kept laughing and smiling the whole time, and watched as they let go two huge red balloons into the sky, to honour the legend of the red strings.

November was an incredibly busy month for me. I did so many weddings I felt like I never stopped. But I don't get tired. I don't get worn out. I certainly don't get sick of it. People like Lillian and Hinson keep me smiling and excited every time. I might have done a lot of weddings that week, but I only did one Hinson and Lillian. No wonder I hugged them when I left :) xxxxx

up, up and away!!!!!

a huge thank you - again - to the fabulous, funny and super clever Vincent Lai, for these gorgeous photos of Hillian - oops, I mean, Hinson & Lillian xxxxxx

Veronika & Robert - and the nudist beach!

2012-02-10T14:07:00.000+11:00

Meet Veronika and Robert. (They are really, really sweet)

Veronika came here ( from Slovakia) to Sydney to study English. Robert followed her over because life was no good without her. They decided to get married while they were here, and I was lucky enough to do the best bit! I had to hug her almost as soon as I met her. She was utterly delightful, and although there was a little language barrier at times, we got there!

There were some giggles along the way. Lots of them.

Imagine a couple from overseas, unfamiliar with Sydney's little secrets, who stumble upon a "deserted beach" and decide it would be perfect for their casual holiday wedding. ( On the day they found the beach - Little CongWong - it was wet and cool) Imagine their surprise to revisit the spot on a sunny day and find it FULL of nudists! As it was on the wedding day....

Imagine the sight of Robert and Veronika and myself, sitting in a pub beer garden, whilst they give me a beginners (phonetic) lesson in Slovak. Believe me - Cantonese and Mandarin are easy.......

They'd say the words and I would repeat them back, over and over again, until I kind-of sort-of got them right. Why? Because Veronika's mother was at home in Slovakia, thinking of her daughter and had written a letter for her for the big day. It was a long letter. I did my best....

Imagine the poor photographer, Felipe Dorlhiac as he tried to find a safe place to shoot his photos with a minimum of err appendages in the back ground, and videographer Tedy Sutanto in the same pickle.

There's something funny about men on nudist beaches. Women are reasonably modest. Men are out there. Right out. And they won't sit down. So every know and again, we would catch one just (deliberately) cruising through the background.

None of it mattered. The guests - all travellers - had a beer in their hands and a smile on their faces. The bride slithered into a slinky (blue) g-string that one of the guests brought her as a gift, behind the rocks, and over what she was already wearing - and we laughed a lot. (They may have been laughing at my Slovak, but I was laughing because being there was so gorgeous!)

When Veronika first met me, she started to call me "Our Wedding Angel". Yep, I'll wear that one, too.

Veronika and Robert xxxxxx

Thanks for the lovely photos Felipe!

Sarah & Nick - a winter wedding by the beach!

2012-02-04T12:07:00.000+11:00

Oooh! I loved Sarah and Nick! Such lovely, lovely people.

The soldier and the doctor, who lived in Townsville and decided to have a July wedding. In Sydney. At Balmoral. At 4:30pm. BYO wetsuit for warmth.....Brrrrr

And it was freezing. I think my back went into spasm as I shivered away - and Sarah's very, very kind mum insisted I wrap myself up for the signing - and I gave in, and did as I was told.

But apart from that, there was nothing I would change about this lovely winter moment. Nothing. It was heartfelt - the warmth was between them and their families - and romantic - without a skerrick of cheese. Which as you know, I love - but only on a cracker - and never at your wedding. I loved that Sarah braved the cold for the ceremony, but that she didn't expect her bridesmaids to - and they wore red velvet dresses and little cream cardigans. Super cute and absolutely practical. That Nick's face absolutely shone at the sight of his Sarah coming down the aisle. And that from the moment we first spoke, they seemed to trust me completely to give them a ceremony much, much better than they had ever expected. So I did!

Proof that Sarah and Nick are truly warm and wonderful people? When we first met - in person - instead of Skype - and I warned them that my 3 year old would be home, and could possibly be feral, they said "no worries". And when he came in, to say hello, absolutely and completely pants-less, they didn't even blink. Not once. xxxxxx

Simon & Chantel! (For Like Ever!)

2012-01-22T17:18:00.001+11:00

Meet Simon and Chantel! I love them. They are spunky and fun, and determined and easy-going, all at once. They married (with a little help from me) in October 2011, but we first met in February 2010, when they came home from London, for a wedding planning holiday. We met for a chat, and got on really well, and there began months and months of back and forth chatting. They changed their minds about their ceremony venue many times - "close to Boy Charlton Pool, but not cheesy, no Sydney landmarks in the background, good photo locations, something different..." and got disappointed when Chantel would discover something and find it was booked or she had too many guests to fit in it! Finally, they settled upon the Palm House in the Botanic Gardens, because we had a rainy day backup, and lucky we did!

Chantel was a big blogger, and somewhat addicted to the odd twitter rant, so by the time they arrived home from London in April 2011, I felt like I was working with old friends. (Which is such a nice feeling) I was determined to give them way more than they had bargained for. Which, is of course, exactly what they deserved.

I loved their big day. I loved that Chantel kept great humour, and laughed about it, as their way down the aisle was delayed by her mother's broken shoe. I loved that Simon warned me that he would probably be the blubberer, and he did - a little. I loved that even though they did their homework and we worked on the ceremony together, I could tell that hearing it, for the first time still caught them by surprise. I loved that they trusted me to do my thing, without question.

Chantel looked beautiful. Really beautiful. Simon was dapper and cool. The bridesmaids and groomsmen were friendly and delightful. The mums hugged me. Everyone hugged me.

There is nothing about this moment that I would change - and these two will always be very, very special to me. Fact. (Shame it's over, really)

Chantel thinks I look cheeky in this shot.....

Ok, so maybe I got a little carried away with photos, but Chantel sent me a ton, and much-adored Brisbane photographer Jonas Peterson did a great job, so why not share!

Gerald & Judy .....in the Rose Gardens

2012-01-10T22:26:00.000+11:00

When Gerald first contacted me about his September wedding to Judy, he told me that some of his best friends were one of my all-time favourite couples - Mark & Kweeyin, who I married in my first year of being a celebrant. I was so excited at the chance to help some of their friends - and to see them again.

I love a reunion! Everything was so easy in the lead up to the big day, though they did leave everything to the last minute ( They weren't the first to have me worried, and no doubt, they won't be the last, either!) Judy kept worrying about the weather, but Gerald wasn't worried about anything. He was going to marry the girl he had waited ten years for. Nothing would have wiped the big smiles off his face. Nothing!

As it was, the weather was a little iffy on the day and we decided to err on the side of caution and bring the ceremony undercover to the pavilion, which is such handy back-up of the Rose Gardens. So the smattering of rain didn't bother us at all - and everything else was beautiful. Judy looked absolutely stunning - all modern and traditional at the same time in off-white lace with bit of a fish tail. Gerald and the boys were every bit the gentlemen.

It was simple. It was heartfelt and it was just lovely to be surrounded by such delightful people. Did I get my reunion? Yes! I did. Hugs all round!

Thanks to Pepper Image for these photos. They were speedy too I looooove photographers who give me photos soon after the ceremony. Love it! Wish there were more.......

The day I married my father! ( No, no, not like that!)

2012-01-06T20:20:00.001+11:00

So, my father calls me into his office - at the end of September - and he says to me "Robbie, what Fridays do you have free in November", and I said to him "only the 25th!" He replied, "I'll take it. I'll get married on that day", and with that quick conversation, he handed the entire thing over to me. The planning. The organising. The guest list. Everything. Aaaah! In almost any other month of the year, this would have been a big job, but in November, it was a huge job.

So I called in my dream team. My friends..... Amy Chan to do all the hair and makeup for the bride and bridesmaids - and ever so kindly, she did me over too. Thanks Amy! xxxxxx And the delightful and super-talented Elaine Chew of Butterfly Philosophy for all the gorgeous flowers. I knew she would just know what I wanted, without me having to think about it. And Milena Dekic, sweet gorgeous photographer extraordinaire of I Love Wednesdays to capture it all. With me in charge of the ceremony - and everything else - we had it under control.
We planned to do the ceremony overlooking the water at Drummoyne. We planned for a sunshiny day - (of course we did) - but we got the wettest week we had had in ages. Torrential rain, for the whole day - except - miraculously - the 30 minutes or so we needed for a midday ceremony. It sprinkled a little, but only a little....
It wasn't the easiest ceremony to write. Dad isn't what you'd call romantic. Lily is very quiet. We had 60 guests that I knew - or who at least knew who I was. It had to be good. I had to get it right. It had to be believable. And once I got started, I really quite enjoyed it. Dad had to do as I told him - for once. I was able to get them all laughing - him too. And I got to see the reactions of all of them - because none of them really knew I had it in me! ( That was fun!)
As soon as the ceremony was over and poor Milena had stood as high on her toes as she possibly could to get a photo of everyone together, we raced back upstairs to the restaurant for what turned out to be a really great afternoon, on a really dark, unbelievably wet afternoon.

And all day, I had to keep reminding myself not to say the following "I married my father, today!" For obvious reasons.

thank you , thank you lovely Milena Dekic of http://www.ilovewednesdays.com/ for taking such lovely photos of my Dad's wedding!

Pete & Candi - and the day I became "the wedding pixie"

2012-01-03T22:10:00.001+11:00

I like it! "The Wedding Pixie!" I'm keeping it......

Meet the undeniably gorgeous Peter and Candice. They nicknamed me The Wedding Pixie.

(Maybe because I am a bit short. Maybe because I can't help but sprinkle happy dust over my weddings. Maybe because I flit around a bit......)

This wedding Pixie loooooves them to bits and pieces. For so many reasons.....

1. Everything about them is fun. They are friendly and warm - and absolutely huggable.

And so are their families. I hugged some of them, too.

2. From the moment I met them in a dodgy park in Beverley Hills, for our first chat, I knew we were a perfect match. I couldn't wait to celebrate them they way they deserved to be celebrated.

3. They did their homework. Really did it. They took the micky out of themselves, confessed to who they really are and had a giggle, and gave me the opportunity to truly celebrate them in every way possible.

4. Because Candice thinks every little bruise on her elbow might just need an x-ray, and because Pete always leaves a little bit of mashed potato on his plate for Candice.....

5. When Pete accidentally promised to "turn on" Candice instead of turning to her, they laughed, hysterically. Candice pretty much did a full backbend she thought it was so funny. We all did! It was one of the highlights of the whole day. Actually, they laughed the whole time. We all did.

It was a Gunners Barracks wedding. We did the ceremony down on the lawn, on the most beautiful August afternoon. It was warm and sunny, even though it was 4:30pm. Look at Candice's beautiful soft layered lace gown. She looked stunning - and somehow, all vintage elegant and modern at the same time. The bridesmaids had gorgeous short sequinned dresses that reminded me of 1920's flappers. All the details had a lovely DIY feel to them. A perfect, wonderful, day. Fabulosity at its very, very best!

Pete & Candi - thankyou! xxxxxxxx

I absolutely love these beautiful photos from Matt Johnson. Absolutely exactly the way I remember this beautiful August afternoon - with all the light and joy in the world.......

Merry Christmas! Thankyou for an amazing year.....(again)

2011-12-24T20:09:00.001+11:00

To all the wonderful people I have met and married over the last three incredible years - Thankyou. You have inspired me to challenge myself in ways I didn't know I could, to stay up late typing away every night, to say goodbye to weekends off and to embrace a new life made better every day, by each couple I am privileged to help. You give me the drive to make every wedding I do, feel like the only wedding I have ever done. You have brought me moments of sheer joy, and delight. You have wrapped me up in the love, I have wrapped you in, and sometimes, you have brought me to happy tears. This wedding pixie feels like a fairy godmother every single time.

You even turned me into an award winner, voting so furiously, with such determination that I just won the Australian Bridal Industry Academy Award for Best Marriage Celebrant in NSW. There aren't any words to describe quite how that feels. But believe me, it's good. Very, very good.

Merry Christmas Newlyweds! Please all of you, stay in touch. You are loved.

To the amazing people that I have met along the way - hurrah for you! You have made it a treat to show up at each wedding and find a friendly photographer shooting away. Or a videographer not too shy to help me hide that microphone under my clothes - and some that found it hilarious (and facebooked about it later). Florists, your beautiful flowers make my brides really, really happy. Makeup artists, you give my girls the courage to face all those people, as they come down the aisle looking like a more glorious version of themselves. You have turned a solitary job into one that feels more like a part of a community, with every wedding I do. I have people to chat with, people who share my lack of social life and revel in the joys that I do.

Merry Christmas everyone - I can't wait to see what the New Year holds for us all.

And PS. Thanks especially to my dear friend Len of www.ilovewednesdays.com for this lovely photo, taken at my father's November wedding (that's another story altogether) and to the utterly glorious Amy Chan who fixed the kink in my hair and worked her magic on me, too!

The biggest thanks of all to my lovely little family - my husband Tor - who reminds me quite often that there is only room enough for one person in our house that truly loves their work - and that is me - and supports me unfailingly. And my two little boys, Joshua and Aiden, who simultaneously drive me completely nuts and make me want to hug them all day long. Lucky xxxxxx

Beck & Harry - the things that make you go aaaah!

2011-12-17T22:33:00.000+11:00

Meet Beck and Harry. I cannot imagine a couple more loved up, more delightful, and more enthusiastic about...everything. I think I teared up in the first 15 minutes of meeting them, and writing their ceremony was one of those warm and gushy moments that made me so glad that I send out the right vibe. Whatever it is that I do, it brings me the most beautiful couples to work with. It's the reason I get so much joy from my work.
Beck and Harry brought me all their treasures when we first met. Its the first time a couple have done their homework BEFORE I asked for it! I was super impressed.... ( and really honoured that they be so excited to work with me).
The wedding itself was supposed to be at Blackwattle Bay, but this Sydney summer was not sticking to the script, so we made the decision to have the wedding at home, in a small garden abundant in blue agapanthus. It turned out to be absolutely beautiful, and funnily enough, everyone seemed to be colour co-ordinated to the garden - all in shades of blue and purple. This was a small family wedding - absolutely intimate, and romantic, and gorgeous, gorgeous, glorious.
Harry and Beck arrived hand in hand, together and came to join me. Beck's lovely short gown was beautiful and perfect for her - and showed off her fabulous teal suede stilettos - which immediately sunk into the ground. So I got down on my knees, pulled my starlettos off my own heels and stuck them onto her heels to save them. It was a giggle! I got back up off my knees and found that this beautiful and delightful and intensely moving ceremony was one of the best I have ever done.
As I slipped away to let them celebrate with their families, it was hugs all round, and I knew that I will never, ever forget December 1st, 2011.
It was too beautiful for words.

these glorious photos thanks to the lovely, lovely Yoori Rose .

Thanks Yoori - for sharing ( and sharing so quickly, too!)

beautiful Beck and Harry xxxxxxx

Shaini & Mauran - and the day I felt like a Sri Lankan Princess!

2011-12-05T22:19:00.000+11:00

This is the face of a girl having a ball!

Firstly, I absolutely love the beautiful bright colours and amazing embroidered fabrics at an Indian or Sri Lankan wedding. There is nothing so gobsmacking as a room full of saris. Better still, the opportunity to actually wear one. (But they are sooooo hard to put on, if you don't know what you are doing - and I really, really don't) So when Shaini asked me if I would wear a sari for her wedding, I was super excited!

I can't tell you how much fun it is to be "dressed", like a princess - swathes of fabric going everywhere and being bangled and bejewelled - I even had a bindi on my forehead. It was soooo much fun - and Shaini's mother and sisters, who were so helpful, were delightful.

So, all dressed up in a lavender blue sari and all the finery, I loved every minute of marrying shy Shaini and her equally quiet and reserved Mauran, at Shaini's family home with about 50 guests. Even though, Sri Lankan weddings are by nature, composed and somewhat reserved, I did manage to get a giggle out of Mauran and Shaini, and they were as relaxed as two shy people can be. After their simple ceremony was over, I joined the guests for lunch and later, two ( yes two) pieces of delicious chocolate wedding cake sneaked in with the girls in charge of cutting it - and eating it.

When I finally tore myself away, dressed like normal me, not Sri Lankan Princess me, I had had a wonderful afternoon, with an absolutely delightful group of people - ( one of which I would marry, only a month later - hello lovely Zoe! Hug fest!)

Look at Shaini's beautiful mulberry sari, embroidered in gold and bejewelled. She was absolutely stunning - head to toe!

Liz & Simon (and the funniest proposal story I have EVER heard)

2011-11-13T21:24:00.000+11:00

I looooove Liz and Simon! I had so much fun with these two, you could hardly call it work. Why? Because they made me laugh. All the time. Every time I saw them. Every time I read through their homework. The whole time I was writing their ceremony - and all the way through the Big Day.

Their proposal story is the most laugh-out-loud funny story I ever heard. So funny, so involved and so very, very thoughtful, that as I read it for the first time, at 10:30pm, first I retold it to my husband, who laughed uncontrollably, and then had to email Liz, late at night, to thank her, for the best laugh I can remember. All I can say is that it involved a video with two cats, some made up voices for those cats, a flat car battery on a very hot day, and a cruise boat. Oh, and then there were the sabre tooth squirrels.......

I loved everything about their wedding. Liz's gorgeous and super fun satin polka dotted organza dress and her completely unconventional beaded choker. Simon's huge grin - the whole time. The way they laughed and joked together through the whole ceremony. Me too.

Everything about this wedding was exactly as it should have been. Light and lovely and full of laughter.

ps - don't you just love Liz's fabulous choker? I do!

Clara & James - short & oh so sweet!

2011-11-04T09:49:00.000+11:00

Meet Clara & James!

I love, love, love a bride in a mini - there is something so fresh and fun and confident about a bride who shirks tradition and skips the long skirt. This whole wedding was just like that. Clara and James pulled their whole affair together in only a couple of months notice (well most of it - and definitely my part). When they first contacted me - we skyped - they were in Beijing - and James did ask me, would I have enough time to out something fabulous together for them, even at this short notice? I said yes, of course - and they held me to my word - we finished the ceremony with only days to spare.....

But on the day itself, everything was polished. The wedding was in the Palm House in the Botanic Gardens. There were moments of maybe, maybe not, outside - but we erred on the side of caution and headed inside. The flowers were fabulous - Aussie wildflowers - something we don't see nearly enough in a bridal bouquet. Traditional red and yellow Chinese lanterns were hanging from the rafters. A guitarist was playing in the background. The bridesmaids wore lemon and had corsages pinned to their dresses instead of bouquets. James and the groomsmen wore waistcoats - they looked pretty dapper and much more comfortable without a jacket. The red and yellow colour scheme was really working the room!

Clara made her entrance at the doorway, unaccompanied, so James walked to meet her and they came down the aisle together. Very relaxed and unconventional. The ceremony was a little bit funny, a little bit romantic - but no over the top stuff - and the guests really seemed to be enjoying it as much as we were.

I had a ball at this one - Clara and James, thank you, thank you! (Even though you made me sweat on it all right til the very last minute! xxx)

Thankyou oh-so-much to the delightful Anna Zhu of Anna Zhu Photography for these lovely light filled shots of Clara & James and their bright and breezy day.

Carly & Chris in the Chinese Gardens of Friendship

2011-10-15T20:51:00.001+11:00

Can a wedding be glamorous and laid back at exactly the same? YES! It can. This lovely March afternoons in the Chinese Gardens at Darling Harbour with Carly and Chris proved that - it was gorgeous!

It had to be, really - virtually all of the guests had flown in from every state of Australia - and New Zealand too - to be here for the Big Day. When people have gone to such great effort to be there, it better be good - it really had!

And there's the bit about it taking 14 years to get to the big day.......

Fortunately, pleasing Carly and Chris and all their lovely guests was easy. They are big travellers - so they gave me wonderful, real, funny stories to tell from their memories. Some good. Some kind-of-bad at the time, but funny now. All worth telling.

The glam factor? Oh, easy. Carly. Looking utterly screen-siren incredible in her gorgeous satin gown with her elegant 40s up-do and the smack of bright red lipstick, flanked by her bridesmaids in satin pewter. That little dash of red was everywhere. Red berries amongst cream roses. The tiniest splash on the boy's buttonholes. I matched up with red bracelets and a silver grey dress. Everything looked lovely - and as you can see, once they started doing their photos in the gardens, it all looked amazing amongst all the green.

The laid back bit? Carly and Chris wanted to have a great time. To celebrate with their friends and their family their good luck. The happiness was written all over their faces. No stress. Plenty of laughs.

And a very happy me that skipped away at the end, feeling once again, like I had sprinkled a little fairy dust behind me.....

a huge thank you to photographer Simon Harrington for the absolutely beautiful pics of Carly and Chris. When a whole disk of fabulous photos arrived in the mail with a thank you card from Chris and Carly, I was beside myself - completely and utterly spoilt for choice with all the amazing photos!!!!!!

Kylle & Greg - absolute sunshine on a dark, grey day!

2011-09-23T08:22:00.001+10:00

Every now and again, you come across someone who is so shiny and bubbly, they are like sunshine walking into the room. That's Kylle. I defy anyone not to smile on the inside whilst in her presence. From her very first email, I was determined that we were a perfect match!

I think (I hope) she thought so too...

Aussie girl-who-lives-in LA, Kylle, and her much quieter, but secretly terribly funny, Greg, were a delight to work with. We did almost everything long distance - with a few gentle nudges from me as they got sidetracked by their home renovations - but we got there, we really did. I was excited about this wedding - I knew it would be fun.

Sydney put on a fairly stormy June evening for the Gunners Barracks wedding, but I really don't think kylle or Greg cared. And why would they? Firstly, they had friends and family fly in from everywhere to be there. Secondly, Kylle's beautiful pink Vera Wang gown with a zillion ruffles, looked even more special against the darker skies and thirdly, the lovely Adam and Kim from Cavanagh Photography made the most of the dramatic skies and came up with gorgeous photos to prove it. ( That gown was absolutely a showstopper!)

(Oh and we had bagpipes to accompany Kylle, and her Mum and Dad down the aisle. In the dark light, it was haunting, kind of goose bumpy.....)

And lastly, this was a party-style wedding where fun was top of the list. So that's what we did. We had a ball. And at the end of the ceremony, completely unbeknown to everyone, up popped a few girls in the crowd and they started singing. It was the perfect way to wrap things up! ( It reminded me of the opening scenes of Love Actually, where the musicians just appear out of the pews and start playing)

They were so happy and excited that once the paperwork assigned, they headed straight inside - for celebrations with their friends. Who needs to be announced? "They already know we're married" said Greg. Let the party begin!

I could not have wished for a more delightful moment to brighten up a cold day - or a more gorgeous, bubbly, wonderful couple to share it with. Kylle and Greg xxxxxxxxxxxxx

yes, I do look a bit on the pale side here, but I was so cold ( happy, but really, really cold) that I can be forgiven!

here's a close up of Kylle's glorious pink ruffles - so beautiful!

Thanks again to Adam and Kim of Cavanagh Photography for the beautiful photos of Kylle and Greg.

Josh & Laura - happy, happy, happy!

2011-09-04T20:49:00.001+10:00

Meet Josh and Laura. Here we have a couple completely, absolutely and utterly loved up! When I asked them what they loved about each other , they told me "everything!" - and they really, really meant it. They struggled to find a single thing they didn't love about each other - so they were super cute to work with.
(They also told me the best celebrant stalker story I have ever heard - and I am still quietly giggling about it now!)
They picked the first Saturday in May, and after a fairly wet April, I was delighted with the beautiful sunshiny afternoon we got. The ceremony was over the pond at Nurragingy Reserve at Doonside, and it was lovely!
Josh didn't seem the slightest bit nervous when I arrived. The first thing he said to me was "wow! you really did get the perfect purple (flower) - it matched the bridesmaids. I had been searching for a long time....Laura looked incredible - and completely calm - even as the bridesmaids and I did a bit of last minute jigging to her dress. She was laughing and smiling and looking gorgeous.
Josh walked up and accompanied his bride down the aisle - both of them beaming. Everything went perfectly from there. Except for the odd moment when my heels got stuck between the boards of the deck and I couldn't move. (It happens a lot in such places, and usually gets a laugh - from the guests - after all it isn't their heels getting skinned!)
It was light. it was friendly. The weather was beautiful. The park was peaceful and very, very pretty. I don't think anything could have been better for this lovely, friendly, easy-going couple. Josh and Laura xxxxx!

Kristy & Krit among the roses

2011-08-19T20:04:00.000+10:00

Ok, Ok - the very first thing that springs to mind when I look at this lovely happy photo of Kristy, Krit and I, after their lovely April wedding, is - "wow, I really need a tan". The second thing that comes to mind is just how delightful they are, and how much I enjoyed spending my time with them. This thought lasts much longer!
Theirs was a busy day for me. I did three weddings on that day, and with Kristy and Krit in the middle, I couldn't have been more in the zone.

The wedding was simply beautiful. One of those moments where I breathe out and take it all in - and count my lucky stars that such lovely people want me to play fairy godmother on their big day. I practised my thai for Krit's relatives who had flown in just for the big day. (And I did ok!) Kristy's dress, with its lovely rosette at the front was just stunning. She was smiling all over - and Krit, too, was simply beaming. Even when they were tearing up, they were so happy and in the moment. Just seeing that makes everyone else sigh.

And, of course, as there are at all the best weddings, there were a couple giggles along the way..
Before Kristy arrived, there was a "decoration malfunction" as the water filled urn behind where we would stand sprung a leak. The flowers were lovely, but just imagine water spurting out of a couple small holes, while the desperate decorators tried to jam it with blu-tak. No, they were not happy.
Following our water theme, Kristy's hotel room flooded and the fire brigade arrived. (great photo opportunity though - how many brides get photographed with firemen in uniform, and their lovely groom, all in one day!) The bridesmaid's dresses were a lovely shade of soft mauve, but the designer called it "quail". It was a running joke between us, that they wouldn't look anything like a quail - and they didn't -but they did look very, very pretty. And when I called the little girl who was to bring Kristy and Krit their roses for the rose ceremony, I called and called- but she wasn't there. We found a replacement - and even though she spoke virtually not a word of English, she was cute as a button - and very helpful.
All in all - if every couple was as happy as this one, and every wedding was as lovely as this.......aaah!

a huge thankyou, thankyou, thankyou to the lovely Wyatt Song of www.momentsintime.com.au for these beautiful photos of Kristy and Krit amongst the roses on their beautiful big day

Annie & Will - sheer joy on Easter Saturday!

2011-08-14T08:11:00.000+10:00

Everything about Annie and Will made me happy. The fact that when we first met, we sat on the floor of their brand new home, with absolutely no furniture, shoes off and giggling. And that they were such good friends with a few other couples that I have married - or were still to do - so they kept popping up at each other's weddings. I am really attached to this bunch ( Annie, Will, Nancy, Patrick, Cindy, Stanley, Lien, Lars, Lucille, Andrew - big hugs to all of you ) - so the day itself was a hug-fest. (Yippee!)
I loved they trusted me so completely - even though they kept me waiting - for everything - all the time. ( Like all of their friends.) When they did their homework they gave me the real them - the way I like it - so there was so much to celebrate. I was excited about this wedding for so many reasons.
The ceremony itself was in the most beautiful place - Tumbling Waters Retreat - at Stanwell Tops. It was a little like a fancy modern balinese resort - very elegant, but very private, with ocean views and gorgeous gardens - and I am sure that it was the only place that day where there was no rain. I drove through an hour or more of it to get there - but the skies were clear above us - a wedding day miracle.
It wasn't the only one - the long walk for Annie to come down the aisle with her Mum and Dad, was a moment of breath holding for everyone. Annie's Mum was unwell and barely walked at a snail's pace. I think we were all tearing up before the ceremony began.

But once we got going, it was tears one minute and giggles the next. Absolutely one of my favourite moments of the year. We had a giggle when we sent two helium balloons up into the sky, as part of a Chinese story about the man in the moon and his clever match making skills - but they got stuck in a tree. They didn't quite make it to the moon - but I was quick to point out, that they didn't pop - and that the balloons were still together in the tree - it was good enough!

When they finished their vows, they high-fived each other. ( They have a special nose rub, too;) When they kissed, everyone stopped breathing and when all was said and done, we all sat down to a picnic in the garden before it was time to head off. ( How could I resist more time with all of these lovely people? Or a friand? Or a gourmet sandwich?) I also couldn't resist lining up Annie, Will, Nancy, Patrick, Cindy, Stanley, Lucille and Andrew with me for a photo - still waiting on that one!) But I left a very, very happy girl.

Annie and Will had told me, before the big day, that nothing could go wrong - they had assembled a "dream team". They had Daniel K Cheung to take these amazing photos ( gorgeous, even though the poor fellow had a terrible migraine on the day and couldn't drive - but he still managed to keep smiling like a trooper). They had the incredible, delightful, and gogsmackingly fabulous Ferry and Santo from Paper Cranes for video (whose pre-wedding video surprise on the night was to die for).I cannot wait to see what they did with the video for the wedding). And they said, they had me. That puts me in very, very good company. Smile. xxxxxxx

Amanda & Greg - one Autumn afternoon

2011-07-30T21:44:00.000+10:00

Aaah! Amanda and Greg. There was so much to love about this wedding in the Botanic Gardens - and it began as soon as we met. We sat, we chatted, and I thought - ooh! they're lovely - I could do something really special for them, and they called me from their car on the way home to say "yes! Let's do it". But my husband answered the phone, and he thought Amanda introduced herself as Samantha Brush. He called out, "Rob, Samantha Brush is on the phone and I was thinking "who the hell is Samantha Brush?" Every time I spoke with her after that, I giggled to myself.

Then there was the fact that they really picked up and ran with the idea of having real fun at their wedding. They did their homework really well. I was able to tell their story with excitement. Greg's sister, and his niece played and sang "Don't Go Breakin' My Heart" - and they were fabulous.

The guests were absolutely delightful - especially the older ones. One lovely man - Amanda's uncle, I think came to me after the ceremony, and took my hand, in the way that only a true gentleman would do - and told me that he "had been to many, many weddings in his life, but had never enjoyed one as much as that". Yep, I got teary.

And then there were Amanda's two beautiful sisters, who made me laugh, at the rehearsal and gave me their very funny story about a celebrant who started talking about " rainbow spirit fingers of love..." Oh dear. I won't be forgetting that in a hurry.

And the moment where they all started giggling in the middle of the ceremony, and I peered round to see if they were ok, and they pretended I was getting cross with them.....

All round an absolutely gorgeous afternoon, with fabulous, wonderful, huggable people. Amanda and Greg - thankyou!xxxxxxxxx

( And not a rainbow spirit finger in sight. )

Thanks to Louisa Seton for the lovely photos of Amanda and Greg's big day!

here are the three beautiful sisters - aren't they gorgeous?

Meri & Mubarak - utterly loved up at Taronga Zoo!

2011-07-17T21:37:00.000+10:00

This is the beautiful Meri and her wonderful Mubarak. And me, beaming away, after what was one of the most gorgeous stay-with-me-forever ceremony moments I have had. Everything about today made me smile on the inside. For a start, they are so besotted with each other that it was infectious. How could I possibly not want to celebrate these two in a way that they deserve?

I wrote them the best ceremony I could muster - and bought a dark purple dress for the occasion ( to complement the bridesmaid's beautiful bright purple dresses )- and had it not been for the weight of the PA that I lug around with me, I'd have skipped into Taronga Zoo!

I found Mubarak and his groomsmen, and his delightful Dad, chowing down on kebabs, while they waited and once again, it was a fight to get the buttonholes on. Those things are sooooo hard to put on. But then, the boys were evicted from the room, because the girls had arrived. Meri looked incredible and so excited - she just couldn't wait! She glowed her way down the aisle. And kept on glowing.

We had a lovely giggle when Mubarak tried to put Meri's ring on the wrong hand and I had to slide my own arm out to show where my own rings lived. " Dyslexic fingers" he called it!

And when it was all over and I went to say my goodbyes, and Meri was saying "thankyou, thankyou, thankyou", I was thinking that it was me that should be doing al the thanking. Meeting beautiful people, being invited to help create their memories and to be able to share in sheer joy... That's more than a job. Lucky , lucky me.

Meri & Mubarak ... Thankyou. Thankyou. Thankyou xxxx

these beautiful photos from Gordon Jovic who not only captured the delights of the day exactly as I remember them, but (bless him) emailed me a couple photos the very next day! Thankyou Gordon!

Belinda & Heath - so pretty and a little bit purple!

2011-06-24T10:29:00.000+10:00

This is Belinda and Heath.

(Actually, it's Belinda and Heath and me. Kind of like the tall and the short of it. I reckon if Belinda stood on my shoulders, we'd be about Heath's height)

Everything about them was easy. They were easy to please. Fun to work with. Eager to have fun and to really enjoy their lovely big day. That's all I need to get me in the mood! So of course I was delighted to help this lovely couple - with their two cute as a button kiddies , Lily and Campbell - who even though they are only 2 and 3, were super well behaved on the day.(With only a little wrangling required). Little Campbell hadn't seen Mummy since the day before, so the look on his little face when he saw her was just gorgeous. So cute.

It was all about purple on the day -"Cadbury purple", as Belinda described it it to me, and there were bright flashes of it everywhere. Dark purple lisianthus in the bouquets, purple ties on the groomsmen and dresses on the bridesmaids, and then, best of all, fantastic purple shoes on Belinda herself, only visible as a flash when the wind caught her gorgeous ballerina tulle skirt . She looked amazing - and so, so happy! I got myself a purple floral hairpiece and a purple bracelet just to suit the mood.

Despite the gusts of wind (Oh, I do hate you wind, you drive me crazy with my pages flapping everywhere) , this was a simply beautiful really, really happy and relaxed moment for all of us. The view from Freshwater View Reserve is stunning. We had beautiful clear blue April skies under which to enjoy it. We couldn't have asked for more.

The ceremony was all about family, and rightly so. After all, all the i do's and the legal papers in the world won't bind you in the way that sharing children will. So we celebrated Belinda and Heath, and Lily and Campbell and all the reasons that they make a wonderful team. And they do.

This is me showing Belinda and Heath how to sign , without letting any of the certificates fly away. One arm down on the papers, one hand to sign.......

I love this photo of Belinda all smiles and Heath sticking his tongue out as they make their way back up the aisle He got his girl! And now he can party!

A huge thankyou to Richard Payne Photography, for taking such gorgeous photos AND letting me share them with you (love the lovely afternoon light in this one)

Kim and Chris and the flash flood!

2011-06-16T22:13:00.000+10:00

Oh, how this day began! With will it?, won't it? skies. Chris decided that it wouldn't, so we set up everything at the end of Jones Bay Wharf and waited for Kim. One minute cloudy. The next, steaming hot and then, just our first little flowergirl, began to walk , the skies opened - and it was torrential.

So... a false start... a mad dash to cover, leading around 100 guests out of the rain and under cover and then, having hidden Kim from Chris, all through the back door of Flying Fish, and through the kitchen. Pied Pier style. ( and a very, very big thankyou to the staff at Flying Fish who were absolutely fabulous whilst all this was going on - so helpful, so friendly - and so very, very soaked to the skin)

Squished into the balcony area, we began again , just a little wetter than before!

In spite of its damp beginning, this was a lovely, lovely ceremony, light and sweet, with the odd giggle - and quite a few tears - from everyone.

I loved everything about Kim and Chris. The way they were so easy to please. The way they are almost completely different, yet entirely in-sync. They were cool as a cucumber about everything up to the day, and despite being a little emotional, took the whole downpour in their stride, and laughed about it later! Perfect.

PS Kim had the cutest pair of killer heels I have seen in a very long time - mauve tulle, with bows on her ankles. Fantastic!

these photos all thanks to Matt Reed Photography who had a big giggle at my expense as I ran for cover, microphone in hand, getting very, very wet!

Melissa & Will in Centennial Park (and yes, that IS Jack Thompson!)

2011-05-31T22:26:00.000+10:00

On a super hot January afternoon in Centennial Park, I was treated to delight after delight, as I married Melissa and Will. Firstly, there was Will and his protective groomsmen, who huddled behind the hedge playing Street Fighter, on their i-phones to relieve Will's nerves. This was the first time I have seen this method of stress relief and I have been recommending it to all my boys to calm the jitters. Then, I heard someone call out, "Robyn, do you remember me?" and when I looked up, I found Eva and Jimmy - whose wedding was only a couple of months away...(of course I remembered them - Melissa and Eva work together - I love those moments!) Then Melissa arrived, looking utterly gobsmacking in her stunning gown - and her beautiful beaming smile and Will was no longer nervous. The look on his face, as he first laid eyes on his gorgeous bride was enough to have me get misty-eyed too!

The ceremony itself was fantastic. It felt right. Relaxed. Friendly and romantic all at once.

Another extra special treat was the honour of having the one and only Jack Thompson to read for us - right by my side. I had that famous, gravelly, close-your-eyes-and-you-know-that -voice sound right in my ear. Better still, a post-ceremony chat with him revealed him to be a true gentleman, and a very nice guy, too.

Yes, this stinking hot afternoon in the Column Gardens, where there is no shade whatsoever, did take its effect upon my poor fair shoulders - despite many layers of 30+ - and I did leave a little lobstered, but I also left really, really happy. ( And smart things, they provided plenty of umbrellas for their appreciative guests)

Melissa and Will - every minute I spent with the two of you was oh-so-happy! Thankyou xxxxxxx

I love this fun photo!