On Saturday 17 November 2007, Cate and I were married on our wonderful bush property in Wamboin, a short drive East of Canberra.

The rain forecast for our day held off just long enough for all of the formal proceedings to be completed, and it made a welcome appearance at just the right time for those dancing on the deck to cool off.

We had an absolutely wonderful day. Thanks to everyone who came for helping to make the day so special for us. Hope you enjoy the photos as much as we do!

Now, for the ingredients of a wedding...

A Beautiful Bride

First and foremost, in order to have a wedding one needs a bride. In this department I have been blessed with the most beautiful bride I can possibly imagine. Cate looked like a goddess incarnate, draped in a beautiful green gown, with gorgeous green eyes and golden hair, adorned with jewels and yellow roses.

Oh, and she's a great kisser.

A Handsome Groom

Oh, and you need one of these too.

A Fabulous Best Man

A Gorgeous Maid of Honour

A Pinch of Speeches

I have to confess that I got very nervous at speech time. I didn't say many of the things that I intended to, so I want to share some of them with you here.

My dearest Cate. I struggle to find the words to express how important you are to me, and how important this day is for me. Thank you for coming into my life, for seeing the good in me, for helping me to come back into the sunshine, your sunshine, from the darkness that so totally surrounded me at the time we met.

I've grown so much for having you in my life. No longer am I a mere bystander in life, dispassionately watching events transpire around me. Now I'm fully engaged in life, with you, sharing all that life has to offer, growing, learning, living and loving... and loving you through it all. You've helped me change fundamentally in so many ways, as many of my friends and family have recognised.

Thank you for seeing, for believing in me and choosing me for your life-long partner, for helping me to grow and become a better person, and for loving me so completely.

You are so beautiful to me. You are loving and compassionate. Your beauty is evident here for all to see, and those who know you as I do know that that beauty goes deep within, to the depths of your soul.

I cannot imagine having a more loving and wonderful wife than you. I cannot imagine a more radiantly beautiful bride than you. You fill my life with joy, and I look forward to the many wonderful and fulfilling years we have ahead of us.

Cate, I love you not only for who you are, but for who you make me when I am with you.

I am proud to be your loving husband.

A Poem

Many people asked to see a copy of the poem that Dad read out in the evening. Here it is.

Helpers

Many people helped to make our wedding a very special event. There's a special page all about them:

Wamboin Wedding Helpers

Lots of Photographs and a Movie

Thanks to Brendan we have a wedding video! (If anyone wants to know what Pink Floyd has to do with it, we'll tell you when we see you...)

We thank those who took photos on the day, in particular Paul Watson (AKA Chucky) our appointed photographer who did such an amazing job. A selection can be found on Immir's, err my, Flickr page.

Vows

We wanted our vows to be a very personal expression of the deep-felt love and commitment that we have for each other.

Cate, I fell in love with you because of your compassion, your wit, your beauty, your understanding, your loving nature. You are a wonderfully passionate and caring partner, and lover. I anticipate with pleasure the many years we have ahead of us, and I know that with you in my life the years will be exciting and fulfilling.

I love you for who you have been in the past, who you are now, and who you will become as we grow together in love and life. I love you for who you make me, and I will always strive be open, to share, to love and be intimate.

I will share your hopes, your dreams, your pains, your desires, and I promise to to share mine with you in return.

I promise to make you coffees whenever you feel like them, to run with you on occasion, and to make you lovely afternoon teas as often as possible.

Cate, I have already given you my heart and all of myself, and today I do so publicly, completely and forever.

Michael, I fell in love with you because of your generosity, your honesty, your intelligence, your charm, your kindness. You are the most generous, loving, unselfish person I know. I feel so blessed that you have chosen to share your love with me, and that I get to grow old next to you.

Just as we have already come through hard times together, so I promise to walk with you into the future whatever comes -- loving you, trusting you, comforting you, honouring you.

I promise to love you as you have loved me, thoughtfully, generously and to tell you that I love you at every opportunity, not just in words but in my actions also.

I promise to respect you as your own person, and to honour your interests, desires and dreams as no less important than my own. And so I will try to make sure you get gaming and computer time, give you cuddles and affection every day, make your favourite meals regularly and not let you do all the cooking. I promise to keep myself open to you, to acknowledge my faults and to always try to give you the best of myself.

Michael I have already given you my heart and all of myself, and today I do so publicly, completely and forever.

Exchanging rings

Cate, I am honoured to be your friend,
your lover and your partner
and I invite you to wear this ring
as a symbol of my love for you.

Michael, I am honoured to be your friend,
your lover and your partner
and I invite you to wear this ring
as a symbol of my love for you.

High

We played the song High by the Lighthouse Family at the end of the wedding:

When you're close to tears remember
someday it'll all be over
One day we're gonna get so high
Though it's darker than December
what's ahead is a different color
One day we're gonna get so high
And at the end of the day remember the days
when we were close to the end
and wonder how we made it through the night
At the end of the day
we remember the way
we stayed so close to the end
we'll remember it was me and you
Cause we are gonna be forever you and me
you will always keep it flying high in the sky
of love
Don't you think it's time you started
doing what we always wanted
One day we're gonna get so high
Cause even the impossible
is easy when we got each other
One day we're gonna get so high
And at the end of the day remember the days
when we were close to the end
and wonder how we made it through the night
At the end of the day
remember the way
we stayed so close to the end
we'll remember it was me and you
Cause we are gonna be forever you and me
You will always keep it flying high in the sky
of love
Cause we are gonna be forever you and me
You will always keep it flying high in the sky
of love
And at the end of the days remember the days
when we were close to the end
and wonder how we made it through the night
At the end of the day remember the way
we stayed so close to the end
we'll remember it was me and you
Cause we are gonna be forever you and me
You will always keep it flying high in the sky
of love
Cause we are gonna be forever you and me
You will always keep it flying high in the sky
of love
...

Fairies & Pixies

A number of beautiful fairies and impish pixies graced our bush wedding. More fairies and pixies here.