Lee and Steve's DIY wedding in the woods
At the top of a hill, amongst tall gum trees and the utter silence that accompanies a life in the countryside, stands a beautiful wooden house. For the past year or so, Lee and Steve have remodelled it from top to bottom, pretty much with their own hands. Everything you’d expect to find in a house was torn out to build new, so through winter, spring and summer, they had to do their dishes in cold water outdoors. Hot meals were prepped on a camping stove. Now, that’s dedication.
How these super-humans also managed to plan a DIY wedding at the same time, is beyond me. But gosh, did they do it – and well! Lee visited uncountable second hand shops in pursuit of old books and vases for her beautiful, unique centrepieces. Their love for craft beer and Star Wars were combined by serving cans of “Jedi juice” after the ceremony, which took place in the middle of the woods. It was intimate, quirky, funny, and just very them.
Rain was pouring down as me and my mate and right hand, Lachlan, drove the hour and a half to their house. Driving on dirt roads for the last few kilometres, our car looked like it had been through a medium sized war. Nonetheless, as we stepped out of it to the smell of autumn rain, I knew it was going to be an amazing day. This, ladies and gents, is my kind of wedding. Steve got ready in their not-yet-finished house, but the charm and soul of the old living room beats every generic, tidy hotel room anyway. Every piece of the day just reflected Lee, Steve, their relationship and their journey. That’s what it’s all about. It’s about not worrying about weather or delays, about etiquette or white napkins, about getting your feet dirty or your dress moist. It’s about letting go and having the best time of your life!
Rain kept falling on and off all day, we got a little muddy, we got a little cold, but we had so.much.fun. In a simple, blank canvas venue in the middle of the forest, Lee and Steve made magic happen. And their dance floor…. I got out-danced by the grandparents, so that pretty much says it all.
