Photo Blog - The Union of The Rabbit & The Ox
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| From Click on image to view album 16. |
Stumpjump Saturday, 23rd February 2008
It was late one beautiful, spring afternoon in October, 2004. The sheep were lambing, the Canola in bloom and together Matt, Vavine and close friends cleared the fallen branches and logs in a paddock, as was their designated farm chore for the afternoon.
It was at dusk, atop a granite boulder, the sun setting over Big Sky Country that he proposed to her. When he slipped that ring onto her grubby, earth-covered finger it was surely not the way Tiffany intended. But Matt knew that his intentions would be understood. And so it was in that paddock at Stumpjump, Australia they made their promise with each other.
So it was in the spirit of a Stumpjump engagement, that they happily tied the knot among their friends and loved ones, in a Stumpjump wedding. A ceremony in the bush, a church built of nature, under an outback sun, a picnic under the stars, the Union of the Rabbit and the Ox was a rollicking, bohemian celebration that marks the beginning of a joyous and auspicious life together.
Matt and his parents Ann Ellis and Frank Ellis
Vavine and her parents Flora and Ranga Tahapehi
thank with all their hearts...
Donald, Julie and Amelia McFarlane for generously hosting the Union of the Rabbit and the Ox on their beautiful, family property and contributing enormously of their time and efforts for a wedding beyond anyone's imaginings.
Without Amelia McFarlane’s exceptional organisational skills, her dedication, localised knowledge and quite simply love, this wedding could not have happened.
Julie McFarlane we adore you and thank you for all the incredible flower arranging and the Bride’s stunning garland and bouquet.
Donald McFarlane we love you and are ever thankful for your fine MC skills. No one could have done it better.
We are deeply humbled by Leon and Margie Aorangi and Billy, William and George Tahapehi for representing Vavine's ancestors both present and passed in beautiful Maori ceremony.
To our ring bearers Georgia Beard and Xavier Moir, our flower girl Maddison Boyd and our witnesses Amelia McFarlane and Flicc Walsh, we are eternally grateful.
So too we thank Nathan Miller, Greg Roods & Emma Brasier for so dedicatedly capturing moments on film. Thanks to the many other friends who sent us all their images, some of which you see here.
Many thanks also to Nathan Miller, Helen Odlin, Tamlin, Jon Howell, Michael Rix and Lorna Gearon for the music that made our world go around.
Sincere thanks to Daniel Wallace for the art that somehow made the trees even prettier. And oh that altar!
Many more thanks to Jeanny & John Boyd for those fabulous Rabbit and OX cheese boards and Nathan Miller again for the specially invented, wedding brunch sausages that went down a treat with the Bloody Maries and sunshine!
To Simon Duff and Shaun Dudley for lighting up the bush like a fairytale - the fairytale that it was (and Belle for her paramount input on bulb colours) we bow down in thankfulness.
To all the friends and family who carried poles, climbed trees, picked up sticks, tied knots, drove trucks and carted crates… we are forever grateful. The time spent with you all in set up and tear down was as meaningful for us as the wedding itself.
So here’s to The Rabbit & The Ox and the begging of the rest of their happy life together …
4 comments:
Still cannot believe we missed this. But, just looking at the pictures made me cry so I can only imagine the mess I would have been in person.
There was plenty of drought-ridden land, eager to drink up all the tears. You were missed too.
There was so much Pride and Emotions on that beautiful saturday afternoon 23rd February, 2008. You both are so lucky to have such great friends, we Love them too.
Sinamu
Hey, I am checking this blog using the phone and this appears to be kind of odd. Thought you'd wish to know. This is a great write-up nevertheless, did not mess that up.
- David
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