Surprise! It’s a wedding - Jenna & Blake’s story

Can you keep a secret?

Yes, I can. But, can you?

Jenna and Blake’s wedding was an extremely well-kept (and absolutely wonderful) secret. Only immediate family and a few close friends were in on it. (and me as celebrant and as florist … yay!!)

So the wedding planning began but in the guise of a 30th birthday celebration. An outdoor barbeque get together at the very edge of  cold, cold July … complete with a fairy tale marquee much like a sensational and massive wigwam with lots of wonderful native flowers and foliage everywhere.

The guests arrived in their warmest winter gear - clad in jeans, jumpers, boots, huge coats, hats and scarves. Sooo cold … but those of us in on the secret knew that the chill would thaw once they learnt the secret cloak of the gathering was lifted.

The seriously stylish marquee was going to be, perhaps, a bit of a give-away. But apparently this was not so. The guests huddled around the fire pits and the barbeque commenting on the severe chill of the day and inquiring about the whereabouts of the birthday girl (aka bride) Jenna.

Of course, our secret bride-to-be was in hiding … as was husband-to-be Blake. With their gorgeous bridal party in attendance and when the pampering and preening ceased, Jenna and Blake were truly prepped and ready for their special moment. The bridal car, a superb 1958 Thunderbird owned by Blake’s dad Russell, was creeping around to the front of the house (as quietly as a Thunderbird can creep) to collect the bride and her dad David. And yes, the secret was about to be revealed …

Beaming from ear to ear Blake and his three groomsmen decked out in their wedding gear strutted their way down to the rear of Russell’s superb 5 acre property in the Yarra Valley.

The floral lapels were a dead give-away. The secret was unleashed.

All that could be heard were the murmurs amongst the guests spread that like a Mexican wave at a sporting event. It WAS happening and you could almost taste the excitement in the air.

And slowly the beautifully restored Thunderbird emerged through the mud (yep the car buffs stood in horror) and our stunning bride Jenna emerged in her fabulous short lace dress, stylish ponytail and native bouquet in tow. WOW!!! And what a way to spend your 30th birthday …

Welcoming in Jenna and her entourage, Nashville Cast played a piece entitled Sanctuary … it was truly happening. Smiles as wide as can be, giggles bubbling with excitement, and squeals of amazement, the guests were absolutely in awe of the well-kept secret and the incredible event that they were about to witness.

Surprise, it’s a wedding!

What a great way to announce the marriage of Jenna and Blake!

The thrill in the icy air was palpable. The guests could hardly contain their excitement (nor could we - as I stood with Jenna and Blake and their six attendants). The ceremony took place with an interchange of glorious laughter and heartfelt tears - such was the utter joy of their amazing wedding. Tears flowed as Jenna and Blake shared their vows …

I choose you as my partner with whom

 I want to travel through life – to  share the laughter,

the tears, the success, the challenges

 and the endless parties.

 I promise that life shall never be dull

 and to celebrate each moment with you.

Home shall be whether you are.

I promise to be yours always.

Once Jenna and Blake had signed their wedding certificate, the nearby guests could hold back no longer and surrounded the happy couple with hugs and kisses as they were SO delighted by the unexpected news. Trying to encourage everyone to return to their ‘ceremonial positions’ for the final announcement was a bit like herding cats … the secret was out, these two were husband and wife and everyone seemed to say:

Let’s get this party started!!!

And the party had truly begun. The months of preparation and attention to detail meant that everything simply just flowed. It was, as Jenna described later, ‘simply perfect’.

The celebrations continued into the crisp winter morning …  the beat of ‘the dance to me’ music oozed into the valley and all savoured the wonderful food, great wine and cosy fires while telling stories of Jen and Blake’s surprise wedding.

As you might expect, there were some clever folk claiming that they guessed or that they knew … but after the event? Hardly convincing. And it didn’t matter by then anyway. What mattered was that Jenna and Blake had created the wedding of their dreams, and surprised and delighted everyone in the process.

Yes, what a surprise is was … AND  … what a wedding … what a birthday …

AND what a wonderful way to begin a new chapter in life for Jenna and Blake.