Gathered here today

It takes a special type of courage to plan an outdoor wedding with a black tie dress code. Powerful fortitude is required to stick to the plan while the Bureau of Meteorology forecasts an established La Niṉa pattern (increased rainfall) for the region. And then when the rains fall all week, and the wedding is happening on the sloping lawn meters from the beautiful cream rugs of your lovely home, you’ve got to find the steel in your heart and then hope.


Perhaps. Maybe in reality, it’s all just part of the excitement.


Yesterday I watched a bride and groom smile their way through an outdoor wedding as rain rolled over the hill, occluded the sun and prompted umbrellas to sprout like mushrooms across the seated guests. The happy couple though seemed to repel the rain effortlessly. There was not a shriek, shout or shirk, and when the celebrant lowered the microphone and asked the question, “push on” was the confident reply.


We pushed on. The rain fell. Each person’s umbrella effectively kept the rain from their own head while guiding it directly onto their neighbours shoulder or into their handbag.


This was not a disaster, in contrast it simply created a launch pad of adversity that seemed to propel the joy of the day even higher. The sun came out, rings sparkled in response and everybody clapped and cheered.


Courage and confidence served yesterday and the black tie wedding on a muddy hill was a triumph.