Well I'm sure you all know by now, we only went and got bloody married and we couldn't be any happier. We have been floating about of cloud nine for the past week now and we have no intention of coming down. We arrived in Airlie Beach on the 7th June knowing full well that we were getting married on the 10th. We had been keeping it a secret from you all for a month or so. We had arranged to see or celebrant Margaret on the 8th so first things first, we took a walk along the length of the coast to find to perfect spot to tie the knot. We found a little grass verge near the lagoon that was absolutely perfect giving great views out towards the sea with a few boats lazily bobbing on the surface and of the land dissolving into the sea. With our location picked we awaited the next little luxury that we had treated ourselves to. We had booked an apartment for the weekend at Airlie Apartments and we loved it. After spending the past four months in a camper van this place was heaven. To have a bed to sleep in, a TV to watch and a sofa to sit on, a bathroom and a kitchen to use sounds pretty standard but when you have gone so long without these standard mod cons, having them back for a few days is absolute magic. We had checked in on the 9th after turning up to the wrong apartments called Airlie Beach Apartments, and after the owner tried to cut us a deal to stay at his establishment instead, we opted to hunt down our original booking to compare and we are glad we did. The apartment wasn't to flash but it was a good size and it was just nice being able to move about without bumping into each other as we normally do in the van. The night before the big day was spent watching a movie curled up on the sofa together with a massive cheese board, fruits, meats and three bottles of red wine to keep us company. Perfect!

So the big day had finally arrived and we both woke with smiles on our faces knowing that in a few hours time we would be Mr & Mrs Cole. Our bellies bubbled away like a pan on a rolling boil with excitement and nerves. We were bouncing about like gummy bears, then we looked out of the window. After weeks of fantastic weather with clear blue sky's, mother nature had decided to paint the sky grey with a good chance of rain thrown in just to mix things up a bit. We were determined that the weather would not spoil our day and we started to rustle up our wedding breakfast of Eggs Benedict with smoked salmon and bucks fizz to wash it all down with. As time ticked on we were both feeling the nerves a little but we were so glad to have each other there to steady them. As the thick grey clouds continued to roll out to sea, they broke and rain fell for the next hour. Drastic action had to be taken as our wedding down by the sea in the open air was looking like it could be a wet one. So action stations were armed “Get me the phone number for the sailing club please honey” Ashleigh said as cool as a cucumber as I was having a little panic. The sailing club has a pavilion with a Bali hut at the end looking out towards the sea and we thought we might as well ask if we could use it. On the phone it took Ashleigh three attempts to make it clear to the woman on the other end that we were getting married that day at 12pm “...so you want to get married today?” “No you don’t understand, we ARE getting married today at 12pm! It is raining and we just want to know if we can use your pavilion and how much it will cost please” “Ah well you will have to email this lady at......” “I'm sorry but we are getting married at 12pm TODAY and we just need to know if we can use the pavilion and how much it will cost” “AHHHH ok so you mean you want to use it today at 12pm, ok I will phone you back in five minutes. Bye” It was a nervous five minutes as time was ticking closer to 12 and we needed to know RING RING “Hello Ashleigh, yeah just pop down and you can use it for free, just make sure you pop in the sailing club afterwards for a celebratory drink!” Brilliant news, so in the eleventh hour the venue had changed and we called Margaret to tell her the news.

We kept two little traditions for our wedding, the first was the old, new, borrowed and blue for Ashleigh and the other was not being able to see the bride to be until she was ready. So I took up a lonely wait in the sitting room as Ashleigh got dolled up in the bedroom. When she came out of the room she nearly knocked me off my feet, she looked absolutely beautiful. I loved her dress and it was Ashleigh down to a tea. I could not wait to marry the most beautiful girl in the world and pulled on my glad rags as quick as I could to do so. We both looked a million dollars and taking a deep breath, we kissed each other and headed out of the door. When we turned up at the sailing club, as we were getting out of the van Ashleigh noticed she had a tiny Gecko lizard climbing up her leg “Ah it's tiny....” she said, that's twice now she has had one climbing on her legs. They normally stay well clear of humans but they must love Ashleigh. We both took this as a good luck sign. We still had one little problem to solve though, we needed witnesses. Looking at my watch we had we had 25 minutes before we were due to get married so plenty of time to spring a random request onto two random people. We spotted a couple taking a stroll down towards the beach and action stations were armed once more. We both kind of walked/skipped towards them and we must have looked crazy. “Excuse me, do you have 30 minutes spare to help us out.....we are getting married at 12pm and we need two witnesses” “YES, as long as I get to kiss the bride” the bloke said in a very excited voice. So we had accosted two lovely people as they were going for a walk down the beach, Martin a cockney geezer from London and his partner Debbie who was from New Zealand. They were both really surprised at what we asked them “I thought you were going to ask for help changing a tyre or something at first” Martin told us. So with our mission to find two willing witnesses being a complete success, we made our way down towards the pavilion where Margaret was ready and waiting for us. All introductions were made and the service began, this is how it went....

Introduction

“Good afternoon. My name is Margaret Roberts and I am an authorised Marriage Celebrant. This wonderful day has arrived and we are here to celebrate the marriage of Peter Stephen Cole and Ashleigh Dobson. On this wedding day, as you Peter and Ashleigh, begin your life together, you are feeling the happiness that comes from having someone to trust, care for, and share with....in other words, someone to love. This is a love that should sustain hope in trying times, make happy times even more wonderful-and last a lifetime. A lifetime that you two are beginning today on the day you marry. A day when two separate lives are blended into one, when promises and dreams begin to unfold and the journey of a marriage begins.
Peter and Ashleigh have learned to love and cherish each others qualities that they bring to the relationship, shared amazing travel experiences together and are confident in their love for each other to publicly declare they wish to be each others lifetime partner.
I, Margaret Roberts, am duly authorised to solemnise marriages according to law in Australia.
Before you, Peter and Ashleigh are joined in marriage, in my presence and the presence of the witnesses, I have an obligation to remind you publicly of the solemn, the serious and the binding nature of the relationship into which you are now about to enter.
Marriage, according to law in Australia, is the union of a man and a woman. It is made in the deepest sense, to the exclusion of all others, voluntarily entered into with the desire, the hope and the firm intention it will last for life”

The Asking

“Peter and Ashleigh, I now ask you to affirm to each other that you freely choose to combine your lives in matrimony. Are you ready to do so?”

Peter and Ashleigh respond: “We are”

The Marriage Vows

Margaret quietly asks Peter and Ashleigh to turn to face each other, hold hands and look at each other as they repeat their marriage vows.

Peter, please repeat after me.

Peter: “I pledge to share my life openly with you, to speak the truth to you in friendship and love. I am committed to and will do, whatever it takes for us to grow together, never apart. I will make you laugh and smile everyday. I will be there for you through all the good times and the bad ensuring that the bond of our love is never broken. I want to be with you always just the way you are. I call upon the persons here present to witness that I Peter take you Ashleigh to be my lawful wedded wife”

Ashleigh, please repeat after me.

Ashleigh: “I pledge to share my life openly with you, to speak the truth to you in friendship and love. I am committed to and will do, whatever it takes for us to grow together, never apart. I will always listen to and encourage your dreams, help in the growth of our life together and never stop loving you. I want to be with you always just the way you are. I call upon the persons here present to witness that I Ashleigh take you Peter to be my lawful wedded husband”

Margaret asks Peter and Ashleigh to continue holding hands.

“Peter and Ashleigh, just as you stand here hand in hand may you always be held by one another.
These are the hands of your best friend, young and strong and vibrant with love, that are holding yours on your wedding day, as you promise to love each other all the days of your lives.
These are the hands that will work alongside yours, as together you build your future, as you laugh and cry, as you share your innermost secrets and dreams. These are the hands that will passionately love you and cherish you through the years, for a life time of happiness. These are the hands that will countless times wipe tears from your eyes, tears of sorrow and tears of joy. These are the hands that will comfort you in illness, and hold you when fear or grief rack your mind. These are the hands that will hold each child of the future in tender love, soothing them through illness and hurt, supporting and encouraging them along the way, and knowing when it is time to let go. These are the hands that will give support and encouragement as you chase your dreams. Together, as a team, everything you wish for can be realised”

Exchange of rings

“Traditionally the marking of the passage to title status of husband and wife is marked by the exchange of rings. These rings are the symbol of the unbroken symbol of love. Love freely given has no beginning and no end, no giver and no receiver for each is the giver and each is the receiver. May these rings always remind you of the vows you have taken here today?”

Peter to place the ring on Ashleigh's finger.

Peter: “Ashleigh, you are my beloved and my best friend. This ring is a symbol of our union, and a token of my love. I give it and myself to you with all my heart”

Ashleigh: “Thank you I accept this ring as a sign of our commitment to each other. It will forever remind me of our bond and I will wear it with love and pride, all my life”

Ashleigh to place the ring on Peters finger.

Ashleigh: “Peter, you are my beloved and my best friend. This ring is a symbol of our union, and a token of my love. I give it and myself to you with all my heart”

Peter: “Thank you I accept this ring as a sign of our commitment to each other. It will forever remind me of our bond and I will wear it with love and pride, all my life”

Declaration of Marriage

“Peter and Ashleigh have declared before us that they will live together in marriage. They have made special promises to each other. They have symbolised it by joining hands, takings vows and exchanging rings. May their lives be filled with love and understand today they are united in marriage. I now declare Peter and Ashleigh to be husband and wife. Peter you may kiss the bride”

Presentation of the newly weds

“Peter and Ashleigh, live your life with passion, compassion and excitement... play...dance...share in life's long journey...make footprints in the sand...gaze upon the stars....laugh together....cry together....smile every day....make life magical and extraordinary...be happy...be silly...rejoice in the beauty of love...and from now on and into all of your tomorrow you will be partners in love for life, remembering while seeing the world with open eyes to always be each others best friends.

It is my honour to present the happy couple, Mr and Mrs Peter and Ashleigh Cole

Congratulations!!!”

It was over in a flash but all we done throughout the service was smile, laugh and look at each other. I wouldn't have changed anything for the world. It was perfect and we are so pleased it all went without any major hitches. As we were going through our vows we could hear the snapping of a camera going off. Margaret had told us that the media might turn up as they were interested in covering our story of travellers getting married at Airlie Beach. So after we had signed the register we stood hand in hand and were interviewed for the Whitsundays Guardian. We couldn't believe it, it was a bit strange getting interviewed like that but it added to the experience. The paper came out on the 15th and we are that good we made it into the paper twice. A photograph on the out and about section and also the actual story with other weddings that have taken place at Airlie Beach. After having a drink with Martin and Debbie to celebrate, they informed us that we were lucky to use the pavilion for free as they normally charge $3000 to use it. We thanked them once more and went our separate ways, Martin and Debbie went to finish the walk that we interrupted and we made our way down to the beach with a bottle of champagne to celebrate just the two of us.

Some time later we returned to our apartment and had our first dance around our apartment to 'Love gets sweeter everyday' by Finley Quay and filled our bellies with fizzy bubbles to celebrate even more. We couldn't keep the news to ourselves any longer and we set about phoning as many family members and friends as we could. The time difference made this a little hard and some people were getting woken up with our giddy voice prattling on down the phone at 7am. It was great finally letting the massive secret out and the response from everybody was overwhelming. We cant express enough thanks for the warmth and love that our family and friends have shown us after hearing the news. On the night of the wedding, we had booked a table at a restaurant for a sea food platter and as Ashleigh said in our interview with the newspaper “It's going to be a change from eating noodles!” When it came out we were taken back by the size of it. It only just fit on the table, it was huge. It was seafood heaven with two whole rainbow trout, a mud crab with claws as big as my hands, prawn dumplings, about 16 oysters, 8 fresh and 8 cooked and I cant remember what else was on there as we both fell into a sea food coma after only making our way through half of it. It was delicious and we had the rest boxed up to take back to the apartment with us.

For our honey moon we took some trips out to sea, first to the Great Barrier Reef for a day of snorkelling that was absolutely mind blowing. Out of all the fish and coral we seen, none was as colourful as Ashleigh's bright pink stinger suit. We couldn't stop laughing about it, she looked like Patrick Star from Sponge Bob Square Pants. There is far too much to describe about this amazing day so I will let the photographs do the talking. Two days later we took another trip out to the Whitsunday Islands, first to Hamilton Island and then to Whitsunday Island to spend time on the beautiful Whitehaven Beach. Both Islands were beautiful but Whitehaven beach was paradise. A perfect way to spend a day, walking up and down the white sands as the crystal clear waters lapped against the shore. A time and place we will never forget. (Thank you Peter and Shelly for your amazing gift, it made our little honey moon possible and we cant express our appreciation enough!)

Once again we would like to thank everybody for there messages of congratulations. Even though we are on the other side of the world they made us feel not so far away. So we have know been married for a week today and we cant wait to continue our new adventure as Mr & Mrs Cole.

Love Peter and Ashleigh (Cole, EEEEEEEE!!!) x