Picture this - a serene, sun-soaked beach; the sound of waves gently lapping against the hull of a yacht; an excited couple ready to embark on the biggest adventure of their lives. This was the captivating scene at a recent wedding I had the pleasure of officiating. Mother nature really turned on her charm. The waters were sooooo turquoise and breathtakingly perfect!
Join me as I share with you the most magical and intimate wedding ceremony with Melissa and David onboard “Happy Cat” at Tangalooma, Moreton Island.
David and Melissa exchanged their vows aboard a luxurious yacht, creating an intimate atmosphere that was made even more special because only two witnesses were present.
Their request: a stress-free and intimate ceremony, that is all about their love for each other. And I’m pretty sure that you will agree with me, they absolutely nailed it!!!!
"Thank you so much ... you were perfect 🤩 Just the right person .... Professional, friendly, accommodating xx And the day was spectacular 🎊 😎"
Melissa and David started their day with sunrise, brekky, snorkelling and swimming together before showering on the back deck and were dressed and ready by the time I boarded the yacht.
Melissa’s brother picked me up in the rubber duckie at the south end of Tangalooma, and I spent the whole day on the yacht with them. The sun was beaming, the breeze was flowing, and there were laughs and the day was full of love.
It was the most magical day - I've found my home! I forgot how much I loved being on the water, and it has most definitely inspired me to hound hubby a little harder about getting our boat and making Moreton Island our permanent home.
As we relaxed on the yacht, we signed the final declaration and shared stories, laughing and relaxing before the ceremony. There was no rushing, no pressure, just a day of being in the moment.
When it was time, David joined me at the bow with a speaker for the music and our two witnesses - Melissa’s brother and sister-in-law.
Melissa walked up the starboard side of the yacht, and when she arrived, the music continued to play, and her and David looked into each other's eyes and soaked up the moment. I’ve got to tell you - it was emotional before the ceremony even began. How funny to think that only 5 minutes before, we were laughing and chatting, and then in this moment, it was just heart and their love, commitment and adoration for each other.
David was incredibly emotional and HIS VOWS!!!! WOW… being that there were only 5 of us, I think we shared enough happy tears to fill the entire ocean. I wish I could have bottled “that moment” to share with you all. But it was… inspiring, wait that doesn’t seem like the right word. It was a moment of pure HEART. A moment that I wish for all of my couples. To truly be in the moment, with each other. For Melissa and David, that moment was just the two of them. A moment that was so raw, and true and one that I know they will treasure for a lifetime together. We, the witnesses, were just blessed to have been able to stand in that moment and share the intimacy with them.
After the kiss, I announced them officially married and we cheered, AND the nearby yacht that had also witnessed this magical moment (and unbeknownst to us were capturing the moment on their phones), yelled and cheered and yahoo’d our couple too. A moment that brought us back to reality haha
To celebrate this epic moment, wedding dress and all, David and Melissa took a leap of love and literally leapt off the boat!!!!!! And so did their witnesses. I chased them all with their GoPro in one hand and their camera in the other, leaping over rigging and line ropes just to capture the moment for them all. I have to admit, I’m so proud of myself that I didn’t trip and end up flying over the edge to join them ;) Could you imagine! haha
As they soaked in the magic of the bay and swam in those magical waters back to the yacht, our guests that had recorded the moment, were getting ready to jump in their dinghy to bring their cameras over to share the moment from their eyes!
Check out this video that they took!
The afternoon was spent celebrating with prosecco bubbly, cake and nibblies after signing the official documents, before getting dropped back to the resort for my 3.30 pm check-in for my venture home. I didn’t want to leave. I wanted to stay in that moment forever with them (selfish aren’t I haha)
Congratulations again David and Melissa and thank you for choosing me to celebrate your intimate, adventurous and absolutely amazing elopement day on Moreton Island!!!
If this story has inspired you and you're thinking about planning your own unique and unforgettable destination wedding or elopement celebration, please feel free to reach out. I would be thrilled to help you turn your dream wedding into a reality!
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