Finally, it was early evening, and time for the wedding itself!
The ceremonial site prepared
photo – Megan McIsaac
Handmade sign directing people to the wedding
When we arrived there were so many people there, all looking gorgeous. We all waited in the shade of the circular arbor, as the drumming started and Sofiah danced in the circle, while all Matt’s men smudged the guests with burning sage. On a small hill outside we could see Solihin standing with Rebecca, whose veil was blowing out horizontally in the strong breeze. He then did the Muslim call to prayer, and then they both came down the hill towards us, where Matt met them.
Sofiah dancing in preparation for the ceremony
Father of the bride leading her to her husband-to-be
Photo – Megan McIsaac
Beautiful bride
Photo – Bella Week
Like everything in this wedding, they planned all the details themselves. So, as they kneeled facing each other on their buffalo hide, Bob, Matt’s father read a poem on love, then Susan, his mother, sang a song she had written for them. I read what I had written on marriage. They spoke their vows to each other and exchanged the rings (which had been brought to them by nephews Liam and Finn) and then Jennifer, who is a celebrant, pronounced them husband and wife! They walked out of the circle together to great cheering and ululating and then ran up the hill, where Matt picked her up and they disappeared over the top! Rebecca had always dreamed of running down a hill to her wedding, and at least she got to run up a hill afterwards with her husband!
Amelia Barlow gives the water blessing
photo – Bella Week
Me speaking of marriage
photo – Megan McIsaac
photo – Bella Week
Married! with Jennifer, Lachlan and Vilislava looking on
Photo – Nicola Dale
Wedding guests
photo – Bella Week
More guests
photo – Megan McIsaac
And some more
Photo – Megan McIsaac
photo – Megan McIsaac
We then moved to the reception area, about a mile away, where the one long table for 150 people was set out in a horseshoe shape, with candles and little lights illuminating it; magical. The champagne flowed, the food (prepared by a family friend) was delicious, there was dancing until 5am and such a feeling of joy and celebration. The gift for the guests was a special hot sauce that Matt created, called Mustang, with labels that Miriam had hand printed with a horse. This typified the wedding, from start to finish it was handmade, from the invitations that Rebecca made for everyone, to this hot sauce, every detail of the wedding was chosen and prepared by Matt and Rebecca and so was such a reflection of the special and unique couple that they are.
View of the reception area from the bluff above
photo – Peter Gibbs
Champagne time!
Niece Bella with the bunting my sister and mother made for the wedding, that was delivered by my brother Edward!
Photo – Peter Gibbs
All the specially made “Mustang” hot sauce
photo – Megan McIsaac
Miriam and Sarah, some of the sisters of bride and groom, and the hosts of the reception
photo – Megan McIsaac
Miriam making her epic speech!
Listening to Miriam’s speech
Toasting the newly-weds
Rebecca with her big sister Sofiah
photo – Peter Gibbs
The beautiful table in a beautiful setting
The gorgeous Mr and Mrs Burns
Message from Moscow 
Hi Alicia,
Wow, so incredibly beautiful. A great blessing, thank you for sharing it.
Hope you and solihin are doing well.
Lots of love,
Michael