5 Things Series: Alexie and Tim
/Two of my best mates, a couple I have had the pleasure of living with and travelling with many times in my life, got married in 2017. Tim and Lex, pulled together what many thought was a joint 30th birthday (but there were a few that reckon they knew what was going on) , given they were back in Australia briefly from their home base at the time; Bangalore, India.
Given how close I felt to both parties to this marriage, there was plenty to love about the wedding and so much I will remember for a long time to come. Boiling it down to 5 items was very hard work, but nonetheless here they are....
The first dance: Tim will be stoked this makes number 1 after my disparaging comments about both his fashion sense and questionable dance skills in the opening speech. Lex has been a stellar dancer since as long as I can remember and she and Tim took up swing dancing a few years back. Needless to say, their first dance was high energy, perfectly synchronised and probably will never be topped at another wedding I ever go to, ever, again.
The surprise itself: now a lot of people claim they knew what was going on, but I still think Lex and Tim had a few people guessing right down to the point we actually announced that their 30th Birthday speech was in fact the beginning of their wedding ceremony. It worked really well for these two as they had the perfect reason to get everyone together without having to claim it was a wedding given they are rarely together in the country. I am not saying surprise weddings are for every couple, but in this case I think it perfectly reflected Lex and Tim's vibe and laid back attitudes as well.
The Band: Tim and Lex hired a 3 piece band for their wedding; "Slide McBride". These guys were super fun, playing a great mix of tunes and keeping it high energy all the way through from when it was just a birthday party, post ceremony happiness, and the first dance itself. Highly recommend to anyone interested in live music for their big day.
The activities: leading into the ceremony there was a great spread of lawn games and activities available for guests to play. This was a great way to break down a few social barriers but also get everyone in a pretty happy, festive mood ahead of the big surprise. Bocce, Finska, the home made Slip and Slide;
Camping: given the wedding was on Alexie's Dad's farm out at Mittagong, there was plenty of space for guests to pitch a tent and camp out the night. This was especially convenient given the tunes didn't stop until very late in the evening and the fact a lot of us had travelled either interstate or internationally and wanted to get their drink on. If you are planning a destination type wedding - or at least one with a decent commute - I highly encourage you to help your guests find suitable accommodation.
So that is it; my top 5 for Alexie and Tim's wedding. Looking forward to their return to Australia in 2019!