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Our Special Day

Bess and Karl were married on 30th September 2006, in grand 15th Century style. Family and friends got right into the spirit of it all by wearing costume both to the ceremony and to the reception.

We challenged ourselves to make some of the most beautiful and unusal examples of 15th C. clothing, getting away from the houppelande that everyone thinks of. With a very Italian flavour (and a hint of German/Swiss and French as well), we had a lot of fun, and so did our guests.

In the end we had a nice fusion of the modern with the Renaissance - while we didn't go for a period feast or a horse and cart (because we lived too far from the church), we still brought the right flavour to the day by using the right venue (historic Victoria House in Bexley), and by arriving in style with vintage Rolls Royce and Daimler Limousines.

Enjoy a walk through our Gallery of the most special day ever...

Bess' Dad accompanying her to the church.

Pastance Medieval Minstrels made period music a feature of the ceremony and reception.

Karl had to wait for a traditionally late bride in his heavy 1425 Siennese robes.

The church was the historic Neo-Gothic St Stephens Anglican, in Newtown, inner western Sydney.

Bess' wedding gown is based largely on a late 15th Century Swiss painting by an unknown artist (we think it was destroyed in WWI, as we can't find reference to it after 1910).

The overskirt and train is an affectation, and can be removed so that it can be worn for re-enactments.

The Best Man, Ray Simonsen (right), Alex and Stirling Gill-Chambers read the marriage scene from Romeo & Juliet.

Bess' father read from Corinthians "faith, hope, love...and the geatest of these is Love". He wore a robe from the 15th C manuscript Trés Rishes Heures de Duc du Berry.

The service was a traditional Liturgical Anglican one, with emphasis on the music.

Our Priest, Fr John Stewart blended the language of the King James 1662 ceremony with the less-hellfire-and-brimstone version from the 1920s.

Taking our vows - our hands bound together.

Bess' Mum sang Love Me Sweet. Hymns were modern with an appropriate feel - so that the congregation could join in. Her gown is very early Tudor.

Newlyweds outside the church.

It was rather windy. The girls spent a lot of time trying to keep Bess' train clean!

Here's the whole wedding party. The boys wear a simple doublet, jacket and high boots.

The girls wore an extremely flattering replica gown from Leonardo da Vinci's Portrait of a Young Girl.

Two lovers relieved that the hard bit is all over. We found time to be alone for the first time all day (though thankfully the photographer caught this sweet moment!)

The sun was beginning to set as we all headed under the trees in the church grounds for photos. The dappled light was lovely.

Together at last!

The gown has 10,000 freshwater pears hand-sewn on. The bosses at the breast combine Karl and Bess' emblems in bronze.

We walk off into the sunset.

Suzy and Anika strut it at the reception...

...but Evelyn and Corny strut it more!

Alli and Ray, Maid of Honour and Best Man.

A toast...

And then the speeches. Our reception venue was just wonderful.

Bess' hair was done by a very talented local dresser Richelle Woods. She based it on Boticelli's detailed paintings.

Alex and Stirling, the married couple on our team!

Karl was at last able to take off the top layer of his outfit and relax to cut the cake.

Our first dance, an Irish waltz, followed by a 15th C Italian romantic piece Ballo de Fiore. Note that Bess has discarded her overskirt.