As December loomed, Xavier Huitorel and Bastian Storch had “made peace” with the fact that same-sex marriage would not be legal in time for their dream wedding in the Hunter Valley.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
But there were tears as they learned they would be granted a waiver from the 30-day notification period, allowing them to legally tie the knot last Wednesday. They had been planning the ceremony for 18 months.
“We sat in the chairs in front of these two lovely women and had a bit of a cry,” Mr Storch said.
“It was unbelievable,” Mr Huitorel added.
The Sydneysiders had one of the first same-sex marriages in the Hunter, with most couples forced to wait until January 9. They chose Redleaf, a secluded retreat in Wollombi, as the backdrop for the intimate ceremony. Monty King was celebrant.
“We wanted to have the celebrations while our loved ones and parents were still able to travel from Europe,” Mr Storch said. “We ditched a lot of the traditions, we didn't have a cake or first dance. We very much made it our own, one big celebration.”
