Melbourne couple Jessica Reed and Jacqueline McDonald have won a competition to be married by celebrant Beverly Risstrom on the main stage at ChillOut Festival’s Carnival Day on March 11.
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The couple, who celebrate their seventh anniversary this year, will be married with an estimated 5000 witnesses.
The couple will be provided with a private marquee for their guests, accommodation at Holyrood House, a wedding photography package from Love is Love Photography and dinner at Mercato restaurant in Daylesford.
Ms Reed said she and her partner’s family and friends were happy to see them getting married.
“We planned on having our wedding later in the year, but it looks like it will be a lot sooner, with 1000, or more people attending than expected,” she said.
“For the last seven years, Jacqui and I have travelled to the Daylesford area. We had the opportunity to marry in Europe last year, but decided to wait until the laws changed in Australia.”
Ms Reed said they were both incredibly shocked when they found out they had won the competition, but were happy to to be married in a place which has such a special place in both of their hearts.
“Marrying Jacqui is the easiest part. The hard part is madly trying to organise our wedding in a few short weeks,” she said.
Ms Reed said the idea of the wedding still felt surreal even though they had met their celebrant, signed the documents of their intention to marry and gone over the order of ceremony.
Last weekend, the couple chose their outfits. They are planning on wearing something quite traditional, but something they are able to party in and enjoy the events the festival is offering.
The couple have booked a low-key, intimate reception to celebrate their union with their family and friends in Daylesford.
ChillOut Festival director Merryn Tinkler said it was a thrill for the festival to be hosting the wedding in celebration of the historic changes to Australia’s same-sex marriage laws.
“We wanted to celebrate being out and proud and that our community has finally been recognised by giving one couple a very special day, and that our Chillout community could join in the festivities too. It is a perfect opportunity to bring that extra layer of love to the festival,” she said.
