Since Australia said ‘yes’ to marriage equality, same-sex couples have been celebrating their love legally in beautiful ceremonies across the country.
Five married couples have teamed up with Absolut to share their extraordinary stories – as the celebration of love kicks off for Sydney’s gay and lesbian Mardi Gras on Saturday.
Daily Mail Australia has spoken to five couples who said ‘I do’ after Australians approved same-sex marriage in a historic ‘yes’ vote in November, 2017.
DYLAN AND ANGE TASSONE
Barista Ange, 25, (left) and auto-electrician Dylan Tassone, 31, (right) tied the knot in an intimate wedding ceremony in Byron Bay on August 9, 2018
Standing under a 100-year-old fig tree, covered in fairy lights, the happy couple exchanged their vows in front of 80 guests
Dylan (right) said the love she shares with her wife Ange (left) has been ‘a feeling of adoration, commitment and loyalty’
Barista Ange, 25, and auto-electrician Dylan Tassone, 31, tied the knot in an intimate wedding ceremony in Byron Bay on August 9, 2018.
Standing under a 100-year-old fig tree, covered in fairy lights, the happy couple exchanged their vows in front of 80 guests.
‘It felt incredible to finally tie the knot. Just to feel accepted and know that we could commit to each other the same way as everyone else was amazing,’ Dylan said.
‘Love to Ange and I is a feeling. It’s a feeling of adoration, commitment and loyalty. Love feels unlike anything else.
‘Since the “yes” vote we’ve felt more socially included and respected. It really helped to diminish that divide between sexualities. It’s been such a great and necessary change in our country.’
Before getting married, Dylan said not everything was smooth sailing.
‘Angie and I had a bit of a tough ride to our wedding. Starting with a beautiful proposal… she had to tell her Christian father that she’d just asked a girl to marry her,’ Dylan explained.
‘It was a rollercoaster of rides with mixed emotions, tears, and steps forward and back but Ange’s dad John finally came around. He not only approved but also attended our wedding.’
KAT AND KIRSTEN JAMIESON HARDWOOD
Cosmetic tattoo artist Kat, 31, (left) and carpenter Kirsten Jamieson Harwood, 29, (right) got married on September 14, 2018
Cosmetic tattoo artist Kat, 31, and carpenter Kirsten Jamieson Harwood, 29, got married on September 14, 2018.
The Brisbane couple – who have been together for five years – exchanged their vows in a ‘surprise location’ for our guests in the Byron Bay hinterland.
‘We both felt elated, so in love and proud to call each other our wife,’ Kat said.
‘To find that equal in another person and share our commitment with our closest family and friends was an honour.
The Brisbane couple – who have been together for five years – exchanged their vows in a ‘surprise location’ for our guests in the Byron Bay hinterland
‘Signing that marriage certificate was by far one of our happiest moments in our relationship as we were considered equal and felt so free.
‘Free to love each other and be all owed to express it how we wanted to-in a traditional outdoor ceremony.
‘We feel more accepted by the general public in ways, the amount of support and kindness shown by strangers is overwhelming. We feel safe and we feel free.’
TAMIKA AND KARLA MEGAWATT
Teachers Tamika (left) and Karla (right) Megawatt, both aged 27, invited 30 of their ‘most special’ guests over to Queenstown in New Zealand for their beautiful lake wedding
Teachers Tamika and Karla Megawatt, both aged 27, invited 30 of their ‘most special’ guests over to Queenstown in New Zealand for their beautiful lake wedding.
‘We then jumped in a helicopter and landed up in the mountains to truly show how high love had taken us,’ Tamika said.
‘Karla and I have been together for 10 years. It is impossible to describe the feeling of not only declaring that love in front of our loved ones, but for it to be recognised in our own country.
‘We were speechless. As our friends tell us, we were already an old married couple, it was nice to have the rings to match.
After the ‘yes’ vote, the couple felt they were ‘accepted, equal and that our love matters’
‘Love to us is unconditional, breathtaking, secure, warm and rare. When you find it, it is worth any trial to hold on to, and as a gay person living in Australia, there have been a lot of rough seas.
‘However, love is a lifeline and hand in hand there is strength enough to stay afloat and thrive. Love is finding that one person you can’t live without.’
After the ‘yes’ vote, the couple felt they were ‘accepted, equal and that our love matters’.
‘We aren’t seen as different and that who we are and what we feel is beautiful. Now, rather than being seen as different, we inspire others to stay true to who they are.’
ANGELA AND TORI GIRDHAGE
Social worker Angela, 28, (right) and nurse Tori Girdhage, 26, (left) tied the knot in a stunning wedding ceremony
Social worker Angela, 28, and registered nurse Tori Girdhage, 26, tied the knot in a stunning wedding ceremony in front of 30 guests on a warm Autumn’s afternoon.
‘We didn’t want to follow the norms, and we just did things our own way and started our magical day by getting married in a garden and ended the night by dancing under fairy lights and the moonlight,’ the couple said.
‘We had been engaged for over a year and had planned to get married on that day whether or not marriage equality was going to (finally) happen.
‘It felt so so amazing to be pronounced legally wedded wives. It felt as though our love was considered equal to everybody else’s and we could introduce each other as my “wife” with confidence.
‘Love means feeling like you’re “home” when you’re with that person. Love means watching Disney Movies together, never questioning the need for dessert.
The happy couple exchanged their vows in front of 30 guests on a warm Autumn’s afternoon
‘It’s compromising and working together, it’s exploring new things and going on adventures. It is supporting each other’s dreams and ambitions and being there to celebrate every success and pick each other up after any disappointments.
‘It’s an unwavering feeling of content and happiness that you’ve found your person.’
The couple said the ‘yes’ vote has changed their lives for the better.
‘We’ve been so fortunate to be alive in this era, to not only be able to get married ourselves legally but to watch so many others be able to rejoice in this new found form of equality,’ they said.
TROY AND CRAIG EMMERTON
Massage therapist and bartender Troy, 37, (left) and chef Craig Emmerton, 39, (right) wanted a wedding day to remember
Massage therapist and bartender Troy, 37, and chef Craig Emmerton, 39, wanted a wedding day to remember.
‘We wanted our special day to be a celebration of love and fun with music from our idol P!nk, walking down the aisle to ‘A Million Dreams’ and a surprise rock ‘n roll inspired wedding dance to ‘What About Us/ Bad Influence’,’ Troy said.
‘We’ve always had such beautiful support from our family and friends, but after 18 long years our hearts are filled with so much joy and happiness that our love and commitment is finally recognised – and we have that wonderful piece of paper.
The couple said they felt a ‘huge weight taken off’ their shoulders since ‘yes’ vote
‘In the words of Cher ‘When I’m sad you’re a clown, and if I get scared your always around’. That to me is love finding that somebody special who gives you a reason to smile and is always by your side through thick and thin.
‘Since I proposed to Craig on stage at the Adelaide Festival Centre with the help of the Rocky Horror cast, we had a “Rocky Horror Picture Show” theme wedding, which we had on the November 15, 2018 – one year since Australia said ‘yes!’
The couple said they felt a ‘huge weight taken off’ their shoulders since ‘yes’ vote.
‘More than 18 years we created our own wonderland to escape negativity because we weren’t going to let anyone tell us who we couldn’t love or be,’ Troy said.
‘But now love won at the end of day and our country is shining happiness at the end of the rainbow. We are finally moving forward.’
Absolut Love campaign celebrating Australian marriage equality
‘Create a better tomorrow’: Paul and Andrew (pictured together) had a mural painted of them ahead of Mardi Gras
Absolut has launched a remarkable campaign to celebrate the stories of marriage equality since Australian said ‘yes’ in 2017.
As part of the incredible campaign, the popular alcohol brand has created one of its iconic posters aligned to its major partnership with Sydney Gay & Lesbian Mardi Gras.
Instead of featuring its bottle, Absolut has featured the names of 282 of the LGBTQI Aussies who have created history and said ‘YES’.
Absolut teamed up with street artist Scott Marsh, to paint two of the loved-up couples at sites in Chippendale and Surry Hills.
‘The LGBTQI community has been so supportive of my work over the years, so it’s really nice for me on a personal level to paint these portraits for Andrew and Paul and Fiona and Sarah and to help celebrate the year that’s been since the YES vote,’ Mr Marsh said.
Fiona and Sarah (pictured together) celebrating their love in front of their mural