Taylor Owynns shares her recollection of LOTL’s covergirls’ Roz and Rachel’s big day.

“We have always felt sad regarding the legal situation,” Rachel told me, speaking for herself and her partner Roz. “But the day we decided that none of that mattered was a turning point for us. Why should we wait for others to decide that our love is valid enough to be recognised on a piece of paper?

This step is our way of taking back control of our connection and rights. It’s been a fantastic journey so far and I can’t wait to see where it will go next!”

And indeed, it was a fantastic day with perfect weather and a truly romantic setting at Jasper Valley Wines Vineyard near Berry. Standing on the rustic, wooden balcony where the ceremony was held, gazing out across green rolling hills and watching sleek horses grazing in the paddocks … it seemed a perfect setting.

The love and respect were palpable between Rachel and Roz and among the circle of friends and family who gathered for this glorious, whimsical, joy-filled ceremony!

Bluebird Style and Decorate had organised a glass urn of home-made lemonade and little ‘pop’ bottles with coloured straws to quench our thirst along with excellent jugs of lemon water, surrounded by sprays of handpicked lavender tied with string … and on the Signing Table, in keeping with their great sense of humour, a bouquet of garlic to symbolise the fact that these two avid Buffy fans met on a ‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer chat site.

I loved that Roz and Rachel celebrated the Jewish connection between them with a personally designed ‘ketubah’, traditionally the Jewish Marriage Contract displayed on the wall of a married couple’s home.

Lambic of Whitebird Art incorporated Roz and Rachel’s love of birds and nature with a stunning array of coloured flowers, doves and hummingbirds handpainted to surround the words of commitment that they wrote to one another and which calligrapher Lauchean Duncan from The Graphic Quill then blended in rainbow inks to attune with the artwork.

The talented Sharon and Katie of Fox Photography were ‘thunderbirds a go’ from the outset and got some great shots! I’m sure they feel, as I do, that it was such a privilege to offer our services to these two fab women and very happy LOTL prize-winners!