Two hens and two bucks: what we did when COVID cancelled our wedding party

When COVID threw a spanner in the works of their wedding, this couple were determined to make the most of their pre-wedding celebrations.

The pandemic had different plans for Jamie Rhodes and Elliot Bates, but that didn’t stop them making the most of their wedding celebrations.

When plans for a dream holiday in the Maldives and a huge post-wedding party were postponed, this Arana Hills couple made the most of their pre-wedding festivities.

“We decided to both have a grooms maid and a best man,” Rhodes says.

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“So it just made sense to each have a bucks and a hens night too. We thought we might as well make the most of it.

“The thing we enjoyed the most about them was that we got to hang out with a big group of our friends for 24 hours or more, something that happens so rarely because most of us are shift workers.”

Jamie and Elliot then wed under a floral arbour in front of 42 guests at the City Winery in Fortitude Valley and wowed guests with a choreographed dance.

Jamie Rhodes and Elliot Bates. Picture: Chris Jack Photography

What was the standout moment of the day? Standing back and seeing our family and closest friends enjoying stunning food and wine in one of Brisbane’s best venues. That and the dance — we had 16 lessons and managed to pull off a fully choreographed mash-up of six or seven songs, including that little number from Dirty Dancing.

How did you meet? We met at work about 12 years ago. We’re both paramedics at Roma Street station.

What would you do differently? Absolutely nothing. The day was truly perfect.

The proposal? At the Queens House in Greenwich in the United Kingdom.

Jamie Rhodes and Elliot Bates. Picture: Chris Jack Photography

What would you spend more or less on? Maybe we’d pay someone to bring our puppies.

Ceremony? City Winery, next to the wine barrels under an arbour of stunning florals.

Best advice for other couples planning a wedding? Take your time and invest in good suppliers where you can. Talk to them and give a general vision rather than anything specific. They’re the experts and when you’re not too prescriptive on all of the details, they can really make it happen.

When did you decide to change plans? We decided about seven or eight weeks out that it didn’t look like the restrictions were going to lift in time, so we postponed the second big party event until next year, but what a way to celebrate our one year anniversary!

The stunning wedding cake. Picture: Chris Jack Photography

First Dance song? We had a few. Vance Joy I’m with you, Mariah Carey, Fantasy, Elton John Crocodile Rock, Madonna Like a Virgin, the chicken dance, the nut bush and that song from Dirty Dancing The time of my life.

Honeymoon? We had our honeymoon at Daydream Island; it would have been the Maldives or a cottage in Scotland ‘pre-COVID’.

Emotions around changing plans? We were a little disappointed but at the end of the day we got the most important part exactly how we planned it. We would have been more disappointed if we went ahead with the second event and not had the opportunity to really party.

The stunning wedding party. Picture: Chris Jack Photography

Theme? A little boho and little shabby chic.

What helped you get through the stress of changing plans? The most stressful bit was making the decision to postpone. Once we’d done that, all of our suppliers were absolutely amazing and understanding.