Burnt-out wedding back on track thanks to donations

When a Queensland couple lost their wedding venue and livelihood in the September bushfires, a good Samaritan wedding planner made it her mission to give them the wedding of their dreams.

RENEE Carlaw and Kieran Small had their perfect wedding planned but just months out from the big day devastating bushfires at Binna Burra Lodge destroyed their wedding venue and slashed their income.

The Beechmont couple were cleaners at Binna Burra and the lodge burning down in September meant they also lost the majority of their income, which was funding their February 2020 wedding.

“After a few days, it hit me that I’d lost our wedding venue that I sobbed myself to sleep this one night,” Ms Carlaw said.

Renee Carlaw and Kieran Small had their wedding planned for Binna Burra lodge, where they also worked. Picture: Adam Head

“I felt silly because other people had lost their homes but I was really fragile that week in September as the fires had come up to our backyard.”

Scenic Rim wedding planner, Bronwyn McDonald, heard about the couple’s situation and decided she would make sure they still got the wedding of their dreams.

“I want to give them the wedding they originally planned, not one that feels at all like charity or thrown together,” Ms McDonald said.

She said approximately $40,000 of supplier contributions had been donated to the couple since the start of the month.

“It’s just been amazing to have so many people in the industry wanting to help,” Ms McDonald said.

“From the gifting of the wedding dress to wedding photography, wedding cake and so much more.”

Renee Carlaw in her wedding dress. Picture: Adam Head

Ms Carlaw and Mr Small are set to be married at Rosewood Estate in Beechmont on 22 February 2020, the same date they had originally planned.

“Everyone wants that date because it’s the twenty-second day of the second month of the twentieth year,” Ms McDonald said.

“It’s the biggest wedding weekend of the year, so it’s just wonderful Rosewood Estate has given that day to Renee and Kieran.”

Ms Carlow said she had cried more about people’s generosity than the devastation caused by the fires.

“I feel quite overwhelmed, very humbled, and absolutely blown away by people’s generosity,” she said.

“I’m someone who talks quite a lot and I’ve found myself lost for words a lot over the past couple of weeks.”