Third time’s a charm for high school sweethearts after wedding chaos

When Kelsey and Scott James were forced to make a split-second decision to cancel their April 1 wedding in Brisbane, it was not an April Fool’s joke.

It was too late to find a venue, but after some quick thinking from family and friends following the snap lockdown in Brisbane, highschool sweethearts Kelsey and Scott James finally tied the knot. Their nuptials had been postponed several times due to COVID-19. Photo courtesy of Bulb Creative.

When high school sweethearts Kelsey and Scott James made a split-second decision to cancel their Brisbane wedding and haul the ceremony to a front yard 4 hours south, it was not an April Fool’s joke.

Everything was paid for and ready to go for the couple’s wedding on April 1 but when the snap lockdown was announced just three days earlier, they faced the prospect of postponing their nuptials for a third time.

After already losing eye watering amounts of money – and after being in a relationship for 12 years – Kelsey and Scott were adamant they would still tie the knot on April 1.

With the support and quick-thinking of family and friends, the wedding was shifted to their hometown of Coffs Harbour and the former John Paul College students married at Kelsey’s parents’ house.

In NSW, there are no caps on weddings held at a home.

“They married in the front yard. I said to them, did you really have to have your wedding on April fools?,” mum Renae Donovan laughed.

It was too late to find a venue, but after some quick thinking from family and friends following the snap lockdown in Brisbane, highschool sweethearts Kelsey and Scott James finally tied the knot in the front yard of Kelsey's parents house in Coffs Harbour. Their nuptials had been postponed several times due to COVID-19. Photo courtesy of Bulb Creative.

“It was too much short notice to find a venue. But we’re really lucky being locals and knowing people. So many friends said to us ‘we won’t go to work – just tell us where you need us.’”

With the wedding taking place within three days, they were all in action.

Scott’s dad drove a very chilly van from Brisbane to Coffs to keep the flowers in perfect condition, and the cake was picked up and delivered in pieces before it was reassembled.

Renae’s husband Matt owns the Surf Club Restaurant & Bar, and luckily, no functions were scheduled to be held on the day.

And while the couple had accepted many of their Queensland friends would not be able to make it, the lockdown was lifted earlier than planned. Their friends drove straight down and arrived as the pair were saying their vows.

Renae said the family were fortunate things had worked out in the end, but admitted it had been a tough time for the couple who had lost “a lot” of money after having to cancel two organised ceremonies, and postpone their wedding date a total of three times.

The pair were originally set to marry in Bali in March 2020 – but then the pandemic hit. Everything had been paid for 2-4 weeks in advance but the couple are hoping they will have their money returned when borders reopen.

Kelsey and Scott James finally tied the knot in Coffs Harbour after their nuptials were postponed several times due to COVID-19. Photo courtesy of Bulb Creative.

“At the time we had been more worried about the volcano to be honest,” Renae said.

“We holiday in Bali every year and we have done so since the kids were very small. She always wanted to go there to get married.”

The couple postponed their Bali wedding to November, but with borders still closed they organised a wedding in Brisbane instead. They only received back 50 per cent of the funds they’d spent on the second ceremony.

Fashion designer Kelsey and physiotherapist Scott are just one of countless engaged couples whose plans turned to chaos during the pandemic.

With couples rescheduling events that have already been paid for, some businesses are having to make tough decisions to keep cash flow coming in 2021.

Bellingen wedding photographer Nicola Bodle told The Advocate that 2020 was tough, but businesses are now having to juggle last year’s backlog against new bookings to pay the bills.

After the lockdown was lifted, Queensland was placed under strict conditions including the compulsory use of face masks when leaving home until April 15. Weddings are permitted with up to 200 attendees during this period, but the masks must be worn.

In NSW, capacity at indoor weddings are limited to 1 person per 2 square metres, and people are now allowed to dance.