Just over a year ago, while the sun set over a gorgeous summer's afternoon in Melbourne, a question was popped. The joyous answer promised a lifetime of love, togetherness, shared experiences, devotion, adoration, and support.

Now the time approaches where we can celebrate this commitment with those friends and family who are closest to us.

Everything2 is a community. It has been our community since I met my one true, and followed him here to see what he was so wrapped up in. You have become our friends and our family. There have been many chortles, snorts, and giggles while we slowly got to know many of you, cheers at your successes, tears with your tragedies. We've been privileged to hug a few of you with real arms. We look forward to more.

I cannot promise that May 14, 2005 will be a day of sunshine, blue skies, and fluffy clouds, but what's certain is that it will be a day of celebration, good food, good wine, and most importantly, the day Greg and I start our happily-ever-after as husband and wife. We would love for you to bear witness and share the fun, so if you are able to be there, our real arms will be open.

If being in Australia is potentially part of your early-mid-2005 plans, write this down:

3:00pm, Saturday, May 14, 2005
 Pinnacle Holiday Lodge, Halls Gap.

Halls Gap is a village nestled in a pass between two peaks of The Grampians, an ancient volcanic mountain range leaping out of the Western Victorian plains. It has been a place of meeting and celebration since before recorded history. It is also staggeringly beautiful, and only a couple of hours from Melbourne, and has been a favourite escape since we started adventuring together. When the time came to set a venue for our nuptials, we wasted no time on haughty churches and sterile reception centres. The trees and cliffs and open sky will be our church, and our choir will be the cockies.

The ceremony will be in the gardens of Pinnacle Lodge, to be followed by an evening of fine food, good company, and some superb local wines in The Quarry restaurant on the grounds. All in all, it promises to be a day of frivolity and relaxation - another unconventional choice for a wedding day, we know, but we feel it's the right one.

Nitty Gritty

In some ways it's a simple plan, and in some ways - like being in the middle of Western Victoria - it clearly isn't. Fear not, all the nuts and bolts are included.
  • How to get there

    From Melbourne, follow the Western Highway through Ballarat and Ararat, and follow the signs to Halls Gap. Once in Halls Gap, pass the strip of shops and turn left into Heath Street. The Lodge will be on your left.

    For the real romantic, there's a train from Melbourne to Stawell, which connects with a (not so romantic) coach to Halls Gap.

    If you need a lift from Melbourne, please contact us and we will to find someone you can catch a ride with. If you are coming in from interstate or overseas we will look after you as best we can - all you have to do is ask.

  • Accommodation

    A range of rooms is available at Pinnacle Holiday Lodge. Check it out at  http://www.pinnacleholiday.com.au . To book, contact the lovely Jill and Michael Grimes on +61 3 5356 4249 and mention our names. Book early to be sure of space.

    Halls Gap and surrounds have plenty of other accommodation, from luxury hotels to caravan parks. A good starting point is  http://www.visithallsgap.com.au , or there's the Halls Gap Visitor Information Centre on +61 3 5356 4616 (Freecall within Australia: 1800 065 599 or 1800 246 880).

    We’re happy to help organise a place to stay – just give us a call.

    If you can, stay the weekend. It is a beautiful place to relax in and explore. Join us for a Sunday breakfast barbecue!

  • Requests

    Dress:
    We'll be buttoned and laced to the nines, but only because it's fun. Be as formal or as comfortable as you like. (Bear in mind the mountain air will likely be cool.)

    Cameras:
    Still cameras are great, but as a special favour to us, no video cameras, please.

    Gifts:
    As we've been telling everyone, we’ve been living together for three years and have all the practical things we need. Your presence is gift enough. However, if you're of the traditional and/or super-generous sort who just have to give wedding presents, how about something handmade and personal? Or you're welcome to contribute to our overseas-honeymoon fund (perhaps with suggestions on how to spend it!).

  • RSVP

    If you can make it, please let us know by April 3, 2005, so we can keep all our balls rolling.

    So far, these wonderful noders are joining in:

    • sneff says Can I go on the "Fuck Yes!!" List puh-lease me darlin?
    • kalen says What an incredibly brave and wonderful thing, inviting noders to your wedding! If you'll have me, I'd love to come. I'm in Australia for the year, and a lovely celebration in the Grampians in May sounds fun!
    • Inoshiro_K would love to come along if he possibly can - uni and work permitting (but he's sure he can arrange it).
    • Taliesin's Muse and
    • Red Pawn will most definitely make it down there for our wedding!

    And these wonderful noders cannot:

    • skybluefusion would love to be there but lives in California.
    • aionaever would, but there's quite a bit of the wet stuff in the way.
    • Dawggy and Harmony would but are, again too far away.
    • Andrew Aguecheek would love to come... but, having found himself on exactly the wrong hemisphere, can't. He promises, however, to get very drunk in our honour.
    • Pint will be there with bells on if we can buy him a yacht to make it over from New York City. :)
    • Wiccanpiper can only make it to one overseas wedding this year.
    • Uberbanana would have been very happy to attend our wedding, but being a poor college student, and on a different continent cannot.
    • Junkill would love to, but barring a miracle, will be stuck here in the other hemisphere!
    • The Debutante would come if she could, but has work commitments she just can't get out of :(
    • diotina wishwishwishes she could come, especially since she's been to Halls Gap and adored it, but unfortunately she will be in the midst of finishing off her thesis (and half a world away)
    • wertperch will be unable to come, because, if plans go right, he and grundoon will be honeymooning.
    • Footprints doesn't think he'll be able to make it.
    • Timeshredder has no way of getting to the other side of the planet this May, shall attempt to secure another infamous "Timeshredder Action Figure/E2 Event Surrogate" and forward him on in steed.
    • Cool Beans has no chance of me getting to Australia this Summer.
    • Nora put it perfectly when she said "ugh distances stink" :)
    • Swap says Hope springs eternal. I wish for a miracle and plane tickets.
    • Myrkabah says I wanna come to the wedding! But Australia is REALLY REALLY far away. Tell you what: On the day of, I'll do my best to teleport there. (maybe I should put him in the yes column.....)
    • yclept wishes she could.
    • La petite mort's parents will be visiting her in London at that time
    • bane221 sends infinite congrats but lives many thousands of miles away there is no way he can make it
    • Proquar says For nearly a year now, I have had your message about the Grampians - and now it looks like I will have a newborn at the time so will only be able to make it in spirit (but will have herself a wee munchkin, so it's wonderful) :)
    • Gritchka says It's most unlikely (though not actually impossible) I'd be around for your wedding (that whole half a world away problem again)
    • teos is in Oxford, England at the moment, and shan't be able to make it.
    • Glowing Fish is in Oregon, but will try to come if he's in Australia :)
    • ocelotbob says Unfortunately, my arms would get much too tired to swim to .au...I send my love and regards though

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