White Lotus Down Under: An Epic Aussie Wedding

notes from my first Australia trip in 11 years: part one

Our Qantas flight into Cairns, in tropical Far North Queensland

Hello! I just got back from Australia (where I am from) with my husband, Jim, and am bursting with excitement to share some of the highlights with you. Unsurprisingly, after an 11-year hiatus from my home country, I have much to report, and so this will be a 2-part series, beginning with a fabulous, tropical, love-bomb of an Aussie wedding!

When Caro, who’s been one of my closest friends since we were 12, got engaged, I knew I had to be at her wedding, but, after not being home in 11 years, I also knew it would be a challenge to see all the people who are special to me - and to spend enough time with each of them to make it meaningful. And there was something else: because of difficult things that have happened within my family, previous trips to Australia have been stressful, leaving me feeling depressed. This isn’t unique to me - I know that many people struggle with all the expectations, pressure, and emotional memories that surface when we return to the places we grew up.

And so, Jim and I spent a lot of time thinking and talking about how to make this a successful, happy visit. We decided to keep it simple: to leave the kids at home, and, instead of cramming 11 years of catch-ups into a series of brief lunches and dinners, to focus on seeing Caro, her family, and the friends attending the wedding. Our plan worked - I got to spend lots of quality time with people - and this will likely serve as a blueprint for future trips.

And oh what a wedding it was! We were in Far North Queensland, where the climate is subtropical, and the winter weather is perfectly warm and dry, unlike the steamy, scorching hot summers. The festivities began with a boat cruise to the Great Barrier Reef where we snorkeled and the bride was serenaded by friends…

In Australia, we don’t have “rehearsal dinners,” instead, there’s a brief, casual cocktail party the night before the wedding, which in this case, felt like a reunion, as so many of us hadn’t seen each other in decades!

The wedding decor was White Lotus influenced, including the stunning arbor at the ceremony and individually decorated pineapples, made by Caro’s family and friends.

Caro was escorted down the aisle by her mum, Carol, as her beloved father John died a few years ago. Doesn’t she look glamorous? The glitzy pantsuit and sequin-studded chiffon cape were unique, gorgeous, sophisticated, and fun - just like Caro! In addition to her beauty, Caro’s superpower is her ability to cultivate friends - and to make each one of us feel like we’re all her best friend. I know this takes enormous amounts of time, focus, and effort, and I marvel at how Caro makes it look easy.

And the guests were tropically festive, too!

Annabel and DK in his seersucker shorts suit!

My absolute favorite part of every wedding is the speeches, and while listening to the heartfelt and hilarious remarks (including songs!) by Caro, her new husband, Brendan, and other family members, I was struck by how special it is to get married in mid-life. Unlike when Jim and I got married in our 30s, and it was all about what was still to come, Caro and Brendan have accomplished so much: they’ve raised five kind, clever, loving children between them, started their own businesses and achieved impressive career success, and were surrounded by hundreds of devoted friends from every stage of their lives.

And then we hit the dancefloor, where I rediscovered my tambourine skillz…

Finally, the next day we said a teary goodbye to the happy couple before heading home…

…with a suitcase packed full of Aussie favorites…

…back to these two, who were well taken care of by their doting grandparents.

Thank you for reading - and stay tuned for next week, where I will reveal the things that made me feel most at home in Australia (including a request for the simplest thing!) and a bunch of fun Aussie-themed recommendations.

Have a wonderful weekend! Amelia