Wedding bells
It was inevitable that Kerry and Mandy Donnelly’s wedding would have sirens.
Richmond firefighter Kerry and his bride were already missing some guests as some of Kerry’s co-workers battled the Nelson bush fire late into Tuesday night and again yesterday.
And, sure enough, during the wedding ceremony at the Richmond Fire Station yesterday afternoon – moments after Kerry vowed to fidget less and Mandy promised to eat less icecream – the fire siren went off.
It was a callout to a separate fire at nearby Rabbit Island.
As firefighters, including at least one wedding guest, sprinted into the station and pulled on their yellow jackets, they shouted ‘‘congratulations’’ before leaping into the fire truck parked out front and heading off. The dulcet tones of firefighters barking orders over the radio served as an atmospheric soundtrack for the unusual wedding venue, lined with yellow jackets and helmets.
Celebrant Rosemary Lelo started the ceremony with a moment of silence ‘‘to send our well-wishes’’ to the crews on the ground.
Lelo spoke about the need to have patience when facing the challenges of marriage, to laughter from the crowd, given the callout.
Mandy said afterwards they chose the fire station for the ceremony as the white woodpanelled building was ‘‘a bit unique’’, and Kerry and his coworkers were ‘‘a real team’’.
‘‘I know Kerry wanted to be out there with them fighting the fire.’’ Kerry has served with the Richmond Volunteer Fire Brigade for three years as a qualified fire officer.
His daughter and flowergirl Bella Donnelly, 11, said after the ceremony she knew the alarm would go off.
‘‘It’s not a wedding unless the fire siren goes off, eh Dad?’’