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When education professionals Marie Baird and Allan Thomas decided to tie the knot, they eschewed convention and aimed for something relaxed and comfortable. Their 1950’s fancy dress picnic proved the idyll for a lazy day of nuptial bliss.
“I love dress ups and I love having a theme,” said newlywed Maire, “It’s a charming way for people to engage and creates a really special moment in time.”
And it was something of a time capsule, or that’s how it must have appeared to the many curious cyclists and dog walkers strolling past, wondering if they had wandered onto a film set because from a distance, that’s exactly how the Baird-Thomas wedding appeared, the very apogee of relaxo chic.
Set by the banks of Melbourne’s Maribyrnong in the Pipe Makers Park the hundred odd guests strolled casually into place, spread a picnic blanket and made themselves very comfortable awaiting the arrival of the wedding party.
“Allan is a total fan of the era. We wanted a themed wedding with an old school feel, girls in flirty skirts and men who looked cool.” Which is exactly what they got. On a hot February day with a cool breeze to ruffle those skirts and shirts, the couple were heralded in under a symphony of kazoos (the guests) and a gauntlet of flower girls (the guests’ children).
The bride wore an original fifties number: an organza gown with a flocked floral motif, discovered at the Way We Wear Vintage Fair in Victoria’s historic Williamstown.
“It was one of those rare moments when you find the perfect dress on the first shopping foray. It fit me as if made and suited the themed event with uncanny accuracy. It also suited my gravity defying hair,” said Marie.
Guests were treated to personalised picnic baskets catered by Anthony Hamilton-Smith with gourmet baguettes wrapped in gingham cloth that coyly revealed bottles of wine to share. Dessert was an event when the Bancolatté Ice Cream cart arrived and it wasn’t just the kids who were first in line for a Salted Caramel or Pistaccio Ice cream.
But it was the kids who were the signifying reason Marie and Allan chose to go with a themed picnic event.
“In many ways it was a pragmatic decision. We are an older couple with a young daughter.” Astrid Katie Grace Baird was just 14 months old on the February 16 Wedding date.
“Most of our friends have young children and we knew the parents would only have a good time if their children were suitably distracted.”
Distractions included a paper lantern fairy garden and a performing Clown. Climbing trees and skipping stones into the river was a fun and free codicil adding naturally to the lazy day’s agenda and scored beautifully by the wandering string quartet made up of ex Dance Hall Racketeers.
The crowning moment however for the guests and the Bride, was a surprise performance from the groom. When Allan, a Film and Media academic at Melbourne’s RMIT University, had proposed to Marie after several courses and as much wine at Attica Restaurant some months earlier, she made him promise to sing to her at the wedding. Only thing is, she forgot to sign off on the choice of song.
After the ceremony and speeches, all of which took place under a flowering gum were finished, Allan serenaded his new bride to a kazoo led tune of Johnny Cash’s Ring of Fire. Which, technically wasn’t written until the sixties. But really, there was too much Prosecco for anybody to care too much about that.
