It was a dream come true for us…” –
Bonnie Sveen has married the love of her life, Nathan Gooley in an intimate Tasmanian wedding witnessed by 100 of their loved ones.
Sharing her private album exclusively with New Idea, the former Home & Away favourite admits she’s “still up on the wedding cloud” after the March 11 nuptials.
We had already made a commitment to one another, and Bonnie says that their love was evident.
“I believe that having children kind of shifts the focus away from your relationship, your romance, and even on you as a person. Therefore, [the engagement] was a lovely way to bring things to light.
Myrtle and Emerald were always going to be a “central” part of the couple’s wedding, according to Bonnie, who claims they spent a year arranging it.
“Having our two young children present, participating in the celebration, and watching on was a dream come true for us. Instead of simply a couple, we attended the wedding as a big family circle.
In fact, the bride and groom danced together for the first time to a song from Disney’s Encanto, the favorite film of the four-year-olds. The two also played official roles in the event, though Bonnie chuckles that Myrtle briefly “forgot her mission” after becoming “distracted by the crowd.”
For the Logie-winning star, the ceremony itself was the biggest highlight.
“We just felt, we’re not fulfilling anyone else’s idea, we’re not putting on a show. This is us and our day speaking what we want to each other and committing to each other,” Bonnie says.
“It was the most grateful I’ve ever been in my life to just have this day to celebrate love and each other and everyone’s good health and being able to be together.”
The wedding also incorporated a sacred smoking ceremony performed by Trawlwoolway woman and cultural educator, Trish Hodge.
Bonnie explains, “It was rooted and powerful and set the tone for the day.”
The couple’s extended family and close friends made up the 100-person guest list, and they were served to locally produced foods, wines, and beers.
And there were many unique touches throughout the day. Leanne, the mother of The Secret Daughter’s actress, played a key role in the event’s styling, even creating floral table centerpieces with her own homegrown flowers. Rob, Bonnie’s father, made the ceremonial arch out of salvaged driftwood and added draperies.
According to Bonnie, “they both had this huge impact on the day and the memory.”
In lieu of a wedding cake, the couple opted to “simplify things” by enlisting loved ones to bake sweet treats for an epic dessert table.
Bonnie, who wore a “romantic” Madi Lane gown, says the party really got started later in the evening when all the kids – and her beloved Great Nan Zena – hit the dance floor!
“Nan could not get off that dancefloor. She brought the best moves,” Bonnie recalled.
The newlyweds farewelled their final guests at 11pm – although Bonnie admits her little ones crashed out hours earlier on a couch!
Upon reflection, Bonnie is in awe of what was an “incredibly powerful and magical” day.
“It was the unification of both our stories and our upbringings and our souls coming together,” said the star, whose gone from being Miss Sveen to Ms Sveen.
“That’s what created that wedding cloud that I’ve been on ever since.”
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