On one warm sunny day in the middle of June, I got woken up by my dog barking. It was the day that my family and I were flying to Australia for my aunt’s wedding. I finished packing the last few things into my suitcase before closing it and bringing it downstairs. Opening the front door I wave at my lovely neighbours, Mrs and Mr Van de Kamp who are on a bright and early run. When Dad called me to help pack the car a sudden burst of excitement rushed through my body as I walked to the garage. Soon after packing the dog sitter had finally arrived to take care of Travers, our sweet golden retriever.
On the ride to the airport, I had a strange feeling that this week was about to get so chaotic and that we would leave Australia in complete shock. After arriving at the airport we hurried to the check-in desk before it got too crowded. The moment we finished going through security I noticed that I had forgotten my headphones and that the long flight we were about to board would be full of noise and would have a hard time concentrating on my book.
A few hours pass and we are about to land in Sydney Australia and I am feeling so hungry. After landing it felt so good to finally stand up and take a nice walk in some fresh air. Leaving the plane and then going to the baggage claim always takes so long since we need to take the bus to the main terminal. After finally getting our bags and suitcases we gathered all up together to leave the airport. Coming outside we saw Grandma Frank standing by the parking lot with a big minivan to take us to their Air BNB that they are renting for the big day. Seeing Grandma again after two years made me feel good and I was very excited to spend a full week with her because I knew that being with Grandma meant having lots of time to play cards and board games.
Two days have passed since arriving at the house in Sydney and it is the day before the wedding. Tonight my mum and I have planned a massive bachelorette party for Auntie Judice without her even having the slightest idea that we were doing it. So my job this evening was to casually have her come with me shopping for the day and going to a spa so mum has lots of time to prepare back at the house. Auntie Judice and I have decided to also go get our nails done especially so that they look nice and fresh for her wedding day. Going to the nail salon always makes me so happy because I know the feeling of having new nails, and it’s amazing!
As we finished getting our nails done, I glanced at my phone and saw a text from Mum: « Everything’s set. Bring her back in an hour! » Smiling to myself, I decided to stall Auntie Judice a little longer. We grabbed some smoothies and wandered into a random boutique where I convinced her to try on the most ridiculous dress I could find—hot pink with ruffles everywhere. She laughed so hard she almost fell over, and we ended up leaving the store giggling like teenagers.
When we finally arrived back at the Air BNB, Auntie Judice opened the door and—SURPRISE! Confetti exploded everywhere, music blasted, and a conga line of her friends and cousins started dancing towards her. She screamed in excitement, and the party officially began. The night was filled with karaoke, way too many cocktails, and an impromptu dance-off between Grandma Frank and Uncle Mike that had everyone in stitches. Somewhere in the chaos, a kangaroo (yes, an actual kangaroo) somehow wandered into the backyard, causing an uproar as we tried to chase it out without scaring it. By the time the night was over, we were exhausted but exhilarated.
The next morning, the wedding day had finally arrived. Everyone was up early, scrambling to get ready. But of course, chaos hit us like a freight train. First, Auntie Judice’s wedding dress went missing—only for us to find Grandma Frank had mistaken it for a curtain and hung it outside to « air out. » Then, the flower girl lost one of her shoes, leading to an emergency shopping trip. As if that wasn’t enough, the best man had a sudden allergic reaction to some shellfish he had the night before and had to be rushed to urgent care.
Finally, after a morning full of disasters, the ceremony was set to begin. Auntie Judice walked down the aisle looking stunning (her dress thankfully unharmed by Grandma’s « airing out »). Just as she and her fiancé were about to say their vows, the heavens decided to open up, and rain started pouring down. The outdoor wedding guests screamed, chairs toppled, and the cake—oh, the beautiful three-tier wedding cake—was caught in a gust of wind and SPLAT! Right into the DJ’s equipment. The music cut out with an eerie crackle, and for a split second, there was complete silence.
Then, the best thing happened. Auntie Judice burst into laughter. One by one, everyone joined in, until the entire wedding party was howling with laughter in the rain. The officiant, wiping raindrops from his face, just shrugged and continued, « Well, in sickness, in health, and in thunderstorms, right? » They finished their vows under a rainbow that had magically appeared in the sky. It was absolute chaos, but somehow, it was perfect.
The reception was just as wild. A cousin got into a heated dance battle with a waiter, someone’s wig flew off mid-toast, and my dad somehow ended up giving an accidental speech at the wrong wedding happening next door. The night ended with everyone dancing barefoot in the rain, drenched but overjoyed.
Finally, after the whirlwind of events, our week in Australia came to an end. As we packed up and said our goodbyes, I couldn’t help but laugh at all that had happened. We boarded our flight home, exhausted yet buzzing with memories. As soon as I walked through our front door, Travers tackled me in excitement, and I collapsed onto the couch with a sigh of relief.
We had survived the most chaotic wedding ever. And we were finally home at last.