Trent and Morgan Heaton were married in front of guests looking on via a live-streamed Facebook virtual wedding due to Coronavirus restrictions.
The couple initially planned to marry in September, but with a pleasant surprise of a bundle of joy on its way they decided to move the wedding forward to Easter on 11 April.
With three months of planning, little did the couple know strict regulations were about to come in to stop the spread of Covid-19. These Coronavirus regulations allow only two guests, a marriage celebrant and the couple to attend current weddings.
Longing to be wed before their first baby arrived, Morgan and Trent began to think outside the box to ensure both their grandparents, close family and friends were able to watch their special moment.
That’s when they decided to marry with a Facebook virtual wedding event and to livestream the wedding to their guests.
“My Dad was very worried and suggested that we reschedule, but I just wanted to be married and I knew that even though the restrictions were strict they were to protect us,” Morgan said.
With the Coronavirus regulations in place, it not only meant guests were excluded from attending the wedding, but they were also not allowed to have a professional photographer and Morgan’s mum Rona Bell took on the duty to capture their nuptials.
The wedding took place at Trent’s parents’ home the same place where he proposed to Morgan many months ago, in front of their mothers, Rona Bell and Toni Heaton, and marriage celebrant Rebecca Churchill.
After a few initial technical hiccups with one of the grandparents the intimate virtual wedding was underway.
“We chose this because it was the easiest way to connect for our grandparents,” Morgan said.
“All our grandparents got on in the end, we had a little bit of trouble with Nan, but Trent was able to troubleshoot all the problems on the phone with her.
“The reaction from our guest was so nice, we posted daily and hourly pictures and posts leading up to the wedding.”
The couple wrote their own vows, and virtual wedding guests were treated to Trent’s vows containing a rendition of lyrics from one of their favourite Queen songs “I was Born to Love You”, before a rose ceremony and then their wedding kiss.
The pair met and fell in love when they started a beginning teachers’ program at Biloela State High School and at the time not for a moment did Morgan imagined her wedding day to pan out the way it did.
But she said it turned out perfectly and she was grateful to share it with others while ensuring everyone’s, in particular their elderly grandparents, safety.
“Trent and I were really happy with our wedding because it felt so intimate and it has been awesome being able to rewatch our ceremony,” she said.
“I think it in a way made our wedding better because we were able to connect with everyone while still feeling safe from the coronavirus.
“It made our wedding more intimate just having our mums as our witnesses.”
They celebrated with a roast dinner with their mums afterwards and Morgan said they wouldn’t change a thing.
She said it would an incredible wedding story to pass on to her children and grandchildren, and they were now both waiting and very excited to meet baby Heaton when it arrives later this year.
- Other news: Local products could feature at international events, post COVID-19
