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In terms of wedding disasters, the experience of engaged couple Stephanie McEwan and Brendan Clarke was among the worst: seven days before their dream wedding, the venue they’d organised 18 months before was destroyed by fire.
It was just past 7pm last Friday, September 5, when the Loxley on Bellbird Hill, one of the Hawkesbury’s oldest and most significant wedding venues, burnt down.
Camden couple Brendan and Stephanie were married on Saturday after a week of scrambling because their first venue burnt down. Credit: Euphoria Films
More than 80 firefighters had to deal with the extraordinary flames and the added risk of venting gas bottles from inside the venue.
But from tragedy has emerged a story of hope. The couple, now officially Stephanie and Brendan Clarke, wed on Saturday afternoon in Kangaroo Valley, after spending a week frantically changing everything they’d spent more than a year organising.
Seven days to save a wedding
The Clarkes couldn’t describe what it was about Loxley that won them over when they visited last year. But as soon as they stepped out of the car, they knew it was where they wanted to get married. “It had such charm,” Stephanie said this week. “It just kind of ticked all of our boxes.”
They were called late on September 5 by venue staff and told about the fire. The pair allowed themselves to spend the evening in tears. At 4.50am last Saturday, Stephanie awoke and began firing off pleas for help. “I emailed, I think, close to 30 venues.”
Numerous fire crews worked to douse the building in water.Credit: NSW RFS
Most venues, while very sympathetic and offering support where they could, already had weddings booked for the week. But the Wildwood at Kangaroo Valley had space – not much, mind you: 30 couples were due there for an open day, but owner Alex Herlihy contacted them to explain the situation and adjust the timing.
Down-to-the-minute schedule
Over the next few days, Herlihy and his team came up with a tight schedule: from 11am to 2pm, the prospective couples would be treated to lunch and a tour of the 100-acre (40 hectare) property. Then there would be a 60-minute changeover, where the site would be cleaned up ahead of the first of Stephanie and Brendan’s guests arriving at 3pm.
“We have sparkling on arrival to slow them down at the top shed, then they come down to Ceremony Rock where they do their nuptials,” Herlihy said.
The venue in Kangaroo Valley.Credit: Wildwood Kangaroo Valley
The couple spent the week reorganising their seating plans, catering, music and floral arrangements, aided by local businesses and families who gave goods to help the couple on their special day.
Local tequila maker Casa Tinto and gin maker Old Salt donated a round of cocktails for the party. Paddington restaurant Porcine’s head chef Nick Hill, who was on a creative in-residence program on the property, moved out of accommodation to hand it over to the couple.
“I’d just like to thank everybody that we’ve dealt with,” said Brendan, who praised the industry’s kindness and speed. “I really wish that everything works out for Loxley.”
Everything has already worked out for the Clarkes: their wedding was saved in seven days.
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