Charlotte and Rob’s Wedding

Charlotte Kilminster is one of Irene and Bill’s many great grandchildren. She’s the daughter of Kate Landsberry, who’s the daughter of Gwen Landsberry.

On Saturday 6 May 2023 Charlotte married Rob Orford at a beautiful service at Wamberal Surf Life Saving Club, NSW.

Earlier that year, guests had been advised to “Save the Date”, which of course we all did. Then, as the date approached, the official invitations arrived.

This story starts with some words from the Celebrant, Nicola Meale, followed by the formal part of the proceedings, during which Charlotte and Rob deliver what may be the best vows EVER. Following the ceremony, are the speeches delivered by Matron of Honour, Janai Tauro, and Best Man, Michael Orford. Then there’s two wedding videos, followed by a gallery of wedding photos. It’s a veritable festival of wedded bliss!

The Service – Nicola Meale, Celebrant

Charlotte and Rob would like me to make an announcement on their behalf. Unfortunately, our groomsman Marijan has tested positive for COVID, so he and his wife Katarina aren’t able to be here. However, we will have them on FaceTime so they can still see the ceremony. That said, this is an unplugged wedding, so a reminder to please keep your phones on silent and we ask no photos or video until the completion of the ceremony. As well as no socials until Char and Rob have given you the all‑clear. Also thank you to Charlotte’s son Sam for stepping up in Marijan’s absence.

Family and friends – on behalf of Charlotte and Rob I would like to welcome you all. I feel privileged to be given the opportunity to officiate the marriage of these two beautiful souls today

Today we honour the commitment that Rob and Charlotte are about to make to each other…the public declaration of their love for one another, and to wish them joy and happiness for their future life together.

Charlotte and Rob have been together for almost 11 years. It all started in August 2012 when they met at a local pub. They drank, played pool, and made a nuisance of themselves all night. After texting each other non-stop for a week, it became undeniable that they were meant for each other.

So, when I met with Char and Rob I asked about their proposal, and they looked at each other and laughed, and I was like, “Oh My God, tell me the story and don’t leave any detail out”. Their cheeky looks to each just made me more intrigued. They went to their usual fave brekky place in Avoca and went for their little walk as per routine…so nothing was out of the ordinary there. Char was none the wiser that Rob was about to ask the question she had been waiting on for the last few years.

Rob turned to her about to ask ‘the question’ and before he could say anything Char exclaimed. “I NEED TO GET TO A BATHROOM NOOWWWW!!”, and she legged it to the nearest public loo. A while later Char reappeared a little worse for wear, BUT…Rob was determined this was the day, so he asked if she was right to continue their walk. She resisted but agreed as she thought the fresh air would be good for her. So while Char’s admiring the sights and working out which beach house she’s going to buy, she turns back to Rob who is now not wasting any more time and is on bended knee holding up a ring asking Char the 4 words she’d been waiting to hear for such a long time, “WILL YOU MARRY ME??” And she answered, “YESSS, of course”, but then quickly added, “Did anyone see ??? Let’s do it again in a place where people can see – hahaha”. Oh Char.

There have been many significant moments in their relationship, but the most significant was when Rob decided to move in with Charlotte and her boys in Quakers Hill. It was a big decision for him, leaving his familiar surroundings in Chatswood and moving from the north shore to western Sydney, but he did it because he loved them and wanted to be a part of their lives.

Rob and Char have a strong and loving relationship. They share the same wicked, slightly inappropriate sense of humour, their love of 90’s music, and enjoy spending time together. While they have differences in their personalities and interests, they complement each other well, with Rob being more analytical and logical while Charlotte is more creative and empathetic. They appreciate each other's strengths and are there to support each other through difficult times. Overall, their relationship is based on mutual respect, understanding, and love for each other.

And here we are, 11 years later, celebrating their love and commitment to each other. Rob and Charlotte, you both have come a long way since that night at the Orchard, and it's a testament to the love and respect you have for each other. Marriage for them is an active choice. A public display of their love and commitment to each other.

I would now like to invite Charlottes mum, Kate to do a reading for these two soul mates.

Kate Landsberry’s Reading

Kate created her reading by combining her own words with some from the Bridge Across Forever by Richard Bach (1984), and Blood Brother by Elliott Arnold (1947).

A soul mate is someone who has locks that fit our keys, and keys to fit our locks. When we feel safe enough to open the locks, our truest selves step out and we can be completely and honestly who we are.
Each person unveils the best part of the other. No matter what else goes wrong around us, with that one person we’re safe in our own haven.
Our soul mate is someone who shares our deepest longings, our sense of direction, our dreams, hopes and challenges.
Our soul mate is the one who makes life come to life!
May beauty surround you both as you walk beside each other today and through all the years ahead. May happiness be your companion and your days together be good and long upon this earth.
But perhaps most important of all is to treat yourselves and each other with respect reminding yourselves often of the magic that has brought you together.

Thank you Kate.

Rob and Charlotte are so thrilled to be starting their new adventure as husband and wife, which now leads me to the official section of the ceremony.

I, Nicola Meale, am duly authorised by law to solemnise marriages according to law.

Before you are joined in marriage in my presence and in the presence of these witnesses, I am to remind you of the solemn and binding nature of the relationship into which you are now about to enter.

Marriage, according to law in Australia, is the union of 2 people to the exclusion of all others, voluntarily entered into for life.

The Asking

Will you Rob, take Charlotte, to be your lawful wife. Will you love her, comfort her, honour and respect her throughout your life together?

ROB: I will.

Will you Charlotte, take Rob, to be your lawful husband. Will you love him, comfort him, honour and respect him throughout your life together?

CHARLOTTE: I will

Legal Vows

ROB: I call upon the persons here present to witness that I, Robert Sidney Orford, take thee, Charlotte Emily Kilminster, to be my lawful wedded wife.

CHARLOTTE: I call upon the persons here present to witness that I, Charlotte Emily Kilminster, take thee, Robert Sidney Orford, to be my lawful wedded husband.

Personal Vows

Rob and Charlotte would now like to declare their love for each other in their own words.

Charlotte’s Wedding Vows

Rob, I promise to always make sure you have milky ways and milo in the cupboard.
I promise to always brush and plait your hair…immediately.
I promise to love you, support you, respect you and above all, when you are hangry, make sure you get food as soon as possible…mainly for my own health and well-being.
I promise to continue to sing the wrong words to songs and insist that they are the right words, when in fact they are probably the wrong words.
However, I can’t promise that I will stop asking you what is going to happen next in a movie or TV show that you’re only just watching for the first time too.
I love our wormhole conversations where we solve all the problems of the world and delve deep into inane and complex subjects until we are left questioning our very existence.
You make me feel so safe, I love that you are always there to protect me. You are the backbone to our little family, the love and support you give to Sam, Isaac and Ashley is so genuine and so honest and it’s because of this that they respect you and look to you for guidance as they become young men.
You and I have a language, a way of being as a couple and a connection that is so undeniable and so uniquely ours, and is something we don’t share with anyone else, except maybe our unicorn.
I value your loyalty, intellect and humour and your vast knowledge on most subjects. When I think about what the rest of my life will be like, I can’t picture it without you by my side.
I promise to always be there for you, to love you as you are, support and encourage you to be the best version of yourself. I promise to love you fiercely and forever. You’re my best friend and I choose you above all others. I promise to love and care for you, and always be by your side.
Today I commit to you, in mind, body and spirit, in front or our family and friends, to begin this next chapter of our relationship together as husband and wife.

Rob’s Wedding Vows

Char, It was almost 11 years ago that I was participating in my weekly ritual of drinking and catching up with the other beer enthusiasts at my local watering hole when our common friend Jack announced to the group that he was catching up with an old friend of his. I didn’t really think much of it but not long after that, yourself, and two friends showed up. I remember thinking how savage that was, inviting chicks to this pub full of degenerates.
Being the social butterfly that I can be after consuming a number of beers, I found myself engaged in conversation with you out on the balcony while getting some fresh air and keeping hydrated. Finding common ground came easy with you as if we’d been friends for some time. I don’t remember asking for your number but clearly the liquid courage worked its magic at some point.
It’s pretty wild to think that the seemingly random events of that night would eventually lead us to this day.
There’s a great deal of things I love and admire about you Char. Your compassionate and caring nature, your creativity, your inquisitive mind and your stunning good looks. I love the way you can give me a different perspective and challenge my view of the world. I love the way you ask me how my day has been and even if it sounds like I'm speaking a foreign language to you, you’re still interested. I love that even as adults, we can have childish fun together, but most importantly - I love your cooking.
Char, In front of our family and friends the vows i make to you are:
I promise to be the best version of myself that I can be for you, to love you unconditionally and to be present for you, to protect you and provide for you. I promise to remind you of how much I love you and how beautiful you are.
I promise to try and understand your decision making, even if it's doubtful I’ll ever understand the rationale behind putting the air conditioning on when I'm already wearing trackies and a hoodie.
I promise to be there for you when things seem impossible and to reassure you that everything is going to be okay, just like when you were doing the hardest Uni assignment you’d done yet. I’m still not sure which one was the hardest, because you said that for all of them, and yet somehow you still smashed out distinctions all round, I couldn’t be prouder of the woman I find myself standing in front of today.
When I entered into a relationship with you, I got myself a bit of a package deal, which means I also need to make a promise to 3 young men - Sam, Isaac and Ash.

Boys, I promise to be the best husband to your mum that I can be and will continue to put her on the pedestal she deserves to be on, if for nothing more than because she’s a little height challenged. Although sometimes you boys have driven me up the wall, I appreciate how overall you have made being in this relationship easy on me. Each of you hold a special place in my heart and I feel extremely privileged to have played a role in your lives. I hope I can live up to your expectations of what you believe your mum deserves in a husband.

Back to you Char, Although I was joking with you about getting ChatGPT to write my vows, I feel it necessary to include at least something that I scraped from it because I couldn’t in good conscience live up to my nerdy reputation without it. So to wrap this up - “I promise to be your navigator, best friend, partner in crime and biggest fan. I promise to be your confidante, your ally in conflict, your partner in adventure and your accomplice in mischief.”

Giving Of Rings

Who bears the rings for Rob and Charlotte?

Your wedding ring is a symbol of your promise to one another. The ring, an unbroken, never-ending circle, is a symbol of committed, unending love.

Rob, as you place this ring on Charlotte’s finger, repeat these words after me:

ROB: I give you this ring as a symbol of my love, and the vows we’ve made to each other today.

Charlotte, as you place this ring on Rob’s finger, repeat these words after me:

CHARLOTTE: I give you this ring as a symbol of my love, and the vows we’ve made to each other today.

Declaration Of Marriage

Rob and Charlotte, now that you have made your promises to share your lives together in accordance with your vows, it is with great pleasure, I now pronounce you husband and wife.

You may kiss your bride.

Signing of the Marriage Register

I would now like to ask Charlotte, Rob and their witnesses, Samuel and Jarred to join me as we sign the register.

Charlotte and Rob, you have made your vows today and exchanged rings, surrounded by your family and friends who share in the joy of your marriage. Celebrate your union while maintaining your sense of freedom and individuality. Uphold and affirm the other – who they are and what they want to be. Nurture your marriage, your love and your friendship. The best is yet to come.

I would like to be the first to introduce, as husband and wife, Rob and Charlotte Orford.

Speeches

Michael’s Speech (Best Man)

Hello, good evening, everyone!

Loyal, charming, honest, humble, a truly great man…but that’s enough about me. I’m Michael and it’s an honour and privilege to be here today as Rob’s best man. Some may say that Rob and I have a few things in common, and that’s true. He doesn’t know what I’m going to say in this speech, and neither do I.

Before I get stuck into it, I need to get the basics out of the way. Firstly, thank you Rob and Char for inviting us all to be a part of your special day. You thought the hard part of the day was over when the ceremony ended. Well, I’ve got news for you, you still have to get through this.

Sam and Cassandra: You’re both looking very sharp! Janai, Tammy, and Cassy: You all look amazing. Thanks for making sure Charlotte didn’t do a last-minute runner. That would have been extremely awkward!

The Girls - a work in progress

The Girls - the finished products

And of course, to the beautiful bride: Charlotte, it comes as a shock to absolutely nobody that you look spectacular today. I’d also like to say that it brings me great pride and immense joy to be able to welcome you to the Orford family, and to be able to call you, my sister.

Alright, let’s get into it!

When I found out that Rob and Charlotte were engaged, I had a sneaking suspicion that I might be asked to be Rob’s best man. It took months before Rob finally worked up the courage to ask, but on a warm December day last year, he finally worked up the balls and got the job done. I remember it vividly, the smell of cigarettes and vapes, the taste of cheap piss, and the soothing sounds of Queen of the Nile. Yep, you guessed it. Rob asked me to be his best man in the pokie room of the Gosford Hotel. *Chefs kiss*

This is in stark contrast to how he proposed to Charlotte, which by all accounts was very romantic. Who knows what to believe.

As a collective, let’s take a step back and let our imaginations run wild for a minute. We’ll transport ourselves to the night that Rob and Charlotte met one another. Many, many years ago, at one of the finest establishments on the North Shore…The Orchard Hotel.

Rob, and a few of the boys were enjoying a couple of beers when Charlotte was introduced. Now I’d be lying if I said it was love at first sight…because I couldn’t see a thing, which is why we needed to use our imagination! What I do know is that it didn’t take long, and Charlotte was featuring heavily on Rob’s schedule.

After that fateful boozy encounter, things got serious. To keep it short, Rob and Charlotte had a few more sessions in Chatswood before deciding it was time to shack up and become partners in crime. Rob became a certified Westy by moving out to Quakers Hill and took up a new role as “man” of the house and Stepdad to Sam, Isaac, and Ash.

I’ve been incredibly lucky to watch Rob and Charlotte’s relationship go from strength to strength, to be able to see them love living together, and supporting one another in anything that they do regardless of how big or small that venture may be, including changing status from Westys to Coastys. As a family unit, the 5 of them always have each other’s back, and their bond continues to grow.

Charlotte, your commitment to your family is just one of many traits that define who you are. You’re also incredibly talented, creative, smart, cheeky, compassionate, and can rap Beastie Boys tunes like the best of them. I’m sure it’s all these things that attracted Rob to you in the first place, and the way that you can cook a mean feed is just the icing on the cake. I am so thrilled that the two of you have decided to spend the rest of your lives together.

On that note, I’d like to propose a toast to my brother and his beautiful bride.

Please raise your glasses.

To Rob and Char, Cheers.

Janai’s Speech (Matron of Honour)

Hello, and welcome!

For those of you who don’t know me, I apologise in advance!

My name’s Janai Tauro, and I’m honoured to be the Matron of Honour on this special day for Charlotte and Rob.

Firstly, I’d like to thank the bride’s crew for all they’ve done today: you’re both amazing women! I’d also like to note how smashing the Groom’s support staff look! A quick ‘cheers’, to both parties, please! (raise glasses).

I first met Charlotte when Isaac was a baby – feels like a couple of years ago, but seeing Isaac today….hmmm…maybe not. I’d been dragged along by our soon to be, mutual friend, Debbie, to an early-bird Mother’s group thing. (Thanks Deb!)

When I heard Char already had a 6 year old at home, I was smitten! I thought “now, here’s a woman who knows her stuff”!

I knew the sun shone out of her bootlaces - or thereabouts! Just ask my husband. I was all: “Charlotte says this” and “Charlotte says that”… ALL the time!.

This kind, caring, creative, and delightful lady became one of my people. A confidante, who’ll only ever give it to you straight, who never judges, and who’s fiercely loyal.

Many trials and tribulations, and a couple of kids, followed for us both. Ash: I’m sorry I’m such a crap Godmother!

At some point, down the track, I then had the privilege of being introduced to Rob.

He was quiet at first, this grungy looking, youngster.

My darling friend had met her match. And I had found the Elder Scroll!

I was just as impressed with Rob as I’d been with Charlotte. Never a finer fellow, have I met. Smart, thoughtful, kind, and clever. Insightful and supportive. All qualities I also attribute to Charlotte.

I am so happy for you both. I am so grateful to be the one girlfriend that Rob will tolerate in his space, particularly when I made such a mess of his workstation this week!

Charlotte, the careful planning and execution of this day is a testament to your love for Rob. The shorthand that occurs between the two of you, is a sign of the strength of your partnership and the love between you both, and it just melts my heart to see!

I love you both, very much, and wish you both nothing but the best for the future. I look forward to bearing witness to the ride that life takes you on. Supporting you, and having your support, in turn.

Sam’s Speech (Charlotte’s eldest son)

Hello to you all.

I have the pleasure of speaking tonight and I am overjoyed to be able to!

Just before I begin, when I say the word ‘toast!’, please be inclined by the power of suggestion vested in me to do so throughout this short 2 minutes and 50 seconds speech.

We're here to celebrate marriage.

Two individuals coming together as one.

Char and Rob, with me being the son of one and a mate to the other, it was only appropriate I spoke. I feel like I’m a bridge between the two families.

So Let's Toast! For all of us being able to come together tonight!

Most of you, unlike myself, have your forever spouse. So, here’s a quote by Dr. Suess for all of YOU to think about...

We are all a little weird, and life is a little weird. And when we find someone whose weirdness is compatible with ours, we join up with them and fall into mutually satisfying weirdness and call it love. — Dr. Seuss

Let’s raise our glasses to the happy couple. Toast!

To the groom, Rob.

You bring stability, knowledge, love, nerdy vibes, thought-provoking fun, dopiness, and surprises to my mum - like a child on a rocking chair asking for ice cream - she serves you well.

Most importantly you deliver kind concise love and care. You're confident, humble, tenacious and a character I like being around. I appreciate you and I know she does too.

To the beautiful bride, a mother of 3 lucky boys, and now a lucky husband.

Three lucky boys

One lucky husband

I’m so proud to say the following in front of all these witnesses!

Your passionate care is formidable and committed.

You indulge in so many desserts, yet far fewer social occasions - so it’s good to see you here tonight. 😉

Your love is deep, it’s felt strongly and is appreciated!

You distil and nurture love and affection so well.

But Mothers are like glue………as a wife is to you!

We're stuck with them.

But to be stuck with a Mum like mine...I feel blessed and relieved that she is in your protection now.

Here is an extract from a poem - I think is suitable to sum things up:

He never leaves the seat up
or wet towels upon the floor.
The toothpaste has the lid on it
and he always shuts the door.

She's thoughtful when he looks at her
A smile upon his face.
Will he look that good in 50 years
When his dentures aren't in place?!

She says she loves his kindness
And his patience is a must,
And of course she thinks he’s handsome
Which in her eyes is a plus!
They’re both not wholly perfect
But who are we to judge?

All that said and done
They love the time they spend together,
And I hope - as I’m sure you do
That this fine day will last forever.