Bindi Irwin, the beloved conservationist, TV star and daughter of the late “Crocodile Hunter” Steve Irwin, didn’t let the threat of the novel coronavirus cancel her wedding to Chandler Powell — although she did make one major concession. The ceremony had no guests!
The couple’s wedding took place at the Australia Zoo on March 25, which was a Wednesday. It happened just hours before new limits from the Australian government’s Department of Health, stipulating that no more than five people can attend weddings: the couple, the officiant and witnesses. That resulted in quite a dramatic change of plans for the wedding of one of that nation’s most famous women.
“We’ve planned this beautiful day for nearly a year and had to change everything, as we didn’t have guests at our wedding,” the 21-year-old wrote on a cute Instagram post she shared about the nuptials. “This was a very difficult decision but important to keep everyone safe. We wish all of our friends and family could have been there with us, however it’s lovely that we will be able to share photos and videos. Right now we’re encouraging the world to hold onto hope and love, which will carry us forward during this profound time in history.”
The groom, Chandler, a 23-year-old American, shared the same photo on his account, saying, “As we embark on this new life chapter I hope that we can share some love in the world, especially during this challenging time.”
“Good Morning America” reports that, because the Irwins all reside at the Australia Zoo, Bindi was able to have her family with her. In the Instagram post, Bindi noted that her mother, Terri, helped her get dressed, her brother, Robert, walked her down the aisle, and they lit a candle in memory of her father.
The Irwin family founded the wildlife park and the young newlyweds actually met there and got engaged there, too. Interestingly, the zoo is also where her parents met. This family has a lot of great memories invested in the Australia Zoo and they just added another big one this week!
Here’s an image from Chandler’s Instagram featuring the family together, showing off some of the animals.
The wedding had been in the works since last July, when the engagement was announced, but plans changed because of the current health crisis. Nevertheless, the couple hopes to share more about their nuptials soon.
“At this stage, we are unable to share additional details of the special day, but keep an eye on Bindi and Chandler’s social media channels for updates,” a statement from Australia Zoo says. “We are in the process of working on a very special project that will ensure Bindi and Chandler’s wedding is shared with everyone.”
Bindi has shared parts of her wedding journey already. A few weeks ago, she posted an image of her with the two main men in her life, after picking flowers for her bouquet.
Congrats are in order for this inspiring young couple! We can’t wait to see more pictures to brighten up our social-distancing days.
This story originally appeared on Simplemost. Checkout Simplemost for other great tips and ideas to make the most out of life.
