As Freddie Mercury once sang, “the show must go on” — and that was the case on Saturday when among all the chaos a wedding was held at St Brendan's Church.
Bride Sophia Young and groom Jack William married on Saturday afternoon in front of family as Shepparton and Mooroopna braced for flooding.
Mother of the bride, Connie Young, said on Friday it was full steam ahead for the big day on Saturday, with not even water going to stop them.
“We proceeded on Friday that the wedding was going ahead,” she said.
“We were doing the final preparations such as getting our hair done, and the first realisation that the wedding could (possibly) not go ahead was (concerns that the) causeway might have been closed.
But with a bit of luck they were able to relocate with their hairdresser to Shepparton to get their hair done before the big day.
“We managed to get our hair done and took photos at the Olivehouse, which was fabulous with our family.
“I felt something would happen when we saw sandbags at the dress shop when we went to pick up my daughter’s wedding dress on Friday, and I had to cry when I got home, but we pulled through.”
Mrs Young said Saturday arrived with the usual wedding-day nerves — and an eye on the water.
“We woke up on Saturday all ready to go, and we surprised our daughter with a limousine, which came from Yarrawonga, and she was ready to go and then it was off to the church,” she said.
"But once we got to St Brendan's, I couldn't see the guests — they were halted before Shepparton, as police stopped them — and then I realised a situation was unfolding.”
Even though the post-ceremony events were cancelled due to the flooding, it was a wedding to remember.
"I’d like to say thank you to all who helped after all we went through, from sandbagging the house to getting my daughter and the groom to their honeymoon to Melbourne, and Carrington, where wedding guests were staying, went out of their way to let us have a gathering of some family members in their function room,” Mrs Young said.
“Truly wonderful community spirit, all coming together — it was great.”