Planning to get married on April Fools Day was probably not the best of plans says Narelle Harkness after her wedding was postponed until earlier this month due the Logan and Albert River floods.
Narelle and Adrian Harkness had planned to be married at Narelle’s sisters property in Cedar Vale, until ex-cyclone Debbie approached on March 30 – with torrential rain that cut off the property and the possibility for wedding guests to attend.
Finally, Narelle and Adrian were married in front of about 40 guests in Cedar Vale on May 6.
The wedding was 30 years in the making, so Mrs Harkness said another month really didn’t make a difference.
“It was an absolutely perfect day, especially since it has taken us 30 years to get here,” she said.
“Christina did a great job reorganising the whole thing so we could just focus on the good times.
“It was totally better than anything I had in my mind.”
Narelle’s sister Christina Graham said she’d had great local support from businesses who had heard about the wedding circumstances.
“It was just so sad because she'd been trying to get married for 30 years but finally everything came together and she finally tied the knot,” Ms Graham said.
“Not only did businesses accept the cancellation of the event the day before, they also transferred the booking across to the new date with no extra charge.
“In the end we had a beautiful day.
“The weather was perfect and nearly every guest got there for my sisters wedding 30 years and one month in the making.”
Small Business Minister Leeanne Enoch urged small businesses in four more local government areas affected by Cyclone Debbie to apply for natural disaster recovery grants up to $25,000.
Ms Enoch said businesses in the local government areas of Isaac, Mackay and Rockhampton Regional Councils and Logan City Council can apply for Category C small business relief measures under the jointly funded Commonwealth-State Natural Disaster Relief and Recovery Arrangements.
“As at Friday (17 May), more than $470,000 in funding for 106 applicants has been approved by the Queensland Rural Adjustment Authority,’’ she said.
“These four new areas identified were severely impacted, with the level of damage supporting activation of exceptional circumstance grants.
“It is only right for those worst hit to get a helping hand to recover, rebuild and continue to grow and employ.”
