After an unexpected marriage proposal, between now-married couple Hayden and Dana Carne, an even more unpredicted wedding story unfolded.
Together for four years and raising their two-year-old son Harvey before getting engaged in 2021, when it came to planning their wedding, Dana and Hayden both had similar ideas on what it would look like. Envisioning an outdoor farm-style wedding, they had the perfect venue booked just outside of Canberra in Gundaroo for October 2021.
With the incredible amount of rain Canberra had towards the end of last year, the couple got the call you never want to get on your wedding day; the road to Gundaroo had been flooded. While there was little to no time to replan the wedding, rescheduling was not an option, with Dana saying they would have gotten married in their living room if they had to.
Making calls to every Canberra venue they could think of, through people they knew they managed to book out Fenway Public House in Woden. While it was an unexpected venue to host a wedding, in just a few hours the team at Fenway completely transformed the space.
Working with the food vendor, florist, photographer, videographer and the band, they did their best to replicate the original wedding and make the day as perfect as possible. Including organising their chef to cook the same menu and redesigning the floor to include guest tables, a bridal table, a stage for the band and a dancefloor.
“In the time that they had it was incredible that they could even pull it off. When I look at my wedding photos, you wouldn’t think it’s in a pub,” says Dana.
“It turned out better than I could have imagined.”
While hosting a wedding was a first for Fenway, the pub accommodates a range of different functions. Guests can either book out the entire venue or choose one of their smaller spaces including the beer garden, restaurant or private dining room. They also provide more than just pub food, organising everything from a grazing table and canapés to a chef’s five-course degustation and pizza buffet.
You can read more about Fenway’s function packages at https://fenwaypublichouse.com.au/
