Gurpreet & Harpreet — married in my backyard, between shifts

When Gurpreet and Harpreet first told me they just wanted a court marriage, I understood. Between the two of them they keep a chicken factory in Western Sydney running around the clock — Gurpreet supervises the night shift, Harpreet the day shift. One clocks off as the other clocks on. Finding time for a wedding, let alone a big one, must have felt like a luxury they couldn't afford.

But somewhere between the paperwork and the practicalities, they decided that if they were going to do this, they were going to make the best of their day. That's how I came to marry them in my backyard — on a busy working day, no less — in a ceremony that was legal, intimate, and quietly beautiful.

A wedding between shifts

The logistics alone were remarkable. Gurpreet finishes his shift in the small hours; Harpreet starts hers in the morning. Between them, the factory never sleeps. Yet they carved out time on an ordinary working day to stand together and say their vows — proof that when something matters, you make the time rather than waiting for it.

What struck me most was how relaxed they were. Some couples arrive at their ceremony wound tight with nerves and schedules. Gurpreet and Harpreet arrived as themselves: an easy, fun couple who clearly enjoy each other's company. They weren't performing a wedding. They were simply getting married.

The paranda and the paperwork

They came dressed beautifully. Harpreet wore a lovely pink Punjabi suit, with a paranda woven into her braid — that traditional ornament worn with such pride at celebrations. It was a small detail with a big meaning: this was a "legals-only" ceremony on paper, but it was still theirs, still rooted in who they are.

That's the thing I've come to believe about court marriages and legals-only ceremonies. The paperwork is the skeleton — the legal formalities, the signatures, the declarations. But the soul of the day is whatever the couple brings to it: a paranda, a nice dress, a few family members gathered in a backyard, vows read aloud to the person you've chosen. You don't need a venue and a guest list of two hundred to honour tradition. Sometimes a paranda and a backyard are enough.

A backyard wedding done right

People often assume a backyard wedding means settling for less. I'd argue the opposite. My backyard gave Gurpreet and Harpreet something no function hall could: intimacy. Their guests — family and friends who had made time on a working day, just as the couple had — gathered close. There was no aisle to march down, no distant seating plan. Just people who love them, standing near enough to hear every word of the vows.

And because it was simple, there was room for joy. After the legalities were done, I took their photographs — and yes, I made them do the romantic poses. They laughed their way through them, the way easy couples do, and the photos capture exactly what the day was: dressed up, celebrating, and clearly happy.

What their wedding taught me

Gurpreet and Harpreet's day is the kind I wish more couples felt permission to have. They didn't want a spectacle. They wanted to be married — legally, properly, surrounded by the people who matter — and they wanted to enjoy it. They managed that on a working day, between shifts, in a backyard, with a paranda in Harpreet's braid and vows read aloud.

If you're planning a legals-only ceremony and worry it won't feel special, take it from me: it will feel exactly as special as you make it. Dress up. Wear the paranda. Invite the people who matter. Read your vows like you mean them. The paperwork takes care of itself — the rest is yours to shape.

Common questions about legals-only and backyard weddings

Can we have a legal wedding ceremony on a normal working day?

Yes. A marriage ceremony can take place on any day of the week, and weekday ceremonies are often calmer and easier to fit around shift work. Gurpreet and Harpreet married on an ordinary working day, with their guests making time around their own commitments.

Is a legals-only ceremony still a real wedding?

Absolutely. "Legals-only" describes the paperwork, not the occasion: the legal declarations, vows, signatures and witnesses are all there, and it results in the same official marriage certificate as any other ceremony. What you add — traditional dress, a few guests, photographs — is entirely up to you.

Can we get married in a celebrant's backyard in Sydney?

Yes. I regularly marry couples in my own garden in Bella Vista, in the Hills District. It's private, easy to get to, free of venue hire and permits, and close enough for guests to hear every word of the vows.

Can we still wear traditional Punjabi clothing and jewellery to a legals-only ceremony?

Of course. Harpreet wore a pink Punjabi suit with a paranda in her braid, and Gurpreet wore a suit. A simple legal ceremony is the perfect place to wear what feels like you and your family.

Photography by Sydney Snapshots — wedding photography by Star Celebrant's studio