Steve Irwin’s daughter Bindi Irwin is officially married!
Bindi and Chander Powell tied the knot on Wednesday, March 25, at the Australia Zoo, the conservationist announced on Instagram. Due to public health and safety concerns, the couple decided not to have guests at their wedding.
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“March 25th 2020 ❤️ We held a small ceremony and I married my best friend,” she captioned a photo of the newlyweds on their wedding day. “There are no words to describe the amount of love and light in my heart right now. We’ve planned this beautiful day for nearly a year and had to change everything, as we didn’t have guests at our wedding.”
“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,” Bindi continued. “Right now we’re encouraging the world to hold onto hope and love, which will carry us forward during this profound time in history.”
“Today we celebrated life and revelled in every beautiful moment we shared together in our Australia Zoo gardens,” she added. “Mum helped me get ready, Robert walked me down the aisle, Chandler became my husband and together we lit a candle in Dad’s memory. We shared tears and smiles and love. Thankfully, since we all live at Australia Zoo as a family, we could be there for each other. To everyone reading this — stay safe, social distance and remember LOVE WINS!”
The nuptials took place one day after Australia Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced that the country would cut down on social gatherings and limit weddings to five people: the couple, a celebrant and witnesses.
Bindi and Chandler got engaged on July 24 of last year – on Bindi’s 21st birthday – after six years of dating. The couple originally planned a big celebration for their wedding in April but was canceled weeks due to ongoing public health and safety concerns.
The couple opted to exchange vows in front of close family members during a private ceremony.
Bindi and Chandler first met on November 23 when he, a Florida native and former professional wakeboarder, traveled to Australia for a competition. While there, Chandler visited the zoo with his family, where the Irwin family live and work.
“It just so happened that Bindi was giving tours that day,” he told PEOPLE in December, recollecting the moment he first met her. “I’m like, ‘Wow she is amazing.’”
The two “hit it off right away,” he said, adding, “We haven’t looked back since.”
When he proposed to Bindi, he first got the family’s approval, then enlisted the help of her brother Robert Irwin, who documented the very special moment with his camera. After, Bindi shared a sweet tribute to her late father, who passed away in 2006.
“Dad, you would be so incredibly proud of Robert,” she wrote. “He has been such an amazing support during this beautiful new life chapter.”
“I know you’d be beaming with pride when the time comes that he walks me down the aisle,” Bindi continued. “I wish you could be here for these moments, but I know that your spirit lives on in us.”
Brittany R
Brittany is a writer who is obsessed with rom-com movies, Gossip Girl, reality television, fashion, and pop-culture. When she isn't reporting on the latest celeb buzz, she is filling up her online shopping cart without checking out.