weddings

Australian Netball Diamond Ash Brazill's wedding video is an absolute tear jerker.

I’ve stalked, watched, and written about a few wedding videos in my time.

They’re always lovely and pretty, warming and touching. I watch them from the periphery with happiness, uplifted by the adoration and sheer joy the bride and groom share with each other. (I’m a hopeless, soppy romantic… okay?)

Then, around lunchtime today, I found this wedding video. It’s of Ash Brazill, an Australian Diamond and the captain of the ANZ Championship’s West Coast Fever, marrying her longterm partner Brooke Grieves. And it is unlike anything I’ve ever seen.

A photo posted by Ashleigh Brazill (@ash_braz) on May 7, 2016 at 4:26pm PDT

Not just because the footage of their Big Day is unbelievably picturesque and beautiful. Not just because their fathers’ loving words of support brought a tear to my eye. Or because their wedding’s lively dance floor, which was bursting at the seams, was exactly what a dance floor should look like.

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But because this is the first wedding video that has made me disappointed. An ‘I’ve been hit in the guts’ level of disappointed.

This is the only video that has made me reel at one great injustice: that Ash and Brooke’s love, concrete in strength, striking in its authenticity, is still not recognised under Australian law.

This is the only video that has made me reel at one great injustice. (Image: VIMEO)
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"Ashleigh Rose Brazill, our life is going to be rich with love, laughter and happiness," the first of the vows - Brooke's - starts out. "I promise I will never lose sight of who I am, what brought us together and what our dreams are. I will be committed, truthful and genuine. Your heart will be safe with me."

WATCH: Brooke's touching pledge of love sets the tone for the 10-minute-long video. (Post continues...)

Ash & Brooke from Ryan Chatfield Images on Vimeo.

“From the moment I met you, you have surprised me, distracted me, captivated me and challenged me in a way that nobody had," Ash returned her own vows. "I promise to take you seriously when you need to be taken seriously, and laugh with you for the rest of the time.

"I promise to get up and check that every door in the house is locked when you hear a noise outside, and I promise to never go to bed angry and I promise to tell you every single morning how beautiful you look. I promise to be your somebody to dance with when Whitney comes on, and sing all of the boy duets when I am needed."

"I promise to be your somebody to dance with when Whitney comes on, and sing all of the boy duets when I am needed." (Image: VIMEO)
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For so many reasons, this wedding video is captivating and beautiful. But for one stark, glaringly obvious reason, it is baffling. It is disappointing. And it makes clear that our laws governing what a 'marriage' should look like - what it should be like - are so desperately wrong.

Because anyone who watches Ash and Brooke in that video can learn something. And they can see, right there on their screen, what a love and respect-filled union is.

What do you think makes a great wedding video?

Watch Mamamia staffers share their biggest wedding regrets.