Customs House has hosted thousands of weddings over the years, but one taking place this weekend will be extra special.
When Chelsea Cross and Christopher Schrader tie the knot on Saturday, they will not only cap a 10-year romance but celebrate beating the Brisbane River in the process.
The Indooroopilly couple, who met as first-year UQ arts students in 2000, will be the first to wed at the iconic building since rising waters threatened the CBD on January 11.
Ms Cross said there had been some tense moments last week but all was now on track for the special day.
Customs House Director Lyn Black said the “grand old dame” of the CBD was a hive of activity as staff prepared for the wedding and other upcoming functions.
The three-storey building sustained no water damage during the floods, with the river peaking two metres below the outdoor terrace. Staff pitched in last Friday to hose down silt from from the Venetian staircase and the “privies” (preserved outdoor toilets), with power resupplied on Monday.
The waterfront venue regularly hosts weddings, corporate and private functions, and community concerts staged by UQ’s School of Music.
Ms Cross said Customs House was the natural choice considering the couple’s connections to the University.
“My fiancé also used to work here as a waiter, so the building has always had significance for us as we used to meet up here in the early hours of the morning when he finished up,” she said.
More than 100 guests will gather on Saturday for the reception, including Ms Cross’s brother who flew in from Miami yesterday.
Construction on Customs House began in 1884 after the Queensland Government agreed to replace the existing building at Petrie Bight. It remained the hub of customs activity until 1988, and was acquired by the University in 1992.
An extensive renovation – made possible by a successful fundraising campaign – saw the building re-open in 1994 for the public to enjoy.
Its largest space, The Long Room, is crowned by a copper sheathed dome, which took three years to build and cost £38,346.
In 2001 the building received the Brisbane Tourism Award for Heritage & Cultural Tourism for the third year running and was inducted into the organisation’s Hall of Fame.
Almost 40,000 guests attended a Customs House function in 2010, with the award-winning restaurant accommodating a further 20,000 in addition to a steady stream of visitors.
Reservations for the restaurant, which re-opens for dinner service on January 27, are now welcome on (07) 3365 8921.
Media: Lyn Black at Customs House (07 3365 8909, lyn@customshouse.com.au) or Cameron Pegg at UQ Communications (07 3365 2049, c.pegg@uq.edu.au)
