There wasn’t a dry eye in the house when Jimmy Barnes – still recovering from his close brush with death – walked daughter Eliza-Jane down the aisle to marry the love of her life, musician Jimmy Metherell.
Nobody cried harder than the Working Class Man himself. Desperately ill in ICU just before Christmas, Jimmy, 67, feared he wouldn’t make it through a life-threatening infection and open heart surgery, let alone survive to give away his adored “EJ”.
“There were a lot of tears, a lot of emotion for everyone, but a lot of laughter as well. Tears and joy and music,” smiles singer-songwriter EJ.
“It was just a great celebration of love, and we were so happy to have Dadda in such fine form for our wedding. My Jim’s father also had health issues at the end of last year, right before Christmas. So it was even more special to have both of our dads there.
“There’s so much darkness in the world right now, it’s nice to get together with people you don’t usually see and have a party.”
And what a party it was, with 140 guests! “Our families are BIG,” laughs 39-year-old EJ of the wellwishers, which included famous faces like Crowded House star Neil Finn, with his wife and sons, who are close friends of the extended Barnes clan.
LET THE MUSIC PLAY
At such a gathering of rock royalty, of course, almost everybody sang and played.
Uncle Mark “Diesel” Lizotte serenaded the wedding party down the aisle with a soulful version of Otis Redding’s beautiful ballad, I’ve Been Loving You Too Long.
The bride composed a moving song to exchange vows with her groom, while their cute two-year-old son Teddy, who was also the ring bearer, bashed out a noisy drum solo. The Metherell family performed a collective flash mob number, and former Cold Chisel frontman Jimmy – plus EJ’s siblings Mahalia, Jackie, Elly-May and Today Extra co-host David Campbell – accompanied the bridal waltz with a unique take on the Elvis classic Love Me Tender.
Mother-of-the-bride Jane Barnes was about the only person to refrain from belting out a tune. “I didn’t sing, I danced,” she chuckles. “There were enough incredible musicians in the room, they didn’t need me.”
EJ and Jimmy, 36, tied the knot on February 28 – almost 10 years after their first date – in The Stables at Berrima’s Bendooley Estate, conveniently close to her parents’ home in the NSW Southern Highlands.
Dusky roses, hydrangeas and pink lotuses paid tribute to the glorious Barnes garden, while the shared-platter roast dinner was a reminder of countless delicious family feasts.
“We went from wanting to have just a little love party to a full wedding at a proper wedding venue,” explains EJ, who lives in Auckland, NZ.
“We had planned to have the wedding at their place, but when Dadda got sick we decided to move it, which worked out really well. It was much less work! I never planned to be a full bride either. I wanted something I could wear afterwards. Then Mum said, ‘Let’s go see Collette Dinnigan.’ She actually no longer makes wedding dresses, but Mum can be extremely persuasive, so I ended up a full lace bride!”
Proud father Jimmy, a self- confessed softie, admits, “I shed a tear even at the rehearsal. Just the whole thing, you know. When I walked EJ past these beautiful trees and down the aisle, it was very emotional.
TEARS OF JOY
“I could see all the families – Jim’s family, the Finn family and our family. It was really great to see all those faces and all the joy. Most of all from bridegroom Jimmy, of course. I think he was in tears immediately. I managed to keep it together until the vows, but then I was crying too.
“I made a joke in my speech about love at first sight, because as soon as Jane and I met Jimmy, we loved him,” grins the rock legend.
“We’d been hinting for a long time for them to get married, so it was really great to be there to celebrate their big day with them. Every single person said it was the best wedding they’d ever been to. I don’t know how many marriage ceremonies actually see a drum solo from a two-year-old! There were bagpipes, great food, incredible company… What more could you ever want?”
But there was even more! Bridegroom Jimmy, wiping away tears, dapper in a three-piece chocolate linen suit, supported by best man and old school friend Elroy Finn. A beaming Jane helping little Teddy with the brushed gold wedding rings, made by Emma Jane Donald. Sharon Finn, Neil’s wife, acting as celebrant. EJ’s bridesmaid and bandmate Cecilia Herbert looking fabulous in Zimmermann.
And let’s not forget the amazing wedding band, Stallion, featuring Cecilia, Liam Finn, Lawrence Arabia, Elroy Finn and Matthew Eccles, plus many special guests. No wonder EJ was still hoarse from singing the following day!
Now the newlyweds, and little Teddy, will head home to NZ in lieu of a honeymoon. For the future, their plans are pretty simple. “Eat, travel, play music and swim in oceans together,” says bridegroom Jimmy.
