Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese married Jodie Haydon in Canberra on Saturday, February 17. This event marks the first instance of an Australian Prime Minister marrying while in office. The ceremony took place the day after the final parliamentary sitting of the year.
The couple announced their engagement on Valentine's Day. Both the proposal and the wedding reception were held at The Lodge, the Prime Minister's official residence.
Details of the wedding plans were not publicly disclosed prior to the event, citing security considerations. Attendees included Ms. Haydon's parents and Mr. Albanese's son from a previous marriage. Mr. Albanese's dog, Toto, served as the ring bearer. Following the ceremony, the couple walked back down the aisle to Stevie Wonder's "Signed, Sealed, Delivered (I'm Yours)." A video shared on Mr. Albanese's official social media accounts documented the couple walking through guests who provided confetti.
Several cabinet ministers were present at the ceremony. The reception featured the couple's first dance to Frank Sinatra's "The Way You Look Tonight." Custom-made beer cans, printed with the image used to announce their engagement, were also part of the celebrations.
The couple is scheduled to honeymoon in Australia from Monday to Friday next week. These plans were reportedly adjusted following Mr. Albanese's re-election in May. Mr. Albanese, 62, and Ms. Haydon, 47, initially met at a business dinner in Melbourne in 2020, during Mr. Albanese's tenure as leader of the opposition.