
It was a silent protest for same sex marriage hailed by campaigners as one of the most effective ever seen.

A bridal party and guests at an Australian wedding covered their ears when the celebrant spoke the compulsory words that marriage is the union of a 'man and a woman'.

Bride and groom Abbey and Mitchell Johnston, both 22, told Daily Mail Australia they thought it was the 'right thing to do' and a bid to 'stand up and do something special'.

Mrs Johnston was troubled after her celebrant, Alison Bartlett, told her she was required by law to read out loud the precise statement known as the monitum at the ceremony.

'We told Alison that marriage equality was something that was extremely important to us as a couple and could she tell everyone our views on this within the ceremony,' she said.

'She happily obliged. However it just didn’t sit right with me. I thought to myself "Is that all we can do?" Surely such a bigoted statement should have no part in our personal marriage ceremony.

'I read an article about how celebrants are turning their microphones down when they say the monitum and the idea hit me.

'I nervously informed Mitchell of my idea hoping he wouldn’t think it was lame.

'He initially laughed so hard he cried and then he said “Yes. Absolutely we have to do this. You are crazy and I love it!"'

Bride and groom Abbey and Mitchell Johnston, both 22, told Daily Mail Australia their protest was the 'right thing to do' and a bid to 'stand up and do something special'

'I hope one day soon this terrible, archaic, unjust law is abolished in Australia,' Abbey Johnston (pictured) has said. 'Until then be kind, be proud and stand up for what you believe in'

All smiles and protest: The guests 'symbolically' raised their hands to their heads and could still hear the proceedings, photographer Thomas Stewart said

All 17 guests at the 'simple, candid and raw' ceremony at Sapphire Beach on the north coast of New South Wales raised their hands in unison

Hands up! When bride-to-be Abbey Johnston first raised the idea her with groom-to-be Mitchell, he laughed and said: 'Yes. Absolutely we have to do this. You are crazy and I love it!'

In the middle of the ceremony celebrant Alison Bartlett asked attendees to symbolically cover their ears as she spoke the controversial words

The moment was captured by photographer Thomas Stewart, who it was the most 'creative and fun' protest he had seen against the 'archaic laws'

THE MONITUM - THE STATEMENT CELEBRANTS MUST SAY All Commonwealth-registered marriage celebrants who solemnise religious or civil marriages must say the following words. Only ministers of recognised religions do not have to say the monitum. 'I am duly authorised by the Commonwealth of Australia to conduct marriages according to law. 'Before you are joined in marriage in my presence and in the presence of these witnesses, I am to remind you of the solemn and binding nature of the relationship into which you are now about to enter. 'Marriage, according to law in Australia, is the union of a man and a woman to the exclusion of all others, voluntarily entered into for life.' Source: Guidelines on the Marriage Act 1961 for Marriage Celebrants – July 2014 Advertisement

Mr and Mrs Johnston, an IT specialist and nurse respectively, wed in a 'raw, simple and candid' ceremony in front of 17 guests at Sapphire Beach on the NSW north coast in February.

Mid-ceremony Ms Bartlett, who said she was proud to help the couple 'vocalise their views', asked attendees to cover their ears as she spoke the controversial words.

Well-dressed guests raised their arms - although Mrs Johnston could only raise one hand, given she held a bouquet in her right.

The moment was captured by photographer Thomas Stewart, who it was the most 'creative and fun' protest he had seen against the 'archaic laws'.

'Obviously it was purely symbolic... but the whole thing was a beautiful protest in favour of same sex marriages being legalised in Australia,' Mr Stewart said.

Rodney Croome, the convener of Australians for Marriage Equality, said: 'This is one of the most effective protests against marriage discrimination I have ever seen.

'It reflects how strongly many heterosexual Australians believe in all couples being treated equally.

Mr Croome said he would encourage other couples to show their feelings about discrimination this way.

After posting pictures of her ceremony online at the weekend, Mrs Johnston said the pair had been overwhelmed with 'love and thanks' from friends and strangers.

She said she had never expected the reaction: 'The purpose was to stand up and do something special. Something that was important to us. To say to the government “We are not okay with this.”

'I fear that one day my future children will ask "Mum did you get married when same-sex marriage was not legal?"

'I wanted to show them that we didn’t just stand by.

'That we were proud of what we believed in, a very small act of defiance.'

After posting pictures of her ceremony online at the weekend, Mrs Johnston said the pair had been overwhelmed with 'love and thanks' from friends and strangers

She said she had never expected the reaction: 'The purpose was to stand up and do something special. Something that was important to us. To say to the government “We are not okay with this"

'I fear that one day my future children will ask "Mum did you get married when same-sex marriage was not legal?"

'I wanted to show them that we didn’t just stand by. hat we were proud of what we believed in, a very small act of defiance,' Mrs Johnston said

Rodney Croome, the convener of Australians for Marriage Equality, said: 'This is one of the most effective protests against marriage discrimination I have ever seen.

Two countries have legalised same-sex marriage in the past five weeks and the matter continues to be subject to political debate in Australia.

To jubilation and controversy, the US Supreme Court struck down the last remaining laws banning equal marriage throughout the United States.

The White House was lit up in rainbow lights and social media was deluged with rainbow-themed profile pictures, while many Republican presidential candidates were critical.

The landmark finding came little more than a month after Ireland voted overwhelmingly to legalise same sex marriage in a referendum.

Bills that would legalise same sex marriage in Australia have been proposed by parliamentarians from Labor, Greens and the Liberal Democrats.

However, any of those would face difficulty passing if Liberal Party MPs were not granted a conscience vote.

Asked about the issue by reporters at the weekend, Prime Minister Tony Abbott said: 'What happens in the United States is obviously a matter for the United States, just as what happened in Ireland a few weeks ago is a matter for the Irish'.

Mr Abbott, whose sister Christine Forster is a leading proponent of same-sex marriage, said his opposition was well known.

His views have not changed, he added.

People spontaneously gathered outside the White House in Washington, D.C., as the seat of the American executive branch lit up in rainbow lights in celebration over the legalisation of gay marriage

COUNTRIES WHERE SAME-SEX MARRIAGE IS LEGAL Belgium Spain Canada South Africa Norway Sweden Portugal Iceland Argentina Denmark Brazil France Uruguay New Zealand United Kingdom (England, Wales, Scotland) Luxembourg Finland Ireland The United States Mexico (in some states) Source: FreedomToMarry.org Advertisement

Marriage equality supporters celebrated outside the US Supreme Court after a majority of five judges struck down the last remaining laws banning same sex marriage in 14 states

Asked about legalising gay marriage in Australia at the weekend, Prime Minister Tony Abbott (pictured) said: 'What happens in the United States is obviously a matter for the United States, just as what happened in Ireland a few weeks ago is a matter for the Irish'



