The late Steve Irwin’s daughter Bindi and her fiancé, Chandler Powell, had been planning their wedding for nearly a year. In the midst of the CCP virus outbreak, commonly known as the coronavirus, they decided to forge ahead with their nuptials and left a heartfelt message for their family, friends, and followers: “hold onto hope and love.”
On March 25, 2020, Bindi took to
Instagram to share a sweet photo of herself and her husband sharing their first kiss as a married couple. The marriage happened at the Irwin family’s residence, Australia Zoo, in Queensland, Australia, despite the absence of the couple’s wedding guest list.
“We held a small ceremony and I married my best friend,” Bindi, 21, wrote. “There are no words to describe the amount of love and light in my heart right now.”
The newlywed Bindi then went on to explain that she and Chandler, 23, had to change everything about the wedding, most notably the guest list, in order that the big day could still go ahead while complying with the safety measures in place during the CCP virus. Bindi said it was “a very difficult decision, but important to keep everyone safe.”
The Epoch Times refers to the novel coronavirus, which causes the disease COVID-19, as the
CCP virus because the Chinese Communist Party’s coverup and mismanagement allowed the virus to spread throughout China and create a global pandemic.
“Right now we’re encouraging the world to hold onto hope and love,” Bindi continued in her
Instagram post, “which will carry us forward during this profound time in history. Today we celebrated life and revelled in every beautiful moment we shared together in our Australia Zoo gardens.”
Chandler, a former professional wakeboarder from Florida, first met Bindi in 2013 during a visit to Australia Zoo. “It just so happened that Bindi was giving tours that day,” Chandler recalled, as per
People. “I’m like, ‘Wow she is amazing.’ We haven’t looked back since.”
“He loves wildlife and conservation and he has this strength,” Bindi added. “Which is necessary when you’re jumping on crocs!”
Chandler proposed to the love of his life on her 21st birthday.
For their special day, Bindi’s mother, the late Steve Irwin’s wife, Terri Irwin, helped her get dressed. Bindi’s 16-year-old brother, Robert, walked her down the aisle.
Acknowledging the absence of her father on her big day, Bindi lit a candle with Chandler in honor of the “Crocodile Hunter,” Steve. “We shared tears and smiles and love,” Bindi wrote in a heartfelt post.
Chandler too shared the same picture with his Instagram followers and
wrote, “As we embark on this new life chapter I hope that we can share some love in the world, especially during this challenging time.”
The newlyweds received a plethora of supportive comments from social media followers. Responding to Bindi’s
Instagram post, one follower shared, “May God bless you and Chandler. I know your dad was looking down from heaven and is very proud of you and Robert. May you have a wonderful life.”
“Congrats,” wrote another, “pictures are beautiful. I’ve been watching your dad’s marathon all day today, miss him dearly he was my idol.”
In a clip shared by
Animal Planet on March 26, from their wedding day, Bindi was seen gushing over her husband. She said, “Oh my goodness, can you believe it, you’re my husband, we’re married.”
Since their father’s death in 2006, Bindi and Robert have followed in their father’s footsteps by living on-site and running
Australia Zoo alongside their mother, Terri. As of 2020, the zoo runs numerous conservation projects, crocodile research, their “Wildlife Warriors” outreach program, and global education initiatives.
From October 2018, Bindi has also co-hosted the Animal Planet documentary Crikey! It’s the Irwins, depicting the various triumphs and tribulations of life at Australia Zoo, taking care of the animals.
While Bindi’s lovingly planned and long-awaited wedding to her fiancé, Chandler, was hugely impacted by the limitations of the global pandemic, the Irwin family banded together and made the most of an unprecedented situation.
Reflecting on the events of the day, Bindi also wrote on her post. “To everyone reading this, stay safe, social distance, and remember love wins!”
