It was a very subdued New Year’s Eve around the globe for everyone this year, including celebrities.
But I’m thrilled that Sam Armytage had her dream wedding day with Richard Lavender. Sam, 44, and Richard, 61, tied the knot at his Southern Highlands estates.
Sam shared an official wedding photo – taken by Abbie Melle – with her 250,000 Instagram followers on Thursday night.
She captioned the photo “11.58am on a Thursday. How lucky are we?”
After the ceremony, the couple and a small number of guests had lunch at the Centennial Vineyards Restaurant in Bowral. The bride wore a simple, elegant dress by designer Carla Zampatti.
Speaking to The Daily Telegraph at the Everest Carnival Fashion Lunch in Sydney in October, Richard revealed that it was love at first sight for him: “It was immediate. This sounds really stupid but I thought, ‘gee whiz, I like that girl’ from the moment I first saw her.” Swoon!
My NYE was spent on the couch watching tellie. I don’t have any wisdom to impart as we gird our loins for 2021, I just want the Northern Beaches lockdown to be over so I can see my bloke.
Loads of celebs have taken to Insta to share their thoughts about 2020. Unsurprisingly, Lena Dunham was one of the most outspoken. Here’s what she had to say: “Hello 2020 survivor babies, I hate New Year’s Eve – especially sober, the substance-laden pressure to clamor toward a lover, a moment of ecstasy or joy or fun or finality is just crushing. I have spent way too many of them in bed with a form of pudding just praying for midnight to strike. On the contrary, I love year-end round ups, and the doozy that was 2020 for every sweet soul on earth really deserves a recap. We all know what went down, so here are some nuggets of knowledge I feel lucky to have learned the hard way and maybe you can use (and perhaps not struggle for as mightily as your girl did?)
“There comes a time we must accept that our life is not going to look the way our mothers, grandmothers, friends or ex-lovers thought it would or should. There is liberation in that. Try it on for size. Take it for a walk around the block. Own it.
“It’s scary to speak when you don’t feel your voice is central or useful, but silence can be even more deadly when silence means condoning behavior that is dangerous to those you love or reinforces unacceptable societal structures. Finding ways to pipe in with love and focus is a lifelong process, imperfect and imprecise. But try and try again. It’s the most human work.
“Solitude is different than loneliness. Companionship is different than togetherness.
“We never stop being messy, but hopefully we find a way to focus the mess so that it no longer explodes into other people’s territory- it’s like being a good emotional roommate. Keep the common areas clean. Then go wild, kid.
“Just because you invited him over, it doesn’t mean you gotta smash. (yes I’m 34 and I just got this. Thanks to the younger generation for enlightening an old bitch. Hey, Tik Tok!) And just because you said you didn’t wanna smash, doesn’t mean you can’t do it later. The world is our oyster.
“The worst part of straight sex is that cis men are involved.
“I miss you all. I love you so big. I hope you end the year feeling so sure that you were born to do it, even if you aren’t sure exactly why. Forever your girl, Lena.”
Sarah Michelle Gellar was equally thoughtful: “This is my goodbye to 2020. I have hope for 2021. I hope my children can step foot in a classroom for the first time since March. I hope to hug my friends back home in NYC that I haven’t seen since March. I hope to safely get to leave the state of California and not feel that I am making the jobs of doctors and nurses and frontline workers more difficult. I realize how hard this platform can be sometimes, watching people post perfect snaps of their life or their vacations. Let me be the first tell you, my life is not perfect. In fact this year was the hardest I can remember. But it also had its beauty. Never in my life would I have ever been afforded this kind of quality time with my kids and my husband. I will always find the joy in that (even though at times I too get frustrated) And yes, I would love to find myself in new places, exploring new surroundings, but I will continue to choose to be part of the solution and follow the guidelines. I will make the most of this time even though it’s challenging. I will gladly give up this holiday season in exchange for a lifetime of them, for me, my loved ones, and everyone sacrificing. Thank you to everyone doing the same. Peace out 2020 (I won’t miss you)”
And then there’s an upbeat Rebecca Gibney: “Wherever you are and whatever you’re going through try and hang in there. If this shit show of a year has taught us anything it’s that we’re stronger than we think. And don’t read the predictions that 2021 is gonna be worse. You can shove that where the sun don’t shine. I for one am banking on 2021 bringing IT!”
But the NYE winner was Sophie Monk with her comment that she was “only having one glass”.
OK, on with the gallery …
housegoeshome 
So many of those celebrities Ive never heard of… Rofl…
Happy New Year, Alana – may lockdowns end quick!
Really? I thought most were pretty well known. Goes to show