Brittany Higgins and David Sharaz have tied the knot in a lavish ceremony at a luxury Gold Coast wedding venue.
The newlyweds were joined by 80 friends and family members at The Valley Estate in the Currumbin Valley on Saturday afternoon.
No politician or celebrity guests were invited, but in attendance was the former sex discrimination commissioner Kate Jenkins, along with television producer Judi McCrossin who optioned the production rights to Ms Higgins’ unpublished memoir.
Ms Higgins wore a long-sleeve, lace gown with a tulle skirt by South Australia designer Paolo Sebastian, which cost up to $30,000, while the groom wore a black tuxedo.
Mr Sharaz was surrounded by entourage of groomsmen, security workers and venue staff, and shrouded by a sea big black umbrellas to shield him from the media circus waiting beyond the gate.
Rain was forecast for the big day, but the skies remained clear.
Brittany Higgins and David Sharaz have tied the knot in a lavish ceremony at a luxury Gold Coast wedding venue (pictured, Ms Higgins with her father Matthew)
Mr Sharaz was seen surrounded by an entourage of groomsmen and other assistants, as well as a sea of big black umbrellas, despite rain so far holding off for the big day
Former Liberal staffer Ms Higgins is set to marry her long-term boyfriend at a lavish ceremony at The Valley Estate in the Currumbin Valley this afternoon
Pictured: Guests leaving the ceremony after the happy couple exchanged vows
Pictured: Umbrellas outside the chapel where the couple got married on Saturday
As media scrambled to get photos pf the newlyweds, security teams and venue staff tried to use umbrellas to block the view.
Earlier, on Saturday morning, Ms Higgins was seen saying goodbye to her husband-to-be at their $260-a-night hotel before setting off to prepare for the ceremony with members of her bridal party, including her maid-of-honour Emma Webster.
The former Liberal staffer smiled as she left with a garment bag with the name of South Australian label Paolo Sebastian printed on the front.
The brand has designed outfits for the likes of Katy Perry and Kris Jenner.
Daily Mail Australia understands the couple’s wedding invitation referred to ‘The Sharazs’, but it is unclear if Ms Higgins will formally change her last name.
The groom did not respond to questions on Friday.
‘Join us in making unforgettable memories,’ the invitation said. ‘Come for the love, stay for the party.’
Brittany Higgins (pictured) will marry David Sharaz at a Gold Coast hinterland estate on Saturday afternoon
David Sharaz arrives at the wedding venue shielded from the media by an umbrella and surrounded by other security personnel
Mr Sharaz was spotted arriving at The Valley Estate late on Saturday morning, where he was shielded from waiting media by an umbrella and surrounded by other security personnel.
The couple hired their own security for the big day.
Staff could be seen ferrying trays of snacks down to the groomsmen, as crates of alcohol were taken to the kitchen.
A make up artist, photographers and the wedding cake arrived at about 11.30am.
Ms Higgins and her fiancé have rubbed shoulders with Labor senators, former prime ministers and TV personalities since they were thrust into the spotlight in 2021, but it’s unclear if the wedding will be a star-studded affair.
Lisa Wilkinson didn’t make the guest list, and rumours have been swirling that Grace Tame didn’t receive an invite either.
A staff member at The Valley Estate is seen during preparations for the wedding of Brittany Higgins and David Sharaz in the Gold Coast hinterland
Staff are seen at The Valley Estate in Gold Coast’s Currumbin Valley ahead of the wedding between Brittany Higgins and David Sharaz
Staff could be seen ferrying trays of snacks down to the groomsmen, as crates of alcohol were taken to the kitchen. A make up artist, photographers and the wedding cake arrived at about 11.30am
On Wednesday, Wilkinson appeared undeterred as she walked through Mosman on Sydney’s lower north shore to get a coffee and do some shopping in a casual $9,000 outfit – including $1,400 Dior sandals.
The TV host and Ms Higgins have been close since the former staffer divulged her rape allegations in an interview with Wilkinson on Network Ten program, The Project, in February 2021.
After Ms Higgins gave her evidence in Bruce Lehrmann’s defamation case in December, Wilkinson approached her in the courtroom and gave her a big hug.
At about 6.30am on Saturday morning, Mr Sharaz – undeterred by the grey skies and imminent rain circling over the Currumbin Valley – took to Instagram to reveal his first-ever text interaction with his future wife back in 2020.
Commenting on a photo of Ms Higgins by the famous ‘budget tree’ in a Parliament House courtyard in Canberra, where she worked as a Liberal staffer, he wrote: ‘Love this photo. But mainly the tree.’
Brittany Higgins left for her wedding on Saturday morning with a Paolo Sebastian gown draped over her arm. Pictured: Actor Poppy Delevingne wearing a Paolo Sebastian dress
Lisa Wilkinson and Brittany Higgins (pictured together) have been close since 2021, but the TV host didn’t score a wedding invite
Ms Higgins replied with a face palm emoji: ‘Rude but entirely justified hahah.’
He wrote: ‘To be honest. I went to show a girlfriend what you looked like and accidentally sent it to you. Have a good night.’
She said: ‘Hahahahah that’s amazing.’
In the caption of the post, Mr Sharaz wrote: ‘Accidentally sent a girl I had a crush on…photo of herself.’
‘Few years later and we’re getting married! Romcoms do exist.’
Meanwhile, more details about the wedding venue have emerged.
Set on nine acres of landscaped gardens, The Valley Estate is the ‘epitome of luxury’, according to its website. ‘A bespoke, one-off space crafted to inspire celebration and reflection with loved ones.’
For a Saturday wedding in 2024, the venue charges a $47,750 minimum spend across the venue’s many offerings.
The couple will exchange vows at The Valley Estate in Currumbin Valley (pictured)
The venue is an old dairy nestled in the Gold Coast hinterland (pictured)
For a Saturday wedding in 2024, the venue charges a $47,750 minimum spend across the venue’s many offerings
Couples are granted exclusive access to the whole estate for wedding photos, and golf buggies to get around in, as well as a lawn games set up, security and a wedding coordinator, according to the venue’s brochure
Under the current pricing list, packages start at $35,750 for 50 guests and go up to $52,000 for 100 guests.
This includes the ceremony location, reception space and basic food and beverage packages.
Couples are granted exclusive access to the whole estate for wedding photos, and golf buggies to get around in, as well as a lawn games set up, security and a wedding coordinator, according to the brochure.
The eye-watering cost does not include use of the guesthouse, which from Friday to Sunday costs $1300 a night. Couples can also add an oyster bar for an additional $28 per person, or a seafood grazing table for $60pp.
A champagne tower is charged at $650 for five tiers and $950 for six, while the top beverage package, which includes a selection of cocktails and spritzes, as well as premium spirits, costs an additional $200 per person.
The minimum spend does not include any outside spend, meaning the cost of a photographer, celebrant, flowers or outfits for the couple would need to be paid on top of the minimum $47,750.
The big occasion follows a tumultuous few years for the couple, after they were thrust into the spotlight when Ms Higgins went public with her rape allegations.
She said Lehrmann raped her in Parliament House when they were both junior political staffers in 2019.
He had denied it, but in April a Federal Court judge found, on a balance of probabilities, that Ms Higgins was raped.
On Friday, one day before Ms Higgins ties the knot with Mr Sharaz, Lehrmann filed an appeal to overturn the judgement.
A security guard is seen at the venue ahead of the wedding between Brittany Higgins and David Sharaz
In December last year, the couple bought a chateaux in southern France with the $2.4million she was awarded from the Commonwealth as compensation for the way her rape allegations were handled.
It is believed they permanently relocated to get away from their celebrity status in Australia.
After the judgement in April, Ms Higgins released a statement on Instagram saying she felt vindicated: ‘I was raped. No judgment was ever going to change this truth.’
‘I lived with the shame, humiliation, and fear of what telling my story would mean for my life and career, like so many other victim-survivors.’