Bindi Irwin Gets Married to Chandler Powell in Intimate Ceremony at Australia Zoo

Amid an ongoing pandemic, there is some bright news to share! Former Dancing with the Stars winner, Bindi Irwin and her longtime boyfriend, Chandler Powell are officially married! The couple, who became engaged on Irwin’s 21st birthday in July, tied the knot on Wednesday in a private ceremony at the Australia Zoo in Queensland just hours before the Australian government was set to enact a nationwide lockdown to slow the spread of the coronavirus.

“March 25th 2020,” Irwin, the daughter of the late “Crocodile Hunter” Steve Irwin, announced on Instagram alongside a photo from the ceremony. “We held a small ceremony and I married my best friend. There are no words to describe the amount of love and light in my heart right now. We’ve planned this beautiful day for nearly a year and had to change everything, as we didn’t have guests at our wedding.”

“This was a very difficult decision but important to keep everyone safe. We wish all of our friends and family could have been there with us, however it’s lovely that we will be able to share photos and videos,” she continued. “Right now we’re encouraging the world to hold onto hope and love, 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,” Irwin added. “Mum helped me get ready, Robert walked me down the aisle, Chandler became my husband and together we lit a candle in Dad’s memory. We shared tears and smiles and love. Thankfully, since we all live at Australia Zoo as a family, we could be there for each other. To everyone reading this — stay safe, social distance and remember LOVE WINS!”

Sharing the same photo to his respective account, Powell called March 25, 2020 “the most amazing day of my life.”

“After almost a year of planning, we changed everything so that we could enjoy a safe and small private ceremony at our home, Australia Zoo,” he added. “As we embark on this new life chapter I hope that we can share some love in the world, especially during this challenging time.”

According to USA Today, the Australia Zoo is currently “in the process of working on a very special project that will ensure Bindi and Chandler’s wedding is shared with everyone.”

Irwin and Powell began dating in 2014 after Powell visited the Australia Zoo with his family from Florida. Over the years, they embarked on a long-distance relationship before Powell eventually made the move to Australia and joined the Irwin family business at the Australia Zoo. They became engaged in July of last year.