How Olivia Molly Rogers reclaimed the break-up narrative with one little video.

When it comes to separation and divorce, they say that the breakdown of a long-term relationship can "feel like a long drawn-out death".

It's a situation many of us are left to navigate at some point in our lives. But despite the fact separation has become such a commonality, it can feel like wading through the depths of the big unknown, with no idea what to do or where to turn.

So the more diverse examples we have of post-split lives, the better. Enter: Olivia Molly Rogers – a former Miss Universe Australia and mental health advocate who has a large public profile.

This week, she 'reclaimed the break-up narrative' in an absolutely iconic fashion. 

Eight months after her wedding, Olivia Molly Rogers and Justin McKeone separated. She announced the news on her Instagram stories in October this year, writing: "After 4.5 years together, Justin and I have come to the difficult decision to separate as a couple."

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A post shared by Olivia Molly Rogers (@oliviamollyrogers)

Rogers said the post would be the only statement she would make on the topic in the near future, and asked for respect, before thanking followers for their support. What followed was changing her Instagram handle from Olivia Molly McKeone back to her maiden name, and unpinning her February wedding photos from her social feed.

McKeone proposed in 2019 while the pair were travelling across Europe. They had been introduced to one another by a mutual acquaintance four years earlier.

Reflecting on the split recently, Rogers said: "I left my husband about three months ago and everyone's been really supportive. 

"This time has just shown me how many beautiful friends and family I have," she said to Herald Sun. "Even from strangers the support has been really overwhelming, and that's been the nicest thing because you're always so terrified of how things will unfold."

Then the next chapter began, Rogers sharing photos of her new apartment, a housewarming spent with loved ones, the highs and lows of mental health via her Instagram stories.

Watch: Miley Cyrus on the stigma of divorce. Post continues below.

And this week, Rogers shared another 'milestone' moment of sorts – her wedding video. 

But this time, it wasn't full of quintessential lovey-dovey snaps of her and her ex-partner like most videos. Instead, this one was a tribute – not only to her family, but to also putting herself first.

"I recently received my wedding video, and it was hard to watch. With everything that's happened, I asked @idocinema to do an edit that only includes my family, friends and me," Rogers wrote on Instagram.

"Now I can remember the happiest parts of that day, with the people I love the most in the world. Here's a little 90-second glimpse of the 'Olivia Edit'."

And the video was exactly that – a montage of her in her wedding dress, special moments with her parents, fun times with her bridesmaids and more. 

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A post shared by Olivia Molly Rogers (@oliviamollyrogers)

And overlaying the visuals was audio from her father's speech, who said: "Her mother got to name our first so with my choice, I named her Molly after my grandmother and Olivia after Olivia Newton-John. Little did I know then that our baby girl would grow up to be even more beautiful. She is brave. Really brave. Liv, you make it so easy to be a very proud parent."

As New York Times best-seller Glennon Doyle once said about divorce: "I used to think If 'I act like everything is perfect and shiny then people will admire me'. Being admired is fine, but it's really, really lonely. Because it's not the same as being known. Our marriage didn't fail. It transformed us into braver, kinder, wiser, healthier human beings."

Ultimately for Rogers, her wedding video is still a celebration of love. It's just a different kind of love. And that's something to commemorate.

Wedding videography in this article is courtesy of I Do Cinema.

Feature Image: Instagram/@oliviamollyrogers/@Beck Rocchi Photography.