What is it that you do?

 I tell love stories!! My official title is ‘Civil Marriage Celebrant’, which means I guide couples through one of the most exciting, nerve-racking, emotion-filled moments of their lives and that’s pretty cool.

 How long have you been doing weddings? 

I have been in the wedding industry for almost 10 years now. Before I was a Celebrant, I was an Event Coordinator at several of Gold Coast’s busiest wedding venues. I looked after corporate clients and couples getting married, but I always had a fondness for weddings, especially the ceremony – I have always been captivated by the romance of a wedding ceremony, so it was a natural progression for me to start my business as a Marriage Celebrant.

How long do brides normally book in advance? 

Well that truly depends on the couple, I have couples booking 18 – 24 months in advance, because they don’t want to miss out, yet just as often, I’ll have couples booking around 6 – 9 months before the big day. 

How can couples make their ceremony personal? 

There are so many cool options to personalize your wedding ceremony, and the fantastic thing about a civil ceremony is that there are only a few legal options we must do to make the marriage legit, everything else in a wedding ceremony is completely optional! Personalizing a ceremony really starts with the couple getting married, it’s about understanding them as individuals and a couple and creating a celebration that is authentic to them and within their comfort zones. I use a range of tools to add personality into a ceremony, including my ceremony planner, which guides couples through what a ceremony can look like, and I have a couple questionnaire to get lots of fun goss. Spending time with each couple allows me to understand their vibe, offer guidance and suggestions that I think might work well, and listening to their stories is just so much fun.

How would you describe your style? 

My style of the ceremony is modern, light-hearted and relaxed. However, I like to make each celebration unique by understanding what feel the couple are looking for to best celebrate their love story, some prefer lots of laughs, and not too much seriousness, others would like to inject some romantic tradition into their ceremony too, but all of my couples who book me like to tell me they are looking for a fun celebration that isn’t too serious or stuffy. I giggle a lot and am almost permanently wearing a face-wide smile, which people tell me helps to keep nerves at a minimum!

 If you could share one piece of advice what would it be? 

To surround yourself with quality vendors so you can enjoy the journey as much as the day itself. I always think of that adage, ‘if you think hiring a professional is expensive, wait until you see the cost of hiring an amateur’. Engaging creatives who are invested in you and your day is priceless because you should have peace of mind and be 100% comfortable in the lead up knowing they are going to do a great job for you.  

What was one of the craziest weddings you have had? 

The most amazingly crazy wedding was a wedding I did at a Tweed Heads Hinterland DIY venue called Ardeena. It was next level. The ceremony set up was draped in crystals and mind-blowing florals, there was an acoustic musician and a trio of singers, there were tipis for dancing and another for relaxing, dinner was under festoon lights and stars, there were personalized coconuts and cocktails, a helicopter flight and fireworks and even a 90’s megamix for the first dance. It was truly magical!!!

 Who do you think your style is suited for? 

My style is suited to anyone who would like a modern, relaxed and fun ceremony! Definitely not boring, cookie-cutter, done a thousand times before.

 Tell us more about you? 

I live in the Northern Rivers of New South Wales with my husband, two kids and a puppy. I have lived in New South Wales, Queensland and Western Australia and traveled to over 30 countries and have competed internationally and at the national level in Dragon Boating (a crazy kind of water sport for those who haven’t heard of it before). I like to think I'm a low-key hippy, as much as I love coffee, cool bars, live bands, and fancy restaurants, I love meditation, nature, natural therapies and being barefoot. Most of my report cards from school and the equivalent feedback as an adult while working in an office describe me as a social butterfly who distracts those around me…. I love a chat!! I also love stationery, coffee, Ink Gin and sparkling wine, playing sport, travel, weddings, and I’ve been known to belt out tunes in my car (car karaoke). I'm not fussed on actual karaoke, tuna, awkward silences, weather that's too hot or too cold and sand (which is uncomfortable to dislike as a parent, kids be loving sand!).