Your celebrant will have a huge impact on your overall wedding experience. But how exactly do you find the right celebrant to meet your needs? Industry insider, Julie Muir, shares her wisdom and experience.
Gone are the days of “The ceremony is the boring part”
The ceremony is the first opportunity of the day to show your guests how “YOU” this day really is. A great celebrant will feed your guests full of all the juicy love stories that make you who you are as a couple, and set the vibe for the rest of the day.
We’ve asked some of our celebrant mates what their best tips are for a super fun, engaging ceremony….
When I learned that Jenna was giving the girls at Jade McIntosh Flowers & Styling free rein to design her wedding bouquet, I got an exciting idea – why not add extra meaning to this Hunter Valley elopement by selecting flowers that not only fit with Jenna and Andrew’s aesthetic and personality, but also the sentiment behind such an important, memorable day? Together, we did just that!
Have you ever wondered why you’re drawn to particular flowers? Obviously, there are aesthetic reasons (I’m partial to big, colourful blooms), but there are also deeper meanings behind many of them. Enter: the intriguing world of floriography!
Flowers have long been used to convey messages all over the world. Mythologies, folklore, sonnets, and plays of the ancient Greeks, Romans, Egyptians and Chinese are peppered with this beautiful symbolism, as was 19th century English society. In the Victorian Era, single red roses were even sent to love interests – sending back a yellow carnation meant the feeling wasn’t mutual. Ouch!
Whenever couples tell me their florist is Jade Mcintosh, I get a huge smile on my face. I know instantly they are in good hands and their flowers are going to be just stunning! I respect Jade and her team very much – they are experienced, creative and have incredible attention to detail. Here are some of their most memorable weddings in recent years. It is always a pleasure to work with them and help create such special and personal celebrations of love.
So you’re getting married, everything is going so well, you’ve found your venue and you totally know which vendors you want to book! You’ve done your homework! No wonder you feel pumped, but there’s still a lurking fear in the back of your mind, right?
Weddings can be a bit overwhelming for lots of people, but especially introverts, as it combines some of their least favourite things: being the centre of attention, getting their photo taken repeatedly, engaging in small talk and having minimal alone time.
Disagreements in wedding planning are as inevitable as they are in marriage itself. Being engaged is a great time to learn how to navigate your differences without killing each other. You don’t need to agree on everything to be an amazing team. It’s all about compromise and remembering that marriage is a team sport; you either win together or you lose together.
Most Millennial women take their husband’s surname, but for some couples there are more creative options.
NSW celebrant Julie Muir adds that she is always surprised by how many women change their names in heterosexual marriages.
Find a location that is comfortable and somewhat private so you can have those honest discussions. I suggest placing yourselves shoulder to shoulder instead of knee opposite knee, as it promotes the idea that you are on the same team. It will feel less confrontational than being across from each other.
Starting a wedding ceremony on time is crucial. The tradition that the bride(s) or groom(s) can arrive as late as they want is one urban myth that needs to be squashed!
Before the celebrant/officiant has even wowed the crowd with their well-written and witty ceremony, most of the guests will already be “over it”.
I got interviewed for this article in the Sydney Morning Herald.
"I think the prospect of standing up there in front of your loved ones and trying to articulate heartfelt feelings can be really nerve-wracking. So, I can coach people not just with the writing, but with the delivery"- Julie Muir
I got interviewed for this article for heartwarming.com.
Love and a nurturing relationship have been integral to my personal growth and self-improvement journey. It’s not just about having someone who accepts me for who I am, but also having a partner who lovingly encourages me to explore new horizons and become a better version of myself.
I got interviewed for this article for marriagecounselling.io
By incorporating mindfulness into my practice as a relationship educator, I help couples develop greater self-awareness, emotional regulation, and connection with each other, ultimately fostering a more harmonious and fulfilling relationship.
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