I'm a Newcastle-based celebrant who is super passionate about creating wedding ceremonies that reflect the personalities of those involved.
You won't find any boring or out-dated ceremonies here! I'm Irish, which means you'll get a beautiful Irish accent and a knack for storytelling.
Everyone has their own unique love story that deserves to be told- whether you met at the McDonalds after a night at Kingas, backpacking in Asia, or even if yours is a Tinderella tale, I will write a beautiful story all about it, infused with a bit of humour.
Your guests will be hanging off my every word hearing what you love about each other and what annoys you too!
Personalised ceremonies are my speciality
Let's create an awesome ceremony together that will be the highlight of your day.
Meet your celebrant
a lil more about my approach and a chance to hear my irish accent
My plan is always to create a relaxed vibe, so that you and your guests actually enjoy the ceremony (instead of having to endure it!).
I know that the wedding day can be a bit overwhelming for lots of people, ( ) but I'll be there to calm your nerves and banter with the guests.
Your family and friends will laugh and they will cry.
Not all celebrants have the skillzzzz to bring the light and the shade.
By the end of it, I guarantee your guests will be feeling surprised and delighted by what they've learnt about your relationship.
I'll send them away a little bit love drunk and ready for the P-A-R-T-Y.
It's all about the VIBE
i see you introverts
Why it's ok to cry during your ceremony
crying
Should you have a Rehearsal?
rehearsal
Ceremony planning for introverts
introverts
A blog full of fun and puns
Advice for loved up couples
The know-how to engage a crowd = no boring bits
Professional PA system [BOSE S1 Pro] = your guests will hear everything
Outfit to match your style and palette = no clashing patterns ruining your photos. I'll show up in a high end dress thrifted from a second hand shop.
Photos without me in them = I make it my mission to stay outta the way for all the important bits
Ordering of marriage certificate = one less thing on your to do list
I've got the magic touch (that comes with experience)
Say sayonara to your worries and fears
For lovers who are ready to step up and lay it all on the line in the most romantic way possible
Conquer Your Fear of The VOWS
I know it's nerve-wracking to get what's in your head out into the open but I'll help you to write the best vows ever.
I pinky promise it'll be easier than you think,
with the winning formula in my
I'll push you, in a good way (not over the edge!).
make your partner swoon
vow writing guide
The NOIM paperwork needs to be completed at least one month in advance.
That means there are no spontaneous or 'quicky' weddings in Australia.
In exceptional circumstances the Registrar may approve a shortening of time.
How much Notice needs to be given to the Celebrant before the Wedding?
Once you have decided on a date and a venue you should definitely find your celebrant without delay. Remember without a celebrant, you are just planning a very expensive party! Don't put it off as the good ones book up fast! The standard of celebrants varies wildly and you want to make sure you book a celebrant that you can trust to do a good job.
I will ask for a non-refundable booking fee to secure the date for you.
When Should I Choose My Celebrant?
Look for the sort of person who has the qualities that attract you in friendship because this is probably the celebrant who will give you the ceremony that will leave you with happy memories. The price will not answer this question for you. Price is what you pay but value is what you get. You'll never regret spending money on a great celebrant. Their skills can be hard to define but you'll know what magic feels like when you experience it.
How Should I Choose my Celebrant?
No. Anyone can marry in Australia if they are the correct age. It doesn't matter if you a citizen, permanent resident or just here on holidays, I can marry you.
Do You Have To Be An Australian Citizen To Marry In Australia?
No. The only type of ceremony you would be able to have is either a Renewal of Vows Ceremony or a Commitment Ceremony.........unless......
you weren't legally married in the other country.
Lots of Australians 'get married' in Bali or Fiji in a wedding-type ceremony but it's not a legal ceremony and so they marry in Australia before or after their overseas trip.
Can we Remarry in Australia after being Married in another Country?
Cool questions engaged couples often ask
YES - Great! Me too!
Birds of a feather flock together. We are going to find it easy to work together.
Are you organised? Detailed orientated?
I'll answer all of our questions before you even ask them and I'll provide with you with all the juicy info you crave to feel calm.
Don't go changing. I love that about you.
I'm here for you either way!
NO - No problem.
Lucky for you, I am!
Opposites attract. We are going to find it easy to work together.
I'll guide you through the process. I am organised so you don't have to be. You don't need to remember a thing. I've got your back.
Don't go changing. I love that about you.
How to plan an awesome wedding ceremony
eMAIL SERIES
Snag my secrets, for free!
These are more than just resources
Go Back X
Getting you to stick your ring finger out to the guests
has kind of become my signature move.
It's about announcing to the world that you are MARRIED AS F*CK! 💞
It doesn't seem to matter how traditional or non-traditional the couple or their guests are......... it always goes down a treat! 🤣
And makes a great photo to boot! 👢
SIGNATURE MOVE 🖕🏽
like all my suggestions, they aren't compulsary!
leslie logan, Leslie logan interiors
Cupcake sweet dessert lollipop cake. Macaroon gummies sweet roll tiramisu caramels cake chupa chups. Topping gummies dessert. Candy biscuit topping jujubes chocolate biscuit cake marshmallow. Chupa chups powder sweet roll pastry marshmallow. Donut oat cake chupa chups."
"Penny you are a superstar. I've grown my Instagram by 2k! This spot is for an important review snippet, a result or how you have helped your client.
rani mullen, the writing queen
Cupcake sweet dessert lollipop cake. Macaroon gummies sweet roll tiramisu caramels cake chupa chups. Topping gummies dessert. Candy biscuit topping jujubes chocolate biscuit cake marshmallow. Chupa chups powder sweet roll pastry marshmallow. Donut oat cake chupa chups."
"I just signed on my first 10k client! Your course has helped me alot! This spot is for an important review snippet, a result or how you have helped your client.
prue vincent-smith, oscar & boone
Cupcake sweet dessert lollipop cake. Macaroon gummies sweet roll tiramisu caramels cake chupa chups. Topping gummies dessert. Candy biscuit topping jujubes chocolate biscuit cake marshmallow. Chupa chups powder sweet roll pastry marshmallow. Donut oat cake chupa chups."
"My creative business has just had it's biggest month ever! This spot is for an important review snippet, a result or how you have helped your client.
Pre-ceremomy nerves are totally normal. Expected even!
Conquer Your Nerves before you walk down the aisle
Weddings can be highly charged emotional events. From societal pressure to family drama.
Let's not even talk about the budget! It’s easy to get overwhelmed.
Just before you walk down the aisle, it's understandable that your heart beats faster.
That's normally when the magnitude of what you are doing kicks in.
Hopefully, you aren't having any Julia Roberts runaway thoughts.
I don't want you to take any of that overwhelm into the ceremony.
So, if the schedule allows it,
I can do a MEDITATION with you before your walk down the aisle.
I'll get you to close your eyes and focus on your breathing so that
your body relaxes and you can let go of any tension.
I'll get you to leave behind the stresses of the morning and let it all go.
We will drop the anchor so that when you walk into the ceremony,
you'll feel grounded, happy, glowing and surrounded by love.
anchored calm
meditation is a tool to help you enjoy the ceremony more
cynthia & keelan
From the moment my husband and I met Julie we knew we needed her to be apart of what was going be the most important day of our lives. At every interaction Julie was so easy to deal with and extremely helpful in providing any direction with required. On the day, she was amazing. The service was everything we had hoped for and more. Through the questionnaires we completed and the face to face meetings, Julie nailed who we are as individuals and as a couple.
"We both knew what we were after and Julie ticked every box. She was bright, bubbly and funny. A real breath of fresh air and someone who genuinely wants to give couples a personalised service that encompasses who they are their relationship.
CYNTHIA & KEELAN, CURZON HALL, SYDNEY
chrissy & phil, WONGONELLA ESTATE WINERY, NELSON BAY
My husband and I could not have imagined a more perfect wedding ceremony thanks to the talent of our celebrant Julie. She is a talented writer so the ceremony she wrote for us needed minimal changes - even still she made it very clear she would be happy to make any changes for us, and even made a last minute change for us on the day. Several guests commented on how fantastic she was. I would highly recommend Julie to be part of your special day!"
From the outset she was friendly and approachable and helped us create a tailored ceremony with guidance at every step that made the whole process stress-free.
adam & shelley, PEPPERS MANOR HOUSE, SUTTON FORREST
I always thought the best part of a wedding was the dancing and I didn't ever expect to end up loving our ceremony as much as I did - thanks to Julie! At all times she was caring, considerate and provided so much thought and insight. Incredibly professional and approachable, she was an absolutely positive experience from start to finish!"
Thanks to Julie we had a sensational and beautiful ceremony that far exceeded anything we initially expected.
NOELLE & JAMES, 48 WATTS ST, NEWCASTLE
Our Ceremony was everything we hoped it to be a perfect mix of love, laughter and tears and really captured the love story between James and I. So many of our guests have commented on how amazing Julie was. We can't thank Julie enough for helping us create everything we hoped our day to be. We would recommend Julie to anyone looking for a truly special celebrant.
From that very first meeting she instantly took away any anxieties and made us feel completely relaxed.
Whatever your passions or culture ... I'll help you incorporate them!
When I was researching LEGO themed weddings for an upcoming blog, I came across this limited edition Wedding Favour Set.
I knew I had to get my mucky mitts on one even though they aren’t sold in shops anymore as #40165 is from 2016. Aaaggghhhh! Thankfully I was able to track one down on EBay that didn’t cost the earth.
I had a lot of fun creating my first ever stop motion video. They are very time consuming. It took many many hours to wrap my head around it, to set it up, execute it and shoot it but I hope you’ll agree that it was worth it. I reckon the finished result would make a great cake topper for a Lego aficionado.
AND IF YOU PREFER TO KEEP THINGS SIMPLE, THAT'S COOL TOO!
When I heard that Tom proposed while the couple were geocaching I nearly died! I knew these were my people. Tom placed a fake geocache Tupperare box under a rock for Cherese to find. She opened it up and pulled out the ring box. She had no idea it was HER ring box because people often put little trinkets inside the geocaches. When she opened it up she got a massive surprise 💍
I decided to SURPRISE 🎉 the couple with my own geocache mid-ceremony. I planted a little magnet on this old farm machinery, which was just beside the ceremony location. My idea was that whoever found it FIRST could decide who was going first on the vows. I was delighted that they BOTH got into it!
Only afterward, I realised how much danger I'd put Cherese's silky dress in, rifling around the rusty metal. Oooppps! I think I'm forgiven. They told me they LOVED IT!
Yep, they are Vikings. Yep, they signed as witnesses. Yep, this wasn't your every day wedding. This was a Celtic inspired, Pagan, medieval-themed wedding at a Festival.
I was selected to be celebrant for the 2017 Australian Celtic Festival in Glen Innes where I had the pleasure of marrying Caitlin and Jason in a real wedding ceremony containing lots of Celtic elements.
Anything and everything is possible for your wedding with a little imagination.
Are there any wine lovers out there? Guessing by the number of people who choose to get married at vineyards, I'm guessing that's a 'Hell, yeah'. This ritual might be one that tickles your fancy.
Nathalie & Ben placed a copy of their vows with a bottle of their favourite red into a box during their ceremony. From memory, it was bought from the winery where they got married of course, Margan Wines, for a touch of extra sentiment.
They plan to open the box on their 1st anniversary, drink the bottle of wine, get tipsy, read their vows again and reminisce about their fabulousless-ness that was their wedding day.
Another year older. Another year wiser. Hopefully another year deeper in love.
Juan and Andrew didn't want a religious ceremony but Juan chose to reflect his upbringing and family traditions by displaying these Christian figurines.
Religious, atheist, spiritual or agnostic, it doesn't matter. There are many ways to incorporate your beliefs into your ceremony and your wedding.
I encourage you to do what feels right for you. Break with tradition. Create a one-of-a-kind celebration!
Tea ceremonies in Chinese weddings are common. The meaning of this ritual is to show respect and gratitude to the parents for all the years of love and care. It's also meaningful in other ways as it's a symbol of stability and fertility. 🍼
🍵 Traditionally, the tea ceremony for the groom's family is usually done in the morning, while the ceremony for the bride is always done in the afternoon when the bride and groom have completed the bride's home visit. Nowadays though, newly weds often decide to have just one ceremony for both sides together. 🍵 🍵
If you chose to incorporate this tradition, we can include it during the wedding ceremony, or you can do it just afterwards if you want like Fiona & Jon did.
I can be involved, or not. It's your wedding, your way. We will find a way to make it all work. x
This is a wedding first....A GAME OF VOWS!
When this trend takes off, I'm claiming it. Well actually, I brainstormed with the couple how we could make the wedding more fun and involve the children.
We came up with this idea together in our planning meeting. I'm taking credit for encouraging the couple to think outside the box, but the groom Niki can take all the credit for actually making this idea a reality.
It went down a treat during the ceremony but the best thing is that the vow wheel can have so many more applications, like who is choosing where they go for dinner, who is getting dad a beer etc etc.
It's going to lead to endless amusement in this already fun household.
Since time immemorial astrology has been used as a way of choosing a wedding date. These two beautiful souls chose to get married under a full moon.
This highly emotional lunar phase gives people the push to let go of the things, the people and the circumstances that no longer serve them.
Each full moon brings something new with it, whether it’s a new opportunity or in this case, momentous personal change. Each lunation is a chance to set new goals, and feel closer to a bigger mystery.
What better day for the couple to set their intentions for what they are co-creating with the universe?!
