The Wedding That Started It All

In 2011, my high school best friend, Kelly, was planning her wedding on the Gold Coast while I was living in Sydney. She had asked me to be one of seven bridesmaids, and as the organisational enthusiast I am, I wanted to help however I could from afar.

As a surprise, I created a wedding planning folder in her wedding theme and colours. It was complete with dividers, checklists, printouts of everything we’d already planned, even inspiration images.

When we talked about her dream ceremony, Kelly shared that she wanted a Catholic priest to officiate on the beach at Kingscliff in honour of her grandma, Betty. I called every Catholic parish on the Gold Coast to see if it was possible, but of course each one said no.

That’s when I told her she might have to think outside the box…

The Surprise Request

Not long after, Kelly and her fiancé, Luke, called me and said:

“You’ve done pretty much everything for this wedding except marry us… so would you marry us?”

At first, I was shocked. “What do you mean? I can’t marry you… how would that even work?”

They didn’t have the logistics worked out yet, but they offered to cover whatever it took to make it legal. They even joked, “You have such a loud voice, you’ll be perfect!”

To make it even more exciting, Kelly decided to keep it a secret from all our high school friends. I would walk down the aisle as a bridesmaid… and then surprise everyone by officiating the ceremony.

Becoming a Registered Marriage Celebrant

After some research, I learned that in Australia the Attorney General’s Department requires three months to complete a background check for celebrant registration — and time was ticking!

To ensure the surprise could still work, we enlisted another marriage celebrant to be on standby to handle the legalities if I couldn’t be registered in time.

I quickly enrolled in an online Certificate IV in Celebrancy, which covered all types of ceremonies (weddings, funerals, naming ceremonies), legislative requirements, and business skills. I powered through all 13 subjects in just six weeks, and quickly realised this was the perfect career for me.

The Day That Changed Everything

On the morning of Kelly and Luke’s wedding — 4th November 2011 — I received my approval as a Civil Marriage Celebrant. The timing was unbelievable!!

That day, I walked down the aisle as a bridesmaid, then stepped forward to officiate their wedding in front of all our friends and family. It went off without a hitch, and the surprise was a huge success.

I’ll never forget that day, not just because my friends entrusted me with such a special role, but because they unknowingly handed me my dream career. Since then, I’ve officiated hundreds of weddings, each one a new chapter in this unexpected journey.

Why I Love Being a Celebrant

Every wedding tells a story, and mine began with a friendship, a bit of quick thinking, and a love for celebrating life’s biggest moments. Whether it’s a beach wedding in Australia or a destination wedding in Europe, I bring the same passion and personal touch to every ceremony.

If you’re looking for a celebrant who will tell your love story in a way that’s heartfelt, memorable, and uniquely yours, I’d be honoured to be part of your day.