The uninvited guest: COVID-19

So here we are: the #clusterfuck that is 2020.

Wedding planning should be a fun time (save the family dramas that occasionally rear their ugly heads) and suddenly all the joy has been sucked out of it AND your wedding day has been cancelled.

The new government rules in place as of March 24th 2020 state that: “Weddings can be conducted with no more than five people, including the couple, the celebrant and the witnesses. The 4 square metre rule and social distancing must be observed.” PLEASE NOTE: If you want a photographer present, they will then be considered one of the five and will step into a witness role.

(Please note that I take my job & my health seriously, so please don’t ask me to bend these rules. Ask any kid whose phone I’ve confiscated in class over the past ten years: I’m not a rule breaker.)

Where to now? Let’s look at our options shall we?

OPTION A: Stick with your original date - grab two witnesses - we meet - we marry. DONE.

OPTION B: Postpone. By now you will have received an email from me about your options and we will be looking at lining up a new date. Please keep in mind that my Saturdays are booking up quickly for 2021 and so considering a weekday, Saturday morning or Sunday wedding may be a good option. Please note that when I send you available dates, I am also sending these to other couples and so your date may be snapped up by the time you get back to me.

OPTION C: Postpone the big ceremony, but still get married on your original date. I have a few couples doing this owing to the sentimentality of their date. This option will incur additional fee of $250.

Whichever option you choose, please know that I will do my very best to make it work. Also, sorry you’re in this position.

Stay safe. Wash your hands. Don’t lick anyone or anything.

Sam & Day - Two foodies in a Veggie Patch!

For Sam & Day, food is a really big deal. Their entire history is wrapped up in it - from how they met, to the very successful cafe that they now share in - so naturally wherever they got married, the food had to be good. Harvest Newrybar was the obvious choice.

And to keep it even more on theme - they were married in the veggie garden!

The amazing Stories by Ash was there to capture every moment of this incredible day.

There are a few tell tale signs when one person likes another person. And one of these signs is sacrifice. You all know what I’m talking about: the early days of any relationship are spent ignoring things that would otherwise irritate you and pretending to be interested in things that your partner is interested in just because you’re so fond of them. For Sam & Day – it was chutney. Yes Day found herself in quite a pickle (I’m not even sorry) when they met while working at Pearl Café where Sam tried to impress her by putting his his signature chutney on every meal he made for her. Unable to tell him that she in fact despised chutney after O’d-ing on it in India, Day (ever the sweetheart) ate every last bit on her plate, every time and continued this ruse right up until they finished working together when she could finally reveal the truth. 

The early days of their relationship were spent sharing beach trips, late night noodle dinner dates, picnics and playing (struggling more like) through mixed netball games just to spend time together; over time these two fell head over heels for each other.

These two opted to make their wedding totally unique, so they cherry picked traditions; like acknowledging Day’s Serbian heritage and giving each guest a rosemary boutonniere and then ditched the traditional signing set up and just used each others’ backs.

Day’s stunning flowers were created by Beautiflora

When asked about their plans for the future, Day told me that she’s keen to have kids so she can see what happens when her Serbian genes mix with Sam’s ginger ones. As for Sam, well he’s just keen for them to doing what they’ve been doing these past five years: more laughter, more fun, more love and likely love handles given how much they both like food.

Personally, I’m just looking forward to stalking them on Instagram. Just putting it out there: I’m really bloody fond of them both.

A rooftop elopement with Nicole & Zak

Sometimes the idea of a huge wedding with a ton of guests doesn’t appeal to people. In fact, some people like the idea of inviting their very favourite people to stand beside them on a rooftop to witness their union: those people are Nicole & Zak.

From the moment Nicole first contacted me to talk about her plans I developed a wee bit of crush - these two are just absolute sweethearts and I admire their dedication not only to each other, but to their elopement plans. So, that’s how I found my myself standing on a rooftop one moody April afternoon with these two lovers, three guests and the always amazing Janneke Storm with camera in hand.

It’s hard to sum up the feeling of sharing in something so intimate - to sit with the bride in her hotel room while she chooses her earrings, to have each guest hug you and to share in a toast to the couple you have just married: it’s like every moment in magnified, the emotion just that much greater.

It all started at Family – the Nightclub – yep – only a few hundred metres from where we stood at The Calile is where their story begins. Zak walked in one evening and distinctly remembers spotting Nicole (which is saying something considering he’d been drinking since midday at this point). He thought she was absolutely stunning and so decided to talk to her; and while Nicole was okay with him saying hi, she wasted no time in letting him know that if he was only interested in a one night thing then he should just quit while he was ahead. Luckily Zak wasn’t, and so he didn’t leave her side for the rest of the night – and as they both told me – they did in fact end up spending the night together – but it was sleeping in Nicole’s sisters bed (it’s okay, her sister wasn’t there - you creeps); where he awoke to find said sister and her friends staring at him wondering what he was doing there. Nicole remembers how much they both laughed about it after; and how it felt like they had already known each other a lifetime.

From that moment their fate was sealed and eight years on they were married on a rooftop!

Huge shoutout to the amazing Yukari Botanicals who provided the most stunning floral ceremony space.

Also to the incredible Janneke Storm for capturing every amazing moment and for reflecting my stupid grin with her own as we kept clocking how lucky we were to be there.

Krystal & Jamie: an intimate riverside elopement

Have you ever thought that a big ceremony isn’t for you? It might be the thought of spending the equivalent of a house deposit on a single event that throws you, a fractured family dynamic or just that you’re straight up introverts who hate the idea of standing in front of a bunch of people…well maybe it’s time you considered eloping.

Meet Krystal & Jamie: two gorgeous souls who decided that the big day wasn’t for them, instead they chose to keep things intimate & a whole lot of fun with only their besties as witnesses (on a braggy note - I happened to have married two of her witnesses - woo!).

It all started many years ago at McDonalds; Krystal was the super bubbly and friendly girl who hugged everyone to say hello and goodbye, and it was this sparkling nature and  cute smile that first caught Jamie’s eye – he distinctly remembers their first hug as being pretty great, while she couldn’t help but wonder if maybe he thought she was a bit odd. They both kept running into each other as time passed, but nothing much came of it until Jamie added Krystal on Myspace. (Guess what year it was.)

Who needs a table to sign paperwork when you’ve got the back of your beloved??

They spent a lot of time chatting on MSN until it became very obvious to Jamie that he had quite the crush on Krystal. He even remembers picking her up from a party and really wanting to kiss her but holding back. It was only after he dropped her home one day that they first kissed and from there they were officially dating. From movie dates to city drives sound tracked by Blink 182 – they got to know each other well. Although it took Krystal to ask, “Are we dating?’ and Jamie responding, “I don’t know,” for them to finally work out that they were, in fact, a thing. Since then, they haven’t looked back

When it came time to planning a wedding they decided that an elopement for perfect for them and so we met on a rock jutting out into the Brisbane River and got them legally hitched in a sweet ceremony surrounded by their best people. They followed it up with dinner at their fave Harajuku Gyoza and even hit the putting green at Holey Moley Golf Club.

When I met up with Krystal in the weeks after she told me how glad she was that they chose to do it the way they did. They let the cat out of the bag at their “engagement” party not long after by showing an epic video created by the always amazing Joel Tronoff.

So, if the idea of “traditional” wedding doesn’t appeal to you; then maybe make like these two for a truly unique and completely awesome day.

Finding a Celebrant: the lowdown on the process.

Congratulations - you’re getting married! But the reality is that beyond knowing that you want to walk back down the aisle to an acoustic version of ‘Riptide’, that your Aunt will definitely whip out her Ipad to take photos despite being told not to and that your left side looks better in photos, when it comes to your ceremony, you have no idea how it all works. While I wanna be all like, “There are no rules! Be a maverick – do what you want!” To an extent, this isn’t entirely true.

Shout out to Janneke Storm for this pic of Michelle & Richard’s ceremony.

So here are your ‘must haves’, legally speaking:

o   You will need to complete a Notice of Intended Marriage with your celebrant. As minimum this needs to be done one month before the date you plan to get married, but it can be done up to 18 months in advance. You will also need to flash me some ID and (if applicable) proof of dissolution of your previous marriage

o   You need to sign a statutory declaration before you get married stating that there is nothing dodgy happening – ie, you’re related or still married to someone else.

o   In your ceremony you are required to have five legal lines of wording – three sentences for me and one each for you both.

o   You must have two witnesses over the age of 18 (they can be related to you)

o   On the day we need to sign off on three bits of paperwork; the tradition is to sign them during the ceremony – but the reality is that as long as they get done that day, you can sign wherever and whenever you like.

Now here is where it gets fun: beyond those important and legally binding things – you can do what you want!

BUT – In order to get to ^that part, you need to check out this part>>>>

STEP1: Find an amazing celebrant. You can google one, try a wedding directory, fall down an Instagram #hashtag #celebrant hole or the best option: ask around. Most of my weddings are referrals from people who have seen me in action, so ask your mates about weddings they have been to and who was memorable for the right reasons. Cost wise we are all over the shop: but you will always find one to fit your budget, especially if you start looking early.

TIMELINE TIP: I book out anywhere from two months to two years in advance and often have multiple enquiries for the same date. Weddings have seasons, the most popular being April/May/September/October. While you will always find someone to marry you, it might mean sending a truckload of emails and compromising; getting in early simply ensures that you secure your first choice of celebrant.

The lovely Tennille Fink captured Miriam & Andres’ super fun ceremony.

STEP 2: Found one who you like and who is free on your day? Well, arrange a date to meet them and see if you have good chemistry. Some people view this as a box ticking exercise, that is: “They’re available, they’ll do”, while others view it as an interview process. During this meeting we get to know each other better, I find out exactly how you want to celebrate your love and talk you through the many options you have available.  If you like me, you then pay a booking fee to secure my services.

 STEP 3: Ceremony writing time! No, not you silly! You have enough on your plate, you’re wedding planning after all. That is why you hired me, remember? Some celebrants will show you your ceremony in advance, and some like to surprise you on the day; alternatively you can tell them what you would prefer. Personally, I like to send a copy of the ceremony through to make sure I have the tone right, that way I can edit according to your needs.

Chris & Matt by Lucas Krause Photography

STEP 4: Write your vows! Or don’t write them! Legally you don’t need to have vows, so it’s totally up to you as whether you feel like including them. If you do, remember that you don’t need to recreate a Shakespearean sonnet (you totally can if that’s your jam). I always tell my couples to write down why they love the shit out of each other and if they want, include a few promises they’d like to make – shout out to the bride who promised she’d limit the number of decorative cushions she brought into the home. In other words, they don’t need to be super serious. Send them to me and I will have them printed out on pretty cards on the day ready for you to read/recite/perform through interpretive dance.

STEP 5: Final meeting. We have drinks, we chat, we finalise details like distribution of confetti, who will look after the dogs at your ceremony (the answer is always me) and what I should wear so I can coordinate with your crew. Here is where we sign your stat dec and I check your ID (Passports or birth certs and photo ID). We part ways with you being completely confident about your ceremony.

STEP 6: Da-da-da-dum – here comes the bride/groom/dog in a tux. I’ve brought my awesome wireless PA system (yes you can play your music though it), am at peak banter with your guests and am ready for the fun to officially start. Lipstick on, tissues at the ready – let’s do this. I’ll hang around after to help organise group pics, to direct people to the drinks (hot tip: guests can always sniff out booze) and to generally help out.

STEP 7: I finalise your paperwork, mail it off to Births, Deaths & Marriages in the State you were married and tell you how to apply for your official paperwork. I will also send you some details regarding how you change your last name; again it’s personal and there’s no rules that say you have to. I’ve even had some couples ditch both of their last names and pick a shared shiny new one.

STEP 8: I show off your greatness on my socials (if that’s cool with you) and hopefully you leave me a lovely review on FB and tell your mates about me when they are looking for a great celebrant and so the cycle of marital bliss/successful small business continues…

Stew, Ness and I captured by Lucas & Co Photography

ALL OF THE DOGS IN ALL OF THE WEDDINGS

So you may not know this about me, but I really like dogs. Like a whole lot. I would own approximately 47 of them if wasn't for my voice of reason other half telling me that it's probably not the best idea considering we have two toddlers. Whatevs.

But seriously, your dog is part of your family; our wee sausage Frankie was our beginner child until we had the real human kind. When our two did arrive she got bumped down the chain a bit but nevertheless she is still adored and shown on the daily through lots of lovely cuddles and not so lovely toddler squeezes. 

So if I was getting married tomorrow then Franks would have to be there - she's family! I'm a huge fan on involving pets in weddings and have plenty of ideas if you're looking for a way to include them.

Bupa asked me and a bunch of other talented vendors about our best tips for getting your pets involved on your big day; so head on over to the Bupa website to check it out! 

Photo by the talented Jess Jackson Photographer

Lauren & Alex

This was one of those weddings where I knew that everyone would be leaving carrying their shoes because their feet were so sore from dancing.

Alex & Lauren had planned an absolute doozy of a wedding day in the incredible venue, Happy Boy in Spring Hill. Surrounded by their loved ones I got to tell the story of how they met and fell in love: 

Lauren can’t actually remember meeting Alex the first time, having consumed one too many champagnes in the pool at the New Years Eve party they were at, however it was their next meeting that both saw something special. Alex again introduced herself to Lauren and mentioned on more than one occasion that she was in fact single; but she needn’t have worried about Lauren forgetting her this time, as Lauren couldn’t help but notice that she was a bit of a babe who had great legs. 

Needless to say, these two stunners arrived in two of my favourite outfits seen at a wedding this year: Alex in a chic tailored suit and Lauren in a show stopping, gold sequinned floor length gown.

I had the most wonderful afternoon and once again pinched myself as to how I got lucky enough to share such incredible moments with such beautiful people.

Thanks to Stewart Tyrrell for these images.

The girls even had an interpreter friend along to sign for their guests who have a hearing impairment.

Phillip & Emma

Emma and Phillip created the sort of wedding you could only dream of;  the attention to detail was next level and the experience that they created for their guests was nothing short of luxurious. Their kindness and generosity are just two of the qualities that make them a perfect fit for the other.

Choosing just a handful of images by the incredible Studio 60 Photography was a difficult task. Check more out over on their website: http://www.studio60.com.au/

Emma had envisioned hanging installations of flowers and Green & Bloom made that a reality. I don’t think I’d ever seen that many flowers on display short of a flower market.

Owing to the cold and windy weather their ceremony had to be moved inside – so in front an incredible floral arch and huge stone fireplace Emma & Phil made their promises to each other. Check out how incredible they both looked – Phil wore Wil Valor and Emma’s stunning dress was by Inbal Dror, shoes by Christian Louboutin and headpiece by Christie Millinery; it was nothing short of dreamy.

These two were such a delight to spend time with, and given that we live in the same part of town I look forward to running into them for years to come. Happy first anniversary!

Julia & Bryce

They say that rain on your wedding day is a sign of good luck. I don’t know who “they” are, but “they” should know that rain on your wedding day means that best laid plans have to go out the window and Plan Bs have to fall into place STAT. Unless, that is, you’re mid way through a ceremony and the heavens open up and dump torrential rain on you and your 150+ guests. Now most brides would lose it at this point, but not Julia. And so begins my round up of one of my favourite weddings yet.

Julia and Bryce are absolute sweethearts and cool kids all round. They never stop smiling around each other and both adore their gorgeous dog Kobe. Kobe also played a key role as ring bearer in their ceremony; he even wore a tie.

Their ceremony took place at O’Shea’s Crossing at Somerset Dam and as we began we noticed dark clouds looming. Mid way through it began spitting, then raining, then it just bucketed down with that sort of rain that drenches you in about 5 seconds. Julia & Bryce weren’t going to let a downpour stop their ceremony and so huddled under umbrellas I got to marry these two sweethearts. A personal highlight of mine was when Bryce surprised Julia with a stunning eternity ring and she loudly swore in excitement. These are my kind of people.

As their guests headed back to Coronation Hall to feast Pepe’s Mexican and donuts, the bridal party all went to try off. Every available hair dryer was used to dry suits, hair and dresses. Lucky I had packed a spare frock to drive home in!

While they arrived back at the hall a little bit later than planned to celebrate their wedding; they both looked incredible as they partied the night away.

Thanks again for inviting me to share in your special day – I get butterflies thinking about it now!

Photos by the incredibly talented Kath Scott. 

http://www.kathscott.com.au/

Jonathan & Sarah

You know that thing where you're a celebrant and you get to meet amazing people and marry them in amazing places? Yeah. That.

 I was smitten with these two from the moment we first met & I was introduced to their Pug brilliantly named, "Death Ninja." If you're thinking there's a macabre theme here, this is where it ends.

Cut to a stunning afternoon in Toowong Cemetery when Sarah arrives in a sexy black Daniel Lightfoot designed gown. Jonathan had come straight from the Doctor having acquired a debilitating back injury earlier that day. We found a beautiful spot at the cemetery's highest point and in front of the tallest monument they spoke their vows to each other.

This was one of those rare occasions that I got to hang out with bride and groom after the wedding - this is one of the perks of having a small wedding; four guests to be exact!

Over a drink at Lightspace while waiting for their party to start, they shared with me their honeymoon plans -  with Jonathan starting in Spain and Sarah starting in Portugal - they would walk the Camino De Santiago until they met in the middle.

It might just be the most incredibly unique honeymoon I have ever heard of. And with a wedding like theirs I'd expect nothing less!

Thanks to http://www.torbaumann.com/ for the gorgeous pics & for being a champ to work with.

Why I do what I do.

The thing I love about my couples is that they are as keen to learn about me as I am to learn about them. It gives me the warm fuzzies to know that they value me and what I do. One of the questions that inevitably pops up in every meeting is why I became a celebrant. So here goes... 

• I love weddings. They are such stupidly happy occasions that even while typing this I feel a bubble of excitement.
• That moment. *that* moment. The moment when you see your partner for the first time coming towards you and you know that you are about to change things forever in one of the most awesome ways possible. In *that* moment…well I’ve got the best seat in the house.
• I got to marry my sister and her husband. These two were the catalyst for the whole celebrant shebang; without these two kids falling in love I may never have ended up here. It was the kick up the butt I needed.
• I meet amazing people. I have seriously considered writing in my wedding agreement: “Must be friends with me post ceremony.”
• Meeting so many different people from so many different places is a joy.
• I’ve always been a keen bean when it comes to learning; so hearing about how two people fell in love is such a privilege.
• I’m not interested in being a lead role, your ceremony is about you and your love. My job is to run the show, not stand out and make sure that I do it your way.

 I swear my answer isn’t this long when couples ask me. :) 

Jess and Karl

From the moment Jess answered the door to her and Karl's Toowoomba home filled with records and colour,  I knew that I was onto a good thing. These two are just a ton of fun to be around. They have this awesome energy with each other – lots of teasing, laughter and love.

Driving to Branell Homestead through patches of rain, I crossed my fingers that it would hold off long enough for me to marry them. I arrived to find a beautiful handmade arbour that they had decided to place inside due to the rain. Knowing that an outdoor wedding was exactly what Jess wanted, Karl made a snap decision to risk it when the rain momentarily cleared and so the groomsmen ditched their jackets and got moving – dismantling the arbour and moving it outside. This speaks worlds about Karl & Jess’s friends and family; I was made to feel super welcome and they were all there to help when it came time to move chairs and flowers out onto the lawn – despite being decked out in their wedding finery.

 Gorgeous personal touches could be found everywhere – a credit to Jess and her impressive “Wedding planner” binder. (Pretty sure she has about 4000 Pinterest boards on the go.)

 The rain held off and the bridesmaids walked down the aisle in their stunning home sewn dresses – followed by Jess in easily one of my favourite dresses so far. Promises were made, rings exchanged and the crowd made A LOT of noise as they made their way back down the aisle as Mr & Mrs.

 Thank you so much for letting me share your special day – I’ll always remember it fondly.

 All photos by the super talented Kath Scott - http://www.kathscott.com.au

Simon & Seja

Simon and Seja were married under The Story Bridge on their 15th anniversary. It was a love of music that brought these two together and it was a major theme of their wedding; with tea towels for the guests emblazoned with a line from The Zombie's "This will be our year," to a DEVO Energy Dome cake - their wedding clearly hit the right note. (Sorry. I like puns)

They were such an awesome pair to work with and their day was just gorgeous - as are the amazing photos captured by Matt Palmer at yorkstcreative.com 

Amanda & Paul

Photo by Poison Apple Studios 

www.poisonapplestudios.com.au

Most people have a wishing well at their wedding, or are happy with gifts; Paul & Amanda aren’t most people. Theirs was a wedding that was unique, a wedding that expressed who they are as couple and as individuals: thoughtful, enlightened and with a spirit for adventure. Guests were asked to engage in a series of challenges that included joke writing, trying something new, donating to charity and, my personal favourite, practicing an act of kindness. Cue people all over Brisbane finding Scratch its on their windscreen and being given roses in the Coles carpark. The universe appeared to acknowledge their selflessness and on the day of their nuptials, the rain ceased and they were rewarded with a beautiful blue sky. Their ceremony was romantic, lighthearted and even called for the involvement of their guests. It was a joy to be apart of.

On a day like this, who needs a filter?!

Kate & Lee

Kate & Lee wanted a wedding day that reflected their personalities; fun, relaxed, spirited - and that's exactly what they got. Married by the bay, with the reception at their favourite cafe; they wanted to share their day with their guests in their much loved home town. Surrounded by handmade bunting and wildflowers, Kate and Lee celebrated their nuptials with family and friends. Their ceremony was funny and sweet, with a reading by the groom's sister and vows that promised that Kate would forever wear shorty shorts and that Lee would continue his immaculate cleaning of the bathroom. They were a joy to work with and I was proud to be a part of their special day. 

Photos by Ash Altmann Photography.

Hi!

My name is Erin Woodhall.

I love weddings.  I love them so much that I became a celebrant so now I can go to them all the time! A great celebrant can really make a wedding and I pride myself on being that great celebrant. I’m an easy going optimist who loves being creative and meeting new people. One of the many perks of being a celebrant is hearing about how people find their match in this big crazy world. I’m excited to work with you to help craft your dream ceremony; be it short & sweet, funny & romantic – or a combination!

So if you're looking for a celebrant to craft the perfect ceremony for you - then I'm your gal. Feel free to contact me!