This is Ali, she is a young, down to earth wedding celebrant. Ali is super passionate about what she does and strives to deliver the highest of quality ceremonies every time she steps in front of the bride, groom and their guests. Ali took some time out of her busy schedule to provide us with a deeper insight into what makes her tick and why she is so passionate about being a celebrant.
Why did you become a celebrant?
It kind of just happened on its own! My hubby & I had moved to the coast from the family farms in Western Queensland for a sea change and amidst of having our two beautiful boys, I was the non-legal celebrant at 2 weddings for best friends of mine. I was not at this stage considering a career to change to the wedding industry however, once helping out at the two weddings, it opened my eyes as to how a celebrant can significantly impact on the couple, their day and the beginning on one of the biggest investments a couple will make earlier in their married life.
Why do you enjoy what you do?
Whenever I tell someone that I am a marriage celebrant, their comment is always 'oh how beautiful to be a part of such happy celebrations all the time!'. This is true but there is so much more to being a fabulous celebrant than to just turn up on the day, smile and go home.
The love for my role begins from day one when a couple books me, & from here, there are 100's of minutes helping couples who sometimes need help getting their day together, providing support, encouragement and options to tailor a ceremony to be best suited to that couple and to align with what they imagine as their dream ceremony.
Little love notes in the week leading up to the day & greeting family and friends to making them feel comfortable, & becoming acquainted so that they have a fabulous experience from when they first arrive.
Spending time helping my couples & their bridal parties get ready on the day, distracting them from their nerves & injecting humour & laughter into sometimes a stressful environment so that they can get back on track to enjoying the day they have spent SO long preparing for, is what I love most! Seeing my couples cry, laugh and drift off into their little love bubble, makes this the best bloody job in the world! All of this makes me love what I do!
What is the worst thing you have experienced when delivering a ceremony?
A guest having a fit halfway through & having to call the ambulance! Things happen on your wedding day that you can never be prepared for. The worst thing anyone can do is panic as there is always a solution to any problem, & I promise no wedding day goes without some! My job is to keep calm, collected & keep everyone together so that no matter what happens, my couple's day can get back on track & continue to enjoy their incredible day....just as we had planned from the beginning.
What are the biggest myths and mistakes that people think about wedding celebrants?
That they are boring! Pfft….boring celebrants are very few & far between these days 😉 Each celebrant is different from another and there is a celebrant out there for each couple!
Have you ever closely averted a disaster, that the client was unaware of on their wedding day?
Yep! All the time. Getting there early means I have time to fix many problems such as flowers blown over or helping rushed vendors finish their projects just in time, or adjust all the seating to accommodate the bridal party, guests and photographer better.
Obviously, most of your weekends are made up of performing ceremonies, on the ones you have off what does it typically entail?
Family, farm, horses and entertaining friends or house renos.
What is your favourite type of ceremony to deliver?
As much as I love each & every ceremony regardless of style, it’s the elopements that are really special. They are my absolute favourite to be a part of & I love being able to shower my couples with as much love & excitement (& champagne) as they would have received if they were having a ‘bigger’ wedding.
Where is your favourite ceremony location in Yamba/Angourie and why?
Everywhere you look there is natural beauty & so many hidden spots to create private & exclusive ceremonies whether you have 2 guests or 100! Yamba & Angourie in my eyes is the ‘perfect’ destination spots where you & your guests will feel like you’re on holiday with plenty of accommodation options, gorgeous weather & beautiful foodie places.
Do you prefer ceremonies where guests are asked not to use their phones or doesn't it bother you?
YES YES YES! I will always ask guests to put their phones away, the last thing we want is to see them in the video or photos! They are more attentive & laugh, cheer & heckle way louder than if they were watching it through their phones.
Any last words of advice for brides beginning the planning phase of their wedding?
Go slow (but don’t leave things to the last minute) & tackle one job at a time. Lock in your vendors 12 months from your wedding if you can.
If you don’t know where to start, book in these 3 vendors; Venue, Photographer & celebrant. Use these vendors to offer suggestions & help you navigate through the overwhelming number of other vendors. This will save you so much time googling & making decisions from afar.
You can learn more about Ali's marriage celebrant services or get in contact with her directly via her business page HERE.