Stan by Me Ceremonies

I’m warm, open and friendly, and I’m an excellent listener. I’m creative and grounded, with just a touch of quirkiness. I’m organised and tidy, but also a little bit of a prankster. I’m not the loudest person in the room or the quietest, and I’m always described as having a calming presence.

As a celebrant, I get that the day isn’t about me. It’s about the two of you and the commitment you’re making. When I solemnise a marriage, I ensure that the ceremony is focussed on you and your relationship, and try to let the humour come out through the stories about the two of you, rather than me trying to be a stand-up comedian and get laughs for the sake of laughs. In other words, I’ll be there to spotlight the two of you, not myself. I’d say that my ceremonies are a chilled out mix of cheeky, romantic and sincere. I won’t bore your guests with endless droning and I won’t nervously rush through the moment, either.

I also force ask my couples to fill in a post-ceremony questionnaire, and here are the most commonly used words that come back to describe me:

• Warm
• A good listener
• Sweet
• Laid back
• Fun
• Cool
• Like an old friend

A few different ways! Generally, we’ll start with a FaceTime or Zoom to say a quick hello and have an initial chat, and from there, if you think we’ll be a good fit, we can meet up in person for a coffee/wine and get to know each other a little more. I get to know my couples through a mix of chatting to you and asking you questions in person (I’m happy to listen to as much as you want to tell me about yourselves), and also sending through a couple of questionnaires for you both to fill out in your own time at home - one of these is full of questions about your ceremony (eg. where do you want me to stand, do you intend to include a reading, are you exchanging rings, etc.) and the second is for you to answer questions about each other and your relationship, what marriage means to you, and all that jazz. Some couples are much more private than others, so I’ll take your lead on all of this to make sure that you’re only sharing with me what you’re comfortable with, and only what you want included in your ceremony. We’ll generally meet up at least one more time before your big day, to go over the ceremony details more thoroughly and have a general check in, plus, if you plan to have a rehearsal, I’ll do my best to make it to that as well.

I’m an actor and writer, and I have a background in psychology. I believe my skills as a performer will help make your ceremony engaging and entertaining, while my skills as a writer will ensure a solid ceremony script, as well as help in writing your vows if you need. As a psychology enthusiast (I also have mental health first aid training), I believe that I’m a pretty good judge of character, and aside from bringing my great listening skills, I’ll be able to get a good grasp on who you both are as individuals and a couple, which I can incorporate into the creation of your ceremony. I’ve also been told that I’m a very calm and composed person, and that seems like the right kind of energy that you want near you on your wedding day.

My registration came through in 2021, and I haven’t looked back. By the end of 2022, my first year working as a celebrant, I had solemnised more than 50 marriages and quit my day job to solely pursue the jobs that I love full-time.

Absolutely! I strongly recommend that you write your own vows (this is the best part of the ceremony!), but I’m more than happy to give you suggestions of things to include in them in you’re unsure, or to read over them when you’re done and offer any thoughts. You can even practise them out loud on me if you like! If you’re really hesitant in writing them yourself, I can give you some prompts or loose structures that you can personalise.