Elizabeth Jesse, Gold Coast Wedding Celebrant
What is it that you do?
I am a civil celebrant who whips up wedding, funeral and renewal of vow ceremonies.
How long have you been doing weddings?
I am about to kick off my tenth year of celebrancy.
How long do brides normally book in advance?
Normally anywhere between 6-12 months. In saying that though I have taken bookings only 6 weeks out and then on the flip side up to 2 years.
How can couples make their ceremony personal?
Your ceremony should be the very best part of your day! It is the official party starter. I ensure that I understand my couple’s vision and most importantly any needs or desires for their day.
I invest a lot of time into my couples that in turn become friends pretty quickly. Ceremonies absolutely must be personal. There is no excuse for them not to be. I use a ripper questionnaire that allows my couples to go crazy! Their responses then allow me to create ridiculously personal ceremonies.
Here’s a little exercise. Start by visualizing yourselves in your guests’ shoes. When you’ve had that first ripper kiss and shimmied down the aisle together for the first time, you then want your VIP’s to walk or skip away from your ceremony space saying “OMG that was incredible! That was soooooo Ludwig and Frankie! I totally forgot that Ludwig proposed to Frankie at the Rick Astley concert!! How incredible was it when “Never Gonna Give You Up” then started playing?”
That little example is exactly the reason why personalisation is imperative. Your couples are taken on a beautiful trip down memory lane and picked up some divine little snippets along their way! Perfection right there!
How would you describe your style?
My style is super relaxed, sincere and ridiculously personal. Laughter and tears are a fabulous combination and rumour has it that I have been known to bust out the ole jazz hands and sneaky dance moves to really get the party started. I am also a big advocator for kids and fur kids to be involved in ceremonies. I have been known to both baby and animal whisper - lol!
If you could share one piece of advice what would it be?
Connection with your celebrant is everything!!! I always bang on about this. As well as couples feeling relaxed and connected with me, in turn I also need to feel it as well or I can’t and won’t commit to marrying a couple. Connection is ridiculously transparent – you’ve either got it or you haven’t it! We have all been to weddings and witnessed both examples of that I’m sure!
Your celebrant needs to feel like a friend (by your wedding day we most definitely are that ☺) There are so many myths and expectations surrounding ceremonies! As a couple you need to know that’s exactly all they are!!! Bloody Myths and Expectations!!! Your day your way!!
Create something that is truly spectacular if that’s want you want. Have an intimate elopement ceremony if that’s your shared dream. No rules and no blah blah blah!! You most definitely don’t want to look back 10 years down the track and say “Why did we do it that way?”
What was one of the craziest weddings you have had?
I officiated a surprise wedding at a 50th Birthday Party with a “B” Theme. I naturally went as a Bogan wearing a Brisbane Bronco Jersey, a mullet, uggies and I was also seven months pregnant at the time so it was a fabulous look. I have also married a “gothic” couple who asked me to wear “black tight” clothes and “black lippy!” Lucky for them and their VIP’s this was a few years ago prior to my mallteaser munching days and I could still see my toes! We also had their big bloody pet snake “Ralph” in attendance making his presence near me known”
Who do you think your style is suited for?
I believe my style is suited to a broad range of people. I love to inject loads of laughs and colour where I can and don my flamingo dress however I can also happily pop the pearls on and tone it down a little if that’s what my couples want.
Tell us more about you?
I am a Gold Coast-based Celebrant who adores Rick Astley. Any chance I get I try and sneak ( I always fail ☺) one of his songs into ceremonies and donning brightly coloured shoes. The more colour on my tootzies and in life in general the better! I’m also partial to a sneaky malteaser or ten!
I have been hitched to a darling man for fifteen years and I am mum to a fabulous little seven year girl named Bells who keeps me well and truly on my brightly coloured toes.
From my professional working ethics, mixed with fun, flair and humour, I can assure you that I pride myself in punctuality, appearance and presentation – no golden girl attire on my watch!
It’s an incredible privilege to hold space with couples on one of their most memorable days of their lives and I don’t take that for granted for a second.