Back in 2011, my wife and I were lucky enough to get married in Florida, and the man who married us was a brilliant celebrant called David — that's him in the photo with us.
I still remember what a genuinely nice guy he was. He'd married everyone from celebrities and sports stars to ordinary couples like us, but you would never have known it. He made us feel like our wedding was the most important one he'd ever done.
The ceremony was exactly what we wanted. It was personal, beautiful, fun when it needed to be and full of joy. We were both nervous as hell, but David had this huge smile, kept us calm and made the whole thing feel easy.
And here's the thing — 15 years later, we still talk about him.
Looking back, I think that experience planted the first seed of me becoming a celebrant myself. It's funny how life comes full circle.
I now understand just how important choosing the right celebrant can be. You want someone who gets you, keeps you calm, makes you laugh and creates a ceremony that genuinely feels like yours.
Because years later, when you look back at your wedding, you shouldn't just remember the venue, the flowers or the photographs.
You should remember how the day made you feel.
That's the kind of celebrant I want to be for someone else.