In the midst of all the breathtaking wedding affairs of celebrities, the person behind managing all these also grabs the limelight. After all, it is not easy to manage such a big affair and so many guests!
Yes, we are talking about the celebrant — the person who is responsible for managing all the celebrations or ceremonies. They plan, make arrangements and then execute them for a unique touch to every custom. You will find a celebrant at a wedding, a funeral, a birthday party or even a cocktail party. Maybe you will find me there if it is a same-sex wedding. Yes, I am a celebrant too but with a niche!
Offbeat, right? The main question is ‘why did I choose the road less travelled?’
Because I love the challenges. A challenge like a gay wedding: not an easy affair. The anticipation of the unknown, the thrill of doing something new and yes the ever-booming business keeps me on my toes.
Let me tell you how this all kicked off:
1. The challenge:
I noticed that gay couples are suggested the same wedding theme as the straight ones. But a gay wedding is different! You need to give legal suggestions to the couple. If there are foreign couples, I need to research if their country recognizes marriages done in Australia. I was the first gay celebrant. So you can imagine the challenges faced before. Celebrants had no idea how to conduct a same-sex wedding. There were challenges like:
- Celebrants knew nothing about the gay rights
- They had no biased feeling about same-sex marriages
These prompted me to take a chance in this field.
2. The pondering phase:
Should I venture into this unknown water? The idea hit me hard. I knew there was a lot to grow. But no one had ever done this. Being a gay celebrant was going to be challenging. Though a same-sex wedding is legal in Australia, there is a large number of couples, one of whom is a foreign national.
- Does that foreign national’s country recognize the weddings done in Australia?
- Is a same-sex wedding legal in that country?
- Is the couple planning to move to Australia?
And the challenges of managing weddings were different.
- How am I going to manage the decor, food and of course the priest?
- What should be the charge for the services?
- How many sessions should I put in planning?
3. Taking the chance:
I decided that I should hit this road less travelled. My previous stint was of great help in this.
- As a data analyst, I knew how to gather data and derive the pain points. I gathered gay wedding data and did a thorough study.
- Being an ex-drama teacher, I had lots of experience in weaving stories around real-life situations. I used this in story-telling the couple’s journey.
- I decided to go for a personalized touch to every ceremony that I would manage. I hate the same theme for every wedding.
4. Getting the first success:
The initial days were hectic. I needed to find my perfect workforce. The caterers, decor, and all the lighting agencies had to be roped in. I had to do several meetings to make them understand what we are doing and how well we execute it. I was lucky enough to get equally creative people.
- I drew a detailed outline of the function with the couple.
- I discussed it afterwards with the lighting and decor people and looked for their ideas.
- It was followed by finalizing and drafting the whole function.
The first wedding was a success. The couple loved it. Guests appreciated it. This was followed by publicity by these people. I grew into a personal brand! More projects began to pour in. Initially, I was a bit sceptical if I would survive in this industry, but in just 1 year, I was short of time to even think about this!
5. Being the “civil celebrant”:
The initial success threw more opportunities. I decided to devote myself to this profession. Being gay myself, I knew of all the challenges. I am a jolly person who knows how to present ideas beautifully. My clients love the idea that I devote myself completely to making their wedding a grand affair.
- Being a great listener, I talk to couples about their love story. This helps me in knowing them as a person. I also get an idea of how they want their wedding to be.
- I am a learner. If the couple wants to have a wedding from some different cultures, I research about that. I contact people from that place, talk to them and read whatever I can to know it better.
- I hold a certificate in gay and lesbian weddings. This was the turning point. It made me understand better how same-sex weddings are not given the same attention as the straight ones.
The journey:
Being a certified gay civil celebrant is the biggest achievement of my life. I have got to know several couples and their journey to the marriage. I feel blessed to be able to seamlessly organize their big day. As gratitude for this success, I donate 20$ from each of my same-sex weddings to the volunteer groups working for the poor and needy. So, if you are thinking of having an off-beat and customized same-sex wedding, don’t look further. Bronte Price is always ready for the challenge!
