Shelley Burchett

She's a member of The Celebrants Network and approaches each wedding as its own story rather than a script. Couples can choose The Essentials for a simple, legally focused ceremony, or Your Story for something more custom-written, with vow guidance and rehearsal support built in along the way. MC services are available as an add-on for couples who'd like one point of contact for the whole day. Shelley travels throughout Toowoomba and Queensland for weddings.

Why I'm a celebrant: I became a celebrant because I love watching two people commit to being genuinely, unapologetically themselves on the biggest day of their lives — and I think the ceremony should sound like that. I'm not interested in reading out a script that could belong to anyone. I want to know how you met, what makes you laugh, and what you actually want to promise each other, then turn that into words you'd actually say. I bring the same energy I use running my own business and sitting on local boards — organised, direct, and genuinely invested in getting the details right. Marriage is a big legal moment as well as an emotional one, and I love holding both of those well for the couples I work with.

Treasured memories: One of most recent treasured memories was while marrying Jordan and Dylan. They'd kept one thing back for the signing — their witnesses were their mums, and neither mum knew until she was called forward. Watching two mothers realise, in real time, that they'd been chosen for that role was one of those genuinely surprising, emotional moments you don't get from a template ceremony. For me it's the small personal touches that mean something only to the people involved, not written for effect. It's exactly why I ask couples so many questions before we ever get to the ceremony itself: so those moments can actually happen.

Tips : Book your celebrant early — the good ones get booked out, especially for peak season dates. Once you've locked one in, your Notice of Intended Marriage (NOIM) needs to be lodged at least one month before your wedding date, so don't leave that to the last minute. Beyond the legal side, spend real time on your vows rather than leaving them to the week before — they're the part guests remember most. And don't feel pressure to fill your ceremony with tradition for tradition's sake; the best ones reflect who you actually are as a couple. A good celebrant will guide you through all of this, so lean on them.

and I'd like to say: If you want a ceremony that sounds like a template with your names swapped in, I'm probably not your celebrant. If you want someone who'll ask real questions, listen properly, and write something that actually sounds like you — nervous laughter, in-jokes and all — that's what I do. I keep the legal side simple and sorted so you're not worrying about paperwork, and I bring genuine energy to the day itself. Weddings are the only ceremony I do, so it's the only thing I focus on getting right.