Tēnā kōrua!

(hey you two) 

I’m Abbey (she/her)! An Auckland based inclusive wedding & civil union celebrant passionate about creating fun, modern ceremonies that are as unique as your love is!

I got into the wedding game because I just love love. Lame? Maybe. But, nothing gets me more excited than getting to know two people and creating a wedding ceremony that perfectly reflects who they are. No two people are the same, no two couples are the same, so why do we expect weddings to be the same? What many people don’t know is that the legal part of a wedding is fairly minimal, so the opportunity to get creative is ours for the taking! As the famous saying goes, your wedding is your oyster (or something like that?)

My background as a social worker has given me lots of skills that transfer super well to the wedding space. I also have a postgraduate diploma in counselling, so I am great with people from all walks of life (I’ll charm your 90 year old granny and your 2 year old nephew at the same time!), I can think on my feet, I’m laid back, empathetic (and really good at dealing with big feelings that weddings tend to bring with them..!) I keep pretty level-headed in a crisis, I love a laugh and a chat, and I can get things done. But, most importantly, I love people. And I love weddings! Being involved in a milestone like your wedding is an honour that never gets old for me. (Fun fact, I have sung in 10 different weddings for friends/family and I still get a little bit misty-eyed every time).

I live in Auckland with my husband, our wee boy, and our cat. When I am not at a wedding I am being a mum/in a cafe/crocheting up a storm/working at my day job as a hospital social worker.

Working together.

Step One

You’re getting married! Woo! If you think I might be the right lady to formalise your forever, fill out my contact form to check availability.

If the dates line up this is when I love to catch up, usually over zoom, with a couple for a free, no obligation opportunity to get to know one another. This gives us the chance to discuss ideas/vibes/Pinterest Boards and make sure that we’re a great match!

If you feel strongly about meeting in person, we can absolutely make that happen! It will just take a few more logistics, whereas zoom seems to fit better into everyone’s schedules!

Step Two

Once I’m locked in as your celebrant, the fun begins! We’ll work together to create a ceremony that reflects who you are uniquely as a couple. I’ll be asking lots of questions to make sure I’m on the right track (and am sure you’ll have questions too!) This is also when we’ll look at the details like vows and readings.

I will usually work away in the background on a draft wedding ceremony, then we’ll have another catch up to go through it together and make sure you’re 10/10 happy with it.

This is your wedding and the privilege of being a part of it is not lost on me. I’ll be working hard to create a ceremony that makes us all happy-dance with excitement!

Step Three

Ideally, we’ll have the opportunity to have a wedding rehearsal. This gives everyone involved in the ceremony a chance to see how things will run and to get some of those jitters out of the way! It will give us a final opportunity to make sure we are 100% happy with the ceremony and make final adjustments if needed.

Sometimes it isn’t possible to have a wedding rehearsal, and if that’s the case we can roll with that too. Alternatively, your dream ceremony may be simple enough that you do not see a rehearsal as a necessity and that is A-OK too!

Step Four

It’s go time! The preparation and work that we do together in the lead up to your wedding day means that you two can be totally in the moment, loved up, and making googly eyes at each other without worrying about anything else!

If you are needing a master of ceremonies for the rest of your wedding day, I am able to add on that service. It is a great way to create cohesion across the day, and avoids you having to pick the funny friend who won’t make inappropriate jokes in front of your parents! Please let me know if that’s a service you are requiring upfront so I can factor it into the prices.

From there, I’ll handle all the legal formalities and documentation while you head off into newlywed bliss!

This is a Safe Space.

I wholly believe that every person/couple has the right to access wedding vendors that make them feel safe, seen, supported, accepted, and respected. My service is an inclusive one. This means regardless of your gender, race, culture, sexual orientation, romantic orientation, identity, age, disabilities, or any other life factor, you are safe here. You deserve a beautiful wedding that celebrates and reflects your love.

Common Questions

  • There is no one set price due to the variables of weddings, but my prices start at $300. I will require a 50% deposit at the time of booking.

    Please note, I have an additional fee for weddings that are a quick turnaround from the time of inquiry. The more time we have, the more opportunity we have to make your day perfect!

  • I am currently only taking bookings for Auckland weddings.

    I have a young son, and weddings out of Auckland take me away from him for too long!

  • You can apply online here! It will cost you $150. The licence is valid for three months from the date it is issued. I also would recommend pre-ordering a marriage certificate while you’re applying for your marriage licence.

  • Unfortunately not. Being a celebrant is a passion project/side gig for me alongside full time work. I am only available on weekends or public holidays.

    I can recommend some awesome full-time celebrants if you’re struggling to find someone to accommodate your weekday wedding!

  • If you need to change the date, I will do my absolute best to make it work. If I am unavailable, I will help you to find someone equally as fab to take over.

    If you need to cancel your wedding, the deposit is non-refundable. If the cancellation happens within a month of the wedding, the full fee is non-refundable (by that stage I will have already done majority of the work!)

    It is worth noting that because I have a full time job as well as being a wedding celebrant, I am unable to officiate weekday weddings.

  • I sure do! The process is almost exactly the same as the process for marriages, but the legal parts are slightly different.

  • I am not currently offering a MC service, but I know plenty of awesome people who do offer an MC service if you need help sourcing a professional MC!

  • Not usually. However, if you feel very strongly that I am the correct person to take your loved one’s funeral service then I will occasionally make an exception. Send me an email if you want to talk more about this option.

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