Spotlight On: Nicola Juliet Ceremonies

EVENT NEWS

16 May

You know when you have that conversation with friends about celebrants at a wedding, because you just want to find one who is happy, who loves love and who makes it all about the couple (as it should be) because they've taken the time to know them? That is Nicola Juliet. She's been part of the Love for a while now and she's a supplier on our directory. We sat her down for a little one-on-one.

How did you end up in the wedding business? I was asked to become a celebrant by a friend of mine when I was her Bridesmaid and I was helping her a lot with her wedding plans because I’m naturally organised and have always loved weddings. She called one day with her fiancé and said “You’ve done everything for this wedding but marry us, would you marry us? You’ve got such a loud voice, you’ll be perfect!”. I thought she was joking but eventually agreed thinking I would only be doing the one wedding. But then as I was doing the course I realised this was the perfect career for me and now I have my friends to thank for finding me a career I adore that I would never have previously considered!

What do you love most about weddings? I love that I get to stand between two people on the happiest day of their lives, often I can actually feel the love between them and it fills me with so much joy. I also love that I get to witness the groom’s reaction to seeing his bride for the first time when usually all the guests are looking at her. I’ve seen some priceless reactions over the years.

If you had to describe your business in one word, what would it be? Wonderful

What kind of bride and groom is typical to your business? My couples are usually in the 20-40-year-old age bracket and are looking for a younger celebrant who feels like it is a friend standing up there with them, while still being professional and organised.

Any celebrity weddings you have worked on? I ‘married’ Lauren and Andrew on season 4 of Channel 9’s Married at First Sight. She ended up being known as the runaway bride and he ended up being known as the most hated man in Australia so I guess they are famous!

Other memorable weddings? I have done two weddings on the cliffs at Tamarama where if I took one step back I’d go over the edge! It’s so energising to have the turquoise ocean behind us and with the sun shining down it’s a truly magical ceremony location for a small wedding.

A typical work day for you is? I meet potential clients to run through my checklist and hear about their plans for their special day or meet current clients to complete their legal documentation. I work on couple’s ceremonies and respond to emails. I take my time to do my hair and make-up before a wedding. I officiate a ceremony for a couple in a beautiful location where I get to witness two people affirm their love for each other and celebrate with their family and friends. Then I come home to lodge the legal components with the Department of Births, Deaths and Marriages and apply for their official marriage certificate.

How would you describe your business style? Professional, organised, modern, eloquent and personable.

What is your favourite wedding ‘first dance song’? "At Last" by Etta James

What is the one big mistake you see couples make all the time? Making decisions to appease a family member and their beliefs on how their wedding should be. That’s crazy to me because it is your day, not theirs.

What’s the best piece of advice you could give to a couple getting married? Don’t buy into the traditional wedding mumbo jumbo of how things should look and what should be included. Do it your way, focus on the things that matter to you as a couple and how you would like to celebrate your love - not what you think is expected of you. It’s a celebration of your relationship and commitment, not a chance to showcase how you would do the same event but just slightly differently to everyone else.

What trends do you think will be big in the year ahead in weddings? Not having a bridal party or at least not having them stand up during the ceremony with you. Couples are starting to realise that the ceremony is just about them and they don’t need anyone but each other at the altar.

You can find more on Nicola at her directory listing and website, nicolajulietceremonies.com