How to choose a celebrant on the Gold Coast

So you're engaged. Congratulations — genuinely, that's very exciting. Now comes the bit where everyone tells you to "enjoy the planning" and you start quietly Googling everything at 11pm wondering where to even begin.

The celebrant question tends to sneak up on people. Venues, photographers, caterers — those feel urgent. The celebrant somehow feels like something you can sort later. And then someone tells you good ones book out 12-18 months in advance and suddenly it's very urgent.

Here's what actually matters when you're choosing a celebrant on the Gold Coast — from someone who's a second generation celebrant.

1. Make sure they actually listen to you

This sounds obvious. It is not always obvious in practice.

Your first conversation with a celebrant should feel like a conversation — not a sales pitch. They should be asking you questions about who you are as a couple, what matters to you, what you want your guests to feel. If they're mostly talking about themselves and their packages, that tells you something.

A good celebrant is genuinely curious about you. That curiosity is what makes a ceremony feel personal rather than generic.

2. Read the reviews properly

Not just the star rating. Read what people actually say.

Are reviewers talking about specific things — the way the celebrant handled a moment, something they said that made the whole room laugh or cry, how calm they made the couple feel? Or are the reviews vague and polished?

Specificity in reviews is a really good sign. It means the experience was memorable enough that people found words for it.

3. Ask about their process, not just their packages

How do they get to know you? How much input do you have over the ceremony structure? Do they share a draft with you before the day? How many times will you speak or meet before the wedding?

The legal part of a wedding ceremony is straightforward — any registered celebrant can do it. What you're really paying for is the writing, the preparation, and the performance on the day. Make sure you understand what that process looks like before you book.

4. Consider the logistics honestly

Gold Coast covers a lot of ground. From Coolangatta to Coomera is nearly an hour. From the beach to the hinterland is a completely different world.

Make sure your celebrant knows your area, or is genuinely happy to travel to it. A celebrant who's done fifty ceremonies at Currumbin beach is going to be more relaxed on the day than one who's never driven the Pacific Motorway in a wedding outfit before.

When you are planning an intimate wedding - you want to be REALLLLY picky about everyone you have there - that includes your celebrant!

5. Think about personality fit, not just credentials

You're going to spend the most important 20-30 minutes of your relationship with this person speaking. Their voice, their energy, their sense of humour — all of that is going to shape how the ceremony feels.

Have a phone call before you book. Do you like them? Do they make you feel comfortable? Do they seem like someone you'd want at the front of your wedding? Trust your gut on this one. Credentials matter, but chemistry matters more.

6. Don't leave it too long

The Gold Coast wedding market is busy, especially for autumn and spring weekends. If you find someone you love, book them. Most celebrants want to be booked well before the legal minimum — and you don't want to find out your first choice is unavailable and have to start over.

If you've got a date locked in, start looking for a celebrant within the first month or two of being engaged. You'll thank yourself later.

Courtney Ayre is a Gold Coast-based marriage celebrant and MC with over a decade of experience. Second-generation celebrant. Elopements from $850, weddings from $950. marriedbycourtney.com