A Busy Little Celebrant

So anyways, this little blog here tells me its been 21 weeks since I last wrote .. apologies for that.. It has been a busy time and I have been everywhere!

The destinations which I have been have been amazing..Jancourt East to a farm, Geelong where they had their very own Coca Cola cafe, Rivers Edge at the Docklands, seriously stunning views and awesome staff, my ever favorite, Colac Botanical Gardens, Deakin Lake House in the Chapel, The Carousel on Geelong’s Waterfront, Gum Valley near the Great Ocean Road, the Pirron Yallock Church, Balyang Sanctuary in Geelong, Otway Estate Winery just outside Colac, Roselyn Court in Essendon and to the King Parrot Cottages in Pennyroyal, just to name a few.

As you can see from the photos, all of my couples have been wonderful, each and everyone enjoying their wedding day immensely, the feedback is often weeks later as they have been enjoying their well earned break, but they are still bubbling with joy and happiness.  I am blessed to have this job and I love every single moment.

If you happen to be on Facebook, you can keep up with my comings and goings by liking my page @ www.facebook.com/leahphillipscivilcelebrant this will keep you updated with photos and my whereabouts, giving you some ideas for your own special day.

Whilst wedding season has come to an end, there is still plenty going on with couples planning their days for next season, or going against trend and marrying in the cooler months.  This does make it a lot easier for some people!  Booking venues can sometimes be much easier in this instance.

I am also very lucky in meeting new babies at the moment!  Very cute little bundles who will celebrate their birth by way of a naming day.  This is a beautiful way to invite your close friends and families to celebrate your bubs, it can be done at anytime of their lives and it can also be combined with siblings if you so choose.

Anyways, that is it for me for a little while… 

Until next time, keep safe

Leah

x

What an awesome couple of weeks I have had!  Weddings everywhere! 

I have had the amazing experience of working with the fabulous staff at Truffleduck in Geelong.  If you are a bride and you are looking for somewhere that can cater for everything, this is the place to go.  The staff are wonderful, the grounds are beautiful and they have everything you could imagine to make your day extra special!  Of course, not to mention my beautiful couple who, had never been to a wedding before, so the entire day was a mystery for them!  

I have also been down to Barwon Heads for a ceremony on the beach - this was set up by the lovely people at Ceremonies I Do.  The day was a little unkind weather wise, being that it was 35 degrees and blowing a slight gale, but the bride looked stunning, they read their own vows and were taking advantage of the beach for some lovely photos.

The next day I headed back to Geelong for another little garden ceremony held at St Helen’s Park overlooking the Bay.  Again, a stunning bride and gorgeous little children!  

The weekend just gone seen me down in Jancourt East, about 1/2 an hour drive from Colac.  This wedding was simply beautiful, the setting being in a paddock on their farm.  Under the beautiful trees we welcomed 150 guests to sit on hay bales.. The Ladies at Lush Events had done a superb job of making it look countryfied.. The bride arrived in a ute with the 4 bridesmaids on the back.  The guests were treated to hay rides with a guitarist playing.  It was a beautiful day and I am sure they partied the night away.

So with Christmas almost here, I have another Geelong wedding next weekend.. then I am off to the Docklands to marry a beautiful couple!

Until next time

Leah

As I said just a few weeks ago, I was endeavoring to embark on a new path of Funeral Celebrancy and study my little heart out to gain this qualification.

I am very proud to announce that, I have indeed completed the course! What appeared to be an act of fate, I was furiously typing when an email appeared for the course that I was about to enrol in via correspondence.  I eagerly rang Pete who encouraged me to ‘Just Do It’… so I enrolled and completed it all last weekend.

It was a very intense, yet enjoyable course and I am really pleased I took the time out to complete it.  

So, now I have added an extra facet to this role and as I learn more and more, it is more and more rewarding.  

So I won’t be studying my little head off.. its done…!!  

Leah

xx

The job of a celebrant is so diverse and very rewarding.. this week I have certainly learnt that this career is filled with satisfaction and more to the point, of special people.

It’s not often that I get to make decisions that will change my life, actually its more like, it is not often that I get to make decisions that will change my life that I actually agree to!  But I found myself in this situation this week and I wanted to share…

A client called and asked if I performed funerals, to which I replied no.  Whilst it has been on the list of things ‘to do’, I have put it off as my children aren’t quite ready for the mum on the run scenario.. Anyways, I gave my client some names of other celebrants in the area who might have been able to help.

A few phone calls later and my clients were in quite a bind as they felt the other celebrants were not right for them, and this is a really important factor, especially when you are saying goodbye to a loved one, you need that someone who you can chat to about what they wanted.. so, after some thinking, decided that I would offer my services as their funeral celebrant, thus with no experience.

We worked together to make a ceremony that was fitting, a ceremony filled with love, sincerity and everything that the family wished for.  A small chapel ceremony and a graveside ceremony.

It was such a privilege to be asked and it was such an unforgettable experience to share with a family, that I will now embark on further studies to be an accredited Funeral Celebrant.  

This is such a big career step for me, but I found the experience rewarding and really think this is the right thing to do.

So.. if you do not hear from me in the next month or so, its ok.. I am probably head down, studying!

Until Next time,

Leah

This is the most exciting time of year!  Wedding season has erupted with the fanfare it deserves and I must say, I am in full swing!  Already having traveled to Colac on October 2 and then to Apollo Bay on the 13th!

October 2nd was a simple but lovely ceremony filled with laughter.  Held in the Botanical Gardens in Colac, there was just a few of us to witness the ceremony, but I do have to say, I was rather fun!  It is amazing how you remember the finer details when you have laughed with the bride and groom as they shared their special day.

I then was off to Apollo Bay for an affair to remember.  The weather was not kind, but the views seem to make the rain and wind disappear.  It was my first visit down that way in a very long time and the place has certainly changed.  The ceremony was held at Captains at the Bay and the staff there were fabulous.  Lush Events had decorated the room in beautiful silk from Cambodia in which the Bride had bought back.  The silk was heavy and exquisite.  Buddha sat in the corner guiding us.

This weekend, I am back down to Camperdown for a ceremony in the Botanical Gardens there. Its amazing the places you find in this job.  The views from these gardens are amazing and I didn’t know they existed!  

November sees me with 3 weddings, all in the Geelong area.  Being a celebrant is such a diverse job that I get to see so many people in their happiest times, celebrating in the most beautiful of places!

Anyways, must get ready for the weekend… 

Leah

xx

Well the last few weeks as certainly flown by and we are now into August and the final weeks of Winter.  I am counting down until the warmer weather as I hate being stuck inside!

As a family, we packed the car and headed north for a 2 week break.  Whilst many would probably not like the idea of being stuck in the car for 20 hours, we had so many things to see, flying just wasn’t an option!  

It was an awesome trip stopping in on friends and family along the way… The kids loved that there was a new adventure everyday and someone new to see or a new bed to sleep in!  It amazes me how they adapt so easily!

Once landing back home I was greeted with 4 new weddings!  How excited was I! New clients to meet and new stories to listen to! 

I also had a lovely little intimate ceremony to conduct in Colac which was beautiful.  It rained during the ceremony but as we were undercover, it was perfect!.. 

Now we are back into the swing of things, Pete went back to work on Monday and is taking a little while to settle back in… The holiday is but a distant memory for us now!

Anyways back to the writing part of my job!  I really love everything about this profession, the people, the prospects.. ahh the list is endless…

Until next tiime, stay safe

Leah

xx

Sorry for any delay… its been a bit busy with life with children in the last few weeks since my last wedding for the season in May.  School, birthdays and Tooth Fairy visits just to name a few.. 

I am also receiving lots of spam emails from my website which is not really my most favourite thing in the world…so I am researching how to amend that.. this of course means a bit of nerd work which lucky enough, I am able to do! I have switched hats for the short term so my website remains as user friendly as possible…

So I’ll be back reporting on my celebrant work in the next few weeks.. stay tuned!

Xx - Leah

Hey Everybody…

What an exciting Easter I had… not only was there chocolate (and an abundance of it..) but there were weddings and brides everywhere!  I was thrilled to be gallivanting around the countryside marrying some beautiful people!

On Thursday, with my overnight bag packed and the car filled with equipment, I headed to Colac for the first ceremony.  In their own home, with their families present, the couple were married with the sun beating down on us.  It was a ceremony that was filled with humor and the bride was adlibbing all the way through! 

That night I met another new bride and groom getting set for their wedding in Colac in February.  It was lovely to meet them and feel the excitement building!

The next morning after my little holiday… I went to Jancourt East and wow.  My new bride and groom out there were excited to be planning their wedding in December at the farm…The views were awesome and I am excited to be able to see that part of the world again!

After that meeting, I headed to Lorne.  I haven’t been to Lorne for many years and was somewhat surprised at the greeting of tourists and cars which lined the main street.  The street scape down there has changed dramatically, the Mantra Resort taking up a lot of what was once beachside land.  

I headed down to the wedding location which was on the beach, just past the Swing Bridge in Lorne.  It was a no shoes event which I was thrilled about because I am not a fan of high heels in the sand!!  They had made up signs, ‘shoes if you choose’ and placed them on the grassy area, allowing guests the choice!  It was a beautiful wedding with the most gorgeous bridal party, friendly, full of life and looking forward to dancing the night away!  The bride and groom looked calm and stunning.. I am looking forward to the photos!  They were also partaking in Victoria’s first ever 3D wedding video.  I am rather looking forward to hearing the feedback.

The next day, after only just beating the storm home and almost being blown away… I headed to South Morang to the most beautiful idyllic chapel.  The Little White Chapel is amazing and so were the bride and groom to be married.  

This was one of those weddings that I was thrilled to be a part of.  The bride had hunted me down to ask if I would travel from Geelong to South Morang to be their celebrant and I wholeheartedly agreed!  The both of the them were so down to earth and easy going, their ceremony really described them both as a couple and was truly a lovely way to send them into married life.  The bride, a stunning figure, dressed in a beautiful gown and her bridesmaid in black made for a gorgeous ceremony in the chapel.  I felt like they belonged there.  It was a truly beautiful day, one I will never forget, filled with emotion and so beautiful.

As the wedding season slowly winds down, I am busily meeting new couples and preparing them for their ceremonies in the not to distant future.  I truly love this job and I really feel blessed that I get to do this on a daily basis.. Saturday at South Morang was really one of those days where I walk away thinking.. this is why I do this, I love it and I love the people I meet every single day!

Until next time, stay safe…

Leah

xx

Well I am excited!  I have 4 weddings in the next week and whilst this means a lot of juggling, a lot of phone calls and a lot of driving.. I couldn’t be happier!

It’s funny how things happen, I started my little business with the hope of getting maybe one wedding a month, now I am doing 3 or 4 a month or in this case, 4 in a week.  It’s just too exciting for words!

This week I am again in Bannockburn at Clyde Park for a small intimate wedding overlooking the beautiful gully.  The weather at this stage is looking glorious!  Fingers and Toes are crossed with the hope that any thought of clouds or rain holds off until the wee hours of Sunday morning!

Next week, starts the mayhem of catching 3 brides and grooms together before their ceremonies… I am in Colac on Thursday at a Farm wedding… these 2 have been together for 15 years and have organised their wedding in just over 5 weeks!  A lovely couple who over a few drinks, got together and then over a few drinks 15 years later decide to get married.  Just a bit funny!

Good Friday sees me off to Lorne.. a ceremony near the beach is hoped for, weather depending!  These beautiful souls actually met at a wedding… so maybe it is true what they say about finding your other half at a wedding!!!

Easter Saturday I trek on down to the beautiful chappel in South Morang.  This is one I am really looking forward to as not only is it a beautiful place, the couple is absolutely adorable.  They have been a delight too deal with and I cannot wait to make their ceremony what they dreamed of.  They are so excited about their day it has really made me appreciate those people who look forward to every minute!

I am going to spend Easter Sunday with my beautiful girls here in Geelong.  We have had to make some changes to Easter Bunny’s traditional egg hunt due to our puppy now living where the eggs were once hidden.  The girls are going to write a little letter to ensure he knows where to drop them.

So until next time, may the sun continue to shine!

Leah

xx

It’s flying.. the time I mean.. we are already into March and school holidays (my first as a parent) are almost upon us! Its rather bizarre how every year appears to disappear faster than the last.. maybe I am just showing my age?

Anyways, this weekend I am enjoying some time off with my girls, exploring more of Geelong and surrounds over the coming weekend before it heats up with more weddings!  I am just so excited at the moment as every time the phone rings it is another beautiful bride booking in a date in another special spot that they have chosen.. It is amazing how many places I am getting to around Colac and Geelong which I never knew existed.  I think my husband thinks I am going a bit loopy as each time I land back home from an event I am gushing with excitement. 

I take last weekend for example, where I met the most gorgeous children, their parents were getting married and therefore we joined 2 families together, making it a total of 9 kids.  Each of those children were loved, each one of them full of confidence, yet so polite.  They all came and said thank you to me for the lollipops and one of them even asked me to come back another day.. to bring lollipops… It was simply a beautiful moment where I was welcomed into the family, I felt as though I had known these people for years and years and it was really lovely to be trusted by the children as one by one, they all come up and spoke to me about their day and what they had been doing to get ready.  As you have probably guessed, I haven’t stopped talking about those children!!

Anyways, more ceremonies to get written!  

Stay Safe!

Leah