Carly Slade // Modern Brisbane Marriage Celebrant
modern, personal and relaxed wedding ceremonies
We get to meet a lot of celebrants at weddings and one face we always love seeing is Carly’s. Carly Slade is a Marriage Celebrant based in Brisbane, she brings a calm and professional energy, she is warm and friendly, excellent at public speaking and has a way of making you feel at ease, all very good qualities for a wedding celebrant.
We love being able to sit down with others and hear their story, dive into how they got where they are and why they love doing what they do, it was a joy to chat to Carly.
Why did you become a celebrant?
I reached that stage of life where all of my friends were getting married. I was attending weddings quite regularly and I fell in love with them. But one thing I noticed across all these weddings was that overall the ceremony was seen as a necessary formality before the party…no one seemed to pay much attention or care to it. I wanted to change that.
What’s your approach to celebrancy?
As a celebrant I like to think I have a really relaxed and natural approach. I’m an experienced public speaker, story teller and I have an extensive wardrobe that can match just about any colour scheme. I initially became a celebrant to assist my family and friends with their weddings and treat all couples I work with as such.
I have lots of ideas for creating a ceremony that truly reflects each individual couple, a ceremony that allows us to share their story, have a couple of laughs, but also includes the sentiment people expect from a wedding - just in a modern and engaging way. I also strive to ensure that guests feel incredibly loved, welcome, included and engaged.
What’s the best part of your job? & why do you love weddings?
When I started on my celebrant journey… I never imagined I’d be here today. I honestly assumed a few friends who felt obligated would book me. But here I am some 7 years later having married hundreds of couples. I’ve turned my hobby into a professional career. One that I love and find so incredibly rewarding.
It’s the little in between moments that create the magic - the couples expressions when they see each other for the first time, grandma perched so proudly in the front row, mum and dad holding back a tear, the laughter from friends as we recall the reality of modern romance - it’s the little touches, glances, the tears, the joy. There’s nothing quite like it! And it’s a really lovely feeling when couples invite you to be a part of that! I leave feeling genuinely proud and so thrilled for them.
Any advice for couples planning their wedding ceremony?
My greatest piece of advice when it comes to planning your ceremony… do what you want! Don’t get caught up on what other people and social media tell you should and shouldn’t include. To me, pressure to buck tradition is just as antagonising as forcing someone to follow it! Work with your celebrant to create a ceremony that you are both 100% satisfied with, confident in and excited by. A ceremony that you’ll enjoy, rather than be daunted by.
This includes your vows… now everything you see on social media is going to tell you that writing your own personal wedding vows will make your ceremony. And there is truth in that. Sincere, personal vows are BEAUTIFUL and every celebrant will have a vow writing guide to help you find the right words. But, if like so many couples I work with – public speaking scares the living daylights out of you – talk to your celebrant about alternative strategies. There are lots of ways to inject personal sentiment into your ceremony without YOU having to say much at all.
What should people keep in mind when choosing their wedding celebrant?
When it comes to choosing a celebrant or any wedding vendor for that matter, nothing beats a good recommendation. Ask friends who’s opinion you respect about the weddings they’ve attended recently – who did a cracking job? Your venue coordinator also sees lots of vendors in action and can give useful recommendations.
Then Instagram and websites have come a long way. Look them up, but be sure to sift through the content to find examples of their actual work. For celebrants, watch videos of them in action and read testimonials and reviews from real couples.
And if you find the one – lock them in. When you’re booking a person, they can only be in one place at any given time. And the good ones book out so far in advance!
In the mood for planning? Read how to plan your wedding day timeline here.
