Hitched Celebrant.

Emma von Veh of Hitched Celebrant Services (Wellington, NZ) 

BASED IN WELLINGTON, EMMA HAS THE ABILITY TO CRAFT CEREMONIES THAT ARE FUNNY, FORMAL, MODERN, TRADITIONAL OR A LITTLE BIT OF EVERYTHING. I COULDN’T AGREE WITH EMMA MORE THAT ALL LOVE SHOULD BE CELEBRATED!

WHAT DID YOU DO BEFORE YOU BECAME A WEDDING CELEBRANT?  I WORK FULL-TIME AS A LAWYER. THANKFULLY BEING A CELEBRANT IS (FOR THE MOST PART) A JOB THAT CAN BE DONE ON EVENINGS AND WEEKENDS, AND I CAN DO BOTH!

CAN YOU EXPLAIN THE EFFORT THAT GOES INTO EACH WEDDING?  I WILL MEET A COUPLE IN PERSON OR OVER SKYPE TO SEE IF WE ARE A GOOD MATCH. I THEN WRITE THE CEREMONY, WITH AS MUCH FURTHER INPUT FROM THE COUPLE AS THEY WOULD LIKE. DURING THE LEAD UP TO THE WEDDING I STAY IN TOUCH WITH THE COUPLE TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY HAVE THEIR MARRIAGE LICENSE UNDER CONTROL AND ENSURE THAT WHATEVER I AM GOING TO WEAR ON THE DAY ISN'T GOING TO CLASH WITH THEIR THEME. LAST, BUT CERTAINLY NOT LEAST, I WILL THEN TYPICALLY ATTEND THE REHEARSAL, AND OF COURSE THE BIG DAY.

WHAT MAKES YOUR WORK UNIQUE? I AM 29. I REALISE I'M NOT THE ONLY YOUNG CELEBRANT, BUT I'VE BEEN TOLD BY FRIENDS AND CLIENTS THAT THEY HAVE STRUGGLED TO FIND A CELEBRANT OF A SIMILAR AGE AND STAGE IN LIFE TO THEM!

DID YOU GET INTO YOUR LINE OF WORK AS A CELEBRANT PURPOSEFULLY OR BY CHANCE? A LITTLE BIT OF BOTH. ONE OF MY OLDEST FRIENDS ASKED ME TO BE THE CELEBRANT FOR HER WEDDING, AS SHE AND HER FIANCÉ́ WERE STRUGGLING TO FIND SOMEONE WHO WAS A GOOD MATCH. WITHOUT A SECOND THOUGHT, I SAID YES, AND FOUND THAT I LOVED IT!

WHAT HAS BEEN YOUR BIGGEST WEDDING DAY CHALLENGE?  I WAS ONCE DOING A CEREMONY FOR A COUPLE WHO HAD ASKED FOR A "SHORT AND SWEET" CEREMONY.  AT THE REHEARSAL THE NIGHT BEFORE THE WEDDING, THE MOTHER OF THE BRIDE SAID TO ME "I HOPE THE CEREMONY IS NICE AND LONG, I HATE SHORT CEREMONIES". I SPOKE TO THE COUPLE AND THEY SAID THEY WERE HAPPY FOR IT TO BE A BIT LONGER, SO I AMENDED THE CEREMONY OVERNIGHT.  DESPITE THE STRESS, EVERYONE WAS REALLY HAPPY WITH THE END RESULT, WITH SOME OF THE NEW BITS ENDING UP AS SOME OF THE BEST PARTS!

OUTSIDE OF WEDDINGS, WHAT IS ONE OF YOUR FAVOURITE THINGS TO DO? I LOVE THE OUTDOORS, AND YOU'LL OFTEN FIND ME WANDERING THE HILLS OF WELLINGTON!