Welcome to my first blog! I am very excited to be able to share with you the ins and outs of wedding celebrant secret business (well not so secret really).

Have you ever wondered what a celebrant does to prepare themselves for a ceremony? Well apart from the mandatory grooming requirements (looking good in the photos is a must – no-one wants a dishevelled celebrant in their wedding album) there are also the physical warm ups

Now, I am not talking gym workouts or sit ups – but the vocal workout kind. Any public speaker will tell you that to do the best presentation possible takes training and practice. You want to be clear, easily understood, not stumble over words, and have a pleasant sounding voice. I usually do my exercises in the car – I do a number of vocal and facial warm-ups, much like an actor or singer would. Scales, tongue twisters, facial exercises, jaw shakes and breathing (I must look a sight to the other drivers!)

Now to the weddings! I had a very beautiful wedding at The Everglades Historic Gardens in Leura last weekend. What a truly romantic setting for a wedding. Leanne and Dylan were beaming with joy, the sun was shining and the view was breathtaking. Everglades was built in the 1930s as a Blue Mountains retreat. Set on over twelve and a half acres of European-style gardens and native Australian bush with breathtaking views over the Jamison Valley in the World Heritage listed Blue Mountains. Everglades is part of the NSW Historic Gardens Trust and allows only a limited number of weddings per year. So if you are considering it for your big day book well in advance.