Client appreciation

 Today I received a beautiful hand written note from the new Mr and Mrs W.

“Dear Cheryl,
Thank you so much for being our absolutely amazing marriage celebrant. We are so happy you were part of our special day and part of all the energy and magic the day brought. Thank you for being so patient, kind and funny with us. We had so much fun and we had so many beautiful comments about how you performed and spoke during the ceremony. You really kept us all calm, relaxed, and grounded.

And thank you for being so prompt with all the emails and calls and lodging our paperwork.

Lots of love from the new Mr and Mrs W.”

Wedding at Redland Bay Golf Club

 High school sweethearts Shania and Hayden were looking for a relaxed and stress free local wedding venue and chose Redland Bay Golf Club as their ideal location.

With a handy location, plenty of parking and the ability to have the ceremony and reception at the same location, Redland Bay Golf Club ticked all their boxes. The beautifully maintained lawns and gardens provided the perfect backdrop for their wedding. The couple chose the Gazebo location at Redland Bay Golf Club, one of three ceremony areas to choose from.

With rain showers predicted, guests arrived prepared with clear umbrellas. These also provided some cute photo opportunitues. Chelsea, the bubbly events coordinator at Redland Bay Golf Club, organised golf carts for the bridal part to access scenic photo locations around the golf course and adjoining Redland Bay.

Shania was stunning in a long ivory lace gown, and Hayden was dapper in dark trousers with an oatmeal coloured jacket. The bridesmaids wore a rustic burnt orange shift dress, and the groomsmen picked up the burnt orange colour in their vibrant ties.

Recommended celebrant for Redland Bay Golf Club - Cheryl Landsberry Marriage Celebrant

Photos by Judy from Iris Faith Photography

Wedding at Newstead Park

Sam and Mic first met around 8 years ago at the Victory Hotel. Sam was out with friends, and Mic was kicking on after the Caxton Street Seafood and Wine Festival. Both had consumed a couple of beverages.

Mic noticed Sam from across the room with her long brunette hair and sparkly eyes. He decided to start a conversation with her. Sam thought Mic was a bit cute, but his hair was too perfect for him to possibly be straight.

Soon, the conversation was flowing easily, with the two bantering like old friends. They had a boogie on the dance floor and neither wanted the evening to end.

Mic and Sam were soon spending every spare moment together, and they became a couple.

Sam and Mic chose a relaxed and intimate wedding ceremony at Newstead Park, Brisbane.
Sam showed off her toned physique in a fitted dress with a gorgeous train. Mic was dapper in an olive green jacket.
Surrounded by their closest family and friends, Mic promised to be the manager at Daddy Day Care while Sam worked out, and Sam explained that she and Mic complemented each other - he being the gift wrapper, and she the writer on cards.

The couple were guided and encouraged with their vow writing by celebrant Cheryl Landsberry.
Photographer Romana Saeheng captured some snaps which will be treasured for years to come.
Mel from Miss Weddings supplied an arbour and Americana chairs, and the fresh flowers were by Little Miss Flower Shop.
Afterwards, celebrations were held at the Breakfast Creek Hotel.

"Cheryl was just amazing. She was extremely helpful with every step leading up to our big day. She has a beautiful and calm nature which made us both feel at ease and made our day perfect and stress free. Highly recommend Cheryl to anyone on the hunt for a great celebrant." Sam and Mic Nov 2022

Contact the team at Elope Brisbane for your stress free wedding at Newstead Park, Brisbane.

Beach weddings

On a gorgeous day, there's nowhere lovelier to hold your wedding than the beaches near Brisbane. The sunshine, the sparkling ocean, the breeze - all make for a atmosphere where you can't but help to relax. This photo was taken next to a Pandanus at Coolum Beach nearing the end of a Brisbane Summer.

The dress is from Review - the powder blue Majestic. This is a classic style lace dress, and fitted in beautifully with the colour scheme of the bridal party. 

Cheryl is an experienced and professional celebrant who is always keen for an excuse to spend time at the beach. Contact Cheryl at ido@cherylwedding.com for your beach wedding ceremony.

How to do a Sand Ceremony - tutorial

Do you want to include a Sand Ceremony in your Wedding? 

You will need 3 glass vases. A larger one, with a wide top and a stopper, and two smaller vases - each filled with a different colour sand.

Rustic wedding styling

This DIY wedding featured cute and quirky decor. The hay bales were covered with 2 layers of fabric with a foam insert, which provided super comfortable seating. Tables were made from pallets. Bunting was made with pinking shears by the groom's mother.

Brisbane Celebrant

Looking for a celebrant in Brisbane? Someone who is vibrant and interested to hear your plans and ideas? Cheryl Landsberry has been an authorised marriage celebrant since 2003. Photo by Romana Saeheng. Hair and Makeup by An Eye for Style at Cleveland. Contact Cheryl www.cherylwedding.com

Tips for planning your Surprise Wedding

Looking to minimise fuss and expense?
Why not surprise your guests by holding your legal marriage ceremony during your engagement or birthday party? The bride, groom, and celebrant will all need to be in on the plan, and prepare the Notice of Intended Marriage at least a month before the date.

Here are a few things to consider:

• People just can't keep a secret. They will tell their spouse/mum/friend/hairdresser, and before you know it, everyone knows that the party will be your wedding. Tell as few people as possible about your plans if you are aiming for maximum excitement.

• Your guests may feel that it's OK to be late to a party, and may miss the big event. You could either have the wedding an hour into the party, or be prepared to have those people who arrived late miss out (their loss!)

• Some guests (especially if they live further away) won't show up to both the engagement party and the wedding - they'll just choose the wedding. In that case, you will need to find some incentive for them to attend the engagement party, or accept that they won't be there. People who are really special to you will make the effort to be there. 

• Some of your guests will be at weddings every second weekend, especially if they are in that age group where everyone is getting married. For others, like your grandmother, an engagement party and wedding are 2 anticipated social events on their annual calendar. They may feel like you have robbed them of one if you marry at your engagement party.

• You may receive less gifts by combining the 2 events (but how many toasters do you need, anyway?)

• There'll be some guests who are disappointed, saying, "I would have had my hair done/bought a new dress/made you something special if I knew this was your wedding!". But none of this material stuff really matters in the long run.

• Will you show up to the party first, dressed in a party outfit, then slip away to change? Or just be married in a party outfit? Or will you arrive after the guests are already assembled, and walk down the aisle in white? (you'll need to come up with an alibi if you're not there to meet guests as they arrive - you could be picking up the cake, having photos at the park, or just picking up a friend from the station) 

• You'll need to plan with your celebrant how the announcement will work. Perhaps the guests will walk in to the engagement party, then see a sign like the one pictured above. Perhaps the DJ will play an appropriate wedding song, or your MC or celebrant could make the exciting announcement that you're going to be married.

• Make sure you have a photographer/videographer on hand to catch the expressions on the faces of your guests, as you may not see it all yourself. There will be gasps, tears, laughter, and applause, and you'll want to watch it over and over again.

• And lastly, Enjoy! This will be a night to remember!

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Getting married in a vineyard?

A wedding at a vineyard combines three of our favourite things - love, celebrations, and wine. But grapes are a seasonal fruit, and there are a few questions you should ask before choosing the date for your wedding.

• What months will the grapes be on the vines?
• What months will the vines be cut back and bare?
• Will there be nets placed over the vines at any time of the year?

Your photos will be gorgeous all year round, but you'll be relieved to have done a little planning in advance. 

Contact Cheryl Landsberry if you are looking for a celebrant for your wedding in the vineyards. ido@cherylwedding.com

Meet cute

The kiss

What is a Meet Cute? It's the story of the first meeting of a couple. Often it's a chance encounter that will change the lives of the two people involved. Anna and Zac met on a walking tour of Berlin. Steve and Alison met when Alison dropped into his travel agency to plan her holiday. Some couples meet through friends, or noticed each other across a smoky nightclub floor. A more modern fairy tale is an internet match up. It's that simple chance encounter that leads to a lifelong partnership.

Whatever your story, your Brisbane celebrant can narrate it during your marriage ceremony. Your guests will laugh, cry, and smile at at the true story of your meet cute, which sounds less likely than the corniest romantic comedy. Your aunt will blush, your single friends will be envious, and your loved up friends will smile knowingly. 

Contact Cheryl at ido@cherylwedding.com for your personal story telling.