Are you looking for someone to ritualise an occasion during one of life’s transformational moments?

Someone who can shine light on those significant times in your life that require whole-heartedness, humanness, connection and ritual? Well, whatever the chapter, whatever the season, together, we can turn the page and write the new story to honour the full circle of your life.

I’m Katie.

I am a qualified and registered celebrant who has a deep passion for making both big and small moments count. It’s important to me that we work together to ensure the occasion is unique to you and your loved ones. No two ceremonies should be the same. It is through this reflection on self, symbols, intimacy and lightness that we create the moments in life that no one will forget.

My natural empathy and connection with others will enable us to speak openly right from the start.

I listen. I respond. I’m fun. I’m real.

I am professional, hardworking and punctual.

Creating ceremonies that are welcoming and inclusive is so important to me. I am committed to continuous learning so as to be a strong ally to people of all identities.

It always feels better knowing you have dotted the i’s and crossed the t’s – for those “just in case” moments. So, rest assured, I am fully insured and a member of the Australian Federation of Civil Celebrant Association (AFCC). Undergoing yearly professional development is not only an essential element of remaining registered as a celebrant, but something I thrive on personally in remaining a life-long-learner.

If you’re anything like me though, you want to speak to the person before you make any decisions.

Please don’t hesitate to pick up the phone and have a chat. Connecting with each other is important from the start.

My Story

Becoming a celebrant has been an organic evolution.

I had no idea that was where my path was taking me and yet it felt like everything I’d done up until that moment had shaped me for my new role: Mother, Wife, School teacher, Public speaker, Birth Partner and Yoga Teacher.

In my adult life, I have always been drawn to personal development, seeking a deeper knowledge of self. Over the last ten years, I have developed a daily practice of yoga and meditation which helps me digest life’s ups and downs and to stay on an even keel. It assists me with emotional resilience and to keep a healthy body, mind and spirit. It connects me to myself and to others.

Most importantly, it grounds me so I can show up fully present for others.

In 2012 my husband and I were blissfully married. Loving each other was easy! Learning how to maintain a healthy relationship was the sticky part. Participating in marriage workshops gave us the tools to build stronger communication skills, to resolve conflict effectively, and to deepen our connection. Together we have learned to lean in, rather than fall apart.

When my dear friend and mother-in-law passed away in the same year, grief hit hard. Not just for me, but for those around me. My own personal experience in grief and loss has taught me to be vulnerable, to ask for help, and to allow grief to unfold through space and time.

Being a mother is the greatest gift of all and my two daughters have been my biggest teachers by far. Whilst parenting I am constantly called to unlearn the learned, to be patient, to be playful, to be present.

After my second child, I resigned from my permanent teaching position to spend more time with my family. As I did so, I began running women’s circle’s for mums who didn’t have access to child care, yet needed time to connect with themselves and others. This moved on to other celebrations, including Birth Blessings (instead of baby showers) and Bridal Blessings (instead of hens’ parties).

When my friend’s father passed away and the family were unsure how they wanted to celebrate his life, I leaned into the unknown, and offered my assistance. As it turned out, they asked if I would be the celebrant for the father’s memorial and if I’d also be willing do the eulogy. What an honor, to offer someone their last goodbye in a meaningful and wholehearted way. I accepted.

From that moment on, it was clear what my purpose was: To offer ritual and meaningful celebration for all rites of passage*. Soon after, I launched myself into completing my Marriage Celebrant course, so I could bring Wholehearted Ceremonies to all significant moments in one’s life cycle. Life. Loss. Love.

The Wholehearted Way…

So, what does actually mean to live your life wholeheartedly?

To live wholeheartedly begins by knowing you are worthy of love and connection. To live wholeheartedly calls us to be vulnerable, to take risks in love, to lean into the discomfort of pain and grief, and to launch into the uncertainty of life with an open heart. By doing so, we allow ourselves to be truly seen, heard and felt from a place of authenticity. Accessing this vulnerability and worthiness within us is the gateway to experiencing deep connection with self and others.

Brene Brown is a Social Worker and Researcher who spent many years researching the connection between Vulnerability and Wholehearted living. Through her research she reveals: “there are many tenets of Wholeheartedness, but at its very core is vulnerability and worthiness; facing uncertainty, exposure, and emotional risks, and knowing that I am enough.”

Of course, it takes tremendous courage to be vulnerable, to sit in the dualities of joy and pain that life throws our way.

“Courage is a heart word. The root of the word courage is cor—the Latin word for heart. In one of its earliest forms, the word courage meant ‘To speak one’s mind by telling all one’s heart.’’’ – Brene Brown

When I began living wholeheartedly myself, I began to see in others the desire to experience a deeper connection and to create greater meaning in their existence. I began to notice that people weren’t taking the time to celebrate life’s transitional moments in a meaningful way. I began to realise that wholeheartedness has been my vehicle to access this deeper connection. Ritual and ceremony have been the keys to unlocking the the art of vulnerability and the mirror I needed to see my worthiness.

It is not unusual for people to find it absolutely terrifying to be in the centre of attention or to find being vulnerable excruciating. We are not expected to be naturals in this arena. But having the willingness to give it a try, despite your fears will only strengthen your courage and open doors to transformation.

I will hold your hand in those vulnerable moments to allow your heart to expand.

I will assist you to feel those deeper feels.

I will seek to understand who you are at the core – to be truly seen.

I will take time to fully comprehend the meaning of your story.

I will create a safe place for you to be vulnerable by being vulnerable myself.

I’m in it with you. Let’s do it the wholehearted way.

Katie