TESTIMONIALS

 

Kind words from previous clients.

 

“Dear Ellen. Thank you so much for giving us the perfect wedding. You looked after us so well and gave us our perfect ceremony. We’ll never forget our special day.”

Marnie and Kat, Nov 2018

“Ellen, going through our wedding photos has just confirmed for us, how utterly fabulous you were at every stage of our wedding journey and how truly lucky we were to have you as our celebrant. The ceremony was just so perfect for us and who we are as a couple. You absolutely nailed the tone and feeling that we wanted, while still giving it your own special touch. You listened to everything we wanted and we loved how you built upon our ideas and gave us wonderful advice. Your preparation help made everything easy on our end and allowed us to create something that was unique and special to us that wasn’t a chore. You made our special day even more special and we will always be grateful.”

Bethany and Bass, May 2018

“Dear Ellen. We just wanted to THANK YOU so much for the wonderful ceremony on Saturday and all of your work leading up to it. The day was as beautiful and intimate as they get, and I felt some next level love up on that altar! We absolutely loved working with you and felt that you really understood and embodied the things that are meaningful to us. Thanks for all of your guidance with the ceremony and for encouraging us to include certain touches, e.g., the story of us. Our natural tendency is towards less, and I’m so glad we had you there to let us know when things were too simple or too complicated. You were respectful, curious, reliable, and present throughout the process and the ceremony, which made the process of marrying that much more meaningful for us.”

Mandi and Brendan, Mar 2016

“Hi Ellen! I just wanted to say on behalf of both Kari and myself thank you so much for the outstanding job you did as the celebrant for our wedding! We thought that what you said about us, as well as your delivery, was great. Everybody commented on how unpretentious and easy-going the whole thing was. Thank you as well for helping us get through what was a tad of a nerve-racking experience for both of us. You made it very easy and fun! Thanks again Ellen.”

Jason and Kari, Nov 2015

“We searched high and low for a celebrant, and after meeting with some very weird sorts we were lucky enough to come across Ellen who did a sensational job! She was fun, reliable, and a total professional who guided us through the whole process. Many of our guests also commented on how genuinely excited, sincere and connected Ellen was, which I think is the ultimate testament to how committed she is as a civil celebrant. More than happy to recommend her to anyone in need of a good Celebrant.”

Noel and Kirri-Mae, Nov 2014

“Hi Ellen. It was so great working with you in the lead up to our wedding – you made everything very easy and fun! The ceremony you put together for us captured everything that we are and you did it in such a warm, fun and cool way – all our family and friends mentioned how great it was (and you!). You were always so excited and enthusiastic about the surprise backyard theme, which we appreciated as we really had no idea what we were doing! We LOVED our wedding day and the tone of it was set by the ceremony – so thank you for ‘getting us’ and helping make the day so special.”

Regan and Simon, Oct 2014

“John and I could not have been happier with our experience with Ellen. From initial meeting to the ceremony, Ellen was a consummate professional. She balanced sincerity and formality perfectly with friendliness and good humour. Our guests and parents also expressed what a beautiful, personal ceremony it was and it clearly due to the thoughtful preparation Ellen had undertaken prior. We can’t recommend her highly enough!”

Lyndal and John, April 2014

“From the first meeting, we knew that Ellen would be the perfect celebrant for us. From start to finish, she guided us through the paperwork, writing our vows and made what could have been a very stressful process seem quite effortless. Her endless patience and support, coupled with her innate sense of calm, served to help us feel as relaxed and as prepared as we could be on the big day. As hoped, Ellen ensured that our ceremony was both relaxed and intimate; she personalised our ceremony though the sharing of ‘Our Story’ and we have recieved many compliments from guests who now have a greater understanding of who we are as a couple. A big thankyou to Ellen who made our day so special and magical.”

Charlene and Mark, March 2014

“Dear Ellen, we would like to thank you for the wonderful job you did as celebrant for our wedding in March. Your care, warmth and professionalism meant that the ceremony was exactly what we wanted – it was simple and sincere, it told our story beautifully, and included all our family. Thank you so much for helping us have such a lovely experience.”

Kathy and Mike, March 2014

“Ellen really got the ball rolling for us, from our first meeting she was offering creative and thoughtful suggestions about how we could express our ideas for the ceremony. The end result was just fantastic with a great mix of tradition, sentimentality, delight and humour. Ellen even helped us start our own family tradition with the ceremonial drinking from the quaich. The professional, calm almost zen like nature of Ellen was perfect for us on the day when we were feeling a touch of pre wedding anxiety. I think we both genuinely felt like we were standing up there with a old friend who felt like a pillar of support. As a wedding photographer, Charlie saw Ellen at work twice before our wedding and had an instant liking for
the way she delivered the ceremony, we could really not have imagined going with anyone else. Thanks for all your hard work Ellen, we would recommend you to any couple for their special day.”

Lucy and Charlie, Feb 2014

“I would like to say a big thank you from Sean and I for the amazing ceremony you put together! You were able to put our story together with so much emotion and really captured who we are as individuals but also as a couple, I can say that there was not a dry eye in the room during our ceremony, you captured the fun and also how important this day is to two people taking this step in life. I would recommend you to all my friends that are thinking of having a ceremony and I would like to once again thank you for your hard work and for making this process for us easy and clear, not being married before you were able to explain the process to us and guide us through each step, no question was an unanswered and every detail was outlined which was shown on our special day.”

Monika and Sean, Nov 2013

“We discovered Ellen’s card by chance in a local cafe the day after we got engaged, and from that moment it was like having her involved in creating and executing our special day was meant to be. Nothing was too much to ask, and Ellen made time to check in, drop in and meet up in the 12 months leading up to our wedding. She was an absolute pleasure to work with and helped us not only find our words, but craft our story in such a way that there wasn’t a dry eye in the house (and that was just reading the draft!). We loved that Ellen supplied us with every reference material available, but also kept our ceremony very personal and true to us. There is no one we would have rather had be part of our day. It was fate!”

Kate and Ben, August 2013

“Ellen made our wedding day complete. Her composure and attention to detail (like taking the time to really get to know us) gave us the support and confidence we needed. Getting married in front of other people is scary, and her preparation made it a lot easier.  Her personality and charm won over all our guests too, and even with our traditional families, her bespoke service was a hit. We wouldn’t have changed a single thing about our special day, least of all Ellen.”

Carla and Alex, May 2013

“Well what can we say about Ellen? The first word that comes to mind is amazing! Ellen spent a short amount of time listening to our story and was excellent in prompting us to take a walk down memory lane, with this resulting in a perfect, unique, personal ceremony being created by this very talented woman. The ceremony was everything we could have hoped for, it had a great story, humour and some traditional parts thrown in. Ellen comfortably fit in to our family sharing our enthusiasm and excitement for our marriage. We certainly have no doubt in recommending her, especially if you want a magical, personal ceremony! Thank you so much, Ellen!”

Sarah and Aaron, Mar 2013.

“We wanted a celebrant who was kind and sensitive, who would perform our ceremony with meaning without being schmaltzy, who had a sense of humour, and who knew when to take centre stage and when to hold back. Ellen was all of this and more. She took the time to get to know us, and listened to our ideas. We had a good idea of what we didn’t want but Ellen really opened our eyes to all the options we had to create a ceremony that was reflective of our personalities (and that would also make our parents happy!). She made us feel at ease and was so comfortable to talk to. She gently guided us, was never pushy, and on the day was a calm and soulful presence. Before we got married we weren’t sure how a celebrant could fit into our wedding day, other than performing the legalities, but after having Ellen there we can truly say that having a celebrant that takes the time to connect with you and support you makes that special moment all the more richer. We couldn’t recommend Ellen more highly.”

Victoria and Neil, Dec 2012.

“Ellen was a delight to work with from the very first meeting til the big day itself. She was a consummate professional and put us at ease throughout the process of writing vows and choosing readings. Ellen is young, modern and versatile. She understood that we wanted the wedding to be “us” – laid back, fun, yet special. She delivered that and more. We would not hesitate in recommending Ellen Spalding as the perfect celebrant for your wedding.”

Hanna and Paul, Nov 2012

“Ellen, we can’t thank you enough for helping us celebrate the most joyful of days. Your story of our relationship played a really significant part of our ceremony. It gave our family and friends a real insight into how our relationship has grown and developed. We loved your attention to detail and the way you personalised our ceremony using some traditional Filipino customs and you even went as far as researching our respective football teams. Thanks for all your hard work, thoughtful advice and for your wonderful and engaging service.”

Sid and Flo, June 2012

“A huge heartfelt thanks to Ellen for creating a wonderful ceremony! We met with Ellen on several occasions in the lead up to the wedding and the result was a sincere, thoughtful and delightful ceremony. Ellen’s professionalism and dedication to creating the perfect ceremony for us was evident on the day and commented upon by many. Thank you Ellen!”

Mia and Jo, Feb 2012

“Ellen helped us to articulate why exactly we wanted to be married,  and brought the most important, unsaid parts of our relationship into focus. She helped us formalise our union without depersonalising it, and encouraged us to approach the traditional ceremony in a way that was distinctly ours. In doing so she became a friend and as important a guest at our wedding as our family and friends.”

Anna and Mark, July 2011

“It was such a pleasure having Ellen as the Celebrant for our recent wedding. We could not have been more pleased with the thoughtful, professional and friendly approach Ellen took in helping us create our own unique ceremony. Ellen provided comprehensive explanations for all aspects of the ceremony while encouraging and guiding us to also add our own personal touch. This translated into a really heartfelt and fun ceremony on the day that Ellen officiated in such a caring way. So, it is without hesitation that we wholeheartedly recommend Ellen as a Celebrant who will help make your day really special.”

Leigh and Sue, Sept 2018

“Hi Ellen. Vanessa and I would like to offer our heartfelt gratitude to you. You did an outstanding job as our celebrant; every detail was carefully considered and your professional manner fused delightfully with your upbeat and friendly persona. Thank you for delivering our thoughts and feelings to our guests with ease. We consider you a friend now. You have a warm and graceful presence and were very helpful and knowledgeable when it came to designing the ceremony. We highly recommend you to all people looking for a refreshing and professional celebrant.”

Bridie and Vanessa, Oct 2016

“Dear Ellen. Thank you for the incredible time and energy you put into making our wedding ceremony so special. We were very proud of the ceremony you put together for us which paid tribute to our whole story and was genuine and honest. So many people mentioned how touched they were by the ceremony; from the ring warming, to the tree planting, to the way you dealt with our loss and our love. It truly was special.”

Tom and Libby, Dec 2015

“Hello Ellen! We are so grateful you could be part of our wedding day. Your warmth and patient advice was invaluable in creating a wonderful day we will never forget. We had an amazing time on the day – soaking up the love and good-vibes; and with your help, we also managed to enjoy the preparations and lead-up to the day. Working with you felt fun and effortless, and reading through your ceremony story was when our marriage felt real and exciting. Your skill and care was clear to all our family and friends too, as we received many compliments on your behalf. Thank you again very much!”

Louisa and Rob, Aug 2015 

“We found working with Ellen on such an important milestone in our lives a breeze. She went to great lengths to understand us as a couple and to tailor our ceremony, that it felt really true to us. There was a lot of communication between us in the lead up and on the day with Ellen around everything seemed to go smoothly – even if behind the scenes it wasn’t! Thanks Ellen for being part of our wedding and delivering a great ceremony remembered by all.”

Mike and Fiona, Feb 2015

“Ellen. Just wanted to let you know how happy we were with the ceremony that you put together for our wedding. When we had the big meeting with you to discuss all things us, I didn’t know how on earth anyone would be able to capture us as a couple let alone turn it into a ceremony, but you did! We’ve had a lot of fantastic feedback on how much people enjoyed the ceremony and how much they thought it reflected us. That was so important for us on our wedding day and I am so glad we found you to do our ceremony. You exceeded our expectations the entire way and really helped make it special. Thank you.”

Frances and Steve, Oct 2014.

“It was a blessing to have Ellen by our side throughout the wedding process. Ellen’s professional and calm approach enabled us to create a ceremony that reflected everything we wanted to say to each other and all our loved ones.  We really appreciated the time she took to listen to our story and the resources she provided to help us write our vows. She provided valuable tips during the rehearsal that gave us confidence on the day. All our guests commented on what a great celebrant we had chosen. Thank you Ellen for making it such a wonderful day.”

Claire and Jo, March 2014

“Thank you so much for being an integral part of our day. You understood our needs immediately and created a ceremony that reflected us as a couple perfectly. You have a wealth of knowledge regarding all things wedding! Ellen, your calm and positive nature is exactly what any wedding day needs, your warm presence was truly reflected in our guests engagement during the ceremony. We would happily recommend you to any other couple.”

Laura and Ryan, March 2014

“We met with Ellen after a busy day at work. We spoke in an informal way about our lives and our love for each other. In the months that followed, Ellen gently, cleverly and thoughtfully crafted our conversation into a wonderful ceremony that left many of our guests in tears vowing to renew their own marriage vows.”
(pic: milesstandishphotography.com)

Emma and Joe, Feb 2014

“We were looking for a celebrant who was articulate, well presented and professional. From our very first meeting we were confident Ellen was the right celebrant for us. We could not have been happier with our wedding ceremony. We felt that Ellen captured ‘our story’ perfectly and we have no hesitation in highly recommending her services.”

Anne and Paul, Dec 2013

“As soon as we met Ellen we knew straight away she was the perfect person to marry us. She seemed to know exactly what we wanted and we were so lucky to find such a supportive and thoughtful celebrate to help us articulate what we wanted to say to each other. We will be forever grateful for the huge (and most important!) part she played in our marriage. We cannot thank Ellen enough for all her hard work and for making not just the ceremony special, but for the entire experience so wonderful.”

Angela and Mark, Oct 2013

“We really can’t thank Ellen enough for being part of our special day and I can honestly say it wouldn’t have been the same without her. She encouraged us to personalise our ceremony so that everyone got a sense of who we were as a couple and felt a part of the emotion of the day. She did that so well that even the groom was in tears and I have never seen him cry before! We were comfortable sharing our stories with her and taking her advice when we were at a loss. I cannot recommend Ellen enough as someone who will make the effort to guide you through the most special day of your life. Thank you Ellen!”

Dimity and Rudy, Jul 2013

“Thank you so much Ellen for all of your time and effort in making our wedding day so special and memorable. Your attention to detail and professional manner made sure everything ran perfectly on the day and we didn’t have to worry about a thing. Your guidance, compassion and friendly personality made us all feel at ease, meaning we were able to relax and enjoy our wedding day. We can’t thank you enough for all of your hard work and personal service and highly recommend you to other couples wanting an honest, sensitive and thoughtful ceremony.”

Erin and Dan, Mar 2013

“We were afraid of celebrants being too theatrical, too cheesy or too serious – but Ellen was none of these. She was friendly, clear, professional and provided just the right amount of formality to compliment our slightly unconventional ceremony. Ellen was really thoughtful during the preparation of the wedding and was able to help us put all our ideas together. We felt very much looked after thoughout the whole process. Many guests have complimented Ellen’s style since the wedding and told us it was the best one they’d ever been to! We’re very pleased with reviews like this – and really grateful to Ellen for her big part it making it a very memorable ceremony.”

Hilary and Ben, Feb 2013.

“Ellen was able to guide us through the wedding process effortlessly and help us make the day really special and uniquely us. In spite of a very short time-frame, she took the time to get to know who we are as individuals and as a couple and I think that this made all the difference! The ceremony was an excellent balance of tradition and light-hearted humour that really told our ‘story’ and expressed our hopes for the future. Very quickly upon meeting her, it felt like Ellen was part of the family and shared our enthusiasm and excitement for not only our upcoming nuptials, but also for our future together. We certainly have no doubt in recommending her, regardless as to what sort of wedding you would like to create for yourself! Thank you, Ellen!”

Mat and Michelle, Dec 2012

“Initially many people, including ourselves, didn’t know what to expect from a same sex commitment ceremony. However, Ellen was so professional and delivered our ceremony with such respect, humour and eloquence. She put everyone at ease from the beginning and took us all on a journey rather than just any old traditional ceremony you’ve seen so many times before. Even months after our big day we still have so many people comment about the ceremony. This is a testament to Ellen as a celebrant and there really are no words that can truly describe her ability in this role. We would highly recommend Ellen to any couple dreaming of a truly magical day.”

Aleisha and Amanda, Nov 2012

“Ellen, Thank you for helping us create the PERFECT Wedding Ceremony! Even the boys were tearing up! You were an amazing help in writing a beautiful and meaningful ceremony that will be remembered by many. We will be recommending you to others!!!”

Mat and Jen, Nov 2012

“Dear Ellen, we were so happy with all you did for our special day! You were the perfect celebrant for us and your calm guidance and professionalism in the lead up to the wedding was invaluable. We cannot thank you enough for the beautiful service you conducted on the day and the work involved in putting our story together. We have already recommended you to others, and will continue to do so! Thanks again.”

Claire and Ben, March 2012

“Put simply, Ellen Spalding is a brilliant wedding celebrant.  We cannot recommend her highly enough. From our first meeting she put us at ease as we began to discuss the daunting task of conceiving and planning our wedding.  Ellen is a great listener and was keen to hear our story in detail.  She was also interested in our personal reasons for getting married.  And because of this attention to detail, she was able to offer insightful observations and inspired suggestions throughout the planning process. On the day of the wedding, Ellen made us feel that we were in safe hands.  She conducted the ceremony with a mixture of grace, humour and authority.  Overall, we would sum up Ellen’s approach as professional, intelligent and sensitive. We thank Ellen for all her support and for contributing to our wonderful, joy filled wedding day.”

Lou and Mark, Jan 2012

CONTACT

Ellen Spalding
Celebrant
Phone: 0407 058 006
Email: celebrant@ellenspalding.com.au