Your wedding day is one of the most special days of your life. As you plan your wedding ceremony on the beautiful Sunshine Coast, it’s important to consider ways to make your special day eco-friendly. From choosing sustainable vendors to incorporating green elements into your ceremony, there are plenty of ways to have a beautiful wedding while also being mindful of the environment. Here are some tips for planning an eco-friendly wedding ceremony with Lynette Maguire, your Sunshine Coast marriage celebrant:
Eco-friendly weddings are becoming really popular
Choose a sustainable venue
The first step in planning an eco-friendly wedding is to choose a sustainable venue. Look for venues that prioritise sustainability by using renewable energy sources, composting, and minimising waste. Consider outdoor venues like parks and beaches that don’t require as much energy for lighting and air conditioning. If you do choose an indoor venue, look for one that has large windows for natural light and ventilation.
Opt for local and organic catering
When it comes to catering, choose local and organic options. Work with your caterer to create a menu that features seasonal, local ingredients. This not only supports local farmers but also reduces the carbon footprint of your wedding by cutting down on transportation emissions. Consider using reusable plates, cutlery, and glasses instead of disposable ones.
Feasting with share plates and cloth napkins are great eco-friendly ideas
Use sustainable decor
Choose sustainable decor for your wedding ceremony. You can use natural materials like wood, bamboo, and flowers for decoration and these are all very ‘in’ at the moment. Opt for reusable items like cloth napkins, tablecloths, and banners instead of disposable ones. Consider renting decor items instead of buying them to reduce waste.
Consider eco-friendly transportation
Encourage guests to use eco-friendly transportation options like carpooling or public transportation to get to your wedding ceremony. If you have guests coming from out of town, suggest that they stay at a hotel close to the venue or provide a shuttle service to reduce emissions.
Use natural materials and hire if you can – Marlee and Stuart did
Incorporate green elements into your ceremony
Incorporate green elements into your wedding ceremony to showcase your commitment to the environment. Consider using plantable paper for your wedding invitations or favors. You can also have a tree planting ceremony or donate to a local charity as a wedding gift.
Have eco-friendly confetti for guests to throw
There’s loads of ideas for eco-friendly confetti – from gathering leaves and grabbing a hole punch to make your own, to buying it online and helping a small business. There’s eco-friendly snow confetti which basically disappears almost instantly or soon after it’s thrown. Flower petals and leaves, or lavendar flowers are all better for the planet than throwing plastic which will take ages to break down, or rice which birds eat and then swells in their tummies – not cool. Think outside the square – or just type ‘eco-friendly confetti’ into your favourite search bar.
Try eco-friendly confetti to help the environment and the birdies
Work with an eco-friendly celebrant
Finally, work with a Sunshine Coast celebrant who shares your values and commitment to sustainability. Choose a celebrant who has experience creating eco-friendly wedding ceremonies and can help you incorporate green elements into your ceremony.
Sunshine Coast Marriage Celebrant Lynette Maguire is committed to sustainable wedding practices
Planning an eco-friendly wedding ceremony with your Sunshine Coast marriage celebrant doesn’t have to be complicated. By choosing sustainable vendors, using natural decor, and incorporating green elements into your ceremony, you can have a beautiful wedding while also being mindful of the environment.
Remember, even small changes can make a big impact.
Elly and Matt loved writing vows so much they wrote 3 lots each
Matt and Elly are such a delightful couple who met in high school. They really dived deep into creating a truly personalised and authentic ceremony at their venue, Samford Lakes. They wrote three separate lots of vows for each other: I’ve included them below.
Firstly, they wrote normal vows which were beautifully personalised , secondly, they wrote sneaky Ninja vows (where they write the last line/s of each other’s vows as a surprise – my couples love this and it’s usually gets a good belly laugh because it can get quite competitive.)
Finally, their third lot of vows were combined vows or as I like to call them “tennis match” vows because the crowds heads move from right to left as they watch the bride and groom speak in turn. You could tell that Elly and Matt really got into the whole wedding thing and they loved the Homework I send out to my couples – these ‘tennis match’ vows evolved from the process of doing their homework. Again, a lot of fun and really quite unique.
And finally, check out the game we wrote for the guests. I asked everyone to stand and those who were already standing to put a hand up. As I asked questions, people were eliminated as they sat (or put their hand down), until only two people were left standing (or with their hand up): they were our two witnesses. It was super cool. A LOT of thought went into this game.
Read them all below:
Finding unique ways to celebrate your love is an art – and Elly and Matt nailed it
Matt’s vows
Elly, I dead set feel like the luckiest man in the world right now. The thought of sharing my life with you makes me so happy and excited.
You make every moment worth living. Your eyes light up my life and your smile melts my heart. So, standing here right now I promise to always make you smile, to make you laugh. To always be silly with you, and as we might grow older together to never grow up.
You continue to teach me so much about myself. To be truly mindful and thankful of this wonderful life we share with beautiful friends and family surrounding us. You show me how to find that little piece of good in every moment, to never dwell in any situation and to always be kind to myself and others. And for that I feel more alive than ever.
So, I thank you so much for making me the best person I can be. For showing me a way of life that fills my heart with so much happiness and joy every single day. You are truly an inspiration to not only me but to everyone around you. Be proud of the person you are, because I know I am So I promise to trust you in all things, to support you as you follow your hopes and dreams, to remind you every day just how brave and beautiful you are!
I will hold you tight and never let go
We will face whatever life can throw at us, whether it’s good or bad, as a team and with a smile on our face or tears in our eyes.
I will follow you anywhere you want to go baby! It always leads to the best adventures.
I will cherish every single moment I have with you, as my Best friend, my lover and now my beautiful wife!
And I will love you more than I could ever put into words for the rest of my life.
Matt’s Ninja vows (written by Elly) Neither of them knew what they had to say til I handed them the paper on their wedding day.
I vow to work on my time management skills and to acknowledge that 20 minutes late is not on time.
I vow to relocate all of the spiders instead of squealing and making Elly do it.
I vow to have belly laughs and cheesy smiles together forever.
Surrounding yourself with your best gal pals is important for a fun and stress-free wedding
Elly’s vows
It seems like only yesterday that we were 15 years old writing love letters to one another from across the classroom. Just over thirteen years ago we held hands at the movies and that night you asked me to be your girlfriend. I said yes like you were asking me to marry you. Cringe-worthy high school sweethearts, we were.
I was on crutches at the time and you came over to my house every day. You teased me about not being able to ride my push bike or jump on the trampoline, but you made up for it by telling me that my scars made me look cool.
For the next two years of school you walked me home each day and we had so many adventures every afternoon. When it was time for you to ride your push bike home, we would say our ‘goodbyes’ and ‘I love yous’ as if it was the last time we would ever see each other. One night you were looking back with such an enormous cheesy smile, that when you turned around, you crashed straight into my parent’s mailbox.
We still laugh about that moment to this day.
Bodzy, I know that you’re my soul mate because here we are thirteen years later, still treating every moment together as though it’s our last.
You have always been clumsy, but I will never get sick of laughing at your stupid ideas and crazy mishaps.
I could write a novel on the belly laughs that we have shared together. Every so-called flaw that makes up you; the clumsiness, the forgetfulness and the lack of time management – none of them are actually flaws. When you’re clumsy, we have hilarious stories to tell, when you’re forgetful or late it’s because you’re spreading your positive vibes with the rest of the world. Every so-called imperfection makes up the perfect soul that you are, and you should be so proud of who you are, Matt.
The places that you have taken us with your “she’ll be rights”, cheesy grins and optimistic outlook are endless. Our life together is a constant adventure and you are forever teaching me to focus on the positive. Whether I’m covered in swamp water, the van is bogged up a four-wheel drive track in the middle of the dessert or we’re scrambling down a mountain in a hailstorm storm, you always find a way to make me smile, laugh and see the brighter side.
I still have the friendship ring that you gave me on our one-year anniversary. I look down at it often and it reminds me of your huge smile and how far we have grown together. It’s in the shape of a daisy chain, so I felt like it was perfect to have daisy chains on the straps on my wedding dress, it’s the simple things, right.
Thank you for showing me how to be the very best version of myself. You are the most kind, genuine, funny and easy going soul.
You are my best friend, my lover and my soul mate.
I love you xoxo…
Elly’s Ninja vows (written by Matt)
I promise to understand that your version of clean and my version of clean are completely different.
I promise to always do my downward dogs in a way that you can check out my ass.
I promise to never change the person I am, because I know in your eyes I am perfect.
I love this photo – it’s like Elly is saying, “C’mon Matty, let’s get going!”
COMBINED VOWS (which evolved from the homework I send to my couples) – I call these ‘tennis match’ vows
Matt I promise to always take you on adventures especially off the beaten track.
Elly I promise to always adventure with you, even if it leads us to being stranded off the beaten track.
Matt I promise to always be by your side and support anything you want to do, even if that’s taking jumping photos on the edge of the Grand Canyon.
Elly I promise to always be by your side and support anything you want to do, even if that’s fishing in croc infested rivers, scuba diving at night or surfing monster waves.
Matt I promise to always party with you and follow you into any mischief that finds us.
Elly I promise to always party with you and get you home safely, even if that means hiding in a cemetery for a while.
Matt I promise to always look after you any time you fall into a swamp.
Elly I promise to always look after you any time you fall off of a balcony.
Matt I promise to always laugh at your clumsiness because we BOTH know that you’re the clumsier one.
Elly I promise to always laugh at your clumsiness because we ALL know that you’re the clumsiest one.
Matt I promise to always be patient with your constructive criticism when I’m driving.
Elly I promise to always be patient with your slow driving, even when you become an actual grandpa Bodz.
Matt I promise to always have fun with you and to never grow up, even as we grow old together.
Elly I promise to always have fun with you and to never grow up, even as we grow old together.
Matt I promise to always be your soul mate, lover and best friend no matter what comes our way.
Elly I promise to always be your soul mate, lover and best friend no matter what comes our way.
Cool car for a cool couple
Wedding game
Ask everyone to stand and those already standing eg. bridal party to put their hands in the air.
As I asked each question, if yes, people with seats stay standing and people standing keep their hand in air. The rest sit or put their hand down. After each questions, those standing dwindled down until we had our two witnesses
If you’re under 60 years of age
If you have tattoos
If you have blue or green eyes
If you’re related to anybody here today
If you were born in WA or QLD
If your dad’s name starts with D
If you have a brother in the wedding party
This game worked a treat and was a really creative, fun and interactive way to get the guests involved in the ceremony.
No-one will ever forget this wedding – it was just amazing.
In 2023, I’ve been a Sunshine Coast marriage celebrant for 18 years and there’s not a lot that I haven’t seen or heard. I’ve signed the paperwork on boats, planes, cruise ships, rocks, motorbikes and horses’ butts. I’ve played dress up and loved cosplay weddings, learned scenes from movies (Think: The “Mawwiage” scene from Princess Bride), obliged when a couple asked if we could stand waist deep in the ocean for their ceremony … so, overall, I’ve enjoyed a pretty amazing career of awesome weddings.
Because I’m naturally creative, I’m always after new ways or ideas that will provide a point of difference for my couples. Many prefer the traditional stuff, but for those wanting something different, this blog shares some ideas in the hope it will inspire you to think outside the box and really make your wedding your own.
Themed weddings are the bomb – that’s me as the Incredible Hulk in Mooloolaba Photo: Images by Lou O’brien
1. Give your bouquet to the couple who’ve been married the longest
Have all the guests stand, ask those who have been married less than a day to sit (obviously the bridal couple), then ask those who’ve been married for less than a year to sit, then five years, then ten years and keep going until only one couple remain standing (You might need to get down to months and days if there’s a few couples remaining standing). But these are your people so without letting on, ask them for the date of their marriage, so you’ll no the winner early. Then ask the winners what they what they think is the secret to the longevity of their marriage. Next, give them your bridal bouquet as a congratulations.
Give your flowers to the couple who’ve been married the longest
2. Are you creatives? Have the guests paint your portrait
Get your favourite picture of the two of you and print it out to a size where it’s easy to see. Divide it into equal sized squares down and across. Supply paints, brushes, water and aprons and allocate a square to each guest (or couple). Your new portrait can take pride of place in your home and will be a wonderful memory of your special day.
Have your guests paint your portrait – lots of fun and lots of laughs
3. Get the groom to make an entrance
Everyone expects a grand entrance from the bride, but what about the groom? Have him share in the fun by arriving in a helicopter (complete with James Bond music, suits and cool sunnies on the boys), a water ski, boat, horse and anything unique. I had a groom arrive on a tractor for a country wedding. What a hoot – no-one was expecting that.
Have the groom arrive by helicopter
4. Games at the reception
Create your own quiz about your relationship, have the MC read the questions and pit the tables against each other to see who wins.
Have a couple’s quiz at your wedding
5. Design your own cocktail
Create your own cocktail, name it and serve it at the reception. I’d call this one the ‘Maguire Margarita Magic’
Create and name your own wedding cocktail
6. Hire a local artist to paint your ceremony while it’s happening – what a fabulous way to remember your day.
This is getting to be a thing. You hire an artist and they set up their easel and paints at the wedding and paint you getting married. Depending on who you hire, they probably take it back to their studio to put the finishing touches on it – but your guests get to watch as they paint in real time. Very cool.
Have a local artist paint or draw your ceremony or reception real time
7. Donate to a charity
Rather than giving favours to guests as a thank you, leave them a note saying you’ve made a donation to a charity on their behalf (A charity idea: My Wedding Wish is an Australian charity that gifts weddings to couples with terminal illnesses). This idea is popular for those couples keen to work on their social responsibility. Another idea is to donate your monetary gifts to the charity. Disclaimer: I started this charity in 2013 and still run it today.
Have guests donate to a charity in lieu of gifts
8. Are you having a photobooth?
Send guests their photos with your thank you card. It’ll put a smile on their dial! I love this idea because it’ll remind them of the fun of your wedding day. I love photobooths and turn into a 3 year old.
Send your photobooth pictures to your guests with thank you notes
9. Want an alternative to the 3-course meal and alternate drop?
Have the food prepped and delivered to the tables so the guests can serve themselves creating a more intimate dining experience. Banquet style meals are becoming very popular.
Create an intimate family atmosphere
10. Want all the guests dancing?
When you send their wedding invitation, ask guests what songs would get them up on the dance floor. Then give the list to your DJ to play to ensure everyone dances.
Make sure your guests enjoy themselves at your reception
Got any awesome creative ideas for your wedding or reception? Let me know, I’d love to hear from you.
Well, that went fast. I’m sitting here at my computer reflecting on the year that was in all it’s beauty and all it’s rawness. Reading through my wedding schedule and remembering each ceremony and each couple and I can honestly say they were all absolutely fabulous. That’s why I love being a marriage celebrant: I spend my time with beautiful couples at the most joyous time of their lives. That’s called winning at life.
In 2019, through my business Elope to Australia I added a new product to my range catering for couples who want to marry without all the fuss and cost. My legals-only coffee table ceremony days, where couples marry in a no stress, simple ceremony for only $450 have been super-popular! I knew they would be. Perfect for those couples who couldn’t be bothered with wedding planning, the stupid costs, and the stress. They’re also popular if you’re planning on getting married in another country (think Bali for instance), but want the legal stuff kept in Australia. So many couples said they didn’t know this was an option. Well now there is.
Couples book a 30 minute time slot, come to the agreed venue on the agreed date and WHAM: married! How simple!
I have several of these days booked in for 2020, but if the dates I’ve picked don’t suit, you can pick your own date for just a small extra cost. The beauty is that you can still pimp it up and wear a wedding gown, say vows, exchange rings and have up to 8 guests. So the legals-only weddings are a perfect way to marry on the Sunshine Coast.
HINT: (If I get enough inquiries I’m happy to arrange these days in other parts of Queensland and Australia – just ask)
Yes, I married SuperGirl to Batman – that’s me as The Incredible Hulk. IMAGES BY LOU O’BRIEN
Funerals and end of life ceremonies
I’ve conducted more funerals than in previous years – a heart wrenching time for the families left behind, but it’s always a real honour. Two funeral ceremonies that come to mind were for young women who both died from cancer – both had over 300 guests attending to pay tribute. Being told by family that the ceremony was ‘just perfect’ always gives me a thrill and I just love seeing big funerals – it shows that there is love in life, and love still, in death.
Ken and I were blessed to have two overseas holidays this year: a month in the US and Canada, then two weeks in New Zealand and we just loved every second. Bring on more travel in 2020! And more weddings with more fabulous couples.
More travel needs to be a thing
A favourite venue of mine for drop-dead gorgeous views: Maleny Retreat. This is Anna and Steve’s wedding – I’m having a laugh with the guests. So much fun! OLIVE TREE PHOTOGRAPHY
I wish you an amazing 2020 and hope it brings you the joy you deserve.
Looking for a marriage celebrant and not sure what questions to ask? Check out the 10 questions below to ensure you’re asking the right questions so that you choose the right celebrant to make your wedding day perfect
How long have you been registered?
Does it matter how long someone’s been registered as a marriage celebrant? Well that depends. If they’re newbies (and there’s nothing wrong with that – we all started somewhere), they won’t have the wealth of experience that a more experienced celebrant has. After a while you learn to think on your feet and know the best way to handle issues that might arise. However, if you’re keen on a newer celebrant, you may be able to negotiate their cost down which is a bonus.
Jodie and Chris married by Sunshine Coast marriage celebrant Lynette Maguire at Tranquil Park
How many weddings have you performed?
This question is important because let’s say the celebrant has been registered for five years and they’re done 50 weddings, that means they’re averaging 10 weddings a year, which in turn assumes that they are a hobby celebrant rather than a professional celebrant. Does that matter? Well, that’s up to you. Hobby celebrants are usually cheaper. As a benchmark, the average celebrant does about 5 – 10 weddings per year while professional celebrants can do anywhere up to 150 per annum and this equates to a big difference in experience levels.
Having the right celebrant is half the battle for a great wedding
How much do you charge as a marriage celebrant and what does it include?
Please never choose a celebrant on price alone. Trust me, that’s fraught with danger. There are basically three price points for marriage celebrants (though this is generalised to the Sunshine Coast and obviously changes according to regions). These costs are for a big white wedding, not elopements which are generally cheaper:
Up to $500 : The lower end of the market – be careful how you choose your celebrant, don’t do it just based on price
$500 – $850: This is what most marriage celebrants charge
$850 + : The high end of the market and usually an indicator that you’re dealing with a professional marriage celebrant (as in this is their main source of income)
But there’s other things to consider beside price. For instance, you might find an absolute gem that ticks all your boxes for $450, or you might hire a dud when you’ve paid over $1000 (I’ve heard horror stories). Paying a lot does not guarantee a fabulous celebrant. Do your homework on the marriage celebrants you’re interested in and listen to your gut instinct – that’s what it’s there for. I use gut instinct too, and because of it, have knocked back couples that I got queasy tummy flips. Ain’t nobody got time fo dat!
Toni and Kaine loved their beautiful Bribie Island wedding at Sunset Park, Banksia Beach
What’s your natural style as a celebrant?
Trying to be someone you’re not will make for a very inauthentic ceremony, and no-one wants that. Be clear on what style of wedding ceremony you want: romantic, emotional, quirky, hilarious, traditional – they all require different personalities. Try to find out the true personality of your celebrant and make sure you ‘click’.
You can do your homework in other ways, for example check the photographs they use to advertise. Most of my photos are of the couple, their wedding party and guests laughing because that reflects my natural style of ceremony. The other thing I’ve noticed is that a lot of people think that couples want all the gooey feely stuff which is just not true, so there’s a little bit of acting in this business!
Beautiful Elly married her man at Obi Obi Hall – great for DIY and country vibe weddings
What’s the worst thing that’s happened to you at a wedding?
This is where question 1. becomes important. “What’s the worst thing that’s happened to you at a wedding?” is a pretty common question and I’ve got a few hilarious responses (seriously, I should right a book). Not everything always goes smoothly and it’s the way your wedding suppliers deal with what goes wrong that separates the wheat from the chaff. To be more precise, you could ask about your personal ‘worst fear’ at your wedding and ask that, eg. “What if it buckets down half-way through my ceremony?” or “What if someone has a medical issue during my ceremony?”
You’ll quickly get an idea of how your celebrant will react and whether you’d be happy with the reaction. Whatever their response is, it will help you choose your celebrant.
As a marriage celebrant do you book more than one ceremony per day?
Some celebrants guarantee they only do one wedding a day and it really amuses me. You don’t need to be an administrative genius to work out the paperwork of more than one ceremony, but what your celebrant should do if she does more than one ceremony a day, is work out the time allowed for each wedding and the time between ceremonies that will ensure there’s plenty of time to cater for those things that can go wrong: traffic jams, accidents, etc.
Let your celebrant know that if they do book another wedding on your day that you’d like to be notified so you can figure out if you’re comfortable with the timing and perhaps pre-negotiate a refund or partial refund when you originally chat to them. They might say no, but there’s no harm in trying. Every celebrant should have a good enough network to be able to call on another celebrant in an emergency (eg. covid).
Chantel and Kyle married in their holiday apartment in Coolum when one of the biggest storms drowned their dry wedding day option of First Bay. This is rock paper scissors to see who goes first with vows
Eeeek … Can you help with my wedding vows!
Most couples are clueless when it comes to writing their own vows because it’s not something you do every day, so it’s important that you feel supported by your celebrant and be able to ask for help or be given some resources to help. I have a step by step process that’s almost foolproof for guaranteeing amazing wedding vows – check that your celebrant does too.
Molly and her lady Alexis married by Sunshine Coast Marriage Celebrant Lynette Maguire in Caloundra
What’s happens if I’m late?
I have a late fee so my couples are rarely late. Some marriage celebrants don’t. It’s good to know what you’re signing up for and if you plan your day carefully, you should be okay. If you’re going to be late, please let the celebrant know as soon as you can, and they’ll advise the guests and other wedding suppliers. Put the celebrant’s number into your phone. Try not to be more than 10 minutes late though, it’s pretty rude and if it’s hot (or cold, windy or wet) the celebrant has a duty of care to look after the guests, get them in the shade or undercover and out of the rain or wind.
One of my clear favourite weddings of 2022 – We had SO much fun at their Yandina Station wedding
I’d like to have a beer/champagne before the wedding, as a marriage celebrant, are you okay with that?
The law says that you can’t be intoxicated because you’re actually legal paperwork. Some celebrants don’t mind you having one or two drinks before you get married, other celebrants will refuse to marry you, and will go away for a few hours until you’ve ‘sobered up’. Check each celebrant’s rules on this. Because everyone is different with their response to alcohol I tell my couples if they can legally drive a car, they can legally sign the paperwork.
Tash and Teagan, two naturally fun women who adore each other – their wedding at The Chapel, Montville was all sorts of amazing
What happens if the marriage celebrant can’t make it on the day?
A professional celebrant will have a strong network of ‘locum celebrants’ so if something goes wrong, they can easily call a backup. Check that the celebrants you’re chatting to have this. Also, check the reviews of the celebrants you’re keen to talk to, there are a few who take multiple bookings on the same day and time, and then eventually ‘pick’ the one they most want to do, leaving couples scrambling and panicked. (This is across the board for wedding suppliers, eg. a venue may do this, preferring a wedding of 100 guests, and cancelling your booking for 40).
Don’t have a meltdown if it rains on your wedding day – you can still have the wedding of your dreams
Lynette Maguire is a popular marriage celebrant on the Sunshine Coast, and has just about seen and heard it all when it comes to weddings in south-east Queensland.
