ABOUT DIMITRIOS
Being a celebrant isn’t about standing up and reading words. It’s about understanding people, reading a room, knowing when to step in and when to get out of the way. That’s the job.
Theodore & Co @ Meadowbank Estate
HOW I BECAME A CELEBRANT
Back at the end of 2017, I went along to an industry night as the plus-one drinking buddy for a mate who was already well entrenched in the wedding industry. As I looked around the room asking for the background of everyone there, we got to a marriage celebrant. My mate snapped his fingers and exclaimed, “Shit! That’s what I keep forgetting to talk to you about. You need to be a celebrant!” I legitimately had barely any idea what a celebrant did, let alone considered it as a career choice, so naturally I asked, “Why?” His answer was pretty faultless.
I’d previously worked in event hire, so I knew my way around most venues in and around Melbourne and understood how weddings came together behind the scenes. I’d run a media company, so I knew what photographers and videographers needed on the day. I did voiceovers and wrote scripts, so speaking in front of a crowd and putting words together didn’t scare me. I was good with people and, apparently, looked half decent in a suit.
According to him, that had me about half-qualified for the job.
Six months later, I finally took his advice. What started as something I never saw coming has since turned into more than 750 ceremonies and a career I genuinely love. And somewhere amongst all those weddings, I realised that being a good celebrant has very little to do with simply being able to stand up and read a script.
You need to understand people. You need to know when to speak and when to get out of the way. You need to be able to read a room, settle nerves, deal with families, work alongside venues and suppliers, change direction when something inevitably goes off-plan, and somehow make all of that look like it was meant to happen.
Most importantly, you need to get to know the two people standing in front of you.
I’ve worked with couples from all kinds of backgrounds, cultures, identities and beliefs. Some have wanted tradition. Some wanted absolutely nothing to do with tradition. Some have given me pages of stories to work with, while others would rather undergo minor surgery than talk about their feelings. That’s part of what I enjoy about it.
There isn’t one formula for a great ceremony. My job is to work out what makes sense for you, find the stories and details worth telling, and bring it all together in a way that feels effortless without ever feeling generic. It turns out my mate was onto something.
MY APPROACH
My approach is simple:
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Listen first
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Understand what matters to you
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Create something that actually feels like you
Some couples want something deeply personal and emotional. Others want something relaxed, light-hearted and to the point. There’s no right or wrong way to do it. What I tell every couple is that I’m not there to do a stand-up set. I don’t go wildly off-script, and I’m not working the crowd like it’s a Friday night at the Comics Lounge.
I like ceremonies to have warmth, humour and personality, but still feel like an occasion. There should be moments that are light, moments that carry a bit of weight, and enough gravitas to remind everyone why they’re actually there.
My role is to find that balance, guide the process, take the pressure off and make sure the whole thing feels polished without ever feeling overproduced.
EXPERIENCE THAT MAKES A DIFFERENCE
After more than 750 ceremonies, very little surprises me. Plans change, nerves kick in, weather turns and weddings occasionally develop a mind of their own. Experience means knowing when to step in, when to step back and how to keep things moving without making a fuss about it. Ideally, you won’t even notice.
All Smiles - Docklands
Outside the Ceremony
Outside of weddings, I’m a podcaster, voiceover artist and someone who enjoys travel, good conversation and being on two wheels whenever I can.
Podcasting has probably shaped the way I communicate more than anything. Sitting across from people, asking questions and knowing when to listen has taught me a lot about how people tell their stories, and sometimes how much is hiding between the lines.
Voiceover work gave me an appreciation for delivery, pacing and the difference between simply reading words and actually communicating them.
And when I’m not behind a microphone or at a wedding, I’m usually looking for an excuse to travel, get on the bike or have a long conversation with someone interesting.
None of that is separate from the way I work as a celebrant. It all feeds into how I communicate, how I connect with people and how I make a room feel comfortable.
MORE THAN JUST WEDDINGS
Alongside weddings, I also officiate:
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Vow renewals
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Commitment ceremonies
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Funerals, memorials and 'Celebrations of Life' services
Each carries its own weight and importance, and each is approached with the same care and respect.