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Meet Annie

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Hey, I’m Annie, a young, queer, and values-based marriage celebrant who uses the pronouns she/her/hers.

I’m a massive goof ball and a sucker for belting out a tune whenever the mood strikes. I love a good belly laugh that comes right from my toes! I’m happily married to my high school sweetheart and we recently became parents to our miracle baby girl!

When I’m not marrying loved up couples, I’m working with young people to support their socio-emotional wellbeing, and education. For 10 years I have created and delivered award-winning programs on a variety of topics, however my passions are in the LGBTQIA+ community, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander history and culture, and working with young people with neurodiversity.

In 2020, I was awarded Outstanding Youth Worker by the Youth Coalition of the ACT. You can read more about my Youth Work and why I was awarded here.

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INCLUSION - EQUALITY - RECONCILIATION - AUTHENTICITY -

INCLUSION - EQUALITY - RECONCILIATION - AUTHENTICITY -

INCLUSION - EQUALITY - RECONCILIATION - AUTHENTICITY - INCLUSION - EQUALITY - RECONCILIATION - AUTHENTICITY -

My Values

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INCLUSION AND EQUALITY

Us wonderful humans come with many diversities, and I want you to know that I value you. Be it diversity in gender identity, body, sex, sexual orientation, race, culture, religion, physical or mental barriers, or age, I respect you.

    • ask you what your pronouns are, and use them

    • accept, without question, what you indicate as your gender on all documentation

    • ask you how you want to be referred, either ‘Bride’, ‘Groom’, ‘Spouse’, or ‘Partner in Marriage

    • use the phrase “wedding party” as opposed to “bridal party”, “bridesmaids”, or “groomsmen

    • not refer to your guests as “ladies and gentlemen

    • work with you and your community or place of worship to incorporate any cultural or religious rituals into the ceremony

    • ask you how you prefer to communicate: through email, over the phone, text, social media, in person, video chat etc.

    • ensure meeting locations and the ceremony location are accessible and appropriate to people’s nee

    • discuss and work with you to coordinate different delivery methods for the vows if you’d prefer to minimise public speaking

    • help refer you to professional interpreter and translator services.

    • For more information about marriage equality, you can visit the Marriage Equality website

RECONCILIATION

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Respecting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples as Australia’s first people is incredibly important to me, and showing that respect through an Acknowledgement of Country is a deeply personal, sacred, and intentional aspect of my marriage ceremonies. I am often praised for, and sought after for my Acknowledgements of Country because they are written with care, consideration, research, and in consultation with Aboriginal people, where possible. 

I recently completed a Ngunawal language workshop with traditional Ngunawal custodian, Tyronne Bell. I can now deliver an Acknowledgement of Country in Ngunawal language.

THIS IS NON-NEGOTIABLE. If you don’t want one, then I’m not the celebrant for you.

Click the ‘Example Acknowledgement’ to read some Acknowledgements I’ve created… or better yet, watch one!

AUTHENTICITY

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The truth is this, to be legally married in Australia there is some legal paperwork, a celebrant must say the monitum in front of the couple and the two witnesses, and the couple must say the legal vows in front of the celebrant and the two witnesses, and that’s it! All up, there are only about 125 words that must be spoken to be married, and the rest of the ceremony can be 100% customised to be whatever you want it to be!

So I’m here to help you question the traditions and brainstorm ideas on how to be intentional with what you include. I’m sure you’re a super cool person and I want to make sure you leave feeling as though you’ve had the best day of your life, in the ‘youest’ way possible.