Sassy Celebrants puts more than heart and soul into weddings

Including a ring master.

“The wedding was a circus theme so I performed the whole ceremony in character, wearing a top hat, full tails and gold sequin jacket,” she says with glee. 

The fun and quirky wedding experience mirrors the modus operandi of Sassy Celebrants, the wedding business Mrs Oakhill, 30, and her celebrant friend and fellow mother-of-two Kez Tippett, 36, recently launched. 

The duo came up with the idea of creating a “community” of like-minded celebrants last year, when Mrs Tippett was pregnant and referred a client to Mrs Oakhill.

“When you are booked as a celebrant you pass clients on, which is great but as a business model it didn’t really make sense – we thought there as a way of growing our business but making it work for other celebrants too,” says Mrs Tippett.

Sassy Celebrants charges a joining fee to celebrants who join it, plus an annual marketing fee to help meet costs. 

The women say this model aids celebrants to better run and gain business, and clients benefit by being able to “screen” the profile of Sassy celebrants on their website – currently there are seven – to see who fits their personality. 

Sassy Celebrants say their approach is personal and modern, while meeting all legal marriage requirements.

“Clients can approach us with anything and everything and we can accommodate that to create a unique event, whereas the standard seems to be that you book a celebrant and they give you a book and you pick your quotes,” says Mrs Oakhill.

With a background in radio and marketing, Mrs Tippett became a celebrant seven years ago when she struggled to find a celebrant to meet her “nerdy” wedding needs. 

“My husband and I wanted to reference our favourite pastime, playing Xbox, and talk about Batman and Spiderman and Walking Dead rather than lovey-dovey readings and ‘circle of love’ phrases,” she says.  

Mrs Oakhill, who has worked as a children’s performer and commercial contracts manager, also became a celebrant when struggled to find an “earthy and modern” celebrant for her own wedding.  

Mrs Tippett quips she loves being a celebrant because “I’m a performer and being the centre of attention for five minutes is not unappealing”, but also relishes having a “grown up job” while child-raising. 

Mrs Oakhill is “in love with love and spreading love for people and offering an alternative ceremony.”

Being a ringmaster, then, is all part of the service.