5 celebrants for a relaxed, personal wedding in Byron Bay
Highlights. Byron Bay weddings tend to be barefoot-and-breezy: a headland, a beach, a hinterland garden. If you want a celebrant who keeps the ceremony natural and personal rather than stiff and scripted, here are five authorised marriage celebrants who work in Byron Bay. We list them in no particular order, and you can message any of them before you decide.
The five
Sam Johns, Byron Bay
Sam is a Byron Bay marriage celebrant who believes the best ceremonies do not feel like performances. He is a psychology graduate and a former live music venue owner, with time as a Toastmasters club officer and as a street and airport announcer behind him, and he says all of it taught him that people are endlessly interesting.
He takes the time to get to know you, learn your story and understand the people who matter most, then commits it to memory and delivers it naturally rather than reading from a script. That lets him read the room, land the laughs and let the important moments breathe.
Sam's focus is small, intimate weddings and legals-only ceremonies, with a separate package for weddings of more than 20 guests, where the focus is on keeping a large crowd engaged. He also offers MC services.
A good fit if you are planning something small, or just want to make it official, and want a celebrant who speaks without a script.
"Thank you a million mate for your individuality, attentiveness and warmth, it was all so appreciated"
samjohnscelebrant.com.au · Instagram
Katrina Holt, Wonderlove
Katrina is a marriage celebrant and MC based in the hinterland town of Bangalow, after growing up on Sydney's Northern Beaches. She believes your ceremony should feel unmistakably you, in line with your style, your vision and how you want the day to feel.
Her ceremonies are warm and relaxed, balancing light-heartedness, heartfelt sentiment and a dusting of understated humour. She believes in equality and inclusion and welcomes couples of every background, gender and identity.
She offers a bespoke ceremony, built with an online planning portal of tools and ideas, and a simple and sweet midweek option for eloping couples. Reviews are there to read before you enquire.
A good fit if you want a warm, modern celebrant who blends humour with real emotion.
"Katrina brought the most beautiful spirit to our day and wove absolute magic with her words"
wonderloveweddings.com · Instagram · Facebook
Brittany, Happy Days Weddings
Brittany Mather is a civil marriage celebrant and MC based in Byron Bay, who also works on the Tweed Coast, the Gold Coast and beyond. Her ceremonies are heartfelt and genuine with a dash of fun, for couples who want a laid-back, adventurous celebration that still feels special.
She says she guides couples through the whole process, so that on the day you can simply be in the moment. Her style is easy-going, and couples describe the process as seamless and stress free.
She offers a pricing guide and a services guide to download, a planning portal for couples and a journal, so you can get a feel for her approach and costs before you enquire.
A good fit if you like to be organised and want clear pricing and a simple process from the first conversation.
"Britt was so amazing! She did our ceremony so well!"
happydaysweddings.com · Instagram
Michelle Shannon, Byron Bay
Michelle has been a marriage celebrant for 18 years and works in Byron Bay, Tenterfield, the Gold Coast and Brisbane. She says no two love stories are the same, and neither should two ceremonies be.
She shapes ceremonies to feel personal, relaxed and fun, never stiff or scripted, whether it is an intimate backyard wedding or an elopement on a mountain top. Her focus is on raw emotion, laughter and memories that last.
Her work includes real Byron weddings at venues such as the Beach Restaurant and the Fig Tree Restaurant, shared with testimonials, a film page and a blog.
A good fit if you want a highly experienced celebrant who is happy to travel for your venue.
"We will be highly recommending you to anyone getting married."
byronbayweddingcelebrant.com · Instagram · Facebook
Shiney Lee Hensby, Byron Bay
Shiney has facilitated more than 200 weddings and elopements in Byron Bay and describes her ceremonies as vibrant, contemporary and down to earth. She has a background in music as a vocalist and composer, which she says gave her empathy, people skills and the ability to write creatively and speak with confidence.
She guides you through the creative, practical and legal sides of getting married, and offers material and suggestions for vows, readings and marriage rituals and traditions that add meaning and fun to the ceremony.
She offers dedicated elopement ceremonies and shares a gallery and video, testimonials and marriage equality information, so you can see her work before you get in touch.
A good fit if you want help shaping the ceremony itself, from vows to rituals, with an experienced hand guiding the legal paperwork.
"Shiney is a wonderfully intuitive celebrant."
byronbayweddingcelebrant.wedding · Instagram · Facebook
Before you book
Questions worth asking any celebrant:
- How do you gather our story, and how many meetings are there before the day?
- What is your wet-weather plan for an outdoor ceremony?
- Have you worked at our venue, or will you visit it?
- What is included in the fee, and what happens if our date changes?
Your Notice of Intended Marriage must be given at least 1 month and no more than 18 months before the wedding, according to the Attorney-General's Department (read 26 September 2026).
We chose these celebrants from public information: each is on the Attorney-General's register, works in Byron Bay, and has positive reviews. Nobody pays to be included, and we have not tested anyone's services.