Melbourne Wedding Celebrant Tales of Matching, Hatching and Dispatching Part 1

Lifting the Lid on Celebrant Secrets - cause lets face it, weddings can be a time of high stress, drama and sometimes dead animals.

The couple had asked for a butterfly release.

Now I love butterflies, especially when I feel like I am the chosen one and they randomly land on me (okay that has only ever happened in the butterfly enclosure at the zoo, where it is pretty much a given).

But sure, I will give anything a crack and the symbolism meant a lot to the couple as beautiful butterfly tattoo’s adorned the bride’s body.

There were a few things I didn’t know about butterfly releases at that time-

1. Butterflies get delivered to your house in the mail - IN THE MAIL!

2. See number 1

3. See number 1

Butterflies arrive on a cold pack and this makes those winged beauties sleep like babies. You get instructions to pull out the cold pack and let them thaw like they are from the ice age and when they reach a certain temperature wham you have yourself live flutterbies.

I prepared for the ceremony on what was a stinking hot Melbourne day (Melbourne Celebrant problems) and I had left the butterflies on my signing table in the shade and removed the ice pack as instructed.

So the very poignant moment of the ceremony arrived. I talked of the symbolism of these butterflies heading off into the sunset, together for eternity, as I handed the envelope to the Bride and Groom. The couple took the envelope from me with the most delicate hands and the excited Bride’s face was palpable.

‘So now as we look towards this beautiful couples married life together, we ask those butterflies to lead the way forward for them. Guests, in support of our newly married couple, may I ask you all the repeat after me, as loud as you can’-

Me: Mr and Mrs Smith

Guests go NUTS: MR AND MRS SMITH

Me: Onward and Upward

Guests go NUTS HARDER: ONWARD AND UPWARD

The couple peel back the envelope with huge beaming smiles on their face.

The Butterflies go DOINK, DOINK.

There was no onward and upward. No flight. No sign of life. Those butterflies didn’t not fly. They were as warm as butter left on a bench. They fell on the ground. They were dead.

Horrified looks ensued. The Bride’s bottom lip quivered. The Groom giggled. Then the front row giggled, then the rebels up the back giggled. Then we were all a mess. The Bride was forced to go with it. She echoed the giggle.

The Groom made it up to the Bride by taking her to the Butterfly enclosure on their first anniversary.

Being a Wedding Celebrant in Melbourne is fun, difficult, amazing and intense.

And when things go wrong all you can is laugh.