By Brenda Chapman, Celebrants Aotearoa Vice President
Celebrants Aotearoa was proud to celebrate National Celebrants Day last week. It’s our annual moment to recognise YOU!
Hopefully, you were able to celebrate your work - whether it was coffee with another celebrant, a catch-up with Celebrants Aotearoa colleagues, or a quiet moment of reflection on your wonderful work. Our work ranges from weddings and civil unions to funerals, baby namings, vow renewals, and cultural ceremonies.
Across the motu, we play a crucial role in supporting whānau and communities with compassion, professionalism, and care. Together, we are the heartbeat of life’s significant moments. We stand beside people in joy, grief, transition, and celebration.
Our work matters because it helps people feel seen, supported, and honoured. You bring a remarkable blend of storytelling, cultural awareness, and emotional intelligence to your work.
A great celebrant is part writer, part guide, part anchor. We take people’s stories - often deeply personal stories - and shape them into ceremonies that are authentic, inclusive, and meaningful. It’s both a privilege and a responsibility.
Almost every New Zealander has a moment in their life shaped by a celebrant. A wedding that set the tone for a marriage, a farewell that brought comfort, a naming ceremony that welcomed a new life.
Our profession continues to evolve - and so do the needs of the people we serve. We are creating ceremonies for blended families, multicultural partnerships, same-sex couples, trans and non-binary whānau, and people seeking highly personal or non-traditional rituals.
Thank you for your work.
Thanks also to Kineta Knight Booker, our Communications Manager, for organising a short interview on Radio New Zealand for National Celebrants Day. If you’d like to listen, it’s here.
