Josh Withers Wedding Celebrant

Honest, simple, and significant ceremonies

Information pack and price guide

Josh Withers and family

Creator of epic weddings

Hi, I’m Josh! Luna and Goldie’s dad, Britt’s husband, and your celebrant!

I’m a gadget-obsessed-nerd and Foo Fighters fan living in somewhere between Mexico, Tasmania, and the Gold Coast, depending on time of year, and I have the great honour of travelling this vast planet celebrating that sweet union called marriage. I create the world’s best marriage ceremonies and wedding receptions. I sincerely believe that the moment you get married - the ceremony - can be, and should be, the best part of your wedding day, so I’m focused on making ceremonies that are personal, meaningful, and fun.

I have packages including me as a celebrant, MC, and am grateful for the opportunity to create an epic wedding for the two of you and your witnesses.

Fees

My celebrant fee starts at $1800 including GST, plus I have a package where I MC your reception as well.

The only time those fees increase are when I need to fly, rent a car, and or stay the night in accomodation and I ask those travel fees to be covered.

What do I do as a marriage celebrant

  • Leadership

    I’m the backbone of any wedding, the guy that makes things happen. I’m liaising with all the vendors, the wedding planners and co-ordinators, and talking to your guests and making all the cogs turn.

    If something happens at your wedding and it’s awesome, that’s my faul. If something doesn’t happen, that’s also my fault. I take ownership and responsibility - the best of my ability - to make sure your wedding is awesome.

  • Marriage Ceremony

    My ceremonies are simple, significant, memorable, and fun. Couples love them because they’re honest, human, and enjoyable. Guests love them because they’re not an afternoon nap. I have over a decade of experience as a marriage celebrant having created weddings across Australia, the USA, Mexico, Iceland, Europe, Canada, Bali and New Zealand.

  • Fun

    It’s so important to me that your wedding, your ceremony and reception, are events full of smiles, fun, and joy. So much wedding “stuff” takes away from that simplicity so I work hard to talk through these things with you before your wedding so that it’s not an anxiety riddled day but an awesome time for you both. This especially applies to people who don’t want to be the centre of attention or who want something lighthearted. We can do it!

  • Wedding Reception

    I’m a master of ceremony, keeping the beats rolling, speaking when necessary, not too much, but enough so that everyone knows what’s going down and they’re having a good night while we celebrate the two of you getting married. I have packages where I’m the MC of your reception, the voice and the leader of the party.

  • Travel

    For weddings where I don’t need to fly or stay the night, there’s no travel expense. If I need to fly, hire a car, or stay the night, I ask for those expenses to be covered.

  • Sound equipment

    How your wedding sounds is important to me. I’ve previously worked as a broadcast engineer and a live sound engineer, so no-one at your wedding will complain about not being able to hear the ceremony, speeches, or music. I use commercial grade Bose speakers (an S1 and an L1) and Sennheiser wireless handheld microphones.

  • Marriage legals in Australia

    To get married in Australia you need to give me at least one month’s notice, and there’s forms required for that, but I’ll take you through the whole process. Once notice is given you simply need to be 18 or over, not married to anyone else, and consenting to marrying the other person, and we’re ready to marry!

  • Marriage legals in USA and Canada

    Each county, state or province has its own laws, and we abide by them. In most North American states and provinces I am authorised and able to marry people according to local law.

  • Marriage legals in Mexico, Europe, New Zealand and other countries

    The marriage office in that jurisdiction can be visited, but my best advice is to complete marriage paperwork local to home before you travel for your destination wedding.

  • Money

    A $700 booking fee secures your wedding date, and my services, with the remaining payment due in four months, or one month before, whichever date falls first. If a different payment plan is required, please request one.

  • Change of date

    When you book me for your wedding, you get the guarantee that if plans need to change for whatever reason, that’s ok – I just ask that you wouldn’t lock in a new date without checking my availability so I can be there.

  • Vows

    I give you all the help with creating your personal vows so that they're awesome and you're not nervous about what you’ve written nor about gifting them to your partner in your ceremony.

  • Exclusivity

    In my flexible packages I am at your wedding an hour early and don't take other bookings on the day without your thumbs up. It’s about creating peace of mind for you and your partner.

  • Name change help

    If either or both of you want help changing your name through marriage I will guide you through that process.

  • Financial help

    For over fifteen years I have provided quality and amazing marriage ceremonies, and this business provides for my family, but I’m also human and understand that everyone is in different financial situations. If my prices and packages don’t suit what you are after but you’d like me to be your celebrant, please get in touch and share your situation.

By the numbers

  • 22 countries

    Couples like you from all over the globe have brought me to their wedding, or come to my home country for theirs. It’s an honour to have travelled around the world to breath marriages life yours to life.

  • 15 years · 1200 couples like you

    Over 100,000 wedding guests around the globe have witnessed my marriage ceremonies in person, and millions online and on TV, as my couples make the brave and bold commitment to a lifetime of arguing over what to watch on TV.

  • Only one 'you two'

    The odds of you as an individual existing is basically impossible, some say it’s a 1 in 10 to the power of 2,640, 000 chance, then for you to not only exist, but to meet, then fall in love. That’s special. Your ceremony should reflect that.

My packages

marriage Ceremony + reception MC

I’m the voice of the entire day, leading you and your people through a fun ceremony and an enjoyable reception.

I’m on the microphone, on everyones shoulder, in their ears, leading the day and making it awesome, from before everyone arrives to the end of the night.

Reception package

Marriage Ceremony

I’m the voice of your wedding ceremony, together with the two of you, I’m breathing your marriage to life. From when your guests arrive to you walking down the aisle, I’m in charge and making it awesome.

Ceremony package

Price Guide

The marriage legals

  • NOIM: Prepare, witness, sign, and receive in accordance with Commonwealth Marriaige Law, your notice of intended marriage form - the one-month before required paperwork for couples wishing to marry in Australia.

  • Legals: Preparation, witnessing, signing and officiating of Commonwealth marriage paperwork.

  • Registration with Births, Deaths, and Marriages: Registration with the state Births, Deaths, and Marriages office and online systems.

  • Name change: help and guidance changing last names if needed.

    Worth from $450 to $800 depending on state and day of week

Ceremony preparation and presentation

  • Ceremony: the most enjoyable, fun, and honest marriage ceremony the two of you could have, completely original and really really good and very you marriage ceremony.

  • Exclusive: I'm there an hour early and don't take other bookings on the day without your thumbs up.

  • Vow: help creating your personal vows so that they're awesome and you're not nervous about them.

  • Help with vendors: liaising with your other wedding vendors to make sure the wedding day is a smooth and awesome experience for all involved, especially the two of you; plus if you need referrals or help finding the right vendors, I have a great network.

  • Wedding Planning: wedding planning assistance with timelines, referrals, and coaching along the way.

  • Meetings: as many meetings a you need, a minimum of one, preferably two, but more if required for you and I to feel confident that we've created something good, preferably in person but we have Facetime or Zoom. My shout for drinks if we catch up in person.

  • Access: direct access to me on phone, text, email between now and the wedding.

  • Expectations: clear and concise communication about what I need from you both to make this great.

  • Insured: Full public liability and indemnity insurance coverage for your ceremony.

PA Speaker System

  • PA System: clear, loud, professional, fancy Bose PA sound system for so everyone can clearly hear me and the both of you, plus playing music in it if you don't have a DJ or band; plus professional Sennheiser EV wireless microphone and audio output for video recording.

  • Audio Recording: a quality audio recording of your ceremony for your own purposes or for the videographer.

    PA System worth $250 to rent

Ceremony Video

  • Wedding Ceremony Film: an immersive film of your ceremony so you can not only re-live it today, but view it in VR or AR glasses if or when you get them. I can record in regular video or in immersive 360 video so it’s able to be experienced on Apple Vision Pro and other virtual reality glasses in the future, so your kids can re-live that moment.

    Ceremony video recording worth $1100

MC reception

  • Voice of the day: I'm the voice of the entire day, providing a clear and concise professional leading voice to all of your guests so they know what's happening and where. MCing a wedding is partially 'on the microphone' but mostly off the microphone and helping or directing guests one to one, or one to a small group.

  • PA system: the same awesome audio system but for the whole day.

  • Timeline help: assistance planning a timeline for your reception as well.

  • Fun: a funny wedding professional leading the day instead of a funny cousin who has to Google how to MC a reception.

  • Leadership: I’m the glue that brings the wedding together, talking to the kitchen, wedding co-ordinator, photographer and videographers, band or DJ, making sure nothing happens without the right people knowing, and without interrupting the flow of the event or the flow of the kitchen, band, photos or video.

    Emcee only the reception is $1500

Travel costs and expenses

  • I’m Gold Coast based but most weekends I’m somewhere else in the world for a wedding so I ask for only accomodation, flights, and rental car expenses to be covered.

  • Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, and regional Queensland, my set travel fee is $650 AUD including GST and inclusive of all travel.

  • Western Australia is typically $1500 travel, but I can quote travel at time of enquiry or booking. I don’t profit of travel, I just ask the expenses to be covered and I generally fly Qantas to make sure I arrive and arrive on time.

  • Gold Coast, Brisbane, Byron Bay, Toowoomba, and Sunshine Coast are all locations that incur no travel expenses.

  • Legals only is only available on the Gold Coast.

Packages and Prices

  • Legals only: $700 including gst

  • Ceremony package: $1,800 including GST

    • Full service package, no change fees, PA system included, can book as far out as needed, flexible on date, ceremony time, and lateness or delay.

  • MC Reception: $1,500 including GST

    • From the start of the ceremony to the end of formalities, PA system included.

  • Ceremony & Reception MC package: $2,800 including GST

    • Full service ceremony and reception MC package comes with free ceremony video recording.

I am passionate about creating unique, honest, beautiful weddings, for adventurous couples.

I believe the ceremony can be and should be the best part of your wedding.

Next steps

  • If you’ve checked me out and you like what you see, and you’ve talked to me to confirm my availability for your date and location, start the booking process now.

  • It’s ok to want to meet before booking me in as your celebrant, it’s important for me that you’re really comfortable with my vibe and what I create. Email me on josh@withers.co to make a time to chat.

  • A wedding, at it’s core, is the two of your hosting your friends and family. If you’d rather a more personal event that is for you - instead of for everyone else - consider eloping with The Elopement Collective.