Jess Bernstone Celebrant

30/06/2025

I know.
This photo is not wedding related. In fact, I pinched it from a friend. Screenshotted it straight off her stories.

Funnily enough, I can still can be found holding a mic in other parts of my life.

Toowoomba is DELICIOUSLY, DREADFULLY, DELIGHTFULLY COLD at this time of the year.

Alas, weddings do tend to slow down a little around these parts, what with the frigid temps and blustery icy wind. Sleet is sometimes involved, too.

Weather chat aside…

I took a hold of this time between wedding seasons to rip into some creative projects, wrote some stuff, completed some classes, met and worked with some cool people…and I am feeling extremely fulfilled and ready for the second half of 2025 weddings.

Springtime is BRISTLING with beautiful couples, and locations I am very excited to loiter in.

In other news, I have just ordered a fresh new 2026 diary from which I am eager to inhale when it arrives in the mail. (Any other stationery sniffers out there?!)

This is the official sign that 2026 must be OPEN for bookings!

Full transparency - I’ve already locked in a bunch of wonderful 2026 couples 😍

So! If you’re a 2026 marriee looking for a marrier to marry you to your mate — maybe mosey my merry way.

I promise I’ll never use this much alliteration ever again. Unless you want me to…. 😬

13/06/2025

Ahh my Jess & my Josh - 24.5.25 ⚡️ 👗 💕

At the down to earth and fun

Jess & Josh are real, hard working, genuine, fun, gorgeous people who draw a gigantic crowd of lovely, welcoming, hilarious people around them. Recipe for fun times wedding! 🤘🏻 🩷

They included the perfect amount of fandom into their wedding day decor, from Disney book page confetti cups to sorting their guests into Hogwarts houses for the reception! (Man I wanted to stay and insert myself onto the Ravenclaw table) it was so lovely to spot guests admiring all the special touches!

They also had a Nollsy v Guy Sebastian guest poll to select their final song of the night, and a John Farnham song - 2 Strong Hearts 💪🏻- for their aisle walk. I can’t explain how emotional these superior song choices make a crowd.

I try hard every wedding to keep my emotions in check so that I can deliver your ceremony without a side of blubbering mess. But when Jess had a secret voice message play for Josh over the speaker just before she came down the aisle to meet him, I made the mistake of looking at her bridesmaids faces and I went full messy Jessy.

Pulled it together so that Jess & Josh could smile and laugh their way through their ceremony. And also a little bit more crying.

Developed hardcore lady crushes on .studio on this wonderful day. SUCH DELIGHTFUL PHOTO MAKERS.

How I loved sitting around your kitchen table laughing into the night and swapping fandom obsessions with you, Jess & Josh. You’re my kinda ppl. Will never forget Josh telling me he ‘wanted to make it the perfect day for Jess’

And that they surely did.
🥹

12/06/2025

Wow, BookBar Book Club.

What a write up. 😌
Thank you for sharing your thoughts on our recent show, Things Left In Books.

It was very humbling to hear this from a bunch of intelligent, well-read, interesting people. I love being a part of our book club.

This show was for our community, and it was such a pleasure to share it with people who took so much good stuff away from a night of warm music and stories.

As a celebrant, I get to scratch this need to tell stories. A couple might be willing to share all sorts of things, like the time they met while trying to save a pr*****ed cow on a farm* and I’ll think “well, that’s a hell of a story.”

And if you want to, I’ll write it and I’ll tell it again, on your day. Maybe your people will be hearing it for the sixth time. But trust me - they love hearing about you.

Turns out people love hearing about people they love doing what they love.
Who knew?

*actual meet-cute story from a real life couple.

30/05/2025

My people - they always find me.

Couples like Jess & Josh make this job even richer and more rewarding than ever. 🥲

Look at this thoughtful gift that made me ugly cry in my car all the way home from Greenvalley! (My kids think the candle is for them, because they LOVE sloths.)

I’ve been trying to put together some words for these two, to sum up the feelings and vibe they achieved on their day. (Trust me, I will find them.) It’s difficult to describe. So far the words I keep coming back to are: honest, good, real and magic.

I have been ABSOLUTELY LOITERING like a sneaky lil sloth on their socials, lapping up every morsel of their day. Will share a tasty selection soon 🧙 ⚡️ 💖 💎

Thank you my J’s

12/05/2025

An incredibly kind message from the Biggleby’s whose wedding was an absolute blast.

Jacob & Jordie - 🧡 love the heck out of you two. Smart, hilarious, sporty, sunshiney humans. I even got to stay on and experience one of the most rollicking best man speeches I think I’ll ever hear. Not to mention one of the GOAT dance floors. Backflips all flippin night!

Thanks for sharing family feedback - aka the realest kind! They’re usually right up the front and get to see it all up close 🥰

27/04/2025

Nakita & Craig 26.4.25 ☀️ 💎 🤠 🧡

Unlike the lyrics to the signing song Amazed by Lonestar, our eyes did not in fact meet the same camera, at all. There were 3 cameras pointed at us, and we all picked a different one, somehow.

However - true to the lyrics - this pair couldn’t keep their eyes off one another all ceremony! Big, big love.

Surrounded by a massive group of loved ones who were hilarious, fun and ready to party! I love a cheeky couple and crowd who laugh easily and have fun with a ceremony.

There was a group of ladies up and dancing our couple back down the aisle! (Who doesn’t dance to John Paul Young?!)

The kids were having a ball running around in all that open space. People in the crowd were catching up. There were huge group hugs and tears flowing. The reception area felt like one big cozy retreat with inviting areas to lounge, tables spread with delicious homemade food, and thoughtful spaces for the kids to play.

No one ever goes hungry when the aunties have been cooking up a storm.

One big huge fun family wedding.
The vision for a warm, natural and relaxed day came together, with a mammoth effort from many, on a spectacularly still and serene day at

Congratulations Keats & Craig! Now, sit back and enjoy many happy drinks and naps on the beach on your honeymoon. You two deserve the rest! 😮‍💨

04/04/2025

I have a lot of stationery.

ALOT.

When I find a good pen for certificate writing, I buy 4 and guard them with my life. (Fellow stationery sniffers will get it.)

THIS is such a pen.

It’s from the collection. Not only does it write pretty, it looks pretty. It’s a gel pen but ya wouldn’t know it. Smooth and smudge free, baby. I can’t tell you how happy this makes me.
It came in a pack of 4 too. What a day! 🌟

This is not an ad, I do not have the prowess or presence for ads 🤣 just an appreciation post for good pens. IYKYK.

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27/03/2025

There is a lot I still have to learn about running a (very) small business.

My socials are more like meandering diary entries with some hashtags popped on the end. I don’t have a real website yet, and I still use a paper diary instead of a nice smooth digital booking system…

Asking for google reviews is one area I need to improve in! I’d rather you head off on your honeymoon unhindered by admin, so I mostly avoid asking.

So when I do get beautiful reviews pop up, I collect them like treasure and bask in their light! It means everything to me when my wonderful married humans take a moment to jot down some thoughts on their experience.

This google review from Witalla & Donal has certainly lit up a dreary rainy day.

Did you know?
Celebrancy isn’t a full time gig for me. I also work as a teacher aide, another job I really love and wish I’d taken up earlier in my life. So finding meaningful ways to involve your kids in your ceremony is something I am very happy to help with.

Thank you Witalla & Donal, and your 5 awesome kids 💚💚💚💚💚💚💚

19/03/2025

A note that makes me really bloody proud of this incredible little job I get to do.

10 years in the making - No major weather event could stop this day from happening.

Thank you, Matt & Denni 💐
A wise Matt once told me: “Good things take time.”

14/03/2025

https://acq.org.au/celebrant/jessika-bernstones-profile/

I have a little profile on the Alliance of Celebrants QLD site!
One step closer to a website of my own…

A vibrant, personable, organised and helpful authorised celebrant in the beautiful Toowoomba / SEQ area. My approach is real, warm, fun and inclusive. I aim to help my couples feel relaxed during one of the biggest occasions of their lives.

13/03/2025

Catching up with past couples at Jemima & Patrick’s recent wedding 💙🩵🤍

This is Ella & Jackson who were both part of the bridal party.
I met these two through mutual mates, and had the
/PLEASURE/ of marrying them to one another last year.

Here, Jacko has said something cheeky/funny and Ella and I are giving big LOLs. I am in fact laughing with my entire face, eyebrows, chin and neck. Can’t help it around these two! They have that effect on a person 😆

These two rays of sunshine in human form are also expecting a baby very soon 🥲 congratulations, Barry family.

📸 can you remember what was so funny?!

13/03/2025

Denni & Matt are two of the most down to earth, warm hearted, family oriented people, who love to cook excellent food (I got to try Denni’s famous scones 🤤) tinker on their property, hang out with their kids, and have a good time.

They had worked tirelessly for months to prepare their beautiful place for their day, and had invited friends and family from every state and territory and beyond!

Cyclone Alfred was lurking…but they were determined NOT to let it blow down their hard work and careful plans.
When guest flights were cancelled again and again and adverse weather reports kept inching closer to their date, Matt & Denni made the decision to bring their day forward 24hrs to avoid the brunt of the storms.

Cue the absolute RALLYING of those on the ground. Everything was moved into the party shed, last minute bars were assembled, mini gardens shifted, photo walls arranged, lights hung, furniture rearranged, vendors re-routed, plans set and re-set, and lovingly handmade decorations and cakes delicately moved.

We still gathered in the prepared yard, during a light downpour, brollies a-plenty, for a fun and light ceremony under the garden arbors.

I’ve never seen someone as cool and collected as Matt. His primary goal was to see Denni smile - and boy did she smile. Her contagious giggle and megawatt grin shone through any grey cloud that dared appear. It was pretty obvious she was /that/ happy to be walking up the aisle through the arbours, to be with Matt and their 2 kids.

Right after the ceremony we experienced a beautiful clearing, right on time for to work her magic with some naturally beautiful photo capturing around their beloved property, and for the guests to mingle and check out all the in-jokes that had been planted for them to find!

Messages like this one from Matt & Denni mean the world to me. Thank you for saying this guys ❤️ 💐
I would have moved cyclones for you if I could!
Meeting people like these two is an absolute highlight of this so called ‘job.’