Photo by Sarah Clements Photography

ABOUT

Hi, I'm Joelle… Christchurch-based celebrant, storyteller and memory-maker who believes life's biggest moments deserve to be honoured in a way that feels true to the people at their centre.

As a registered marriage celebrant and experienced funeral celebrant, I bring warmth, care and a calm presence to my work… creating memories and celebrating life’s precious moments in a way that feels true to the people living them.  Whether marking love, life, loss or milestone, I take time to understand the story and the details, so each ceremony feels relaxed and heartfelt with just the right amount of humour, solemnity, tradition, culture and grace to fit each unique situation.

A photo of a group of models
woman in brown long-sleeved top standing beside wall
woman in brown long-sleeved top standing beside wall
woman in brown long-sleeved top standing beside wall
woman in brown long-sleeved top standing beside wall
a woman wearing a black coat and a white scarf

CEREMONIES

Sharing stories with soul

a woman in a dress sitting on a couch
woman in wedding dress while holding flower during daytime
Woman in red outfit poses by a red telephone booth.
Woman in red outfit poses by a red telephone booth.

Personalised Weddings

I believe your wedding ceremony is the heart of the day, setting the tone for all the fun and festivities to follow.  It’s where the magic happens, where everyone gathers to hear your story, witness your promises and feel your love for one another in a way that is uniquely right for you. 

The magic begins from our very first conversation through to the big kiss moment, as I work with you to learn your story and understand you as a couple before writing your fully personalised ceremony script.  

Along the way I'll guide you on vows, readings, rituals, and any cultural or family traditions you'd like woven in, meet with you in the lead-up to iron out every detail, and take care of all the legal paperwork so nothing is left to chance and you can actually relax and enjoy the process.  

And I promise you, getting married can be relaxed and fun… it’s how I roll.  By the time we get to your wedding day “I dos”, you, your guests and I will be having the absolute best time ever and we’ll all agree it’s where the magic happened!

ENQUIRE NOW

a woman in a dress sitting on a couch
woman in wedding dress while holding flower during daytime
Woman in red outfit poses by a red telephone booth.
Woman in red outfit poses by a red telephone booth.

Personalised Weddings

Registry Marriages

Wanting a simple legal marriage like you’d have got at a registry office or maybe Elvis in a Las Vegas courthouse?  I can do this (minus the Elvis suit)!  

As there are no longer registry offices in NZ, and as a validated member of Celebrants Aotearoa (VCANZ), I am authorised by the government to conduct Registry and Civil Union ceremonies.  A Registry ceremony is a civil, legal ceremony with a fixed standard script and set vows, and it can be held at your home, your favourite spot, or one of my favourite spots (as long as it’s within 10km of me).  

There are some strict guidelines to follow like booking on weekdays only in business hours and you may only have up to 10 guests including your two witnesses.  You’ll need to check if a Registry ceremony is right for you and if you fit the criteria, if not, we can talk about a Personalised ceremony and tailor-make it for you.  

Just keep in mind, a Registry ceremony is designed to be simple, easy and no-fuss for all parties, but also know that it can be a beautiful, heartfelt occasion that perfectly fits your situation.

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a woman in a dress sitting on a couch
Woman in wedding dress while holding flower during daytime
Woman in red outfit poses by a red telephone booth.
Woman in red outfit poses by a red telephone booth.

Registry Marriages

Life Celebrations

Saying goodbye well matters.  I work closely with families to create a funeral or life celebration that honours the person who's passed… their character, their story, the things that made them who they were.  

I take time to listen to family and friends, gathering memories, anecdotes and the details that matter, then shape them into a ceremony that feels true and personal, whether that's a traditional service, a more informal celebration of life, or something in between.  

I'm able to step in with sensitivity and often on short notice, guiding you through what needs to happen and handling the structure of the service so your family can focus on being together. On the day, I bring a steady, compassionate presence that gives everyone present the space to grieve, remember, celebrate and honour a life well lived

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a woman in a dress sitting on a couch
woman in wedding dress while holding flower during daytime
Woman in red outfit poses by a red telephone booth.
Woman in red outfit poses by a red telephone booth.

Life Celebrations

Meaningful Moments

Welcoming a child or marking a new name or chapter in someone's life, deserves its own moment of celebration.  I create naming ceremonies that bring family and friends together to formally welcome a child (or acknowledge a name change, adoption, or new beginning) with warmth and meaning.  

For any occasion deserving celebration, commemoration or simply calling for a specially reserved moment, I’ll work with you to understand your family's values, culture and any traditions you'd like included.  From house blessings, vow renewals, commitment ceremonies and rites of passage to unveilings, ashes interment, placenta burial and pet funerals… you name it (or celebrate it) and I’ve got you covered!

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a woman in a dress sitting on a couch
woman in wedding dress while holding flower during daytime
Woman in red outfit poses by a red telephone booth.
Woman in red outfit poses by a red telephone booth.

Meaningful Moments

CLIENT LOVE

Kind words shared

We are still buzzing from our wedding. I think it exceeded our expectations and we both thank you so much for helping us with all the formalities. Your advice and guidance made all the scary parts like writing vows easy! You told our story so well, people had thought you'd known us for longer.
Aleisha & Hamish
Weddings
Thank you so much for being our celebrant! We were so happy to have such an important moment for us guided by someone so kind, funny and capable. You created for us a beautiful ceremony – it was such a loving, emotional, heartwarming and meaningful moment that set the tone for our special day. Our wedding was such a special, fun and happy day, filled with beautiful memories and we will treasure that forever. Thanks for being such a big part of it.
Katie & Warrick
Weddings
We were really pleased with how the service went and are grateful for your expert guidance and calm and thoughtful manner. You put us at ease and made the whole process as smooth as it could be. We got lots of lovely comments about you and the service in general. Mum would have thought you were awesome.
Funeral/Memorials
It was a beautiful day to 'send him off' with and lovely to hear stories we hadn't heard before too. Especially the gentleman that got up and spoke. That was very moving. The only thing that annoyed me was that I forgot to tell the joke about looking for a celebrant like a dating profile... 'attractive female with a good sense of humour'. Bugger! You were perfect for the day. We were worried about someone speaking about Dad when they didn't know him and you would never know that you hadn't met him. You spoke about him beautifully. I can tell you could manage no matter what the audience or celebration required...much like Dad.
Fiona
Funeral/Memorials
Thank you again for being a part of our special day for Mum. It was lovely to meet you and we all agree you captured her beautifully.
Funeral/Memorials
Just wanted to say a big thank you for yesterday. It’s a life changing moment when you lose your last parent, despite knowing this dreaded day was going to come, it was a warm celebration of life of a loved husband, dad and Pop. Dad would have been pleased with his send-off.
Funeral/Memorial
We wanted to sincerely thank you for the wonderful ceremony you lead for mum’s funeral. We have received many positive comments from friends and family. Your efforts made it a very memorable and special occasion.
Funeral/Memorial
We have just had the pleasure of having Joelle Reid as our Celebrant on Tuesday at the Flaxmill wedding venue and she was a pleasure to work with and made our special day even more special with some added personal touches to the ceremony which we loved . Joelle’s delivery was smooth and had us both feeling comfortable and relaxed to exchange vows and seal the deal 😊.. Thanks again Joelle X
Johnny & Maddie
Weddings
Joelle was an incredible celebrant at our wedding! She made our ceremony so fun, light-hearted and engaging for all of our guests. She told our love story beautifully and captured us perfectly. We had so many friends say it was the best ceremony they’ve ever heard. Some even joked that they wanted to get married again just so Joelle could be their celebrant! We truly couldn’t recommend her enough.
Lilly & Jordan
Weddings
Joelle is a super star!! Cannot recommend her enough. She helped us plan a surprise wedding for our nearest and dearest and made the whole process so easy. With help from ideas to a last minute change of plans (thanks rain), however she made just made the whole evening so magical. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts Joelle!!
Olivia & Matt
Weddings
Joelle Reid was the celebrant at our small registry wedding in our friends garden. She put a lot of work into making our day so special. She was thoroughly professional and worked with us to make our wedding unique to us. I would recommend Joelle as a celebrant as she is funny, well prepared and the end result is just the best day ever.
Shelley & Dave
Weddings
We found Joelle through a post on a community page and what an amazing choice. From when we had our first meeting we knew Joelle would be perfect. an awesome sense of humor and such a friendly person. The "homework" we were provided in order for Joelle to find out about us was captured perfectly in the ceremony. we couldn't have asked for a more special ceremony. Joelle made the whole process so easy and on the day it was seemless.
Charlotte Forsythe
Weddings
We are still buzzing from our wedding. I think it exceeded our expectations and we both thank you so much for helping us with all the formalities. Your advice and guidance made all the scary parts like writing vows easy! You told our story so well, people had thought you'd known us for longer.
Aleisha & Hamish
Weddings
Thank you so much for being our celebrant! We were so happy to have such an important moment for us guided by someone so kind, funny and capable. You created for us a beautiful ceremony – it was such a loving, emotional, heartwarming and meaningful moment that set the tone for our special day. Our wedding was such a special, fun and happy day, filled with beautiful memories and we will treasure that forever. Thanks for being such a big part of it.
Katie & Warrick
Weddings
Thank you again for being a part of our special day for Mum. It was lovely to meet you and we all agree you captured her beautifully.
Funeral/Memorials
Just wanted to say a big thank you for yesterday. It’s a life changing moment when you lose your last parent, despite knowing this dreaded day was going to come, it was a warm celebration of life of a loved husband, dad and Pop. Dad would have been pleased with his send-off.
Funeral/Memorial
Joelle was an incredible celebrant at our wedding! She made our ceremony so fun, light-hearted and engaging for all of our guests. She told our love story beautifully and captured us perfectly. We had so many friends say it was the best ceremony they’ve ever heard. Some even joked that they wanted to get married again just so Joelle could be their celebrant! We truly couldn’t recommend her enough.
Lilly & Jordan
Weddings

FAQ

Everything you need to know about working with me

What does a celebrant do?

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Can we include religious elements?

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How long is a typical service?

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Can you help us write vows?

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Can we book you directly?

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Do you work outside of Christchurch?

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Can we meet first before booking?

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What if I don’t live in Christchurch?

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How much does it cost?

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How do I know if I qualify for a Registry ceremony?

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PHOTO CREDITS

Chapel — Jess McGhie Photographer

Outside — Sally Anne Photography

Personalised — Ces Photography

Registry — Sandy Millar