A Heart-Led Conversation on Ceremony, Marriage, and Meaning
In this episode of Now You May Kiss™, I’m joined by Vic Thomas. Vic is a New Zealand-based marriage celebrant. She is also the founder of My Celebrant, the world’s first celebrant-specific, business platform.
Together, we explore ceremony beyond the script. We discuss love, leadership, and intentional living. This conversation is deeply human. It is also refreshingly practical.
Celebrant vs. Officiant: A Shared Global Calling
In the United States, we say “wedding officiant.” In many countries, the term is “celebrant.” The language may differ. The calling is the same.
Celebrants do more than legal paperwork. They hold space for life’s milestones:
- Weddings.
- Vow renewals.
- Funerals.
- Naming ceremonies.
Celebrants witness transformation. That responsibility matters.
Ceremony Is About Presence, Not Performance
Vic and I discuss what makes ceremonies meaningful.
It is not about reading beautiful words. It is about paying attention and offering emotional presence.
We watch how couples interact. We notice laughter, silence, and touch. Those moments shape ceremony. They reveal truth.
A great ceremony reflects who a couple is. Not who they think they should be.
Why Micro Weddings Create Powerful Moments
Vic shared about a micro wedding that she recently officiated. There were just ten guests in attendance (plus the couple’s dog). They chose intimacy over scale.
The ceremony focused on daily love. Not dramatic storytelling.
What do you admire about each other? What does marriage feel like at home? Those answers created magic. Quiet, honest magic.
The Emotional Labor of Celebrancy
Celebrants do emotional work. That work is rarely discussed.
We hold stories. Celebrants hold grief, joy, and vulnerability. We sit with families and honor transitions. This labor is invisible. But it is real.
That is why generic business systems fail celebrants. Our work is unique in the world and even in the wedding industry.
Building a Business That Supports Real Life
Vic became a celebrant in 2019. Soon after, she became a mother. She now has three young children and her priorities have shifted.
She is honoring this season of her life. This required boundaries…and courage. She redesigned her offerings intentionally. Her work proves sustainability matters. It matters most especially for heart-led professionals.
The “CEO Era” of Celebrancy
Vic describes entering her “CEO era.” It is a powerful concept. This era rejects survival mode and embraces leadership.
Systems replace chaos. Boundaries replace burnout.
Consistency replaces over-explaining. Calm replaces urgency.
Couples feel that stability. They trust it.
Why Systems Create More Connection
Many believe systems reduce intimacy, but actually, the opposite is true.
Strong systems free emotional energy. They create presence. When admin tasks are handled, connection deepens. Focus sharpens.
Couples feel supported. They feel seen. That is the heart of Vic’s celebrant-specific business platform. My Celebrant. It’s a collaborative planning experience.
Modern Couples Expect Modern Experiences
Today’s couples often plan from their phones. Many are Gen Z. They value convenience, but they
also value meaning.
They want stress-free planning and they want an authentic ceremony. Celebrants must meet both needs. Heart and technology must coexist.
Remember, modern does not mean impersonal. It means intentional.
Marriage Changes More Than You Expect
Before they marry, many couples say marriage changes nothing. They are often surprised. Even long-term couples feel shifts.
Marriage redefines family. You consciously choose your person. That choice matters. It affects identity and it affects all relationships.
I see this repeatedly…every year.
Celebrating Love Beyond the Wedding Day
I stay connected with my couples. Anniversaries matter. So do milestones. So do check-ins. Your marriage deserves ongoing celebration. Not just for one day.
Vic shares this value deeply. It aligns beautifully. As Celebrants, we do not disappear after the wedding. We walk alongside our couples.
Love, Legacy, and Long-Term Commitment
During the episode, Vic shares a very personal story. Her grandparents were married 77 years. They were soulmates and true partners. Always holding hands until her “poppa” transitioned from this life. Their marriage modeled partnership and conscious choice.
Those stories shape how I serve couples. Legacy matters. Ceremony honors that legacy. It carries hope forward.
Advice for Couples Planning Their Wedding
Vic offers simple wisdom. “You do you, Boo.”
Choose vendors who support presence. Not pressure.
Design a day that reflects you. Not expectations.
Let your ceremony feel like an exhale, rather than a performance.
I promise, this mindset changes everything, including your experience.
Planning a Wedding in 2026?
If you’re planning a wedding or elopement in 2026 and want a ceremony that feels grounded, personal, and deeply meaningful, you don’t have to figure it out alone.
Your ceremony sets the emotional tone for your entire wedding day—and when it’s thoughtfully designed, you and your guests feel present, connected, and at ease. I specialize in creating highly personalized wedding and elopement ceremonies, offering vow writing guidance, and supporting couples who want to feel confident, calm, and fully themselves as they step into marriage.
Whether you’re envisioning an intimate elopement or a wedding surrounded by family and friends, your ceremony should reflect who you are—and who you’re becoming together.
A Global Perspective on Intentional Ceremony
This conversation with Vic crosses continents, but the values remain universal:
- Love deserves intention.
- Your ceremony deserves care.
- Marriage deserves preparation… and celebration.
Whether in New Zealand or the U.S., the heart remains the same. That is the power of ceremony. It connects us all.
Listen to the Full Episode
🎧 Listen to this episode of Now You May Kiss™ featuring Vic Thomas, NZ Celebrant and Founder of My Celebrant.
This episode is for couples and for celebrants. It is for anyone who believes marriage matters, and that ceremonies matter too.
About the Host, Chanelle
Chanelle Carlin is a Professional Wedding Officiant, ceremony coach, and the host of the Now You May Kiss™ Podcast. Through Chanelle Carlin Weddings, she creates deeply personalized wedding and elopement ceremonies, offers vow writing guidance, and serves couples as their Celebrant for Life™—supporting them through marriage milestones well beyond the wedding day.
Learn more: https://chanellecarlin.com
Instagram: @chanelle.carlin
Podcast: Now You May Kiss™