Will just loves to marry them

Will Johnston, radio announcer at The Hits Bay of Plenty and wedding celebrant

Radio announcer Will Johnston from the Hits 95FM Day Show is also a Bay wedding celebrant. He tells Annemarie Quill what made him get into weddings

What made you decide to become a celebrant?
I was a little bit sick of going to long, boring, "insert your name here" ceremonies done by weird old ladies with floral hats.
That, and I love public speaking and happy times. There's not much more of a happy time than someone's wedding day.

Was it something you had been thinking about for awhile and why?I'd been thinking of doing it for about a year before starting the application process (which took about five months). I love that everybody's story, sense of humour and thoughts on weddings are totally different and I wanted to be a part of making those things come together in the way they wanted. I was also confident that I could make a ceremony fun for the couple and their guests. They're paying all that money to have a wedding, so they may as well actually have a laugh and enjoy their ceremony.

What sort of celebrant would you say you are?
If I was to have a tagline it would be: "No Boring Weddings". I'd also like to think that I listen well. If you're too set in your mind about how things should go then you miss how people actually want their wedding to be. I'm also a creative person. Lots of people have no idea how they want their ceremony to be, which means I can hit them with lots of ideas and thoughts to help them get what they want.

What is important to look for in a celebrant when couples are choosing?
Someone who actually suits you as a couple. It's amazing to me that so many couples choose a celebrant without actually thinking about whether that person is going to deliver them the ceremony they want. You should also choose a celebrant who is willing to catch up as many times as you need/want. Choose a celebrant who realises the wedding isn't about them! Choose a celebrant with a sense of humour and who doesn't speak in love metaphors that mean nothing to anyone. Choose a celebrant who can pronounce your names.

What's the funniest moment you have had so far as a celebrant?
A family friend of the couple was doing the entrance music off his iPhone. First bridesmaid comes out, fine. Second bridesmaid comes out and the music stops as she's halfway down the aisle. The three other bridesmaids walked down the aisle in silence. I could see the guy trying to get the music going again, so we waited for him to do so before the bride came down with her father. Music starts, she walks, she gets halfway down the aisle and the music stops again. I found out afterwards that the guy had been playing the song off YouTube and it was buffering when it got 30 seconds in! Moral of the story, don't be a cheap ass and download your entrance music.

And the most poignant?
There are so many poignant moments. People have amazing stories about how they got together and what they've faced as a couple.
A special moment in some ceremonies is when people want those who are no longer with us mentioned. I was officiating for a same sex couple on the beach at the Mount and they wrote some beautiful words for their grandmother who had passed away less than a month before.
You realise even more how important your job really is in moments like that.

Will travelled in style to this wedding, which took place on a farm.

What's the most unusual thing you have been asked to do as a celebrant?
I was MCing a wedding reception at a family farm; the caterer came to me and said that in about half an hour they're going to run out of alcohol. It was only 5.30pm and the first bus to take people home wasn't until 11pm. So I hopped on the father of the bride's quad bike in my suit and we went to the nearest supermarket and bought $800 worth of alcohol!

What would be your ideal wedding in terms of venue, type of food, music, etc?
It's tough to choose a venue in the Bay because we are so spoilt for choice. I actually think a night wedding would be amazing, just as the sun is going down near a beach, or somewhere with a beautiful view would be great.
Dinner and a few drinks before the ceremony would give it that extra casual feeling I reckon. Music would be totally chosen by guests (apart from entrance/exit song). Food would be a buffet. I used to be a fat kid - buffets make me happy!
Will Johnston is host of The Hits 95FM Day Show. Live and local from 9am until 3pm, every weekday in the Bay of Plenty