James Beecroft | Perth Marriage Celebrant and Wedding DJ.
So, you're engaged - or feeling confident enough to start looking for the best wedding celebrant & wedding DJ you can find!
Either way - congratulations, and thanks for coming through.
If you’re looking for an intimate, unique, and personalised wedding celebrant who’s gonna keep it all about you guys: no cut & paste, no clichés, and no empty platitudes: you’ve come to the right place.
If you’re looking for a professional wedding celebrant in Perth who brings a unique blend of traditional and modern: you’ve also come to the right place.
If you reckon your wedding DJ should make the late hours of your reception feel more like a music festival than a wedding (minus portaloos and shirtless dudes), then I’m definitely your guy.
Sound good? Hell yeah! Keep scrolling, I’ll cover a few of the basics of what I do as a wedding celebrant & DJ on this page, then you can click through the pages at the top to get the info on how as your celebrant & DJ, I’m gonna make this a low-stress and high-fun ride all the way through to the best wedding ever.
AS SEEN IN
A wedding celebrant and DJ? How does that work?
When it comes to live music and events in general, I've been involved for a while - 20+ years behind the decks as a club and party DJ, 5 years as a wedding DJ, 10 years in live event audio-visual, and 5 years as a registered wedding celebrant.
Way back in the 2000's, I won the Australian final of the Heineken Thirst DJ Competition in Sydney. It was judged by the late house music legend Erick Morillo (the guy who wrote "I Like To Move It"). I was nervous as hell but having more fun than ever before, and in that moment I knew I wanted to make people dance more than anything else.
What I've figured out in my time as a wedding DJ is how to keep the vibes high on the dancefloor. I love requests, but don't worry - I know exactly when to play them and when to 'forget' them, so you won't end up with that uncle turning your wedding DJ into his own personal jukebox for the night.
I’ve also got all the equipment you’ll need to make sure your wedding is a party - dancefloor lights, huge sound-system, and wireless microphone - indoor or outdoor, we’re all good.
And everything I’ve learned as the best wedding DJ in Perth - I'll bring those same vibes as your wedding celebrant. No, this doesn't mean I'll play Sandstorm as you walk down the aisle (unless you really want me to). This does mean your ceremony will be heaps more fun, chill, and comfortable than you ever thought a wedding ceremony could be, with all the legals and details covered.
One of my favourite things about being a wedding celebrant is making new friends. The better we get along, the more fun we have on the day, and the more you'll be able to chill out, be present, and lose yourself in the moment! You need to feel comfortable telling your marriage celebrant and wedding DJ what you want and how you want it - and that starts with us getting along like we’ve known each other for years.
Apologies in advance - I ask a lot of questions. Some of them kinda personal, some of them fun, and some of them just about the details - but it's all to make sure we don't miss a thing when it comes to creating the best vibe for your day.
I’m also available for elopements and destination weddings (and love doing them), so if you’re planning make it happen away from home, don’t be afraid to hit me up!
So why did I become a wedding celebrant and wedding DJ?
The short answer is - why not? In the years leading up to starting The Wedding Host, I was mostly playing dance music at clubs and parties, but I would wedding-DJ a few times a year via word-of-mouth and always had a blast. So when I had the idea to become a marriage celebrant as well, I couldn’t believe I hadn’t thought of it sooner. I'd been to a few weddings myself, and while the celebrants were usually pros, it always felt like something was missing - where was the fun? Why wasn't anyone laughing?
Pretty much every wedding has a wedding DJ, and every wedding outside of a church has a marriage celebrant. But there's something about doing both that’s entirely its own thing. To tell a couple’s love story as they make the ultimate commitment to one another, and follow it up with seeing all that love and energy come together on the dancefloor - I can say without a doubt there's nobody else working at your wedding enjoying themselves more than me.
Whether you’re going traditional or modern, intimate or huge, however you want - having a unique, funny ceremony and the perfect mix of party tunes are the two most important elements for an awesome wedding. I put everything I've got into getting every aspect of being the best wedding DJ and marriage celebrant absolutely right. Wanting to enjoy what I did for a living was a huge part of why I started doing this, and I'm only enjoying myself when you guys are.
It's been a huge learning experience, and after a few years in the game I get to pass everything I've learned onto you guys. Planning a wedding can be difficult, and in addition to all the legwork are the expectations thrown at you by people who mean well but might not know well . So when you've got questions about what matters and what works for weddings, I'm there with everything I’ve picked up from my years as a wedding DJ and marriage celebrant.
Okay, so we’ve now covered the how’s and the why’s - you’re a legend for reading this far so let’s crack on! Read on below to find out how the whole process works, then check out the “Wedding DJ” and “Marriage Celebrant” pages for a more detailed run-down on what these are all about, head over to the “Services” page to find out what you’ll be getting for your hard-earned, and then hit me up via the contact page when you’re ready.
How does it all happen?
BEFORE WE MEET
So what happens once you've decided you'd be interested in having me as your marriage celebrant and wedding DJ?
Once you’ve hit me up via the contact page, I'll be in touch via email with my prices, inclusions, and some other info. If you're happy with all the details, we'll schedule a time to meet up and discuss your wedding ceremony and reception. There’s no need to bring anything along except yourselves!
OUR INITIAL MEETING
We'll get to know each other a bit, talk about what makes your relationship tick along, and discuss what you’re feeling for your wedding ceremony and reception. If you're only booking me as your marriage celebrant, we'll discuss your music and other preferences for your wedding ceremony. We'll also discuss what kind of ceremony you have in mind - one with all the traditional elements, something more modern, or a blend of the two. Either way we'll make sure it's unique, intimate and personalised! If you're also booking me as your wedding DJ, we'll also discuss your taste in music and the ideal vibe for your reception, for both early evening and party time - your requests can be as broad or specific as you like!
WHAT IDENTIFICATION WILL I NEED?
You will need two of the three following forms of ID:
Current Driver's License
Current Passport
Birth Certificate
You can upload images of these on the form I’ll send after once you’ve confirmed me as your marriage celebrant. These are stored securely and in confidence, and deleted after your wedding day. If either of you have been married previously, you’ll also need to show me proof of termination of any marriages.
WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?
Once you’ve paid your deposit and secured the booking, I’ll send through the Notice of Intended Marriage questionnaire to get all the info I’ll need from you both, along with a questionnaire about your relationship to fill out together.
Closer to your wedding day, there’ll be a questionnaire to confirm the details for your wedding ceremony and reception, plus individual questionnaires for you both which helps me flesh out your wedding ceremony script. You won’t hear what I’ve written about you guys until you’re at the altar - this may sound daunting, but it makes for the most fun and spontaneous reactions!
DO WE NEED A WEDDING REHEARSAL?
When I first started as a marriage celebrant, I would hold rehearsals for most wedding ceremonies. What this taught me over the years is that 95% of them are a bit of a waste of time. Wedding ceremonies are mostly pretty straightforward, I’ll be there to guide everyone on the day, and we’ll still have a final meeting in the weeks before to make sure we’re on the same page.
But if your ceremony is more complicated for whatever reason and you’d feel more comfortable rehearsing, I’m happy to do it! At this stage, you'll both sign the Declaration of No Legal Impediment to Marriage form. This will be pre-filled and all you'll need to do is sign. I can also provide you with all forms and information necessary for changing surnames.
ON THE DAY
Now we're getting to the fun part - I'll be there before your guests arrive to get my ceremony system set up and your documents ready. I'll make sure all guests are in place (and their phones are on silent and out of their hands) for the start of the ceremony, and once they are, we'll proceed as per your script.
Neither of you will have to memorise anything for the day, but it still helps to be familiar with the ceremony running order, which I’ll have sent through beforehand. If you've both written personalised vows, I can have these ready to go in my vow booklets (or you can supply your own). It's normal to be nervous, but I'll make sure it's fun from start to finish - it'll be over before you know it, so don't forget to enjoy yourself!
If you've booked me as the wedding DJ for your reception, I'll see you there. I'll have all audio and lighting equipment setup well before the reception starts and will head straight over after the wedding ceremony to set up and kick off the party! Whatever music preferences we discussed will set the tone for your reception and I'll make sure it sounds just like you'd hoped it would.
AFTER THE DAY
I'll lodge all your marriage paperwork with the Department of Births, Deaths and Marriages and once they've received that you'll be registered as married. At this point, you'll be able to use the forms I've given you apply for a copy of your Marriage Certificate, which you'll need should you be changing your surname. Any feedback from you will be greatly appreciated, and I'll let you know how you can leave me recommendations on Google and Facebook.
And that's it! I make the process as fun, straightforward and hassle-free as possible from start to finish. Sound good? Check out the Wedding DJ and Marriage Celebrant pages for more details on how we’ll create the perfect soundtrack for your reception and the most unique, personalised and intimate wedding ceremony possible. Then check out what’s included in my services, and drop me a line over at the contact page!
A few reviews
Testimonials | The wedding host | Wedding Celebrant and Dj
