A wedding ceremony should feel unmistakably like you. Not a script borrowed from someone else, not a generic order of service with your names swapped in, but a real, living reflection of your relationship and what you mean to each other. That's what Hayley creates. She'll sit with you, listen to your story, ask the questions that surface what really matters, and build something that feels true from the first word to the last.
Hayley is a registered New Zealand marriage and civil union celebrant based in New Brighton, Christchurch. She takes one ceremony per day, which means when you work with her, her complete attention is yours.
What's included
- One ceremony per day. Hayley's full attention is always yours
- In-person meetings to learn your story
- Fully personalised ceremony script written just for you
- In-person rehearsal included
- Full legal guidance and marriage paperwork handled
- Support crafting your personal vows
- Access to Hayley's archive of alternative readings and poetry
- Te Reo Māori and cultural elements available on request
Pricing: Custom, contact Hayley for a quote
Talk to Hayley About Your CeremonyThe Process
How It Works
First conversation
We meet, in person, over a coffee or a video call, to get to know each other. There's no obligation, just a chance to see if we're a good fit.
Your story sessions
Hayley spends time getting to know your relationship: how you met, what you love about each other, the moments that define you as a couple. This is the raw material for your ceremony.
Ceremony writing
Hayley crafts your ceremony script, a draft she shares with you for feedback. Every word should sound like it belongs to you.
In-person rehearsal
Hayley walks through the ceremony with you and your wedding party so everyone knows exactly where to stand, what to expect, and can relax on the day.
The day
You arrive knowing everything is taken care of. Hayley is there, present and focused entirely on you, from the moment guests begin to arrive.
Canterbury Areas
Serving Couples Across Canterbury
Hayley travels to you, wherever in Canterbury you want your ceremony to be.
Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about bespoke wedding ceremonies.
Genuinely, completely. Hayley doesn't work from a template. Your ceremony can include personal vows you've written, readings from your favourite book or film, te reo Māori language and tikanga, cultural rituals from your background, or unconventional elements that reflect who you are as a couple. The only requirement is that it's legally valid, which Hayley handles. Everything else is open.
It means you never share Hayley's attention with another couple's wedding. On your day, she is completely focused on you, she's not rushing from a morning ceremony to your afternoon one. She arrives well before guests, she's calm, and she's entirely present throughout. Many celebrants book multiple ceremonies per day; Hayley doesn't.
Absolutely, and Hayley actively supports you to write them if you want to. Writing personal vows can feel daunting, but Hayley's vow crafting process helps you find the words that genuinely reflect your relationship. She listens to your story, asks the right questions, and gives you feedback on what you've drafted. Your vows end up sounding like you, not like something from a wedding website.
Popular Canterbury dates book out 12–18 months in advance, particularly for summer (December–February) and autumn (March–April).If you have a specific venue and date in mind, earlier is always safer. That said, Hayley does accommodate short-notice bookings where her calendar allows, reach out and ask.
Everything. Hayley guides you through the Notice of Intended Marriage (which must be filed with Births, Deaths and Marriages at least three days before the ceremony), provides the required legal wording within the ceremony, witnesses the register alongside you, and handles the post-ceremony lodgement to make your marriage official. You don't need to navigate any of this alone.
Also Available
Related Ceremonies
Ready to talk about your weddings?
Hayley takes one ceremony per day and personally responds to every enquiry.
Enquire About Your Weddings