In Conversation with Melbourne Celebrant Sarh O'Grady

For celebrant Sarah O’Grady, ceremony is less about performance and more about presence. With a background shaped by teaching, storytelling and a deep love of meaningful milestones, her approach centres on connection, warmth and quiet observation. Each ceremony becomes a considered gathering, one that honours love in all its ordinary, extraordinary detail.

THEODORE Mag: What first drew you to becoming a celebrant, and how did you know this was your path?

Sarah O’Grady: I have always loved celebrations. Not just for the party (though I do love a good dance floor), but mostly for the achievement and milestone being celebrated and the love and effort it took to get there. I was initially drawn to celebrancy, quite simply, because I was asked to. For many years, the idea of being a celebrant was a daydream while I was busy in my career as a teacher, and during that time, I delivered lots of ceremonies for friends and family alongside beautiful celebrants. Now that I’ve taken the leap, there are no regrets. In both wedding and funeral ceremonies that I deliver, I bear witness to the incredible intricacies of the love people share, and I feel privileged to facilitate moments in time dedicated to connection.

THEODORE Mag: You describe your ceremonies as warm, quirky, and authentic. How do you strike the balance between fun and meaningful in each ceremony?

Sarah O’Grady: Balance is found in authenticity. I encourage my couples to view their ceremony as a gathering of their favourite people instead of seeing it as a performance for their favourite people. I ask which values my couples hold dear and which they would like to shine through in their ceremony and use that as my guide to set the tone.

THEODORE Mag: What do you think makes your approach different from other celebrants?

Sarah O’Grady: I see beauty in the mundane as well as the spectacular. So often I’ll hear a couple state that they are relatively ‘boring’ or that they don’t have an ‘exciting story’, but once I start asking a few questions, they are laughing about the little things and the beautiful little moments that bond them.

THEODORE Mag: Your website mentions inclusivity, accessibility, and creating ceremonies that feel like ‘you’. How do you ensure every couple feels seen and heard?

Sarah O’Grady: I ask questions. For me, inclusivity is about making people feel comfortable and considered, so I make sure I ask open questions to allow my couples the safety and care of being seen and heard. As a queer woman myself, I recognise the impact of inclusivity and how I smile on the inside when people see me without making assumptions. I strive to pay forward that smile, however I can, and to continue my learning of others and their intersectional diversities.

THEODORE Mag: What inspires the way you write and deliver a ceremony? Do you have a creative process or ritual that helps you shape each one?

Sarah O’Grady: Sunlight, my cat Clyde by my side and coffee. That’s the formula for the actual writing; however, the shaping of the story comes from my face-to-face meetings with couples. I believe there is no substitute for looking in someone’s eyes while they talk about the person they love. I gather so much intel from these interactions to guide the style and tone needed to reflect them both.

THEODORE Mag: You have no doubt seen countless memorable moments. Is there a particular ceremony detail or gesture from a couple that has stayed with you?

Sarah O’Grady: I love seeing grandparents involved in ceremonies. Whether as a witness, as a ring bearer, performing a song or walking someone down the aisle, it gets me every time. When I see older people, I see beacons of knowledge, and I wonder what they must have seen in their many years and what wisdom they can impart from their lives. Also, having intergenerational guests at weddings emphasises the notion of the village that surrounds us, we are not alone on this journey, others have walked this path, and we walk on the shoulders of giants.

THEODORE Mag: Planning a wedding can be overwhelming for couples. What role do you see yourself playing in helping them feel supported and calm?

Sarah O’Grady: I’m your clear communicating wing-woman. I emphasise two things: firstly, I let couples know what steps to expect in preparing their ceremony, both the legalities and the creative aspects. I find that if my couples know there’s no question too silly to ask, they feel comfortable checking in and aren’t left spiralling about the unknowns. Secondly, I encourage them to delegate everything; you don’t want to be the keeper of all knowledge on the day, share the load.

THEODORE Mag: What is the one thing you want couples to remember most from working with you, not just the ceremony itself, but the experience of having you alongside them?

Sarah O’Grady: That I am there for them. Period.

Visit sarahogrady.com.au

Instagram @sarahogrady.celebrant

DISCLAIMER: We attempt to credit the original photographer/source of every image we use. However, in most circumstances, the images we use are provided by the brands spoken about, and we rely on them to inform us of the image source. If you think a credit may be incorrect, please contact us at info@theodoremagazine.com

More For You