Zena Lythgo
GEELONG CELEBRANT
Photo by Kyra Boyer
Looking for a ceremony that actually feels like you?
Relaxed, connected, genuine & playful.
Filled with your character, your banter and has everyone you love feeling a part of it with you.
So joyously happy to share the moment with you.
Let’s make it one to remember.
WHAT I BRING (& WHY IT WORKS):
Hi, I’m Zena.
I’m a celebrant based on the Bellarine, performing weddings and ceremonies across Geelong, the Otways and the Surf Coast.
I help couples create ceremonies that feel unmistakably like them. Whether it’s a wedding, elopement or a funeral, if a ceremony feels genuine and true to who you are, it’s guaranteed to be a vibe.
Cos when we make it sound just like you, you stand up the front, loving every second of it, and everyone else shows up in the exact same way!
Here’s How We Do This:
✨ A relaxed, collaborative planning process that’s full of fun chats and clear guidance
✨ An ability to read the room and gently draw your people in. It’ll feel like a friendly chat
✨ A background in anthropology, LGBTQIA+ spaces and community work, so everyone feels included and welcome, always. This is so important to me.
✨ A delivery that’s warm, relaxed and genuinely conversational so it feels like a big old chat, not a performance your loved ones are watching happen in front of them. No thank you! In it together, always!
We’re not creating a performance. We’re creating another epic moment in your life that feels just like you. Something that sets the tone, draws everybody in and keeps the energy high for the rest of the day…
Most Couples I Work With Want Something a Little Different:
Not different for the sake of it.
Not quirky just to be edgy.
Just true to them.
They’re not here to do the same old thing or follow traditions that don’t feel right.
They want a ceremony that reflects who they are:
How they roll together, filled with their own turn of phrase.
The couples I work with usually…
- Care more about how it feels than how it looks
- Want guests to feel welcomed and engaged
- Might feel nervous about being up front, but know it’s worth doing it their way
- Want someone warm, witty and confident on the mic to hold the space with ease
- Aren’t chasing curated perfection
- They’re chasing connection and presence.
- It’s not about reinventing the whole wedding.
- It’s about making the moment feel like you.
What It Feels Like on the Day
On the day, you’ll feel calm, present, and completely at ease.
I’ll share your story in a way that’s natural and engaging,
so your guests feel a part of it with you and you genuinely enjoy the moment (and take it in!).
Behind the scenes
The process is guided, easy to follow and designed to suit different communication styles
No stress
No confusion
Just clear, steady guidance
I’ll guide you with simple prompts and practical tools
So nothing feels overwhelming
And everything feels like a true reflection of who you are (as a couple and as individuals, cos both matter right!?)
Are you here for Weddings or Funerals?
Weddings + Ceremonies
Photo by Peak & Valley Wedding
As Seen In
Photo by Belle Martin
Here’s How We Make It Happen
Calm, confident, conversational delivery on the day.
So you can tell everyone is enjoying the moment with you, and you can be fully present and take it all in.
This process is designed to feel calm, collaborative and clear.
So you can feel genuinely excited (and not stressed) about what we’re creating together.
I’ll help you shape something that captures your dynamic so well:
People always think we’ve been mates for years
The people doing speeches usually tell me I beat them to it.
And honestly, even if they repeat it, it just makes the truth of it land harder
When your people see you the same way you see yourselves, that’s when we’ve nailed it.
Here’s what that looks like:
- A planning questionaire to shape your ideas and vision
Helpful videos for vow writing, public speaking and what to expect
Two relaxed check-ins
One to explore your story
One to settle any nerves and finalise logisticsA bespoke ceremony written all about you
A warm, familiar and chatty delivery of your story to help everyone settle in and stay present
DOING IT YOUR WAY
DOESN’T HAVE TO MEAN
FLOATING DOWN A RIVER.
(But it totally can.)
Video by Bottlebrush Films
Here’s a look at a ceremony:
This couple did things completely their way.
Your ceremony can look, sound and feel however you want it to
And I’ll be there to support you through every step.
It’s Not a Performance. It’s a Moment.
Nothing forced or disingenuous.
Just a simple, step-by-step process, filled with space to show me what matters to you and the way you bounce off each other. Because that’s where the gold is.
We’ll use your words, stories and humour to shape a ceremony that’s so full of your energy, your turn of phrase and your banter, that it’s impossible not to laugh, interact and soak it all in, right alongside the people who know you best.
When we make time for quality chats, when we focus on who you are and what matters most to you in the ceremony, the atmosphere that follows is always electric and has the room buzzing before we’ve even hit the vows.
YOU’LL HAVE EVERYTHING YOU NEED:
Step by Step Guidance
We’ll be telling you what’s happening every step of the way!
Planning Resources in your inbox
Videos, questionnaires, how-to guides, tips & tricks, fresh ideas – handed straight to you!
Vow Writing Support
This is the big one people want to know there is support with & honestly, I get it! Ya wanna know the secret – vow writing starts with a really fun date night!
Clear Check-ins
You’ve got enough on your plate — that’s why we guide you with gentle prompts, clear check-ins, and all the support you need. Angie (AKA assistant extraordinaire!) has you covered!
Making it feel like you!
Creating a ceremony that is oh so you! Nailing the tone and then delivering it with warmth, calm, and a conversational atmosphere that will draw everyone in.
So when the big day comes? You’ll feel calm, present, and totally confident that your ceremony is in the right hands.
How It All Works From Here…
Get in Touch
We’ll chat and book in a time for a face to face meeting
Let’s Meet
We’ll get to know each other and discuss your dream wedding
Plan
We plan your ceremony down to the nitty gritty details
Where I Work
I’m based on the Bellarine Peninsula and work across Geelong, the Surf Coast, the Otways and Melbourne
If it’s the right couple and the right vibe
I’ll travel for it
Good people and a good story?
I’m in
Ready To Get Started?
If you’re looking for a ceremony that feels just like you, one where everyone is engaged and transforms a group of guests into a shared community moment, then let’s chat.
I can’t wait to hear your story and help you go your own way too.
Let’s chat.
Feeling the Love
Photo by Baker Boys Creative
A few words from my lovely couples
My husband and I are wedding photographers and when we decided to get married there was no doubt in our mind that Zena would be the one to legalise our love union.
We have shot many weddings over the years and have experienced a wide variety of different celebrants. Trust us when we say, Zena is the best in the biz!
Zena, thank you for being our celebrant! You made our wedding day extra special! All our guests kept saying we chose such a great celebrant! You really are the best!
Storm & Xavier
Zena was a guiding light not only through planning our destination wedding but also on the day when we were both overcome with emotion. As a queer couple Zena created a safe place for us to both feel comfortable, she was able to easily adapt more inclusive language to better suit us as a couple. Thank you Zena for your beautiful words during the ceremony, your patience during our zoom sessions and for celebrating our love story.
Jess & Tess
We had the absolute pleasure of having Zena marry us earlier in February this year. From the beginning, Zena made us two nervous nellies feel very relaxed and at ease, and that was all because of her warm, caring, and professional approach. Even though we were complete strangers, our catch ups felt like going out for coffee with a dear friend, where you share some of your favourite moments and life’s joys. Zena was patient through tears and listened to our story to create a ceremony that was a perfect representation of who we are. Our wedding day was the most magical experience and if we were to do it all again, we would choose the lovely Zena over and over!
Rachel & Rob
Photo of Nel the Van by Analogue Modern
a bit about me
I grew up in Apollo Bay
Where the salt, the bush, and a big-hearted community shaped how I see the world
These days I live on the Bellarine with my partner Jimmy, our cat Ziggy, and sometimes Lumi the dog
We also spend time down in the Otways, learning the art of slow living and potato farming (niche, I know)
When I’m not leading ceremonies, you’ll usually find me
• Off on a roadie in our van Nel (she’s a purrrty thing ain’t she!)
• Dancing at festivals (Meredith Amphitheatre is a much-loved haven)
• Zombie wunning (you’ll have to ask)
• Swimming or defrosting from a swim
• Designing digital textiles
• Chatting about life and death with good people, as often as possible
Over the past 10+ years, I’ve come to understand that my work across weddings, funerals and memorials is all built on the same stuff. The everyday human stuff; the laughs, often tears (both happy and sad), the challenges that come and go, the messy chaos and the simple beauty in all of it. It’s humbling, enriching stuff I tell ya, and a bloody good time!
I’m a sucker for a cause, and tend to remind those around me that “these are the moments!” at any given opportunity…
Oh, and I believe Milo counts as a meal
A good one at that
Before I was a fulltime celebrant I worked at SisterWorks Inc.
SisterWorks is a not for profit social enterprise that supports women of asylum seeker refugee and migrant backgrounds to work towards financial independence and settle happily in Australia.
These women are my family & I still volunteer there today, because I get so much out of being apart of this community. I find that having this connection in my week is especially important when I work from home.
SisterWorks has also taught me the importance of making a contribution; A percentage of the fee I charge couples is donated directly to SisterWorks to support this organisation to continue to grow.
My most recent project there has been working with my gal Petronia, helping her to design and digitally print her fabrics. It is the best fun EVER!!! This ipad is usually only used for ceremony writing, it’s SO nice doing something creative with it as well!
Doesn’t this photo look like the best time ever! I gotta be honest, it really was. I worked in one of Melbourne’s BEST gay bars for five golden years: SIRCUIT! Here, I had the opportunity to discuss marriage equality with many people. These conversations with dear friends and complete strangers left me clear on one thing, this issue mattered! And when equal marriage was finally recognized I wanted to be a part of it. Because, you know: love is love.
I am not sure I would even have become a celebrant if I hadn’t had these conversations. Marriage wasn’t really on my radar!
So now marriage equality has been passed and it is the new normal – woohoo! (about time!) But I understand that for a lot of couples, the wedding industry is still complex to navigate & pretty heteronormative.
It is really important to me, that the experience I offer couples feels genuine, safe & fun every step of the way ; not just for you but everyone you invite to be a part of your day with you.
Industry Mates…
Geelong Crew
Melbourne Crew
If you have no budget and want an uber talent (& one of my fave collaborators!) fly Eerik Sandstrom over from Perth to anywhere 😉
That’s cool, not everyone wants to BUT if you do come this way…
Contact Zena
Phone: 0409 932 106
Email: hello@zenalythgocelebrant.com