So off the top, I’m born and raised in sunny Brisbane. I grew up in the Northern suburb of Mango Hill and life was great as a kid. School was not my thing through. Good luck telling a 10 year old Ben Black to sit still for 6 hours a day…
So with that being said, by age 16 my mother insisted I get some sort of qualification. “Just get a trade then you can do whatever you want, Ben.” (Sherilee Black ~ 2007).
Cue the carpentry decade of my life. The building game kept me busy, but I never really “loved” it. It wasn’t the one, not my forevermore (get the marriage references? Ha). At this stage I I took action to become a personal trainer. Although school wasn’t my thing, sports days definitely were. Being a PT for me seemed like a fun, fulfilling job, and 7 years later I still love it.
Get to the celebrant part Ben.
Suddenly it was that phase when all our friends were getting married, and all my mates wanted me to be their MC. A trainer can hold a crowd’s attention, right? My own wedding was in the mix and this was when I actually paid attention to the role of the celebrant - that powerful, suited up, official guy. Then, one day after MCing for my mate Tommy, he says to me, “Have you ever considered being a celebrant?” And there you have it. I gave it some thought and decided it would be another great branch for my tree.
Over 200 weddings later, I can honesty say its the best job I’ve ever worked. The office is a different amazing venue every day. I get to work with so many cool couples and suppliers. I walk away from ceremonies feeling pumped up, jolly and fortunate.
But when I’m not training people, marrying people or making candles (yes I also have a candle business @dayrdcandles), I mostly just enjoy family time. My wife Lauren and I welcomed our baby boy Arthur into the world last year, and life has never been better. Watching him grow and learn is so rewarding as a parent. Hopefully he’ll concentrate harder in school than I did (although, my life turned out pretty ok in the end, didn’t it?)
I also have a million hobbies and interests. Fishing, camping, cooking (love being in the kitchen or in front of the BBQ), archery, darts (pretty good), golf (not so good), and supporting the mighty Melbourne Storm. In a nutshell, I don’t like sitting still for too long.
Finally, I firmly believe that coriander is the devil’s herb.
That’s me at a glance! If you’re still chasing a celebrant and don’t want someone who’s going to put all your guests to sleep, then hopefully I’m your guy. I try to keep things lighthearted and fun, but also bring the feels. It is a wedding after all.
