What kind of insurance do you have?

Public Liability and Professional Indemnity insurance. I have a PA System that meets the legal requirements of the 2015 bandwidth changes.

Is there anything that I absolutely must include in the ceremony aside from the legal wording/ requirements?

The simple answer is NO, just like getting married is about choice and preference, so is what you include in your ceremony. This is where I come in and work with you to craft the ceremony that is about you and the celebration of your love and whatever that means to you.

In the event that you have an accident or become ill and are unable to perform the wedding, what arrangements do you have in place?

There is an amazing network of professional wedding celebrants in Port Douglas, Palm Cove and Cairns that will ensure that your wedding ceremony goes ahead.

Sarah Woods - Marriage Celebrant Port Douglas

OVERVIEW

Sarah Woods, a professional wedding celebrant based in Port Douglas, specialises in creating ceremonies that feel personal, memorable, and stress-free. Whether you're planning a beachfront elopement or a large gathering with loved ones, Sarah has the experience and energy to make your day run smoothly. Her services cover everything from traditional wedding ceremonies to vow renewals and naming ceremonies, catering to couples across the stunning tropics of Queensland.

With her guidance, you’ll design a ceremony that feels authentic and true to your style. From heartfelt moments to bursts of humour, every detail will be tailored to you, making sure you and your guests feel connected and inspired. Her local expertise ensures a seamless experience, especially if you dream of a tropical beach wedding. Combining her professionalism with a fun, down-to-earth attitude, Sarah takes the stress out of planning and lets you focus on soaking up the love and excitement.

What you’ll love about working with Sarah for your wedding:

Effortless Personalisation: Sarah takes the time to truly understand your story and style, helping you create a unique ceremony. Whether romantic, light-hearted, or a mix of both, every moment will feel authentically “you.”

Relaxed and Fun Vibes: Sarah’s friendly, laid-back approach makes every step of the process stress-free. She keeps things light and enjoyable so you can feel calm and confident leading up to your ceremony.

Local Expertise in Tropical Queensland: With a deep connection to Port Douglas, Palm Cove, Cairns, and the Daintree, Sarah knows all the best spots and insider tips for creating a smooth and magical ceremony in this tropical paradise.

Highlights of working with Sarah

Award-winning celebrant with a vibrant style
Tailored ceremonies that reflect your personality
Expert in beach weddings and elopements
Services across Port Douglas and beyond
Fun, relaxed, and stress-free planning

About

Hi, I’m Sarah… and I have been lucky enough to be a marriage celebrant in Port Douglas and Palm Cove for over ten years. Becoming a celebrant felt like a natural extension of my love for the tropics and its people. Over the years, I've had the privilege of sharing in countless love stories, each one as unique and beautiful as the couples themselves. From intimate beach ceremonies to grand celebrations amidst swaying palms and to couples returning years later to renew their vows.

Ms Sarah Woods

Business Owner

Photos

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FAQ

What do I need to get married in Australia? Identity and eligibility documents

As your Marriage Celebrant I must see the following original documents:

Evidence of the date and place of birth of both of you. This can be either birth certificate or a current overseas passport
Current photo ID. This can be either a driver’s license or proof of age card
Evidence of any previous divorce or death of any spouse. If applicable this can be either the original divorce or death certificate of the previous spouse
All your documents must be in English—or you must supply NAATI accredited translations if they are in another language
There must be 2 witnesses over the age of 18 at your wedding ceremony ( I can help arrange this)
An interpreter must be at your wedding ceremony if one or both partners cannot understand or speak English

Will I get to proof my ceremony wording before the wedding day, and if so when?

Absolutely! I believe it is really important for couples to see and proof their ceremony before the special day for a number of reasons:

You know exactly what to expect on the day. You know how the ceremony flows, allowing you to relax and connect with each other.
You have the opportunity to make any changes you wish, so the ceremony really reflects you as a couple.
There will be no unwanted or awkward ‘surprises’ on the day.
I like to have a draft of your ceremony for you to review at least a month prior to your wedding ceremony, this will allow you plenty of time to personalise it further and add your own ideas to make your ceremony uniquely you! As a wedding celebrant I am well aware that on the week's and day's leading up to your wedding, couples are typically flat out, getting all the little details finalised so you don’t need me also looking over your shoulder.

I plan to take my husband/wife/ spouses ’s surname, do you submit my application for my marriage certificate?

As I have sighted your original IDs and registered your marriage with BDM QLD, I am also authorised to submit a online request with Births, Deaths and Marriages QLD for a Official Marriage Certificate. BDM QLD then text/email you direct for payment and the Marriage Certificate is posted out to your nominated address. Then when you return from your honeymoon, you will have your hot off the press official marriage certificate ready and waiting for you to commence the change of name process.

I want to write my own vows but I don’t know where to start, how can you help?

Personally written vows are such a lovely way to incorporate your personalities into your wedding ceremony, I am able to provide you with inspiration and guidance and I am also more then happy to proof read them.

Tell me about your PA System? Is it cordless? (creating a more seamless ceremony and eliminating a trip hazard) One of the most common pet peeves that you hear from guests is that they couldn’t hear the ceremony, so a good quality PA System is vital. I have a professional PA system with cordless microphones, so everyone can hear your ceremony and it means that you won't have to yell your vows which is the last thing you want in such an intimate and personal moment. Can I use your PA System for my ceremony music?

Absolutely and it is free of charge, you provide the music to me and we go from there.

71 reviews 5.0 Write a Review

March 2024

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Sarah was amazing and understood what we wanted for our wedding renewal. Sarah was very professional, kind and friendly and helped us to make our day very special and memorable. Highly recommended.

Tanya H.

October 2023

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Sarah was wonderful to work with from our first email. Sarah assisted us to create a lovely and memorable ceremony. Things did not go to plan leading up to our wedding but Sarah was more than accommodating to our changes. We had such terrible weather on our wedding day, yet Sarah remained calm which kept myself and my husband calm. Thanks so much Sarah!

Sheridan B.

June 2023

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Sarah was fantastic. I knew as soon as we first met with her we made the right choice. In the initial conversations she ran through everything that was required of us in detail so there was no suprises. She gave us so many tools to make sure we could create our own vowels without feeling pressured. She created the most amazing personalised ceremony for us based on the information we gave to her. She ran through everything in so much detail prior to the day which made us feel so much more at ease throughout. knowing what to expect and when. I couldn't recommend Sarah enough. We even had family and friends commenting on how great she was.

Emma L.

April 2023

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My husband Will and I had the pleasure of working with lovely Sarah for our wedding back in November 2022. From the initial enquiry to on the day, Sarah was so approachable and and assisted us along our journey of becoming husband and wife. We were planning from Nsw and she was based in qld but the entire process was so smooth and she replied to all of our enquires with a wealth of information and inspiration. Thank you Sarah for being such an incredible celebrant, you brought so much fun and energy to our ceremony and all we have is positive to send your way. If you want a celebrant to bring personality, warmth and ease for your big day, book Sarah! We loved having you be part of our wedding and thank you for everything! Love the Lords xx

Megan L.

April 2023

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Sarah was amazing from start to finish. Promptly replying to all our questions from the UK and advising us along the way of everything we needed for the day. We told her that we wanted to make the day simple and fun which she accommodated. We met up before the day to run through the ceremony which was really helpful. She conducted the ceremony with ease and professionalism and incorporated the humour. We had a great day and everything went smoothly. No nerves felt due to Sarah calming presence. Thank you Sarah we had such a good time as you can see by the photos. David and Ruth xx

Ruth P.

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