Some often asked questions...

How can you make my ceremony unique?

A: I’m not just a marriage celebrant. I’ve been described as a story-teller, an orator, a stage-manager, a party starter, a performer, a conductor. I definitely do more than just the legal stuff, that’s for sure (though if you want the legal stuff only, I can do that too).

If you want a personalised ceremony, I take the time to get to know you. I listen and ask the right questions.

I’m genuinely interested in your story, and I use my intuition to gain insight into your personality. I want to learn about you and your vision for your ceremony. I’ll then write and deliver a genuinely individualised ceremony that will hopefully blow you and your guests away.

I truly love storytelling and writing, and you can read some of my musings on my blog.

What's the process to chat to you in real life?

Firstly, it’s a good idea to see if I’m available on your wedding day (if you have you day already set). Send me an email at roxy@roxyrocks.com, call me on 0478041227, or fill in the contact form. I’ll get back to you super quickly. I’m good like that.

If I’m available, I offer no-obligation consultations. Usually I meet prospective clients via Zoom or in a coffee shop or a bar, and at this meeting I’ll go through the whole legal process of marriage and explain what a marriage celebrant does.

We’ll discuss your ideas for your ceremony, and hopefully I’ll give you some ideas which you may not have thought about. If you’re going for the full works package (where your ceremony is written specifically for you), I’ll ask you questions about the two of you to get to know you a bit better. A consultation can take up to an hour.

Afterwards I hold your wedding date for you until I hear from you. If I haven’t heard anything after a couple of weeks, I’ll check in with you. If I still haven’t heard anything, I’ll assume you don’t want to book me and will release the date. However, if you’d like to book me, then I’ll send through an invoice requesting an initial payment (approximately 35% of the f

Will you travel for my wedding?

I’m based in Brisbane, but I will travel for weddings. In fact, I’ve done weddings in Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia, Bali, Egypt, France, and the UK.

Unfortunately there is a charge for travel outside of the Brisbane metropolitan district, and please feel free to email me for a quote.

What happens if you're sick on the day of my wedding?

Ooooh… good question!

Since 2011, this has happened twice. I’m the QLD Local Leader for The Celebrant Society and both times I’ve been able to call upon my celebuddies who are members to act as my back up. A proxy Roxy, if you please.

All my ceremonies are prepared in advance, so it’s a case of me transferring all legal and ceremonial paperwork electronically to the new celebrant. The last thing couples need is me ringing them on their wedding day going ‘Errr.. soz, but I’m sick’ so I’ll make sure it’s all done before letting you know, especially if it’s the day of your wedding.

You're registred as 'Simone Hotten' but you call yourself Roxy. Why?

Simone is my birth name but everyone, aside from my immediate family, call me Roxy. My nickname was coined in about 2000 with a bunch of friends, and it grew from there.

If you want the full story, you’ll have to buy me a wine first…

Do you book more than one wedding a day?

Generally speaking, I only book one wedding a day. The exception to this is if there’s plenty of time between ceremonies, eg: 10am and 3pm, and both ceremonies are within easy reach.

I will always inform all couples if there’s more than one ceremony booked, so they’re aware of time constraints.

How long have you been a celebrant for?

I’ve been a celebrant since 2011, and since then have conducted over 750 weddings.

I went full-time in 2017, and as well as weddings, I MC, conduct funerals, mentor other celebrants, and am a Local Leader for The Celebrant Society.

Do you have any videos so i can hear your voice?

Sure do! You can find an introductory video of me here.

Are your ceremonies inclusive?

Ab-so-lutely. Whether it’s the LGBTQI+ community, those from various cultures, or those who have a disability, I’ll work with you to make sure your ceremony is a welcoming and inclusive space for all your friends and family, not just a select few.

Do you have a PA system you use?

I geek out a little on my PA System. It’s the latest Bose S1 Pro+

I also have two mics I bring with me, just in case one stops working (touch wood… has never happened). These are Sennheiser

How much do you charge?

My packages and fees are listed here.

Can I book you just for MCing?

Please feel free to check in with me to see if I have availability to do this, as this is something, on occasion, I can do.

Do you do elopements?

Sure do!

In fact, these are becoming more common, and I totally understand why so many couples want to marry this way.

In fact, I love elopements so much that I can help tie you in with one of my photographer friends to help create something super cute and intimate, just for you.

What qualifications do you have?

Certificate IV in Celebrancy
Certificate IV in Training and Assessment
That certificate I got at school where I had to jump into the pool in my pyjamas and collect a brick from the bottom

Are you religious?

No, I’m not – I’m agnostic. However, if you want to include religion in your ceremony, I am not opposed to this. I have had couples who wish to include at least an acknowledgement to appease family members, and I have ideas around how to do this,

How many weddings do you do a year?

It really varies. During COVID… not a lot. Post COVID… heaps!

On a non-COVID affected year, approximately 80 weddings, with about half being during the week.

Do you do funerals?

Yes, I do. Whether you call them a Celebration of Life, a memorial, or a funeral, I have been doing these since 2011, and have the compassion and experience to help you with this process.