Celebrant  ·  Master of Ceremonies  ·  Live Musician

One person to carry the whole of your wedding day.

from “I do” to
the last dance

Weddings across the Kāpiti Coast◆& Aotearoa New Zealand

Begin the conversation Read on
A wedding couple walking hand in hand across golden, dusk-lit hills

The whole day, in one pair of hands

Marry you, host the room, and sing your first dance.

A wedding is a day of handovers — the vows, the speeches, the music. When one trusted person holds all three threads, the day breathes. Nothing is dropped between strangers. The room stays warm from the first word to the last note — a day that keeps its shape in the retelling.

Ceremony&Reception&First Dance

The Ceremony · Celebrant*

Vows written for the two of you, performed with a steady, warm voice.

A registered marriage celebrant who has spent a life holding an audience.

Your ceremony is written from scratch — your story, your words, your humour — and delivered with the ease of someone who has stood in front of rooms for twenty years. No script read off a card. A ceremony that sounds like you, becomes part of your story, and lands.

  • —A meeting (or a call) to hear how you met and what matters
  • —A bespoke ceremony script, drafted and refined with you
  • —Confident, unhurried delivery on the day
  • —The legal wording and signing handled with care
A couple's hands resting together, wedding and engagement rings in soft focus
The Reception · Master of Ceremonies

Someone who can read a room and keep the night moving.

The run-sheet, the speeches, the timing — quietly held.

A good MC is invisible until they’re needed, then exactly right. Introductions that land, speeches that start and finish on time, the gentle nudges that keep dinner, dances and the cake all where they should be — so you can actually be present at your own party.

  • —Building the reception run-sheet with you and your venue
  • —Warm, well-judged introductions and announcements
  • —Cueing speeches, toasts and the key moments
  • —Reading the room and adjusting the pace on the night
An elegant candlelit wedding reception at dusk with candelabra, glassware and string lights
The First Dance · Live Musician

Your song, sung live — not a track, a performance.

Acoustic sets for the day, and the first dance played just for you.

Twenty years of stages — London to New Orleans — poured into an acoustic set that fits the mood, from drinks on the lawn to the moment the lights drop. Choose a first-dance song and have it learned and performed live, the way it was meant to be heard.

  • —Acoustic ceremony and/or drinks-reception sets
  • —Your first-dance song learned and performed live
  • —A repertoire built with warmth, soul and a folk heart
  • —Sound sorted for the space, indoors or out
A bride dancing under warm string lights at a wedding reception

About the Author

A performer who has spent his life reading rooms.

Ryan Edwards — Kāpiti Coast wedding celebrant, MC and musician — in a flat cap and glasses, a relaxed studio portrait

Ryan Edwards has spent more than twenty years in front of audiences. A career that ran through London — the Shepherd’s Bush Empire, the London Astoria 2 — and studios in Dublin, London and New Orleans, before he brought it all home to the Kāpiti Coast. His music has featured on RNZ National’s In Session and in the pages of Stuff and the NZ Herald.

All of that was a rehearsal for the most important room there is: yours. The same instincts that hold a festival crowd — timing, warmth, knowing when to speak and when to let a moment sit — are exactly what a wedding day asks for. Now, newly registered as a marriage celebrant, he offers the whole of it under one roof — kept deliberately personal, so every couple has his full attention.

  • StagesShepherd’s Bush Empire & London Astoria 2, London
  • StudioRecorded in Dublin, London & New Orleans
  • RadioFeatured on RNZ National’s In Session
  • PressWritten up in Stuff and the NZ Herald
  • HomeBased at Waikanae Beach, Kāpiti Coast

Twenty years on stage

From festival crowds to a couple’s first dance.

Ryan Edwards, live wedding musician, performing with a band
Full band, full room.
Ryan Edwards performing live as part of a trio
Stripped back to a trio.
Ryan Edwards playing an acoustic set outdoors
An acoustic set in the open air.
Ryan Edwards performing live by the water
Playing by the water.
Ryan Edwards performing an intimate acoustic set
Close and unplugged.

How it works

The favour of your reply, in four steps.

Say hello

Send a note with your date, your venue and which of the three roles you’re curious about. No detail too small, none required.

We shape the day

A relaxed conversation about your story, your run-sheet and your music — and how much of the day you’d like one person to hold.

The legal bits

You apply for your marriage licence through the Department of Internal Affairs at least three working days before the day — it stays valid for three months. On the day, two witnesses sign alongside the two of you and Ryan, and the paperwork goes back to Internal Affairs within ten days. All explained in plain language, so the formal parts feel simple.

The day itself

Vows written and performed, the room hosted, the first dance sung. One familiar voice, from morning nerves to the last song.

Common questions

A few things couples often ask.

Can I book just one role, or do I need all three?

Either. Some couples want the whole day held by one voice — married, hosted and sung to. Others just need a celebrant, or an MC for the reception, or a musician for the first dance. Tell me what you’re after and we’ll shape it around your day.

How far in advance should we book?

As a rule, the earlier the better — good dates in wedding season tend to go first, and only a limited number of weddings are taken each season so every couple has full attention. That said, it’s always worth asking, even for a date that’s close. If it’s free, it’s yours.

Do you travel beyond the Kāpiti Coast?

Yes. Home is Waikanae Beach, and most weddings are around the Kāpiti Coast and Wellington — but travelling further afield, anywhere in New Zealand, is welcome. Just mention where you’re headed and we’ll sort the details together.

Do you bring your own sound equipment?

Yes — a PA suited to ceremonies and acoustic sets comes as standard, so your vows carry clearly outdoors and the music sits right in the room. For larger receptions or unusual spaces, we’ll talk through what will work best before the day.

Can you learn our first-dance song?

In most cases, yes. Choose the song that means something to the two of you and, where it suits a voice and a guitar, it can be learned and performed live for your first dance. If a song really isn’t built for an acoustic treatment, I’ll say so honestly and we’ll find one that is.

How does the legal side of getting married work?

It’s simpler than it sounds. You apply for a marriage licence through the Department of Internal Affairs at least three working days before the wedding, and it stays valid for three months. On the day you’ll need two witnesses; the two of you, your witnesses and I sign two copies of the paperwork, and I return it to Internal Affairs within ten days. I’ll guide you through each step in plain language, so none of it feels like homework.

The favour of your reply

Tell me about your day

— and I’ll be in touch

A limited number of weddings each season, so every couple has Ryan’s full attention.

Which roles are you thinking about?