For Kimberley Duband, meaningful ceremonies aren’t just about marking life’s milestones; they are about holding space for connection, intention and love through every season of life. As a celebrant, storyteller and mother, her work is shaped by a deep respect for family, presence and the power of shared moments. From welcoming new babies to the world, to weddings and farewells, Kimberley creates ceremonies that honour the full arc of life with warmth, humour and heart. Here, she reflects on the journey that led her here, the lessons motherhood has taught her about balance and boundaries, and how building a values-driven business has allowed her to stay connected – to her work, her family and what matters most.
The passion: What inspired you to set up your business?
In hindsight, this business was probably 15 years in the making. In my early twenties, I’d been to a wedding at a private home right on the water in Sydney. The setting was beautiful, but what stayed with me wasn’t the house or the location; it was the moment the celebrant created. I remember thinking how powerful that was, and how much it mattered.
About ten years later, that idea was still quietly niggling away in the background while I was pursuing a career as a specialist performer with The Starlight Children’s Foundation. I spent my days creating moments and experiences for seriously ill children and their families. It was the most joyful, heart-tenderising work of my life, and the impact was so deeply meaningful that I knew I could never move on to work that felt less purposeful than that.
I also knew I wanted to have my own children one day, and I wanted to find a way to build a career I loved while still leaving as much time as possible for family life. With a background in scripted entertainment and storytelling, celebrancy felt like a natural fit. It brought everything together – creativity, connection and meaning – and allowed me to create moments that genuinely matter to people.
The launch: How did you start out in the beginning?
I began working with a wedding start-up in the grungy Melbourne backstreets of Brunswick. They were creating affordable ceremony packages for couples, and this gave me a solid foundation and valuable insight into the industry. From there, I gradually found my own stride and stepped out on my own.
From the beginning, my focus was on creating genuine relationships with the couples and families who entrusted me with their moment. I write with care (and humour), and I take the time to really understand the people in front of me and what they want to create. That human, connection-first approach shaped everything that followed, and the business grew organically through word of mouth – and a little bit of SEO thrown in for good measure.
The innovation: What was the biggest breakthrough for you with your business?
The biggest breakthrough was realising that the way I write and develop ceremonies – the time I spend with each couple or family, and my instinct to do things just a little differently – was actually my greatest strength.
I stopped trying to fit into a standard celebrant mould and leaned fully into warmth, narrative humour and depth. Once I trusted that, everything shifted. People weren’t just looking for a ceremony; they wanted someone who could hold space, find meaning in the details and shape something that felt deeply true to them.
From there, my work naturally expanded. I was helping a couple prepare for their wedding when an unexpected turn of events saw those plans suddenly paused and replaced with the need to plan a funeral. They told me they couldn’t imagine anyone else doing it, and asked if I would consider guiding them through that farewell. I was deeply honoured.
After we had said goodbye to their loved one, and the dust had settled, we returned to their wedding, creating a ceremony with all the care, meaning and magic it deserved. That experience opened up another facet of my role: creating ceremonies for people across the full arc of their lives.
From welcoming new babies into the world, to weddings, to ceremonies that honour lives well lived, I found myself walking alongside people at every stage of their journey. I hadn’t imagined at the beginning that my work would span so many moments, but once it did, it felt like I was exactly where I was meant to be.
Yin and Yang: How do you balance work and family?
I’m not sure I always do, but I certainly try. Some weeks, I feel like I’m nailing it, and other weeks require me to laugh at the chaos and perform a small miracle at 6pm with whatever happens to be left in the fridge.
I know that balance looks different now that I’m a mum. There are simply fewer hours in the day, which has made me much more intentional about how I spend them. Right now, success looks less like measurable milestones and more like being present in the small, ordinary moments: the morning cuddle, tucking my small human in at night and as many of the moments in between as I can.
That shift has also shaped how I work. I prioritise projects and people that feel aligned, and I choose to work with couples and families who value care, flexibility and connection. Building my business this way allows me to do work I’m deeply proud of, while staying present for my family in this season of our lives.
