Ella Vaday becomes a certified celebrant, taking drag, and bringing people together, to a whole new level! (EXCLUSIVE)
"Who knows, slip me a tenner and I’ll stay and give you a song!"
By Aaron Sugg
Drag Race UK star Ella Vaday has gone from walking the runway to walking down the aisle as she takes a new leap in her career, becoming a certified celebrant!
Beginning her journey last year at her brother’s wedding, Ella took the meaning of drag, and bringing people together, to a whole new level.
Offering her services in and out of drag, and already booked and busy, she promises Attitude that if she is the one to wed you, the happy couple are bound to have an “Ella Va Day”!
How did this come about, and what made you want to do it?
It all started with my brother’s wedding last year. He said one of the hardest parts wasn’t the seating plan or the vows, it was finding a celebrant who actually got him and his wife. Around the same time, I’d been to a few friends’ weddings, straight and queer, that weren’t in churches or traditional venues, and I realised that ‘traditional’ doesn’t work for all couples who want a wedding as unique as they are.
I started thinking about the sort of ceremony I’d want and realised there probably isn’t a celebrant who matches that vibe. And then I thought… maybe that person is me! After all, drag is all about connection, reading the room, and playing with people in the moment, and this feels like a much more personal extension of that. I also love the fact I can be a huge part of a couple’s special day that they’ll never forget – how camp!
Why do you think it matters for LGBTQ+ couples to have the option of a celebrant who truly understands queer relationships and chosen family?
LGBTQ+ people have had to fight incredibly hard to have our relationships recognised at all, let alone celebrated. Even now, there are still limitations and lingering judgements.
Your wedding isn’t the place to educate someone on your life or your relationship. It’s the one day you should feel completely seen, understood, and celebrated without compromise. LGBTQ+ relationships often come with chosen family, unconventional journeys, and stories that don’t need explaining to someone who already gets it. A celebrant who understands that can hold the room properly and reflect the couple, and it means the ceremony feels like a proper celebration, not a translation.
I think it’s so important to meet the energy the couple wants, whether that means heartfelt and intimate, flamboyant and chaotic, or both at the same time!
Have you already been approached by same-sex or queer couples wanting something that feels less traditional and more “them”?
Yes, I have, and it’s also a very well-known queer couple. I’ve been asked to sign an NDA, so I can’t say who… but I can say it’ll be one ‘Ella Va Wedding’ (yes, I do my own puns too!). The venue and the theme are so much fun. It’s quite a small wedding, and all the guests are ‘featured’ on the day. Really cute and a charming concept, and I cannot wait to marry them.
Are you planning to officiate a wedding fully in drag?
Yes. This one will be in drag, but not always, I also have two others where I’ll be out of drag. It really depends on what the couple wants. The point is choice and flexibility, and by flexible, I mean I can do the splits haha!
What makes an “Ella Vaday wedding” different from a traditional ceremony?
Well, an Ella Vaday Wedding will be anything but boring: big hair, gorgeous gowns, and, of course, bringing whatever energy the couple wants. One thing I’m very good at is adapting to any situation, with warmth, humour, and the sense that everyone is a part of it. Plus, I’ll obviously look absolutely stunning… who knows, slip me a tenner and I’ll stay and give you a song!
I’d like to thank The Academy of Professional Celebrants, who made the whole training experience so enjoyable from start to finish… especially having not sat in a classroom after nearly 20 years!
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