Living in Queenstown is pretty special, according to Germany-born celebrant Eva Hooper, who moved there with her Kiwi husband to enjoy the outdoors and the stunning landscape the region has to offer. It’s an inspiring place and a melting pot of different nationalities, and she’s kept busy skiing, trail running, mountain biking, practicing yoga, travelling – and drinking tea and reading.

The multi-lingual Eva had always loved writing about people and hearing their stories, and with a big passion for ceremony and ritual becoming a celebrant was an obvious choice. She decided to do the Certificate in Celebrant Studies in 2017 before getting “out there”.

“I love learning, and was keen to meet other people that were on the same journey,” says Eva. “At the start I feared that at 33 I was a bit too young and that being a foreigner would be a disadvantage. But The Celebrant School gave me practical knowledge and all the confidence I needed. The team was so loving and supportive.”

These days, you can find Eva outdoors, conducting intimate heli-weddings at the top of a mountain, or at an isolated hut where celebrant and guests ski in for the ceremony. There’s one thing for sure: when Eva Hooper is around, you can guarantee there’ll be thermal underwear, running shoes, and a great sense of excitement for the lucky couples she marries.