A Brisbane wedding celebrant has spoken out after being falsely accused of turning up ‘late’ and ‘rude’ to a couple’s big day – despite being under the impression the bride and groom were happy with his ceremony.
Ted Johnson, who’s been marrying couples for six years, told the Daily Mail he was shocked to discover an anonymous post about him circulating on a private gossip Facebook group.
The claims, he said, are completely untrue and have left his friends, family and former clients horrified and in disbelief.
The lengthy post, which has since been deleted, painted a harsh picture of the well-known celebrant, warning brides to not book Ted after what the newlyweds claimed was a chaotic and unprofessional performance at their ceremony.
The bride began in her blistering review, alleging that Ted had arrived 45 minutes late to her wedding.
She went on to claim that ‘the ceremony itself was a disaster’, and even announced them under the wrong surname in front of their guests.
The post made unsubstantiated claims about Ted’s attitude to the bridal party, accusing him of several minor missteps – including declaring the bar was closing too early and swiping a bit of cake with his finger before it was even served to guests.
However, as with every story, there are two sides – and this one might just surprise you.
The lengthy post on a private gossip Facebook group painted a harsh picture of the well-known celebrant, claiming he was swiping a bit of cake with his finger before it was even served to guests (Picture obtained from the since-deleted Facebook post)
However, Ted, who’s been marrying couples for six years, told Daily Mail he was shocked by the claims, describing them as ‘untrue’ and saying they’ve left his friends, family, and former clients horrified and in disbelief. (Pictured here at an unrelated wedding)
When Daily Mail tracked down the man at the centre of the drama, Ted was friendly, measured and polite – a far cry from the caricature painted online.
But beneath the calm exterior, he admitted he was deeply shaken at how a ‘perfectly pleasant’, joy-filled wedding in his memory had somehow spiralled into a brutal public character assassination that left him completely blindsided.
Ted insisted that most of the claims were fabricated and ‘bizarre’, admitting only one small mistake, which was stumbling over the groom’s name during the vows.
‘The groom had a double-barrelled surname, and I accidentally omitted the first one when I announced them. That was my mistake,’ he told the Daily Mail.
‘I’ve never had a couple with two surnames before. But the rest of it, goodness, completely untrue.’
He said he first met the couple online and had multiple upbeat, friendly conversations with them in the lead-up to the wedding.
‘We spoke several times on video calls,’ he recalled.
‘They were both lovely, really personable, interesting people. I was genuinely looking forward to their day.’
Ted explained he wasn’t late to the rural ceremony, instead turning back to collect a forgotten PA system so the guests could hear him – still arriving 15 minutes early. The couple allegedly even hugged and thanked him when he left. (Pictured here at an unrelated wedding)
Ted said the ceremony took place rurally, and that he’d been driving down from several hours away, admitting he was briefly delayed on the day – but only because he realised halfway there that he’d forgotten to pack his PA system, which was vital for the couple’s 150-guest ceremony.
‘Option one was to show up on time with no sound system, or option two was to turn around, drive 125 kilometres back to collect it and still make it before the ceremony, so I went with option two.’
Making it to their ceremony 15 minutes before it commenced is not, in anyone’s calculations, late though.
Ted alleged that when he left that night, the couple hugged him goodbye and thanked him warmly for his service. So, when the Facebook post surfaced days later, he said he was completely caught off guard.
Days later, Ted received an abusive call out of the blue and five threatening texts from the couple, including a horrific remark he can’t forget. (This screenshot was obtained by the Daily Mail upon request)
‘On the night [of the wedding] they were both very happy [with] lots of hugs, lots of gratitude, everything was fine. Then a few days later, I got a call from them that was quite abusive.
‘When someone says to you that you should “go out and kill yourself,” I was horrified.’
What followed were five threatening text messages – screenshots of which Ted showed to Daily Mail for proof of the unprovoked verbal attack.
‘I didn’t respond, but I stayed calm. I just thought, replying would only add fuel to the fire… and can only assume they were looking for a refund.’
The online pile-on, however, had already begun. The Facebook post quickly drew hundreds of comments, and when Ted’s friends and past clients saw it, they immediately reached out in shock.
‘This is not the Ted we know and love,’ one fellow celebrant echoed, and although the outpouring of support has been warming, he admitted the ordeal has left him speechless.
Daily Mail Australia reached out to the couple directly for comment but did not receive a response. (Pictured: Ted working as a celebrant at an unrelated wedding)
‘It’s really hurtful, because I pride myself on being professional and kind. To see people believe something that’s so far from the truth, it’s devastating.
As for the infamous photo of him appearing to dig his finger into the cake, Ted laughed at the absurdity of it.
‘One hundred percent, that’s me,’ he admitted of the photo accompanying the now-infamous Facebook post, but he insists he wasn’t eating it.
‘They had two cakes – one they cut for photos, and another that guests actually ate. I was helping the bar staff move the display cake out of the way.’
‘I just got a bit of icing on my finger while moving it and licked it off. I probably should’ve grabbed a napkin, but it wasn’t what people think.’
Despite the ordeal, Ted says he’s had an otherwise spotless six-year career and countless five-star reviews from happy couples.
‘I’ve never had a complaint before. Most of my work comes from word of mouth [and] that’s how I’ve built my whole business.’
Daily Mail contacted the couple directly for comment but did not receive a response.
