From intern to wedding expert: business graduate turns dream job into reality

Words: Caitlin Lea
Published: 12 May 2025

They may not be your average wedding guests, but if you want to say your vows alongside a mob of grazing kangaroos, or with some of Australia’s most beautiful species of birds flying in the trees above you, then business graduate Katie Stopher can help you arrange it.

As Wedding and Events Coordinator at Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary, every day is different.

“The lead up to an event involves a lot of planning including meetings, site inspections, budgets and logistics. I also get the fun task of taking potential couples to look at the Sanctuary’s different wedding locations. They can have their ceremony in a large aviary surrounded by beautiful birds, or deep in the Sanctuary under a magnificent fig tree,” Katie said.

Katie’s dream job began as a three-month internship while she was studying the Bachelor of Business in Tourism and Hospitality (now Bachelor of Business) at Southern Cross University.

“I really wanted to try something different and work somewhere that had meaning. I’ve always loved animals so when the advert popped up, I applied straight away. After my internship I worked as an Events Administrative Assistant, to Event Coordinator, to now Wedding and Events Coordinator,” Katie said.

Work Integrated Learning is a strong focus for business students at Southern Cross, with units in community-engaged learning and industry projects. Students are also required to undertake a minimum of 225 internship hours.

“Students studying business undertake either one or two internship units. This is an important component of the degree as it gives them the ability to apply what they have learned and contribute in an authentic work setting. It also gives them an insight into the role and industry they may be suited to and will thrive in once they have graduated,” said Associate Professor John Haw, Head of Business at Southern Cross University.

Katie’s former manager, Nick Santy, now the Senior Events Coordinator at HOTA (Home of the Arts) on the Gold Coast, said Katie’s full-time appointment in the Sanctuary’s events team was a reflection of her passion and enthusiasm for the event industry, and wealth of knowledge in event and stakeholder management.

“Katie is a go-to for many staff within the Sanctuary. She takes a lot on her plate and always maintains her cool, calm composure and completes every task given to her,” he said.

In 2024, Katie was recognised at the Wedding Industry Awards, placing in the top three wedding coordinators on the Gold Coast. She was also awarded Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary’s employee of the year in 2022.

“Katie has a knack for being able to connect with couples when they come to site. Her passion and enthusiasm for their special day and passion for the Sanctuary can be felt by all,” Nick Santy said.

“This enthusiasm resonates with clients and puts them in a position where they feel that they are in the best hands possible for their wedding.”

For Katie, the most rewarding part of her job is contributing to a worthwhile cause.

Katie chose to study at Southern Cross University due to its location, reputation and smaller campus.

“The small class sizes and more personalised learning experience were fantastic, unlike other universities where you could get lost in the crowd,” she said.

“I also found my work-life-study balance easy to maintain while studying at Southern Cross because of the flexible learning options and student support available.”

Find out more about studying Business at Southern Cross University.