When should we book our Celebrant?
Book your Celebrant as soon as you have decided on the date, time and ceremony location. This way you won’t miss out on your chosen Celebrant.
Can we get married straight away?
Normally you’ll have to wait at least a month, unless your reason for getting married sooner falls into one of the below categories:
♡ Employment related or other travel commitments
♡ Wedding or celebration arrangements, or religious considerations
♡ Medical reasons
♡ Legal proceedings
♡ Error in giving notice.
If so, you’ll have to apply for a ‘Shortening of Time’ with your local court.
How long should our ceremony be?
The duration of a ceremony is normally around 30 minutes – after this time your guests may get a bit squirmish and fidgety and we may lose their attention. And you can certainly make it shorter – so long as we include all the legal bits! The duration depends on the content, which is chosen by you.
Can we write our own vows?
Yes, one or both of you can write your own vows. It’s a very worthwhile investment, and I have a step-by-step guide that’ will make writing your own vows a little easier.
What documents will we need?
I’ll need to sight your driver’s license (or photo ID), and originals of either your birth certificates or passports. If you’ve been married before, I’ll need to sight the Divorce Order or death certificate (of the last person you were married to, not all previous marriages).
What if we don't have the original documentation?
If you were born/previously married in Australia:
♡ Birth/death certificate: apply to the Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages in the state of which the birth or death occurred.
♡ Divorce Order: apply to the Family Law Court in the state in which your marriage was dissolved.
Do we have to have a bridal party?
Just as the wedding ceremony is a tradition, so too is the use of bridal parties. Ancient Roman law required 10 witnesses to be present at a wedding ceremony. They had to all dress like the bride and groom to confuse vengeful spirits (or real-life jealous suitors) who might try to harm the newlyweds. Imagine!
It’s certainly not a legal requirement, but a nice tradition that these days is more about including close family and/or friends to support you leading up to and on your wedding day. They may assist you with logistics like sourcing outfits, picking up the flowers, liaising with or booking vendors, helping you get dressed etc.
Here are a few questions answered:
♡ You can have as many or few people in your bridal party
♡ You don’t have to have the same number of people for the bride/groom
♡ The groom can have females in his party; the bride can have males in her party
♡ Their outfits don’t have to match
♡ They don’t need to be single.
♡ You don’t require a ‘Best Man’ or a ‘Maid of Honour’
♡ You can elect not to have a bridal party.
Almost everything about your wedding day is really up to you.
It seems very overwhelming; can we just elope?
The logistics of organising a wedding can be quite overwhelming. While I do everything I can to remove some of those stressors for you, I’m not a miracle worker. So if eloping is what you’d like to do, I can absolutely help you out. All we need to do is complete some forms and have two people, who are 18 or over as witnesses.
How many guests can we/are we required to have?
You can have a minimum of two (they must be 18 or over). There is no maximum, but if you’re planning on much more than 100 you’ll need to source a PA or sound system that will allow all your guests to hear the ceremony.
Can my friend/family member conduct the ceremony?
In short, yes. I am happy to allow your ceremony to be conducted by someone else, however there are parts of the wedding that I must conduct in order for your wedding to be legal.
Do Brides reuire a female witness and Grooms a male witness?
No, so long as your witnesses are over 18 they can be whomever you choose.
Should/can our witnesses be family?
There is no stipulation on who your witnesses are. So long as your witnesses are over 18 they can be whomever you choose.
Do we have to memorise our vows?
There is a lot of emotion on the day of a wedding. If you’re confident you can deliver your vows by memory, then absolutely. Alternatively, you can repeat after me on the day.
When should I pay my deposit?
Payment of the deposit secures my services for your chosen date, so to avoid disappointment I suggest paying your deposit as soon as possible.
Can I pay your ceremony fee in instalments?
Absolutely - so long as full payment is received 7 days prior to your ceremony.
What will you wear?
I will dress to suit the formality/informality of your wedding. And I’ll check the colours of your bridal party to ensure I complement your bridal party, not blend in.
Can we have a rehearsal?
Absolutely. I prefer to have a rehearsal just so I know the venue and to go through logistics for the day. We generally won’t go through the entire ceremony, unless you’d like to.
What happens if we postpone our wedding?
The Notice of Intended Marriage is valid for 18months – I am more than happy to reschedule to your preferred date.
What happens if you're sick on the day of our ceremony?
I will make every effort to be there on your day, but in the event of serious illness (and I’d have to be on Death’s door!) or unforeseen circumstances arise, I have a wonderful group of like-minded Celebrants that I can call on who can perform your ceremony.
What if we are late for the ceremony?
When you book with me, yours is the only ceremony I officiate on that day. This is so that if, for whatever reason we’re running over time, and it does happen, you don’t have to stress. I am yours for the whole day!
What name do I sign on the day of the ceremony?
The name you had the morning of the ceremony...you're not married just yet!
How do I change my name after I'm married?
Once you’re married, one or both of you may wish to change your surname. Note that this isn’t a legal requirement.
The first step is to obtain a Marriage Certificate from the Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages in the state you were married. I will issue you a certificate on the day, but this can’t be used to legally change your name.
I can help you with this application. In fact, I can submit it, along with your wedding paperwork after the day of your wedding. It normally takes about two weeks to get to you, but in peak times it may take a little longer.
Once you’ve received your Marriage Certificate from Births, Deaths and Marriages, you can use this as evidence to change your name with organisations that require evidence, such as relevant transport offices, banks, passport office, Medicare, Australian Taxation Office, Australian Electoral Commission etc.
Note that you can still travel on a valid passport in your previous/maiden name, so when booking your honeymoon tickets, book in your maiden name.
Do I have to change my name after I'm married?
There is no legal requirement for you to change your name.