Weddings
A unique and personal marriage ceremony is one of the most important aspects of your wedding day. By choosing an experienced celebrant you can be sure that the ceremony will flow smoothly and that the words will be delivered with clarity and warmth. As your celebrant, I give you my word that I will make every endeavor to make yourselves, your wedding party and your guests feel comfortable and relaxed and therefore able to enjoy your special day.
You will be offered a choice of ceremony, - carefully chosen words to suit the occasion. You will be encouraged to write your own vows or poetry if you so desire, or you can choose from my vast collection. Relatives and friends are welcome to be involved in reading the poems. But please may I ask that you acknowledge the author if known. Some of my favourite poems for weddings are:-
By choosing a civil marriage ceremony you are not confined to any one particular venue. The choice of venue is limited only by your imagination. It can be in your own home or garden, at a wedding reception centre, hotel, restaurant, wedding chapel, or at the beach or in public parks and gardens. For the latter, a booking is often necessary and in some cases a fee is applicable. Visit National Parks web site. Beach weddings are often less formal and are bound by some restrictions and considerations. If you are planning a beach wedding you must consult your local council for permission and do consider the tides! You also need to remember that it is particularly hard to walk on sand so you must allow for comfortable shoes. Sand can also pose a problem for prams and wheelchairs. Remember too that the bridal party and guests will be standing for the duration of the ceremony, often in full sun, so if you aren't providing shelter, perhaps you can suggest on the invitation that guests should bring umbrellas.
To make your ceremony a little more interesting you might like to include a candle ceremony, warming of the rings ceremony, Sand Ceremony, rose ceremony or handbinding (tying the knot) ceremony.
The Marriage Act requires that you complete your Notice of Intended Marriage at least one month and a day prior to the wedding, but it is never too early to book your celebrant. Each couple must lodge with me a Notice of Intended Marriage. I will provide this, or you might like to download one from the Australian Government Web Site. To do this click here. (or the PDF file icon in the left column). I suggest that once you have set your date and time the celebrant should be the next booking you make. The Notice of Intended Marriage is valid for 18 months from the date it is signed.
What you do next?
When you book with me an appointment will be made for you to visit my office to complete the Notice of Intended Marriage. At this meeting you will be asked to provide:
- Birth Certificate or Extract of Birth Entry for both parties
- If either party has been previously married, proof of how the marriage ended, i.e. Decree Absolute or Death Certificate, must be sighted by the Celebrant. This must be an original document, not a photocopy.
- A deposit of $100 is required to confirm the booking at time of lodging the Notice of Intended Marriage. Payment can be made by clicking on the Paymate Icon at the bottom of this page if you so desire to pay by credit card, or you can pay by Netbank - email me for my a/c details. Other methods of payment are cash in person, or money order/cheque by post.
My fee covers -
- The supply of and lodgement of all legal documents.
- A calligraphied Certificate of Marriage.
- A well-presented copy of your ceremony as a keepsake.
- My time and travel and a promise to deliver your wedding ceremony in a professional, warm and dignified manner.
Overseas partner
If the person you wish to marry is presently living overseas you can still go ahead and organise your marriage. Only one party has to be present to sign the Notice of Intended Marriage. The other party can sign the form when he or she arrives in the country prior to the marriage.
Fiancé Visa (Prospective Spouse Visa)
If you are planning to marry a person who resides in another country and is not an Australian citizen you need to make an appointment with me to complete your Notice of Intended Marriage. Once this is done I will provide you with a letter addressed to the appropriate authority in such country advising that I am available to officiate at the marriage on a certain date, and this letter will assist your fiancé in obtaining a visa to enter the country to marry under the Partner Migration Program.
Overseas clients
If you are living overseas and planning to come to be married in Australia there are a number of steps to follow. Click here for more information.
Pre-marriage counselling
To give your marriage the best start you might like to consider pre-marriage counselling.
NEW! Payment can now be made to me by credit card, clicking on the Paymate Express icon underneath this text or by Netbank (email me for account details if you prefer this method).
Pay with Paymate Express
To download my brochure click here
Contact me by phone on 5995 6358 or email
