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Wedding Ceremonies PDF Print E-mail

Let the Celebrations Begin!

It is an important day! It is your ceremony.  By choosing a celebrant you have the choice of making your ceremony sincere, exciting, joyful and fun. Whether you are looking for the traditional or the unusual or something simple in between, I offer a personal service. By working together we can create an individual wedding ceremony that truly reflects the two of you! A Civil Wedding Ceremony allows you the freedom to hold your Ceremony anywhere you like. The ideal location for your ceremony would be your favourite park, beach, or garden. If you plan to have your ceremony in a public garden such as the Wollongong Botanical Gardens, or at Audley Weir in the Sydney National Park, or on your local beach such as Seven Mile Beach at Gerroa, it is important to make sure you get permission from the appropriate authority. You should receive a letter in writing from this authority stating the day and time you have permission to use the facility. You can then give a copy of this to me and I will keep it with your records and bring it on the day to show to any appropriate authority if asked.

What I provide

My personal promise to you is to make sure you are legally married whilst providing a friendly, professional service that is intimate, personal and modern.Once your booking is confirmed and deposit made you are entitled to unlimited consultations with me, whether they are in person on the phone 0412128875 or via email at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it .

 

  • I will attend to all legal paperwork.
  • I will loan you my “Wedding Planner” which will help you put your ceremony together. This planner contains sample ceremonies as well as vows and verses. Apart from the two legal aspects within your ceremony you are given complete choice of your ceremony. I am there to help and guide you and make sure you are aware of all your options.
  • I will create your personalised, individual Ceremony and give you a commemorative copy.
  • I will guarantee that no other wedding will be booked close to yours. I arrive early to ensure everything is just as we planned.
  • I will register your wedding with Births, Deaths and Marriages online within 24 hours after your ceremony.
  • I will provide a table, chair and tablecloth if required, for the signing of the legal documents.
  • I have a professional PA system to ensure everyone can hear the entire ceremony.
  • I have a walkman that I can attach to my PA system for the playing of music.
  • I will encourage you to have a rehearsal.
  • I don’t race off after your ceremony, trying to get to another ceremony. I do not book weddings back to back, I am there to give you my best attention.
  • Lodgement of your application to Birth Deaths and Marriages for a commemorative Marriage Certificate or standard certificate. This will help with the bride changing her name on legal documents. I ask that you pay me the fee required by Births Deaths and Marriages.
  • There are no surprises with my fee. According to your requirements, I will quote you a fee upfront and that is what you pay. No hidden costs.

 

Steps Involved

Initial Contact

Your first contact is to initially establish if I am available. I can chat to you over the phone or come and meet with you in your home. There is no cost for this initial meeting. This is where you get the chance to “check me out”. At this initial meeting I will go through all the legal requirements of getting married and what I can offer you. We can then chat about any ideas you may have and how I can help you achieve them. If you prefer you can send me an email and I can send you an information brochure.Some couples are happy at this point, to book me and continue with the meeting (this then turns into the initial meeting). Other couples like to think about it and call the next day to confirm.

Initial Meeting

 
At this meeting we start to complete the first legal document – the Notice of Intended Marriage Form. I will provide the paper work, or if you would like to look at this document you can download it from the Attorney General’s website. To complete the NOIM, if you were born in Australia you will need to provide your original Birth Certificates.For people born outside of Australia we require a current Passport or a Birth Certificate.The NOIM MUST to be lodged 1 month and 1 day prior to the intended marriage date. A shorter period under very special circumstances may be arranged by applying to the prescribed authority – your local court or Registry Officials. Considerations are given for:
 
  • Employment related or other travel commitments
  • Wedding or celebration arrangements or religious considerations
  • Medical Reasons
  • Legal proceedings
  • Error in giving notice * (this relates only to error on the part of the celebrant)


If one of the parties is under the age of 18 a parent’s consent on the required form and a court order under Section 12 of the Marriage Act must be provided.On completion of the NOIM I would like you to pay me a non-refundable deposit.Once the NOIM is completed I will then go through my personal booking sheet with you to ensure I get all details about your ceremony and your requirements.


I will then talk to you about your ceremony and go through my “Wedding Planner” with you. I will leave this with you or organise a time to come back and see you closer to your wedding to go through this.

Subsequent Contacts

I am available to discuss your ceremony with you. If you need any additional suggestion or ideas let me know. I will complete a draft of your ceremony and either, email, post or deliver it to you personally. You will need to check all details of the draft carefully, for example, spelling of names and let me know of any changes.

Rehearsal

I have never thought of having a wedding without a rehearsal, but this will depend on the ceremony you are having. It is preferable to have your rehearsal at the venue at the same time as your wedding if possible. However, this depends on the venue’s availability and the distance of travel. We can always have a rehearsal in the garage or garden of yours or your parent’s homes. It is a good idea to ask every person taking part in the ceremony to attend – bridal party, parents, person who is pressing the walkman for the music and the readers. However, I do understand this may not be possible with people who are travelling, so we can discuss this.Some of the things we may need to go through at the rehearsal are:

  • The position of the sun and the best place for the ceremony to take place.
  • How to handle any outside interferences such as road noises.
  • Where to place any props such as the table and chair for signing of the legal documents and the microphone for the readers.
  • When to start and stop the music.
  • Where you would like your guests to stand/sit.
  • How you will greet each other.
  • How you will stand during the ceremony for example during the vows.
  • I will go through the ceremony but do not usually use the exact wording as I think the actual ceremony is part of making your wedding day special.

The above may not seem necessary for a simple service however it does help to reduce the nerves you may potentially experience on the day. It also gives you an opportunity to get a feel for how your ceremony will flow and for you to make the best use of your location. I will also ask you to sign a Form 14 Declarations, which I would have prepared for you. A Statutory Declaration, stating that there is no reason why you shouldn't marry. I also ask that the full account be settled and my “Wedding Planner” is returned at this point.

Your Wedding Day

 
My role on the day is to coordinate with all involved (including your guests, photographer, musicians, venue organizers etc) and ensure that you are calm and relaxed. The idea is that you should enjoy your wedding day you shouldn't have to worry about anything. I will arrive at least 45 minutes before the service to help welcome your guests and make sure that all is in order. I do my sound check, check the music, make sure the venue has everything ready for you, and then relax and wait for your arrival.I will be familiar with your ceremony and speak slowly and clearly in a sincere manner. I will provide you with your Wedding Certificate and a printed copy of your ceremony. After presenting you with your Wedding Certificate, I usually give these to one of the couple’s mothers as discussed with you. I won’t race off after your ceremony, trying to get to another ceremony. I am there to give you my best attention and ensure you are legally married.


Following the service

Within 24 hours I will lodge your marriage with eMarriages at Birth Deaths and Marriages.  I will then lodge the original paperwork as requested by Birth Deaths and Marriages at the end of the month. If you have asked me to lodge your application for a commemorative or standard marriage certificate I will process this electronically with eMarriages as well and the document/s will be posted to your postal address. I always appreciate any feed back you can offer, so you can complete the form I give you and post it to me. Please contact me if you would like to discuss any variations to the service I can provide. I am more than happy to meet up with you for a chat.

If you have any questions don't hesitate to contact me.

 

 

 

 


 
 
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