Reception seating plans
The layout and size of your venue may determine your reception seating plans for family and friends but it’s worth bearing in mind that you do have options. Your venue co-ordinator should be able to provide you with several floor plans so that you can choose the one that suits you best and which can accommodate your guests as well as other things such as a dance floor, band/DJ, cake station or lolly buffet etc. ♥ Round Tables Round tables to seat, say, 8-10 people, are great for getting everyone chatting. Your guests will have good eye...
read more10 biggest things brides forget!
A wedding can be small and intimate, a big glitzy affair or something in between. Whichever one you choose, here are a few things which some brides may forget in all the excitement. Now that you know them, they shouldn’t happen to you! 1. Start planning early Even if your wedding is months or over a year away, it’s always a good idea to have a checklist of things to be done and tick items off the list regularly. In Australia, a Notice of Intended Marriage can be lodged with a celebrant between one and 18 months before a marriage but some...
read morePayment plan when booking me as your celebrant
After becoming engaged, one of the first items on a couple’s list of things to do is to book their celebrant. This of course is crucial as, without a celebrant, there would be an amazing party but no wedding! Unless there are exceptional circumstances (such as a morning plus an afternoon or evening wedding), I only accept one booking per day so that I can focus on each couple. This means I’m not rushing to or straight from a venue with my mind on performing two or three ceremonies in quick succession. Arriving in good time before the ceremony...
read moreLove notes & keeping a journal
There are a variety of ways you can write about your love for your partner in the lead up to your wedding. Not only do they provide you with a means to express beautiful sentiments to one another but they can remind you of the experiences you’ve shared and the emotions you felt at the time. They also allow you, when you know someone intimately, to keep a record of your feelings which can be read and re-read over and over rather than just having your experiences committed to memory. ♥ Love Notes These can be written on little cards, or...
read moreBridal expos ~ what to expect
Bridal expos are a fantastic way to get a snapshot of current trends and to meet with many of your local suppliers. Here’s a list of what to expect: ♥ You will be able to chat, obligation free, with a range of wedding suppliers including celebrants, decorators, jewellers, florists, photographers, venues, wedding car hire companies, health professionals, cake makers, photo booth operators etc. This is an opportunity to ask as many questions as you like and see if you would feel comfortable with this person being part of your big day. ♥ You...
read moreShortening of time to marry
The shortest time I have been approached by a couple requesting a “shortening of time” to marry was 10 days. The application was successful as the prescribed authority deemed the reason for the shortening of time fell into one of the following categories. If you feel that your circumstances also meet one of the following categories, please feel free to contact me for further information regarding my availability on your chosen date. Five Reasons There are only five reasons a prescribed authority may allow a couple to marry...
read more“Giving away” the bride
Here are some ideas for “giving away” the bride on your wedding day … Tradition Centuries ago, fathers did actually “give away” their daughters when they married into the care of their new husband as daughters were considered their “property” until then. Women in those days had no source of income and were totally reliant on their family or husband for all their needs. What happens now Nowadays, the bride’s father will usually (although not always) walk the bride down the aisle and deliver her to the groom,...
read moreWhat documents will we need to get married?
In order for a marriage to be legal in Australia, your celebrant is required to sight certain documents before your marriage can take place. There are several key pieces of information that must be provided which are (i) the date and place of birth of both parties and (ii) proof of identity of both parties. The documents which are commonly produced by both parties to meet these requirements are an original birth certificate or an original birth extract and a driver’s licence or a passport. There may be other circumstances which require...
read moreToasts ~ A quick guide
The who, what & when … A special occasion often calls for one or more toasts to be made. This allows those who have played a key role in the event to be publicly acknowledged and thanked. At a wedding, there are several toasts which are traditionally made but, like many things, these have changed over time and there are no hard and fast rules about which ones to include. As a guide, work on each speech being somewhere between 3-5 minutes in length. ♥ The first toast is normally to the bride and is made by the best man He will usually...
read moreDo we need a wedding rehearsal?
According to the Code of Practice for Marriage Celebrants, a wedding ceremony rehearsal must be provided to all couples who request one. Usually, I would arrange this a week or two before the wedding. ♥ Practise “walking the walk” It’s a great opportunity for your wedding party to practise walking up to the groom (assuming he’s not arriving on the arm of the bride) and is particularly useful when there are younger people, such as flower girls, in the bridal party so that they feel at ease with how fast they should walk and where they...
read morePlanning a long distance wedding
The legislation in Australia applies equally to marriages involving persons who are not Australian citizens as it does to marriages involving one or two Australians. As an authorised marriage celebrant, I usually meet with couples three times before their wedding – at an initial meeting, then at a follow up meeting, then at the rehearsal; however, there is absolutely no reason why a rapport cannot be developed with a couple planning to marry with everything organised long distance. Foreign Nationals Marrying in Australia It is...
read moreRegistering your marriage
What is the process? Since 1 July 2014, a new system called LifeLink, introduced by the Registry of Births Deaths & Marriages in NSW, allows celebrants the option of lodging online the official paperwork for each marriage they have conducted in NSW so they can be officially registered. As per the Marriage Act 1961, this must occur within two weeks of the marriage. The paperwork includes a scanned copy of the Notice of Intended Marriage, the Declaration of No Impediment to Marriage and the official Certificate of Marriage after the...
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