When exchanging vows during your wedding ceremony, most couples opt to include two kinds … their legal vows (which must be said by both parties), followed by their personal vows.

 Legal vows

For a marriage to be considered legal in Australia, one of the things each couple must do is state the following minimum words, taken from subsection 45(2) of the Marriage Act 1961, during their wedding ceremony:

“I call upon the persons here present to witness that I (insert name of Party 1 – in full if not mentioned in full elsewhere) take thee (insert name of Party 2 – in full if not mentioned in full elsewhere) to be my lawful wedded (insert “husband”, “wife” or “spouse”.)

Section 5.7.7 on page 70 of the Guidelines on the Marriage Act includes the substitution of limited words in the vows which still allow a marriage to be considered legal, specifically:

• “husband” or “wife” or “spouse”’ may be changed to “partner in marriage”
• “call upon” may be changed to “ask”
• “persons” may be changed to “people”
• “thee” may be changed to “you”
• “persons” here present” may be changed to “everyone here” or “everybody here” or “everyone
  present here” or “everybody present here”, or
• the couple may leave out either “lawful” or “wedded”, but not both.

 Personal vows

While including personal vows at this point in the ceremony is optional, most people choose to add their own. If this is the case, I always encourage couples to keep their vows “secret” from each other as this is an extra special moment in the ceremony for them.

Most of us are not accustomed to making impromptu promises like these without careful thought beforehand so I recommend couples write something ahead of time. This is because:

• some people get quite emotional on the day and would be unable to deliver their promises with any clarity if they felt there was an added pressure to speak in an impromptu way;
• by writing their vows ahead of time when they are relaxed and thinking clearly, each person knows that what they really want to say on the day will be expressed and they won’t have to rely on their memory or being creative at such a significant time in the ceremony;
• each person has time to include a combination of traditional, romantic or, perhaps, funny elements if they wish;
• the words are always a beautiful surprise for their partner; and
• by sending me the vows ahead of time, I’m able to type up a vow card for each person to read from which then becomes a beautiful keepsake from the day (without this, particularly if your ceremony is not videoed, you wouldn’t have a record of what you promised to each other.)

If you need any help writing your personal vows, please feel free to ask. I can give you some starting phrases to which you can add your personal touch. If writing your personal vows is not an option, I include sample vows in the resource folder I lend to each couple and you’re welcome to use one of these, or a combination of phrases from a number of these, in your ceremony.

If you’d like me to read through what you send to me and let you know if the words flow or if, perhaps, a minor change here and there will help the meaning, that’s not a problem. This is not to change the sentiment but allows you to have another pair of eyes to read over what you’ve written and hopefully give you peace of mind.

I usually find, once it’s quiet and you’re in a comfortable place, the words will start to flow. If you think about the things you love about your partner, what your hopes are for your future life together and how much your partner means to you, you will hopefully have all the ingredients for writing beautiful words from the heart.

To read further information on writing and exchanging your vows, head over to my earlier Blog post called “A Promise Is a Promise”.

070 ~ 31/01/2020

© Lindy Cooke Celebrant

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Arranging a wedding, no matter how simple or lavish it is, requires planning. From the moment you and your partner decide to tie the knot, certain decisions will need to be made. What date? Which venue? How to incorporate my style? How many guests? Sustainable or not? These days, more focus is being paid to ethical wedding ideas so as to make less of an impact on the environment.

Some things to consider are:

 Flowers

• If you love the idea of fresh flowers, sourcing them from a provider which uses companion planting, rather than pesticides, to create healthy flower stock is a great way of limiting the amount of poisons in the air.
• Preserving your bouquet (or at least some of it) will provide an ongoing and beautiful keepsake.
• Rather than a sheaf of flowers, choosing a single stem flower like a long-stemmed rose, or something big like a protea or sunflower with trailing ribbons attached, will also lessen the impact on the environment.
• Opting for a flower crown which you or someone else has made, rather than a bouquet.
• You could also look at alternatives such as fabric or paper bouquets.
• Choosing eco-friendly confetti such as dried flower petals, lavender, or leaves which have been cut into shapes with a heart punch.
• Incorporating potted plants such as palm trees to decorate your wedding and reception space.
• Using succulents you have cultivated yourself as your bonbonniere.

 Stationery

Using recycled paper to produce all your wedding stationery is a beautiful way to re-purpose something that would, otherwise, go to landfill. You can add raw cotton threads, tiny sprigs of flowers, seeds, or impressions from a variety of stamps. Think about:

• Save the dates
• Invitations
• Orders of service
• Place cards
• Thank you notes
• Bonbonniere in the form of paper hearts scattered with flower or herb seeds that can be planted by your guests after your wedding

Beautiful stationery like the examples pictured can be sourced from an amazing local business, Born in Paper, which is based in the Byron hinterland. It produces environmentally friendly products, hand-made with love from recycled office paper. Their range includes seeded paper, card or letter writing stock, invitations and cherished hand-bound note books and journals. For further information, contact Susan on 0423 261-588 or email hello@borninpaper.com.au

 Transport

Thinking about ways to transport family and friends to/from your wedding venue is another way to reduce your carbon footprint. Holding your reception at the same location is an added bonus and gives you more time, too, for photos in between.

You can arrange one or more pickup locations with a local bus company who will return everyone safely to that location at the end of the evening. It’s a great way to get everyone chatting en route!

In the Northern Rivers area, there’s a fabulous company known as Byron Bay Double Decker Bus. This is the home of the “Magic Bus”, two vintage double decker buses available for group transport. Imagine arriving in one of these and the amazing photo opportunities it would provide!

 Rings

It’s worth considering whether something sparkly and new is your thing or whether a beautiful vintage ring would hold more sentiment for you. There may be a family heirloom, full of precious memories, that you’d love to have as your engagement ring, or perhaps you’d like to re-use the stones in a new setting.

 Hire vs buy

These days, there are unlimited opportunities to hire or buy second hand. Perhaps some of the following are areas you can consider:

• Your wedding dress, suits etc.
• Your table linen
• Decorations including your arbour, welcome sign, easels etc.
• Furniture such as bar tables, sofas and comfortable chairs for lounging etc.

 Style of wedding

Choosing the style of wedding, reception and honeymoon you’d like to have will play a big part in your decision-making too. Have you thought about:

• The time of your wedding. You may like to consider a grazing table or cocktail style finger food, rather than a 3 course sit-down meal using china plates and cutlery which have to be washed after the event.
• A picnic style wedding breakfast or lunch with food/drinks presented in jars and displayed on tables or at ground level on pallets. An alternative is to arrange a variety of tasty treats for each guest in recycled cardboard containers (around the size of a cake box.)
• An elopement or micro wedding.
• Exploring your own country rather than travelling overseas for your honeymoon.
• Choosing accommodation that is eco-friendly. There are many resort style options but you could also consider going off grid with no phones or wifi and just fresh air and countryside. Or perhaps glamping, or a relaxed farm or beach stay appeals to you.

~     ~     ~

As you can see, there are multiple opportunities for using ethical wedding ideas for your special day. You, your guests and the planet will appreciate it!

069 ~ 31/12/2019

© Lindy Cooke Celebrant

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We all love a celebration and, for many people, alcohol plays a big part in having fun. There is, however, one occasion when being drunk in love may cause you more of a headache than you bargained on!

 Guidelines on the Marriage Act

The current Guidelines are based on the Marriage Act 1961. They apply to all authorised celebrants who solemnise marriages in Australia, unless otherwise stated.

8.6.4 Concerns about consent

On p. 90, the Guidelines specifically refer to the fact that a celebrant must be satisfied that both parties genuinely consent to the marriage. If at any point they are unsure of the genuine consent of either party, they should not solemnise the marriage. They go on to say:

“For example, if alcohol or drugs are involved, the party should be displaying a reasonable level of comprehension or understanding of the nature and effect of marriage. A person who has had an alcoholic drink prior to the ceremony but is not inebriated is most likely to be able to be in a position to consent to the marriage.

However, a person who is intoxicated is unlikely to be in a position to form the necessary understanding of the nature and effect of marriage. It is an authorised celebrant’s responsibility to refuse to proceed with the solemnisation of the marriage if the parties are so affected by drugs and/or alcohol that the marriage would be void due to a lack of consent.

Ultimately, this is something that can only be determined on the day and requires the individual judgment of the celebrant. The celebrant may wish to offer to conduct a commitment ceremony, with the legal marriage being performed at a later date.”

The celebrant must also be satisfied that the legal witnesses are also in a fit state to provide evidence (if called upon) to establish the identity of the parties or to testify as to the circumstances in which the ceremony was performed.

 Ramifications

Taking into account:

• the expense outlayed when preparing for a wedding;
• the potential extra fee that would be charged by the celebrant if solemnising the marriage were postponed to later that day (or another day) and a Commitment Ceremony were performed on what was to have been the wedding day;
• the embarrassment to the couple concerned, as well as their family and friends; and
• the serious ramifications to the marriage celebrant if they were to proceed with solemnising a marriage under these circumstances;

it can be seen that this is not an issue to be taken lightly.

 The legalities

Of course, once the legalities have been attended to, the party can get started! The key things that must be included for any marriage ceremony to be legal are:

• consent;
• both parties must be 18+ years of age (unless special permission from an authorised person is given to one of the parties if they are under that age);
• the couple must have lodged a Notice of Intended Marriage a minimum of 1 month (up to 18 months) prior to their marriage (unless a shortening of time has been granted);
• the celebrant must sight the couple’s proof of date and place of birth as well as their identity prior to the marriage;
• the celebrant must witness the couple’s signatures on a document entitled the “Declaration of No Legal Impediment to Marriage” prior to the marriage taking place;
• the Monitum must be stated by the celebrant during the ceremony;
• the celebrant must state their name;
• the full names of the couple must be stated at least once during the ceremony;
• the legal vows must be stated by the couple during the ceremony;
• two people, over the age of 18, must witness and be able to hear the ceremony before they, the couple and the celebrant each sign three Certificates of Marriage; and
• the marriage must be registered with the Registry of Births Deaths & Marriages in the state/territory in which it occurred within 14 days of the date of the ceremony.

The notion of being drunk in love (meaning so in love that you feel intoxicated) is perhaps a safer way to go. This will ensure that, at the end of your wedding day, you will be legally married and have had an amazing time celebrating with those you love.

068 ~ 30/11/2019

© Lindy Cooke Celebrant

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In the lead up to any wedding, there will almost always be a range of suppliers to contact and arrangements to be made. Everything from your venue, photographer, wedding attire, cake maker, florist, decorator, music and transport options right down to distributing your invitations. But … when you consider that there is one person essential to any wedding (other than the couple and their two witnesses), many question “when is it too early to book my celebrant?”

My answer to this question is “soon after you have set your date.” The reason for this is that, unlike a cake maker for instance, who can bake and deliver several cakes for a number of weddings on the same day, perhaps all scheduled for 3pm, a celebrant can only be in the one place at the one time. So, once booked, that particular time slot with, say, a couple of hours either side, is unavailable for anyone else.

Popular dates in wedding season naturally book out fast. Add to that bookings for other ceremonies that they may take in advance such as Naming Days, Renewal of Vows and Commitment Ceremonies, and timing becomes even more of an issue.

The first steps

In Australia, couples must lodge a Notice of Intended Marriage from 1 month and up to 18 months before they are able to marry unless they are granted what’s called a shortening of time. This only occurs in very limited circumstances (refer my earlier blog post on this topic.) While the vast majority of couples make contact within this 18 month period, some who are keen to lock in their preferred supplier will get in touch outside this time frame. If this occurs, I am happy to accept a booking fee to hold your date/time and, once we’re within the 18 month period, catch up to complete the initial paperwork.

At our first meeting, I’ll step you through the legal elements, discuss a timeline in the lead up to your big day and provide you with a resource folder containing useful information and ideas. From there, we’ll make arrangements to catch up again closer to your wedding day so that everything we plan is fresh and exciting and not something you’ve mulled over for a long period.

I would say the 3 key things to do early are to book (i) your celebrant; (ii) your venue; and (iii) your photographer. Once you have the “who” and the “where” in place, you can confidently move onto all the other areas essential to your big day.

The Lennox Weddings & Events Collective is a local community of like-minded business owners specialising in weddings and events. They each have a passion for providing the very best service. As a member, I can put you in touch with local wedding suppliers I’d recommend who will cover most, if not all, of your requirements. You’ll find further information on this amazing group of people here.

What’s next?

One of the things I provide in my resource folder is a wedding checklist. This is broken down into time periods:

• As soon as possible after your engagement
• Two months ahead
• One month ahead
• One to two weeks ahead
• On your return from your honeymoon

Of course, everyone’s vision for their wedding day is different, so this checklist is by no means definitive; rather it’s there for you to read over to see if there’s something you haven’t thought about yet. The key to ticking things off your list is to do a little as early and as often as you are able to. Accept help from a trusted few if it’s becoming overwhelming and you’ll definitely lessen the amount of jobs that fall on your shoulders. The plan is to reach the final weeks leading up to your wedding day knowing that everything has been arranged, checked and double-checked.

A big part of what I do as a celebrant is to schedule dates in my calendar to check in with each of my couples. This is so that things don’t stall and you’re able to step through any decision-making without a last minute panic. While the prospect of organising everything may seem daunting in the beginning, like anything, if you make a list and tick off items on a regular basis, you’ll see progress early on and, in most cases, really enjoy this exciting time in your life.

Making it happen

Helping to make someone’s big day as stress-free as possible is important to me. I truly believe that your ceremony sets the tone for your wedding day and the celebrations to follow. If you’d like to chat about your wedding plans to see if I’m the celebrant for you, please feel free to get in touch with your date so I can check my availability. If I don’t have a conflicting booking, I’ll be happy to send you details on my wedding packages and design a beautiful ceremony which reflects your unique love story. Here’s the link to all my contact details: //lindycookecelebrant.com.au/contact/

Let’s do this together and make memories that will last you a lifetime!

067 ~ 31/10/2019

© Lindy Cooke Celebrant

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Not everyone wants to have a lavish wedding or even a traditional white wedding. This may be due to personal preference, budget considerations, time constraints or a desire to escape the somewhat daunting task of arranging an event on a large scale. So, here’s a guide to everything you need to know about micro weddings.

Choosing to have a small guest list

Anything micro, by definition, is something on a small scale. An elopement is where a couple choose to marry in a private and quite intimate ceremony. A true elopement will only have 3 other people in attendance … the celebrant and the 2 legally required witnesses.

My definition of a micro wedding, by comparison, will have a guest list of a dozen or so people. This means that you choose only your closest family and friends to witness your wedding ceremony (and, potentially, be part of the celebrations afterwards.) If you’re not looking to have a lavish party, this is a great option.

Choosing to only include what’s important to you

A micro wedding provides you with the opportunity to consider adding only those things which you consider important.

If, for instance, no-one will see you arrive, do you need to arrange a chauffeur-driven limousine, vintage or muscle car for your wedding transport?

You definitely won’t need a cake to feed 100+ guests but, something smaller with fabulous in-season blooms adorning it, will look amazing!

Photo credit:  The stunning cakes pictured here are the work of //lovecakedesigns.com/

Lovecakedesigns.com service the Lismore ~ Brisbane ~ Gold Coast ~ Byron Bay areas.

Contact Emma on 0428 941-091 or via //www.facebook.com/lovecakedesignsnsw/

Consider, too, your wedding attire. If you’ve always dreamed of wearing a long white wedding gown, then you won’t want to compromise on that. Importantly, there’s no reason why you should! You could consider wearing another style of dress though, perhaps in another colour, which would look fabulous worn at parties or when you’re a guest at someone else’s wedding in the future.

Choosing the time of day for your celebration

As your venue and food/alcohol can form a big part of your expenses, it’s worthwhile considering the time of day as a key element for your celebrations. If, for example, you choose to marry at sunrise, you could plan a delicious wedding breakfast afterwards at a local restaurant. Or, you might choose to marry (like I did) in the early afternoon and follow your ceremony with drinks and canapes rather than a sit-down 3 course meal. Perhaps something informal like sharing grazing platters is more your thing. Whatever you decide, there will be economies of scale in terms of your venue and the food and drink consumed.

Choosing who will officiate your ceremony

If you choose an authorised marriage celebrant, one who really listens to your ceremony vision, there will be a lot of flexibility as to how it can all unfold on the day. A possible alternative is to marry at a local Court House or at the offices of Births Deaths & Marriages. Keep in mind that you are fairly restricted in terms of choices if you decide to go this way. You’ll find lots of useful info in my earlier blog post on the topic of Celebrant vs Registry Office by clicking here.

Choosing to have a surprise wedding

Surprise weddings can be a great way to lower the stress levels and keep the planning and budget in check. I’m great at keeping secrets so, if this idea appeals to you, let’s talk!

Choosing to make memories your way

The key is to remember that your wedding day is about making memories with the person you love. It really shouldn’t be about satisfying tradition or someone else’s ideas about what a wedding should be. It’s 24 precious hours in your life and they should be memorable for all the right reasons. If the old adage “good things come in small packages” resonates with you, a micro wedding could be the perfect way to say “I do!”

~     ~     ~

Lastly, if you’d like to read further, body+soul have written a handy article on micro weddings which will give you some further info to add to the mix. Click here to have a read.

~     ~     ~

I can design a beautiful wedding ceremony for you, no matter the number of guests, that is unique and memorable. If you’d like further information on this, please feel free to get in touch. Here’s the link to all my contact details: //lindycookecelebrant.com.au/contact/

066 ~ 29/09/2019

© Lindy Cooke Celebrant

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What are your options?

How you and your partner decide to make an entrance on your wedding day depends on a number of factors. These include personal preference, the number of guests, whether you have a bridal party or not, and the venue itself.

Tradition

Other configurations

Mingling with your guests

The ceremony and the reception

We’ve all seen those videos where the bridal party dance down the aisle before the ceremony or the reception begins. If you’ve got the moves and are prepared to practise, practise, deciding to make an entrance this way could be something truly memorable. Having it on video, uploading it to YouTube or your social media are just some of the ways you can share the moment.

It’s important to recognise that the one key time to pull out the stops and make an entrance is on your wedding day. After all, you will have everyone’s attention and, as they’re your invited guests, their good wishes.

~     ~     ~

I can design a beautiful wedding ceremony for you that is unique and memorable. If you’d like further information on this, please feel free to get in touch. Here’s the link to all my contact details: //lindycookecelebrant.com.au/contact/

065 ~ 31/08/2019

© Lindy Cooke Celebrant

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Having friends and family actually send through their RSVPs can be a mission for couples getting married. Apart from adding a date to the bottom of your invitation, what other creative things could you do to get those RSVPS in?

Create your own free wedding website

Start a group Facebook page

Set up a wedding email address

Include a tick & flick RSVP card

as well as a stamped self-addressed envelope with your invitation. In this way, guests only need to tick “Yes, I’ll be there” or “No, sorry, I won’t be able to join you”, then put the card in the envelope provided and pop it in the mail.

Give yourself a little leeway

Try to give yourself an extra week or so before final numbers need to be supplied to your caterer or venue so that you can follow up with anyone who has not yet responded. If you let them know a final cut-off date, at this point it really is up to them to get back to you promptly.

064 ~ 31/07/2019

© Lindy Cooke Celebrant

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Benefits of networking with other wedding suppliers

What can be done in an emergency

Celebrants are professionals but they, too, have personal lives. If we should become ill at the eleventh hour, if there’s a death in the family, or a flood or fire and we just can’t get through to the ceremony location, we’ll do our best to find someone qualified to step into our shoes. This requires us to transfer the  Notice of Intended Marriage lodged with us to the new celebrant, as well as all relevant details and the pre-approved ceremony script.

Keep in mind, if this occurs, your new celebrant also has a legal obligation to sight your personal documents before they will be able to marry you. These include your evidence of date and place of birth and also your identity. If you have been married before, you’ll also need to show them how your most recent marriage ended.

Since becoming a celebrant in 2013, I have never not been able to fulfil my role as a celebrant. In saying that, I consider networking with other wedding suppliers is important and, as such, have a large group of celebrant friends and colleagues I could call on in an emergency.

Word of mouth recommendations

Over the years, networking with other wedding suppliers at events such as weddings and bridal expos has enabled me to meet a wide range of people. I also hear feedback from couples and others in the industry. If you’re looking for fireworks, if you’d like the names of people you can trust to take your precious photos (without being precious themselves!), if you’d like to find a makeup artist who is experienced in working with all skin types, or you’d just like someone to answer your enquiry rather than have it go into the “big black hole”, then it’s likely I’ll be able to refer you to someone who’ll look after you beautifully.

Google is a wonderful resource but genuine feedback comes from personal experience. Once you have a shortlist of suppliers, I recommend you check out their website, Facebook and Instagram pages. This will give you a feel for their style. From there, you could either phone or email your requirements. How quickly they respond and the content of their reply will add another layer to what you already know about them.

Don’t underestimate the value of genuine reviews on their pages too. These will give you a really good idea about how others felt when working with them. To check out some of the reviews I’ve received, head over here.

Relationships are important

For me, the feeling I get when I connect with someone is a key factor when designing a ceremony script. There are so many different personalities in this world and I love the diversity we can all tap into. While there are other things to consider such as price, availability and style, when you feel comfortable with someone and they are truly listening to you, the magic happens.

Further information

For further information on the services I provide, click here.

You can also take a look at some of my earlier blog posts here. If you have a question, it’s likely I’ve covered it in one of those. If not, please just ask! I’m always happy to help.

063 ~ 30/06/2019

© Lindy Cooke Celebrant

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When a party to a marriage produces a document (such as a birth certificate) in a language other than English, the celebrant should ask the couple to seek an official NAATI certified translation of the document.  This applies even if the celebrant can read and write in that language. NAATI is the National Accreditation Authority for Translators and Interpreters.

Not all bilingual or multilingual celebrants will be able to authoritatively translate documents. For this reason an independent person, preferably one that is NAATI accredited at Level 3 or higher, should be engaged to take on this role. A list of certified translators and interpreters can be found by searching here.

While the Marriage Regulations do not require translations to be provided by an accredited translator, where this happens there is far less chance for this important role to be compromised. The only exception to this is where a person consenting to a minor’s marriage gives consent that is not in English. In this situation, the services of an accredited translator must be used.

Marriage documents form part of a chain of documents a person will use over the course of their life to establish their identity and obtain identity documents. An accredited translation will provide an audit trail of amendments to a person’s record and preserve their name in full. This is especially relevant where documents contain non-alphabetic characters.

After the marriage

Subsection 50(4) of the Marriage Act requires the celebrant to forward specific documents to Births Deaths & Marriages in the state or territory in which the marriage was solemnised. These include the official certificate of marriage and the NOIM as well as any supporting documents such as official translations of documents.

Further information on this subject can be found at section 4.16 of The Guidelines on the Marriage Act 1961.

Evidence of a foreign marriage

A marriage certificate, issued by a competent overseas authority, is evidence in Australia of the validity of the marriage. The parties are therefore precluded from re-marrying in Australia (unless they have subsequently divorced.)

Note: A party to an overseas marriage may not be able to rely on their marriage certificate to have an Australian driver licence/passport issued in their married name. In this event, the party may decide to undergo an official Change of Name in Australia to reflect their married name.

062 ~ 31/05/2019

© Lindy Cooke Celebrant

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When consideration is being given as to when to involve an interpreter in a wedding, the following things need to be taken into account:

• Are one or both parties, their witnesses or, indeed, the marriage celebrant unable to understand the language in which the ceremony will be conducted? Note: this also includes sign language such as Auslan. If this is the case, the celebrant should insist on the couple engaging the services of an interpreter or pass the marriage onto a celebrant who speaks that language.
• If an interpreter is required, it is the responsibility of the marrying parties (not the celebrant) to engage their services. Where a language (such as Chinese) has multiple dialects, the couple must first ensure that the interpreter is fluent in the specific dialect that will be spoken.
• The couple should also supply their celebrant with the details of the interpreter so they can make contact ahead of time.
• The celebrant must ensure, prior to the marriage, that the interpreter is fluent in both languages and that each of the marrying parties give real consent to the marriage.
• The interpreter cannot be one of the marrying parties.
• While the Marriage Act does not prohibit an interpreter also acting as a witness to a marriage, it is recommended that this not be the case so that the professionalism of the interpreter is not compromised.
• The celebrant must not solemnise a marriage where the services of an interpreter are to be used unless they have received, prior to the start of the ceremony, a Statutory Declaration by the interpreter stating that they understand and are able to converse in the language/s required. Here’s the link to take you to this form.
• Immediately after the ceremony, the interpreter must give the celebrant a completed Certificate of the Faithful Performance By Interpreter so as to verify their services as interpreter. The certificate must be in the approved form (see link in the above point.)
• When providing Births Deaths & Marriages with the required marriage documents, the Celebrant must also include the completed and signed Statutory Declaration and Certificate of the Faithful Performance By Interpreter.
• Section 112 of the Marriage Act provides that a marriage must not be solemnised unless the requirements relating to the use of interpreters have been met.

Other information

Naturally, when involving an interpreter in a wedding, it is encumbent on the authorised marriage celebrant to ensure that everything said during the ceremony is repeated by the interpreter and vice versa. In this way, everyone present, in particular the marrying couple and the legal witnesses, can attest to there being a true and faithful exchange throughout the ceremony.

I advise sending a copy of the ceremony, as soon as it is finalised and approved by the marrying couple, to the interpreter so that they can become familiar with it.

On the day of the wedding, the celebrant will deliver the ceremony, paragraph by paragraph, with the interpreter repeating the same words, paragraph by paragraph, in the relevant foreign language. In this way, everyone present can understand what is being said during the ceremony and be part of it.

The Guidelines on the Marriage Act 1961 state that where the services of an interpreter are required, the Attorney-General’s Department recommends they be found through the National Accreditation Authority for Translators and Interpreters Ltd (NAATI). They also recommend they be accredited at Level 3 or higher. The NAATI website provides a directory of translators and interpreters. Here’s the link to take you there.

Further information on the documents required to register your marriage can be found here.

061 ~ 30/04/2019

© Lindy Cooke Celebrant

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