FAQS
A good wedding celebrant will do everything they can to ensure you will have a day where you are relaxed, happy and content with your ceremony. That is why a celebrant tries to take some organisational load off of a couple’s shoulders to free them up to enjoy the important aspect of their day- them! A celebrant takes care of the legal aspect of the ceremony and makes sure everything goes to plan. On average a couple will invest around 5% of their wedding budget for a customised, personalised, professional service.
There are five things that must occur during a wedding ceremony for the marriage to be legally solemnised:
- The celebrant must introduce themselves and confirm their credentials.
- Your names must be said in full at least once during the ceremony (yes, even your embarrassing middle name!)
- The celebrant must say The Montium from the Marriage Act (1961).
- You must exchange legal vows as a minimum.
- Two witnesses over the age of 18 must be present to see and hear the ceremony and sign the relevant legal documentation.
The Monitum is an excerpt from the Marriage Act (1961) that must be read by the person officiating at your ceremony before you take your vows. It reads:
I am duly authorised by law to solemnise marriages according to law. Before you are joined in marriage in my presence and in the presence of these witnesses, I am to remind you of the solemn and binding nature of the relationship into which you are now about to enter. Marriage, according to the law in Australia, is the union of two people to the exclusion to all others, voluntarily entered into for life.
- Both parties must be at least 18 years old. (Refer to Section 12 of the Marriage Act (1961) for details of any exception).
- A Notice of Intended Marriage (NOIM) form must be lodged with your celebrant no less than one month one day and no earlier than 18 months before your wedding date.
- You must not be too closely related
If you have been married before, I must sight your Divorce Decree Absolute or Death Certificate of your previous spouse.
Yes, I have Public Liability and Professional Indemnity Insurance.
You will need a certified copy of your marriage certificate. 2-3 weeks after your ceremony you can apply for your marriage certificate through Births, Deaths, and Marriages (BDM). Your celebrant legally has up to 14 days after your wedding date to lodge all paperwork with BDM.
Once you have a certified copy of your certificate you will then need to contact everyone you wish to notify of your change of name.
Yes. To secure my services as a celebrant you will need to pay a 50% deposit of the total fee.
No, you don’t have to have a rehearsal, but I recommend that you do. By having a rehearsal you can iron out any problems you have been stressing about in relation to walking down the aisle, and who stands where. A rehearsal can also be a final catch up with me before the big day.
Also, this can be a fantastic way to kick off your celebrations: The Festival of You Guys!!!