Your wedding ceremony

As you celebrate this exciting milestone in your lives, choosing a celebrant is just one of the many decisions you will have to make. I won’t be able to guarantee you perfect weather or help with the difficulties of the seating plan but I can promise you a meaningful and personal ceremony that reflects your personalities and values. Whether you want a ceremony that is formal or informal, sophisticated or simple, I have many resources and ideas to help you in choosing readings, music or rituals that you might like to include.
When choosing a civil marriage celebrant to conduct the service you can have your ceremony at the time and place of your choice.

An example of what your ceremony may include:

• Opening music and a welcome to the guests by the Celebrant
• Celebrant self-introduction with legal wording- (Required)
• An introduction that refers to the Bride & Groom
• A reading as selected by the couple
• The Monitum. This is adapted from the Marriage Act and is required in the ceremony.
• The giving away of the bride
• The Marriage Commitment, comprising the asking if the couple will take one another and the vows – (Required)
• The exchange of the ring/s
• Another reading as selected
• Declaration of the Marriage
• Signing of the register and certificates (Required), with selected music
• The presentation of the Marriage Certificate

Notice of Intended Marriage

*$100 (non-refundable deposit) is required at the time of lodging the Notice of Intended Marriage.
A Notice of Intended Marriage form must be completed and lodged with with me, not less than 1 full calendar month and one day before your wedding day and not more than 18 months before. This form can be downloaded from www.ag.gov.au or I can provide one.    (Marriage Celebrant Code of Practice is also available at this site)

You need to show ID at this time, either a passport or an original birth certificate plus a driver’s license. A copy of your birth certificate can be obtained from www.justice.vic.gov.au if born in Victoria or from the office of Births, Deaths and Marriages in the state of your birth.
If widowed or divorced, a death or divorce certificate must be produced.

“To marry is the ultimate act of trust – to take another’s hand and step forward into the unknown with hope and courage.”

– Clara Ortega