Show stopper ceremony

The essentials

Ceremony

• Takes between 30-45 minutes
• A personalised ceremony delivered to your guests detailing your love journey which includes the requirements according to Australian law
• Standard marriage certificate
• Quality PA system with wireless microphones

Meeting

You’ve decided I’m the one for you…well to perform your ceremony. Let’s get your plans underway and meet face-to-face. We’ll cover:

• All the legal stuff
• I’ll give you an agreement, including payment details
• We can prepare and lodge the Notice of Intended Marriage (NOIM)
• We will start to plan your perfect ceremony. We will talk about your preferred style and theme, size of your wedding party, number of guests, being ‘given away’ etc
• I’ll provide you with a questionnaire to take away and complete to assist me with preparing a personalised ceremony.
• You’ll be given a resource pack including ideas for songs, readings and rituals for you to review and can be used during the ceremony if you choose

Getting to know you

I’d love to know you better. We’ll discuss how you met, the proposal, your life together, interesting stories, hobbies, and how you see your future together. I’ll also ask questions about your parents and any children, and whether you want them involved in the ceremony. I’ll ask you for any of your ideas since our last meeting – including things you definitely do not want!

Paperwork

Download and complete a Notice of Intended Marriage form and bring it to your interview. You will also need to bring the following documents to the interview:

Proof of identity

Both of you must provide your original birth certificate and/or a current passport. If a passport cannot be provided, another current photo ID can be accepted.

If either of you has been previously married, you must provide:

• an original divorce certificate, if divorced or
• a full death certificate, if widowed.

If your documents are not in English, you will need to provide a NAATI-certified translation of the documents in addition to the original documents.

Draft ceremony

I’ll let you know which parts of the ceremony MUST legally be said and which parts have options. Once you pick the ones you want, I’ll draft up a ceremony for us to work on. We can also add in other things like music, poems, rituals – until we get it just right.

We can also start to think about your vows and whether you want the standard legal ones or add your own touch.

Pre-wedding meeting

This package doesn’t include a rehearsal, but I highly recommend one. It is one of the most important days of your life, so it’s good to get everything right and alleviate your nerves.  If the venue is not available, then we can do it elsewhere.

Whether you decide to have a rehearsal or not, I will meet with you both one to two weeks prior to your big day. We will go through the final script, make sure you are 100% happy with it, and tie up any loose ends. I’ll also get you to sign the Declaration of No Legal Impediment to Marriage to confirm that all details on the certificates are correct and that you are still legally eligible to wed.

On the big day

I will be there early to help settle any nerves and answer any questions you have.

While we have the best-laid plans, spontaneity can be a beautiful thing, especially when children and animals are involved. It often makes the most memorable ceremonies. Be in the moment and trust you are in good hands.

Witnesses

As a legal requirement, you will need to organise two witnesses who are over 18, that speak and understand English, and who will witness and sign the marriage certificate.

Ceremony

• vows are exchanged and you may also exchange wedding rings if you desire
• A standard Marriage Certificate is signed by both of you and by two witnesses, and then presented to you as the married couple.

Note:  Your wedding date must be at least one month after you lodge your Notice of Intended Marriage (NOIM). The NOIM is valid for up to 18 months.

Lodging paperwork

Cost includes the fee to lodge your notice of intended marriage ($169), registration of your marriage with Births, Death and Marriages, and a standard marriage certificate ($60).

Call me or send an enquiry with your ceremony date and location and I will check my availability.

Marriage Certificate

I will apply for your marriage certificate and it will be posted to you from Births, Deaths and Marriages.

So let’s do this! I can’t wait to share this special day with you. Call me or send an enquiry with your ceremony date and location and I will check my availability.

Make an enquiry