What are the legal requirements before we get married?
Australian law states that both parties need to be over 18. If one party is younger than 18, you can apply for special consideration through the courts.
I need to see original birth certificates for both the bride and groom. Legally, wedding ceremonies cannot be performed unless a celebrant has seen the bride and groom's certificates. If you need to order new certificates, you can do so here.
If either of you has been divorced, you'll need to produce your original Decree Absolute papers.
If either of your previous spouses are deceased, you'll need to bring the Death Certificate. If either of you was born overseas, I'll need to see your passport as well as overseas birth certificate. I return all certificates immediately.
You'll both need to complete a Notice of Intended Marriage (NOIM) form, which you can download and print from here or ask me to send you a hardcopy.
This form needs to be signed in front of myself, or another registered person such as a medical professional or police officer.
The NOIM needs to be completed no less than a month and one day before the ceremony, but can be done up to 18 months prior to the marriage.
In the week leading up to the ceremony, you'll both need to sign a Declaration of Marriage form, declaring that there's no reason you can't get married.
On the day, you'll need two witnesses over 18 to sign the official marriage register and papers.
How do we book you?
Give me a call or send me an email and we'll organise an obligation free meeting.
I require a deposit to secure your wedding date. Once you've paid your deposit, I will provide my booklet of ideas and options for your wedding ceremony, readings, vows and askings.
Every couple is different. We'll talk about your 'dream' wedding and start the process of planning what your ceremony will include.
We would like to get married next year. Is now too early to book you?
The earlier you can book the better, as couples generally plan months ahead for their wedding. You can book me as far in advance as you'd like, but the NOIM can only be completed 18 months ahead of the ceremony.
On the other hand, some couples decide to get married very quickly. I've worked with many couples to plan their wedding ceremonies in as little as five to six weeks. Give me a call to discuss your requirements!
What does your fee cover?
I charge a standard fee for all weddings in Orange. If you are getting married outside Orange, a small charge is added to cover my transport costs from Orange to your wedding venue.
I require a booking deposit to secure your wedding date and time, and the balance is then payable a fortnight before the ceremony.
That fee covers all pre-ceremony consultations, a booklet I've produced to help couples decide what they'd like to include in their service, writing your ceremony, advice about all ceremony-related issues, officiating your service, use of my personal PA system with wireless microphones and a CD player for music, a table and two covered chairs for use during the signing, a copy of your service and a ceremonial marriage certificate.
Do we need to attend any pre-marital relationship counselling?
Legally, you don't have to attend any counselling. However if you feel it will benefit you both, I have information about local, state and online providers you can access.
Where can we get married?
I am able to officiate at ceremonies across the west at any time of any day.
I have completed ceremonies at many locations including wineries, private gardens, farms, restaurants, Botanic Gardens and parks. The choice is yours!
You'll need to book the location through the relevant owners or authorities. Many locations, such as popular parks and Botanic Gardens, need to be booked and paid for through the local council.
I travel across the west to conduct services so your imagination is the limit!
How much input can we have into the ceremony?
The choice is yours! Every couple is different, so I've put together a wedding pack and booklet which includes options and tips for writing your own vows and askings, numerous readings, sample ceremony formats as well as optional special ceremonies, like sand ceremonies and butterfly releases.
Some couples ask me to write their service, while others like to choose vows and readings and ask me to put it all together! I write extremely personalised ceremonies that guide your guests through your love story.
It is your day, so I like you to 'own' the ceremony and make it exactly what you'd like it to be.
We work together to ensure every single word tells your love story, while meeting all legal requirements for it to be a legal wedding!
Some brides have phoned me a few hours before the ceremony asking for special inclusions!
Will the ceremony be long, or short?
Again, entirely up to you both!
Some couples like to include numerous readings and special ceremonial roles, while others like to keep it short and to the point.
On average though, most civil ceremonies run between 20 and 30 minutes including the signing of the three official marriage documents.
My fiance is very nervous about remembering all the words. Should he be?
Most brides and grooms are nervous about something! But there's absolutely no need for him to be worried about remembering the words. Most couples like to repeat their vows after me - so there's no need to memorise anything!
If you would like to read your vows rather than repeating them, that is perfectly fine as well. I provide all readings on attractive gold cardboard.
What other services do you provide?
I provide renewal of vows ceremonies to mark special anniversaries.
I can also complete commitment ceremonies, which usually cater for couples of the same sex, but also for a man and woman who don't want to be legally married, but still express their commitment to each other.
I also love naming ceremonies!